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Good

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

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 The young people receiving short breaks at this service receive personalised care provided by a committed and caring staff team.  The registered manager and staff work effectively with partner agencies, leading to good communication and coordination of services that benefit young people.  New young people coming to the service, and those moving to adult care services, benefit from excellent planning by staff, overseen by the manager, to help and support them through these key transitions.  The staff implement focused plans in seeking to optimise the developmental potential of young people. This helps young people to make progress while enjoying their short breaks.  Young people experience positive relationships with each other and staff. The home presents as a settled, relaxed and nurturing environment.  The registered manager is both experienced and committed, and benefits from the support of a good management and staff team.

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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 requirements are that: (3)(b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (3)(b)) 11/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that: (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’): (i) has spoken to the user about the measure, and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (c) within five days of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 11/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep: 5. a record of all visitors to the home, and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for the visit. (Regulation 37 (Schedule 4 (5))) 11/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.). However in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, para 3.9)  The registered person should have a workforce development plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, para 10.8)

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for up to six young people at any time, who may be of either gender, aged between 10 and 17 and with moderate to severe learning disabilities/physical disabilities who may have additional sensory impairments and/or disabilities. A local authority owns and manages the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Outstanding 26/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/12/2014 Full Outstanding

p.6

Good

Young people attending this service for short breaks receive well-planned, individualised care with genuine affection and respect afforded to them by a nurturing and highly motivated staff team. Staff members work diligently to make certain that young people in their care experience a rewarding and enjoyable short break. Staff members balance this against setting goals and objectives for young people, seeking to optimise the young people’s developmental potential. An independent reviewing officer stated, ‘very committed staff work hard to ensure that the children in their care have a positive short break, and are happy, safe and secure.’

p.7

Good

The young people receive good support to sustain learning during their short break. Coordination with families and schools takes place to maintain good attendance at school and to keep young people on track to make progress. The manager and staff meet regularly with education professionals to ensure that learning objectives set at school transfer to the home. For example, young people are well supported by the home to achieve objectives such as learning to hang clothes on hangers, handling knives and forks, and buttoning clothes. This means that young people make good progress relative to their starting points.

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Good

Young people and their families benefit from good partnership working between agencies. This partnership ethos has developed a positive culture of working together. The manager and staff maintain this approach through ensuring that regular multi-agency reviews take place. They elicit the advice, guidance and support of key professionals, many of whom have specialist knowledge and expertise. This is particularly the situation with healthcare needs. Many young people have complex and diverse healthcare needs, and a key factor in ensuring that these needs are met is good communication with families’ GPs, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Parents and professionals working with the service remain assured that good healthcare arrangements are in place and at the heart of care practice in this service.

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Good

Careful and considered planning takes place for new young people coming to the service and those moving to adult care. The registered manager and staff have developed particularly good practice in supporting young people during key periods of transition in their lives. For new young people coming to the service, staff members spend prolonged periods in the family home with young people and their families, gathering detailed information and simultaneously developing good inter- personal relationships. Thoughtful matching of young people who will be spending time together at the service takes place and they are matched with the staff team caring for them. This leads to continuity in care and consolidation of already well- established relationships between the young people and staff. A member of staff spoken to stated, ‘We have two-way positive relationships. I support them, and they support me, it is a really homely environment.’ This good practice extends to

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Good

those young people leaving the service for adult care. The services that young people move to are provided with detailed information. The registered manager and staff try, if possible, to arrange prolonged and well-managed transitions.

p.8

Good

Staff members implement good plans to maximise young people’s abilities and strengths. These plans are bespoke and are developed with the family of the young person in conjunction with other professionals. They target specific areas to help young people to make progress. Young people are helped to key self-care and independence skills. They become better at listening and communicating.

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Good

Young people’s rights and entitlements are respected. The young people have access to an independent advocate. Information is made available through a number of different communication methods, which takes into account the young people’s levels of understanding and disabilities. This helps young people to feel that their views are important and matter.

p.8

Good

Activities are well matched to the needs of young people. Young people benefit from a good choice of resources available within the service and through access to the local community. Young people particularly enjoy the multi-sensory room and facilities within the home. The young people enjoy spending time with staff members engaging in play and activities. This helps to develop confidence and self- esteem.

p.8

Good

The young people benefit from a safe and secure environment and a comfortable home that is personalised to the needs and tastes of young people. Staff work hard to ensure that young people coming for a short break have their rooms decorated, equipped and furnished to their particular tastes. Key items of importance to young people are waiting for them when they arrive for their breaks, such as favourite teddy bears, pictures or toys. However, some areas of the building have excessive clutter because of a lack of suitable storage space. For example, the staff sleep-in room is cluttered, and when not in use the mini-bus seats have to be stored outdoors, exposing them to the elements. This detracts from what is otherwise a good and comfortable environment. The recruitment procedure for new staff members is rigorous and ensures that only suitably vetted people work with young people. Potential new staff members have

p.8

Good

criminal records checks, references taken and verified, past employment history checks completed and identity authentication. The registered manager remains diligent in making certain that the checks upon those caring for vulnerable young people are robust.

p.9

Good

For the safety of the young people, staff and others, physical intervention is rarely used. On the occasions that this has been required, the registered manager has not ensured that a detailed record of the restraint is completed. Staff members involved have not received debriefing and attempts to communicate with the young person involved have not been adequate. For example, in instances where the young person does not communicate verbally, staff have failed to find alternative methods of communication. This means that the management oversight of these incidents is not sufficiently robust.

p.9

Good

Staff members remain alert to young people’s vulnerabilities. They understand the behaviours of young people for whom they are caring. Behaviour is managed through positive relationships, with good, thoughtful care provided by staff. For some young people who may attempt to harm themselves, staff understand the triggers to this behaviour and take action to prevent this. Staff members understand that self-injurious behaviour can indicate young people wanting to communicate and express feelings and emotions. Staff take action to provide young people with the environment in which they can express their feelings and emotions without recourse to harming themselves. Young people have trusted adults they can communicate with about any concerns.

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Good

The registered manager and staff ensure that comprehensive risk management plans are completed and kept up to date for young people. This process begins with the registered manager ensuring that a good level of detail regarding the young person is gathered, including factors that render the young person at risk. The registered manager and staff analyse this information and develop good plans to manage and reduce these risk factors. One social worker commented, ‘Staff ensure that the safety of all young people is a priority and they go out of their way to ensure that all plans in place regarding that young person’s safety are current and up to date.’ As a result, young people are safe and kept safe by good staff practice. Judgement grade

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Good

The registered manager is qualified with the level 5 diploma in leadership and management and has extensive knowledge and skills in residential care with children. He has been the registered manager since November 2011 and remains well respected and highly regarded by the staff group. He is passionate about constantly delivering improved services for young people and their families. He remains very well supported by the deputy manager and senior staff team. They work together as a strong and cohesive management team.

p.10

Good

The registered manager acted quickly and met the requirement made at the last interim inspection. He has ensured that when the independent visitor conducts monthly reviews of the service, the views of parents, carers, professionals and young people are captured.

p.10

Good

The registered manager and staff prioritise young people’s needs and strive to make certain that every young person’s short break is an enjoyable event. The managers and staff have made personalisation central to the service’s culture, in which staff understand the needs of each young person. Because of this strong nurturing environment, young people thrive and professionals report positively about the quality of provision and good communication from the service. A social worker said, ‘They are really good at communicating. They are good, welcoming, the kids love it, and parents always request the service as it is so good.’

p.10

Good

Staff members benefit from professional support. They receive good quality and regular supervision. Supervision sessions are structured well and take account of the individuals’ work performance, how they meet the needs of young people and their own developmental needs. Staff members remain accountable for their work with young people and receive oversight and guidance. Staff members benefit from opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills through completing training in epilepsy awareness, caring for young people with disabilities, and effective communication. The registered manager has not ensured that all staff have the appropriate qualification for residential care staff: the level 3 diploma. Some staff have not yet started this programme, despite working in the service for several years. The organisation has not yet concluded work to match the elements of the level 3 diploma with the existing qualifications of staff members. Additionally, the

p.10

Good

registered manager does not yet have a workforce development plan, which would assist in identifying and addressing the developmental needs of staff. This means that some staff members do not have the recommended qualifications to work with young people. The service benefits from scrutiny derived through monthly visits completed by an independent person. The reports from these visits help the manager to identify strengths and areas for improvement, together with any developing patterns in care practice that may require attention. These reports form part of a systematic approach to monitoring quality assurance in the service, together with feedback from young people, their families and professionals.

p.10

Good

The registered manager has not ensured that visitors to the home sign in to the building upon arrival and sign out when leaving. This means that the manager and staff cannot know who is in the building and when people have left. This is a risk to individuals in the event of a fire or emergency and means that safeguarding practice is not as robust as it could be.

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Good

The statement of purpose is accurate and detailed, and was recently reviewed and amended by the registered manager. This document ensures that key stakeholders have detailed information about the services provided. It sets out accurately the qualifications and experience of staff and managers alike and sets out the ambitions of the service to improve the lives of young people.

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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 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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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