Children's Home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Rochdale

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:

 This ethos of this home is underpinned by warm, trusting and supportive relationships with adults who provide young people with stability and opportunities to develop and progress.  The manager and staff are consistent in their delivery of a child-centred programme of care, which is based on the principles of assessment, monitoring and review.  Young people’s views and opinions are highly valued, and their participation in planning their care and making decisions about the day-to-day running of the home is encouraged and promoted at all times.  Links with partnership agencies are strong and are effectively used by the manager and staff to ensure that young people receive the services and support required to meet their individual needs.  Young people’s safety is consistently promoted through a range of effective safeguarding procedures and well thought-out risk management strategies that are designed to help young people to safely manage their known and emerging

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The children's home provision is good because:

needs, behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities.  The home is effectively managed by a competent and able manager who provides strong, child-focused leadership for staff.  Young people benefit from the care and support of a stable and suitably experienced team of staff that knows them well, and has their best interests at heart and that is committed to promoting their individual success.  The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and demonstrates a strong commitment to continuously improving the care and support available to young people.  A small number of shortfalls are noted at this inspection. These relate to independent return interviews, challenging the placing authority and recording restorative consequences.

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met In order to meet the engaging with the wider system to ensure each child's needs are met standard, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff (b)(c) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs; and, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. This is with specific reference to ensuring that each child's placing authority fulfils its responsibility to provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return interview following any incident of the child going missing from home. 08/09/2016

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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

 Ensure that there is a procedure in place to provide independent return home interviews when a child returns to the home after going missing from care or away from home without permission, and that this procedure is agreed with each child's placing authority and fully recorded in each child's placement plan. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Maintain a record of any sanctions used to address poor behaviour, in particular those that are of a restorative nature and are used to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this children's home

This is one of a number of children's homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The organisation also has a small therapy department as well as primary and secondary education provisions, which young people can access if appropriate.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

08/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

20/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

All young people benefit from being supported by staff who make every effort to understand them and take an interest in their lives. Staff work in a determined way to develop and maintain positive relationships with young people, from the point of admission to the home. These relationships underpin the culture and ethos of the home and are used effectively to provide a caring and supportive environment. This contributes to young people developing a sense of belonging and self-worth, as well as making them more resilient to the challenges that they face in their lives. Staff are diligent in their efforts to meet each young person’s individual needs. They work exceptionally hard to help them to safely manage their behaviour, showing determination, commitment and resilience when this is at its most challenging and unsafe. The manager is not afraid to make difficult decisions if they are in the best interests of young people. This was evident when it was

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Good

recognised that the needs of one young person could not be safely met without significant compromise to a younger child. Issues were highlighted with the placing authority and action taken to support, as planned, a move for the young person who was placing herself and others at significant risk of harm. Despite this unplanned end to the placement, it is acknowledged that, for the majority of the time she spent in the home, she had made progress in many aspects of her life. A great deal of effort has gone into ensuring that the right young person was matched to the needs of the young person already in placement. Information gathered during the referral process has been well used to develop detailed and informative care plans and risk assessments, which are regularly reviewed and updated. Young people’s views are integral to all aspects of planning their care and the day-to-day running of the home. Staff regularly talk to them during their key-

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Good

work sessions, house meetings and impromptu discussions. A social worker said, ‘[Name] is included in every decision and is very much part of what is going on. Staff are very child focused and [Name] feels part of everything.’ Young people are well supported to participate in education. Individualised arrangements are in place with one young person attending a mainstream secondary school and the other attending the organisation’s primary school. Both young people have good attendance and are making positive progress, relative to their starting points. The manager is clear about her responsibilities in promoting education, including ensuring that barriers to participation are overcome. The manager and staff work hard to maintain positive relationships with education providers and these have been used effectively to address emerging concerns. For example, when one young person’s attendance started to drop due to refusals to

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Good

go to school, staff quickly arranged a meeting to identify appropriate support strategies. This resulted in the young person’s attendance returning to the maximum. Young people’s physical health and emotional well-being are promoted. Staff monitor young people’s health and provide the necessary support to ensure that routine checks and appointments are up to date. When necessary, they make referrals to specialist healthcare services such as the child and adolescent mental health service and paediatric support. Staff maintain good links with the organisation’s therapists who take a lead in assessing young people and informing staff members’ approach to managing the behaviours. The therapists also provide direct support to young people through a range of approaches, which are delivered at the therapy department’s office. Despite the best efforts of staff to promote engagement, which is viewed by social workers as a key element of this

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Good

placement, young people’s levels of participation vary. One social worker said, ‘I am disappointed with the low levels of engagement [Name] has had with the therapist. I don’t think [Name] has many opportunities to build relationships with her therapist because she only sees them at the office. It would be good if they could look at ways of building a relationship with her away from the office, which would make her more comfortable and more likely to participate.’ In response to this comment, the manager stated that they would discuss this with the head of therapy. Young people are encouraged to engage in purposeful, risk-assessed and age- appropriate leisure activities. Based on young people’s hobbies and interests, staff make every effort to identify opportunities for them to attend a range of clubs and recreational pastimes. Young people spoke enthusiastically about the things they have done since being at the home, in particular how they enjoyed their recent

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Good

caravan holiday at the seaside. Staff recognise the importance of family relationships and do their best to support these when safe to do so. They work closely with social workers to ensure that the parameters and arrangements for safe and purposeful contact are agreed, and that they are in the best interest of the young person. The home is in a much better condition that it was at the previous inspection when a lot of unrepaired damage was seen. Plans are in place to make further improvements to the house, including refurbishment of the dated bathroom and making the conservatory into a sensory room. On the whole, the house is adequately decorated and appropriately furnished with some evidence of personalisation throughout. Judgement grade

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Good

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and keeping young people safe is integral to daily practice. Staff are trained in safeguarding, including child sexual exploitation. They are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and are conscientious in their application of these. Staff know young people well and fully understand how to manage their individual risks and vulnerabilities. They provide high levels of supervision and support, which are delivered in a parent-like manner that reinforces that they are cared for. Both young people spoken to during the inspection recognise this and confirm that they feel safe, well cared for and happy in their home. The manager brings a wealth of safeguarding experience based on her past experience as a social worker, and demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of safeguarding procedures. There have been three child protection concerns since the last full inspection. These have been managed effectively and in

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Good

the best interests of young people, including the referral to, and involvement of, external safeguarding agencies and professionals. This multi-agency response has ensured that the right action has been taken to promote young people’s welfare. Staff do not lose sight of the need to balance the management of risk against the need for young people to take age-appropriate risks. Staff make every effort to raise young people’s awareness by talking to them about the importance of making the right choices and keeping themselves safe. This has been effective in helping one vulnerable young person to begin to have unsupervised time with a plan to increase this over time. A social worker said, ‘Staff manage [Name]’s risks and vulnerabilities. They have appropriate conversations with her about relevant topics.’ Incidents of young people going missing without consent have reduced significantly over the last three months. This is primarily due to one young person

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Good

leaving the home but is also indicative of how settled the current group of young people is. When young people have gone missing, staff have made every effort to maintain supervision, following individualised reporting protocols, agreed with the police, when they have lost sight of them. This has ensured that the right action has been taken to manage young people’s risks and vulnerabilities in the community and to secure a safe return to the home. Staff act as positive role models for young people and encourage them to behave in a socially acceptable manner. They provide them with positive praise and recognition and give subtle reminders about expectations to keep them focused and on task. Unacceptable behaviour is proportionately challenged, using a range of restorative consequences. These are designed to encourage young people to reflect on their behaviour, consider how it impacts on themselves and others and

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Good

to put things right. This approach is effective in enabling young people to change their behaviour, and is confirmed by a social worker who spoke about one young person’s increased empathy and consideration of others. However, records of restorative consequences are not maintained, which is a missed opportunity to evidence the positive work that staff are doing. One-to-one staffing ratios, an excellent knowledge of each young person’s specific triggers and competence in using positive relationships and de-escalation techniques to diffuse challenging behaviours mean that there are very few restraints. On the occasions when restraint has been used, it has been used caringly as a last resort, in order to keep young people from harming themselves and/or others. Safer recruitment practice is followed to ensure that only those suitable to work with vulnerable young people do so. Four staff, including the manager, have been

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Good

appointed since the last inspection. All have been subject to careful vetting and have followed a suitable induction and probation pathway.

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Good

Leadership and management arrangements have significantly improved since the last inspection. The registered manager was appointed in April 2016 and brings a wealth of social care experience and expertise with her. She is social work trained and is currently enrolled to complete the level 5 diploma, which will give her the relevant qualifications for her management role. She also manages another home within the company and successfully divides her time between the two. The manager is highly motivated and drives a strong, child-focussed approach across all aspects of care practice. She is well supported by a small team of staff that shares her child-centred goals and values. Staff morale is high and has contributed to a good standard of care being delivered with enthusiasm and commitment. Young people are making good progress as a result of staff efforts, which have been highly effective in helping them to settle and find some level of

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Good

stability in their very complex and sometimes chaotic lives. A social worker said, ‘I have seen staff work with [Name] and have no concerns about their practice. They work as a team and have a sense of togetherness. I am really impressed with the progress [Name] has made, particularly since the arrival of the current manager.’ The majority of requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection have been suitably addressed. Staff demonstrate a better understanding of the barriers to learning that young people may face and know what action to take to help them overcome any such barriers. There is good evidence of the manager using monitoring systems to make continuous improvement, including the home’s records, which are now well organised, of a better quality and are mostly up to date. Work has been undertaken to repair the damage noted at the last inspection. One requirement and one recommendation have not been addressed. There is still

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Good

no agreed process in place for young people to be provided with the opportunity to have a visit from an independent person following incidents of missing from care. The manager has taken some action to challenge the placing authority’s underperformance, but this has not had any impact so far. The manager is aware of the need to further escalate and formalise her challenge to ensure that placing authorities fulfil their statutory obligation in this respect. Monitoring and oversight have significantly improved because quality assurance is now an integral part of all aspects of the home’s operation. The manager has completed a review of the quality of care, which has allowed her to assess the home’s performance. She demonstrates a good understanding of what is done well and what needs to improve. Areas for development are recorded in the form of development plans and actions plans, which are regularly reviewed and updated.

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Good

These are shared at team meetings, encouraging staff to take ownership and play a part in the home’s improvement plan. The home has received five complaints from neighbours, one of which was shared with Ofsted. These were all around the time of the home being unsettled and they related to the behaviour of young people. The manager has responded to these concerns in a well thought-out manner with a clear purpose of repairing relationships in the community. For example, as well as providing individual responses to each complainant, she arranged a meeting involving local councillors and neighbours to discuss and resolve the inherent issues and establish processes for dealing with any future concerns. There is a good balance of skills, knowledge and experience in this relatively newly formed team. Staff confirm that they are well supported both in their daily practice and through formal supervision and appraisal that clearly focus on professional

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Good

development and improving practice. Good oversight of training is maintained to ensure that staff have undertaken a range of mandatory and needs-led courses, or that suitable arrangements are in place for them to do these. This ensures that young people are cared for by staff who are competent in meeting their general, specific and emerging needs.

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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’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that 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 that 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 whom 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 the ‘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 0300123 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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