Children's Home run by Knossington Grange School Limited in Lincolnshire

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff and young people enjoy excellent relationships, and this helps young people to engage in activities and develop confidence.  There continues to be a reduction in risk-taking behaviour such as drug use, going missing and aggression. Young people can easily identify the progress that they make in improving their behaviour.  Staff work well as a team, and feel supported by the manager and their colleagues.  The views of others indicate that the care provided, progress and experiences of children and young people are very good.  Despite some excellent progress made by young people, there are shortfalls that undermine this progress. One requirement is made in respect of risk management. Two recommendations reflect the need for an advocate and for staff to update records.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 01/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes, and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people. It is owned and run by an independent provider and there is a school site nearby which some young people attend. The home provides care and accommodation for young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

19/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

23/09/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people make tremendous progress in many areas of their lives, but this progress is undermined by several shortfalls, making their overall experiences good rather than outstanding.

p.6

Good

Given their starting points and complex lives, young people make admirable progress because of living here, and this is identified by a number of agencies and family members. Comments from family members and professionals include: ‘He is doing exceptionally well’, and: ‘their confidence has really grown, because they are encouraged to do more things’.

p.6

Good

Education attendance and attainment is excellent, with some young people achieving 98% attendance and a noticeable improvement in their grades. Staff work very hard to ensure that those young people who have been without education benefit from a slow and measured introduction back into schooling. This takes place initially within the home, moving to an allocated classroom on site, working one-to-one with education support staff and slowly integrating into full- time education. Ultimately, this results in young people attending full-time education for the first time in their lives. Young people moving schools receive good support from staff, who work closely with the education provider to ensure that the transfer is as smooth as possible.

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Good

Young people grow in confidence and improve their social interactions. This is due, in part, to a vast array of activities and community events in which they participate. For some, going out into the community to go shopping or go for a coffee is enormous progress. Young people enjoy new experiences such as fishing, and going to the seaside and theme parks. Contact with family also improves the confidence of young people in their interactions with others. Contact is supported by staff, where appropriate, ensuring that it is a beneficial time for all.

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Good

The health of young people continues to improve as they eat healthier meals and take part in active leisure pursuits. Those who smoke are encouraged to stop or reduce their smoking, and good working relationships with drug and alcohol agencies has resulted in their cessation of drug use. Young people who previously refused all medical appointments now attend the dentist, improving their oral hygiene. Staff explore sexual health issues sensitively and appropriately, helping young people to engage in appropriate relationships safely. Young people work with a therapist to address their anxieties and concerns, and explore their emotional health and well-being. As a result, they improve their self-esteem, and their behaviour improves as they begin to understand how their behaviour is linked to their feelings. Some minor errors in medical history records, such as the date of a medical, need to be rectified to provide accurate information.

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Good

Medication practice is sound. Staff are trained in the administration and recording of medication. Detailed records provide an accurate account of medication given and regular auditing ensures that practice is safe.

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Good

Young people who move on from the home continue to receive support and advice. Outreach services provided by staff help young people to improve their independence. This has helped young people to continue the progress that they made while living here.

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Good

New admissions are carefully considered and, when concerns arise, managers are not afraid to make difficult decisions about young people’s placements. A thorough admission process, including visits and discussions with family, helps to make the move to this home as smooth as possible.

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Good

Young people enjoy excellent relationships with staff and managers. Staff understand their needs and good-quality care plans enable them to work with young people to help them achieve their targets. Very good key-work practice encourages young people to engage effectively with staff, helping them develop and make progress.

p.7

Good

The home provides a very warm, welcoming and family environment. It offers ample space for young people to share activities with others or to be on their own. The large, family-style kitchen encourages young people to cook and to sit and eat together, improving their life and social skills. Expansive gardens encourage play activities and exploring. Young people’s bedrooms are personalised and the home is full of photographs of all the young people taking part in a host of activities. Records of photographic consent need to be updated, ensuring permission for such displays are current.

p.7

Good

Young people enjoy a full and active role in their care and in the running of the home. They express their views and opinions through regular house meetings, personal support work (key work) with individual staff, and engagement with the independent visitor who attends monthly to review the care and welfare of the young people. They know how to complain and, when they do, they receive a swift and courteous response to their concern. This means that they know that their concerns are taken seriously. Young people also know how to contact Ofsted if they have any issues. Although this means that young people have a number of avenues for raising concerns, some do not have an allocated advocate. A recommendation is made to ensure that this service is available to young people.

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Good

One relative summed up the care provided and the quality of this home, stating: ‘Of the many homes he has been in, this home is the best. They do a 100% good job with him. They are absolutely brilliant.’

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Good

Young people identify the progress that they make in improving their behaviour. One said: ‘I am much less violent, easier to talk to now and know that damaging things is not good.’ Involvement in a range of activities has reduced the temptation for some young people to become involved in the criminal activities that they engaged in previously. One placing authority social worker said: ‘He has made considerable progress in improving his behaviours and presentation. Staff have been clear what help he needs and understand how they can help.’

p.8

Good

The use of physical intervention is decreasing. When it is used, detailed recording, debriefings with staff and young people, and effective monitoring by the manager mean that these rare incidents provide effective learning for all involved. Detailed impact risk assessments carried out by staff identify any potential concerns or conflicts with young people when a new young person comes to the home. This helps to identify any possible bullying concerns and enables staff to take proactive action to reduce risk. As a result, there have been no incidents of bullying for nearly a year.

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Good

Missing from home and absence incidents have dramatically reduced, not just due to young people moving on from the home but also as result of staff’s increased supervision of young people and provision of activities to keep them fully engaged. Previous incidents have been recorded in good detail, providing clarity in the actions taken by staff, and identifying learning for staff and young people. In the past, some return interviews have been carried out by staff. The manager is aware that, in future, these need to be carried out by an independent person. He is in the process of identifying an appropriate person to undertake this role.

p.8

Good

Staff’s and managers’ handling of serious incidents is inconsistent. One recent serious safeguarding issue has been handled exceptionally well. Robust responses to the immediate concern together with detailed recording and reporting; implementation of robust risk assessments; work with the young people involved, work with other professionals and taking the lead in strategy meetings has ensured young people’s ongoing safety and protection. The management of other incidents, such as self-harm and climbing on the roof, have been less thorough, although they were managed well at the time of the incident. Staff have taken swift action and the immediate safety of young people was secured. Detailed evaluation and reflection on these incidents by staff and the manager identify the reasons for these behaviours and notes the worrying trends. However, these evaluations and accompanying risk assessments lack detail as to any preventative measures taken

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Good

in either scenario, such as removing items from rooms, reviewing the access to the high points of the building and increased staff supervision. They also lack detailed instructions for staff as to the action that they should take, should these incidents occur again. Other risk assessments do provide the necessary clarity to keep young people safe and minimise risk.

p.8

Good

Regular maintenance and health and safety checks ensure that the home is safe. Young people take part in regular fire drills so that they know how to evacuate safely and they are educated on the dangers of fire. Robust recruitment processes involving young people ensure that staff are safely recruited. Young people’s involvement in interviewing candidates also improves their own confidence and increases their skills.

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Good

The home is very well managed by an experienced and appropriately qualified registered manager, who is very ‘hands on’ and involved in the day-to-day care and running of the home. He is ably supported by an experienced deputy manager, and both have excellent relationships with young people.

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Good

Staff report on the effective support of managers and their colleagues. One commented: ‘They are second to none. I couldn’t ask for better management or staff team.’ Staff from other agencies describe the management as ‘absolutely brilliant’.

p.9

Good

Regular supervision with seniors supports staff and identifies future learning opportunities. Team meetings provide a forum for discussing and evaluating incidents and sharing good practice. Staff new to the home follow an in-depth induction to the home. Their ongoing development is provided through a range of mandatory courses, including safeguarding and training on specific issues such as radicalisation.

p.9

Good

The manager deploys a number of bank staff, providing consistency for young people, precluding the need for agency staff. Staff bring a range of qualities and experience to the team. The majority of staff are appropriately qualified, or there are valid reasons why they have not yet obtained qualifications. The manager is very active in ensuring that any prior learning is accredited and that staff complete the required training as soon as possible.

p.9

Good

Partnership work is a real strength, with very good communication and joint working providing opportunities for young people to develop and improve their outcomes. The manager offers very effective challenge to others who fail to deliver, escalating concerns when the response is inadequate. Very effective monitoring ensures that young people remain safe and looked after, and do well. Regular visits by the independent person involve young people and provide a detailed account of the progress that they make and any areas to address. Shortfalls are actioned swiftly. A very good evaluative review by the manager identifies progress and the impact of the home on young people’s development. The manager said: ‘I try to tell the story and paint a picture of what is going on.’ A simple but clear development plan ensures that action is identified to continue to improve the care and outcomes for young people.

p.9

Good

Despite the shortfalls, young people do well and other professionals value the support that the home provides. One placing authority social worker said: ‘Staff are absolutely excellent. They have very good relationships, very proactive. They keep me up to date. The young person loves it there. I wouldn’t want him to be placed anywhere else.’

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’. An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance, ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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