Children's home run by Reading Borough Council in Reading

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Each young person is spoken of and treated with great respect and affection by staff; they are treated as an individual with wishes that are understood and abilities that are nurtured.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The childcare practice of the manager and staff is highly regarded by family members and other professionals. One professional commented, ‘I am absolutely 100% confident in everything I’ve seen here.’

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people make progress across all developmental areas. The improvement of the health of some young people since admission is remarkable. The work done to enhance independence skills has been effective for all young people.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff constantly seek the views of young people through direct consultation using feedback forms following activities, and key worker sessions. Additionally young people may express themselves using a worry box or by handing communication aids to staff members.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people participate well in a considerable range of activities, many tailored to their expressed interests. ‘Life journey’ and ‘achievement’ folders form a record of time spent in the home for young people to take when they leave.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 An advocate regularly visits the home and provides young people with the opportunity to raise any issues of concern with someone familiar but still independent. It is a service that has been used to good effect.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The manager is committed to improving the lives of young people and to enhancing the service offered by the home. Her development plan is comprehensive, covering each quality standard, and outcomes are well evidenced.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The home has forged excellent relationships with educational professionals to ensure that young people benefit as much as possible from their schooling.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 The home’s annual review of location is impeccably researched and presented.

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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 the ‘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

The registered person must ensure that the independent person carrying out visits to the home only inspects a child's case records if the child and the child's placing authority consent. (Regulation 44 (2)(b)) 31/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children's homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations. This is in regard to obtaining records of the temperature of hot foods cooked on the premises, explaining any gaps. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child's needs. Any decisions to limit a child's access and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child's welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child's needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to administer basic first aid. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 34, paragraph 7.12)  Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol, which includes staff signing records on doing so. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should establish whether the units completed in a member of staff’s original qualification have content which corresponds with the units of the level 3 diploma for residential childcare and keep a record of the information they have considered to establish ‘equivalence’. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 68, Annex A, paragraph 1.2 and 1.3)

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home is registered for five young people. The home cares for young people with a wide range of learning disabilities and communication difficulties, who present with high-risk and challenging behaviours. Some children are looked after on a shared-care basis with their own families.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/09/2015 Full Outstanding 02/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/05/2014 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people with complex learning difficulties are enabled to lead fulfilling lives, their communication needs are understood and they participate in and influence the life of the home. The home works closely to its statement of purpose, a document that clearly lays out objectives for the service and how they will be met. The manager and staff fulfil these with dedication and skill. For example, a carnival celebration event recently held gave every young person the chance to experience something of the Bajan culture that one young person comes from, reflecting positively the cultural backgrounds of young people. The aim of ‘allowing each young person as much choice as possible and helping them take responsibility for their own decisions’ permeates the practice of all the staff. It was described by one of the team as ‘being more led by young people rather than pushing them into doing things’. So staff make extensive efforts to

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Outstanding

follow children’s and young people’s wishes, to find out their preferences and to record their responses to particular activities and events. Young people’s experience of living in the home is thus enhanced, whether it is facilitating a favourite pastime in the home or fulfilling a dream to take a trip on the London Eye. Young people are given numerous opportunities to express their wishes and feelings and to contribute to the life of the home. Children use a range of communication aids which are available throughout the home, including symbols, pictures and tablets. Staff were seen to swiftly respond to young people. All young people are helped to contribute to house meetings. They are planned to ensure young people participate and are formally recorded, including in symbol format. Through this engagement young people are encouraged to influence the daily life of the home, for example choosing to buy a stereo. This is practice of the

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Outstanding

highest standard that ensures young people know their views are listened to and that they can influence the quality of their own lives. Liaison with families and other professionals enables a concerted approach to be taken that further enhances young people’s care. One professional spoke about collaborating ‘to understand what a young person is trying to communicate’. Others mentioned the ways in which parents or teachers continue the same strategies used by staff when the children are at home (particularly those who have shared care) or at school. Examples include applying the same skin creams and using a particular design of cup. Young people’s education is extremely well supported. Staff regularly go into schools to consult with teachers and occasionally join them for training. Staff attend school events and photographs are taken which are put in young people’s ‘life journey’ folders or on display. A professional said that staff are ‘extremely

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Outstanding

proactive in contacting us if there are any concerns or issues which they need to discuss relating to school provision, bursaries or personal education plans’. In addition, educational experiences are provided by staff, for example, learning self- care skills and exploring different environments such as the home’s allotment. A gate between two areas of the garden is locked due to a previous resident needing to be kept to an area in which there were no small objects which might be swallowed. The practice of locking the gate has continued even though the situation has changed, unnecessarily restricting young people’s access. Current and former residents are making, or have made, excellent progress as a result of living at the home. Targets are set for each young person that staff help them to work towards. These include personal care (successful use of the toilet), independence skills (taking a plate to be washed) and increasing communication

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Outstanding

(the range of words used). Staff, other professionals and family members comment on young people being happier, appearing healthier and more settled due to the care of staff and routines of the home. This is evidenced in improved eye contact, better skin and hair condition and ability to manage change. Health is an area of notable progress. Young people have been successfully helped to lose weight or gain weight, according to their need. Medical conditions have been consistently supported by staff leading to health improvement, for example in skin conditions. Staff have been trained to manage some complex health interventions and feeding regimes. They do this with excellent regard for young people’s dignity and seek actively their cooperation at all times. Admission and discharge procedures are undertaken with considerable care. Impact risk assessments are undertaken to identify specific strategies to aid successful

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Outstanding

introductions and avoid any potential conflict with the best interests of others in the home. Transition planning is thorough so that one professional noted that staff from new placements know young people well before they move, as if they had already been living there. One young person was so well prepared he was calling his new placement ‘home’ before leaving this one. The recording of the planning and actual events is second to none and the formats used for this are exemplary.

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Good

There have been no instances of children or young people going missing, requiring physical intervention or of a measure of control being imposed since the last inspection. This is due to the level of supervision and care provided by staff and their ability to avoid difficulties arising. Staff remain vigilant and are aware of the steps to take if a young person were to go missing or if they had concerns about a young person’s safety. Satisfactory policies and protocols are in place for these eventualities. All bruises and other marks seen on young people are recorded on body maps and appropriate enquiries and notifications promptly made. This not only ensures that child protection concerns are quickly addressed but potential health issues too. Young people are helped to keep themselves safe as far as they have the ability to do so. This includes: arranging for the local police to visit and talk to them; key

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Good

work sessions; opportunities to use different communication aids to alert staff to worries; and reminders of safety issues when going out on trips. Staff are adept at picking up signs that young people are unhappy or uncomfortable and take steps to identify the reasons. Written information is provided for children and young people on how to complain and there is a complaints policy in place. An independent advocate visits regularly so that young people have a familiar person to raise issues with because they are unlikely to do so with someone unknown to them. This has led to young people’s concerns being addressed that may not otherwise have been and demonstrates the high level of importance given to their voice being heard. Arrangements to store and administer medications are generally good, although there have been instances when the home’s high standards have not been fully implemented. A spot check made during the inspection revealed a few occasions

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Good

when medications, including medicated toothpaste, had not been signed as having been administered. The manager is very clear about the need to take every step to guard against such errors so that staff are in no doubt about the importance of following protocols, particularly as the consequences for young people with medical conditions could be severe. Other monitoring processes are mostly completed very thoroughly and ensure that the home is a safe place for young people to be. However, records of hot food temperature checks contain gaps. Personnel files show that safer recruitment processes are rigorously followed, demonstrating the commitment to safeguard children and young people through the employment of staff who are suitable to undertake their care. Emergency first aid training has lapsed for several staff and some new members of the team have yet to undertake the course. The assistant manager attended the

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Good

training but her certificate was not available. This means that it is sometimes uncertain if a recognised first aider is on each shift. Training on safeguarding is accessed through the local safeguarding children board, for which the manager is a registered trainer. There are formal links with professionals who sit on the board. Children and young people are helped and protected through the established trusting and reliable relationships staff have with them. Observations made during the inspection and discussions held with family members confirm that this is the case. One professional commented, ‘Staff are really committed and have built the most fantastic relationship with children and families.’ Staff promote stable relationships between young people and their families, facilitating contact both within the home and elsewhere. They work with parents to ensure that there is consistency of care and to improve parenting practice where

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Outstanding

The manager of the home is also the registered manager for a sister home that provides short breaks for children and young people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. This leads to a mutually beneficial supportive relationship between the staff groups so that, for example, gaps on shifts are largely covered by the other team. Knowledge and good practice ideas are also shared. There is an assistant manager for this home and a third manager who covers both homes ensuring overall strong management of this home. Staff are very positive about working in the home. One commented on Ofsted’s survey, ‘I love working here because we have created a home environment for each of the young people. We work as a team, which is very much reflected in meeting the needs of the young people we care for. It is a true joy to see the outcomes the young people achieve.’ Professionals are wholehearted in the praise that they give for the work done at

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Outstanding

the home. One professional said, ‘It is a privilege to visit and see how children and young people grow in confidence, independence and belief in themselves.’ The level of information sharing provided is a particular strength. It is seen as helpful and timely. Contributions to statutory reviews are based on a thorough understanding of each young person, shared with others so that decisions made for young people are based on the best information available. Monthly summary reports prepared for each young person are exemplary documents. They reflect the importance given to assisting young people to communicate, to make as many decisions for themselves as possible and helping them to make progress against agreed targets. A section on ‘star moments’ celebrates achievements or particularly enjoyable events. Placement plans, risk assessments and behaviour management plans are thorough and well written. Generally, these are shared with, and endorsed, by parents and

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Outstanding

social workers, although one placement plan was awaiting both parties to sign two months after being written. Key work sessions are conducted in a way that suits the abilities of the young person and recorded to give as faithful an impression of their wishes and feelings as is possible to attain. The manager sits on the local authority’s corporate parenting board, which facilitates excellent networking, including with the headteacher of the virtual school. She has been able to positively influence the young people’s education provision. Regulation 44 visit reports provide insightful quality assurance of the home. However, consents for the independent visitor to view children’s and young people’s files have not been sought either from a young person (or if unable to give informed consent someone with parental responsibility) or the placing authority. The home’s annual review of the premises is a thoroughly researched document

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Outstanding

detailing both the opportunities that the location of the home provides and the potential risks, as well as how they are addressed. The development plan is superbly laid out with specific objectives identified under individual quality standards, each with a named person responsible and target date. Supporting evidence is also supplied. The plan for 2015/16 shows that the large majority of actions were completed. The plan demonstrates the manager’s commitment to continually improve services for children and young people and the staff’s willingness to take her lead. Staff are trained in ‘Intensive Interaction’ and its implementation is further improving communication with young people. All staff have, or are working towards the level 3 diploma for residential childcare. However, for one staff member holding a social work qualification the equivalence has been assumed and this needs clarification. Induction and probation processes

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Outstanding

are clear and helpful for staff undertaking them. Supervision and appraisals are provided in line with the frequency stated in the workforce plan. Records show that these address the impact of the work, professional development and meeting the needs of children and young people. Supervision is augmented by ‘job chats’, which are recorded conversations about issues raised between sessions. These are the primary means of supporting agency staff, who are also provided with supervision if working for more than a month.

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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 looked after children 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 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 explored 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 Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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