Children's Home run by Lincolnshire County Council in Lincolnshire

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:

 From their starting points, young people make good progress in all areas of their lives. They form positive relationships with the staff team and managers. They feel able to express their wishes and views openly, confident that they will be responded to.  Young people have access to a wide range of fun and stimulating social activities. Staff support them very well to try new things, including trips abroad. This assists young people to gain in confidence and to form positive peer relationships. It also promotes a healthy and active lifestyle for them.  The physical and emotional health needs of young people are well met. They receive the care and support they need, in a timely manner. Staff work closely with a range of health professionals and agencies to ensure that the holistic health needs of young people are responded to.  Young people enjoy positive contact with families and those significant to

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

them. Staff demonstrate a detailed and clear understanding of the needs of each young person in relation to contact arrangements. The staff team also supports young people to form new friendships on arrival at this home, through their engagement in community-based activities and groups.  Young people report feeling safe living in this home and that staff support them at all times. They know how to make a complaint and feel confident that staff and managers will listen to them and respond appropriately. There is also a very clear procedure in place in relation to bullying. All incidents are responded to quickly and proactively by staff. This leads to young people feeling safe and secure, through the sensitive care and support they receive from the staff team and managers.  The home environment presents as welcoming and homely. Considerable works have been undertaken since the last inspection to improve the

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

internal and external areas of the home. Young people have been fully involved in such works. They take pride in their home and feel fully engaged in any planned improvements to it.  Young people engage well with their education and training placements. Attendance is very good and, from their starting points, they make good progress and have aspirations for their futures.

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority-owned and -run children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/11/2015 Full Requires improvement 18/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/12/2014 Full Good

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Good

The manager and staff team have made a large number of changes to how the home is run and how they support young people. This has led to noticeable improvements in the progress made by young people living in this home.

p.5

Good

Young people now attend educational and training provisions daily. Clear routines and boundaries enable young people to prepare for their day with staff support. They feel motivated to attend education and, from their starting points, are making good progress. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities in place for each shift and report finding that this really helps them and young people to plan for each day. Education providers spoken to during this inspection report excellent communication from staff and a consistent approach to working with young people. This enables young people to feel very well supported and motivated in relation to their educational attendance and engagement. The staff team has also sourced additional tutors for some young people, to encourage their learning further. This reflects the commitment of staff and managers to ensuring that education and learning have a strong focus at all times.

p.5

Good

Young people have their health needs well met by the staff team. Case files clearly set out and identify all known and potential routine and specialist health needs of each young person. Key worker systems work well, with staff taking responsibility for ensuring that young people attend appointments. Staff also support relevant young people to learn to make their own health-related appointments. This promotes positive independence skills and will greatly assist them when they move on from this home. Close multi-agency working with health colleagues and agencies further promotes the needs of young people at all times.

p.5

Good

Young people have a range of fun and interesting social activities provided for them. Staff understand the interests of young people and work hard to ensure that such interests can be supported. This includes taking part in local football clubs, photography tuition, music lessons, involvement in the national citizen service and trips abroad. For some young people, this is the first time they have had such experiences and they report feeling very well supported and pleased with such opportunities. One young person is receiving tuition to learn to play a musical instrument and stated: ‘I am really pleased, as I am self-taught and find the lessons are really helping me to improve.’ This leads to increased self-confidence and a sense of engagement in the local community. Young people feel able to make and sustain relationships with their peers through such activities.

p.5

Good

Contact is promoted and supported by staff to a very good level. Young people enjoy direct or phone contact with family members and those significant to them. Staff provide practical and emotional support to young people and demonstrate a commendable understanding of the often complex dynamics of contact issues. Staff work well with the placing authority to ensure that all young people have positive contact with family members and others. They also fully support young people to form and maintain local friendships and to remain in contact with previous carers, where appropriate. This provides young people with a sense of being valued and helps them to understand their past experiences.

p.5

Good

Young people feel confident in expressing their wishes, feelings and views with staff and managers. They understand how to make a complaint, and report feeling confident that any issues they may have will be responded to promptly and to their satisfaction. There have been no reported complaints since the last inspection. Young people take part in regular meetings with staff to discuss their feelings and to make requests. Staff and managers respond very quickly to any comments or requests made by young people. A noticeboard in the home called ‘You said, we did’ provides young people with clear information as to what has been done in response to their comments and requests. One young person stated how she had asked for increased internet access times in the home and that this was responded to positively by staff and managers. This reflects a home which places the needs of the young people at the centre of their practice. Young people feel listened to and

p.6

Good

able to inform how the home is run at all times.

p.6

Good

Staff support young people to learn new skills, which will greatly assist them when they make the move to adulthood. They learn how to cook, budget and meet their own personal care needs. Staff and managers work with young people to increase their responsibilities and to have increased time without staff support or supervision in the local community. For some young people, significant improvements have been achieved in this area. One placing social worker commented: ‘My young person never used to go out into the community. They now use their bike and spend time out alone. From their starting point, this is a real and positive achievement for them.’

p.6

Good

Young people report feeling safe and well supported by staff and managers in this home. There have been no reported incidents of young people currently placed going missing from care since the last inspection. Staff regularly review and update care plans and risk assessments relating to young people. This provides young people with consist care and means that staff provide clear responses to any actual or potentially concerning behaviours. Staff support young people to take age- appropriate risks, in line with their care and placement plans. Over time, young people take more personal responsibility for their actions and behaviours. They spend increasing time outside of the home unsupervised and respond positively to such trust being given to them.

p.6

Good

Staff closely monitor and oversee the use of social media, mobile phone use and internet access for young people. New systems have been introduced to restrict the amount of time that young people can use the internet within the home. They now all hand in their mobile phones and electronic items each night. This promotes a sense of personal responsibility and enables staff to implement routines for young people.

p.7

Good

Clear systems ensure that any reported or identified concerns relating to bullying receive prompt responses from staff and managers. Detailed bullying packs consider the needs of both the alleged bully and the victim. Staff undertake work with both parties to ensure that the issues of concern are addressed in a timely manner and are resolved. Young people report feeling able to share any concerns that they may have in relation to bullying and are confident that they will be responded to by staff and managers to their satisfaction.

p.7

Good

Young people report feeling happy and secure. They can identify staff members with whom they feel able to share any concerns or worries they may have. Staff consider the known and potential risks for young people and ensure that detailed risk assessments and plans are in place. This covers such areas as self-harming, drug misuse, missing from care and sexual exploitation. The manager also has plans for staff to consider the local authority files of each young person placed in this home. This will provide more detailed understanding and awareness of the known histories and experiences of each young person, and will be used to inform their plans and assessments.

p.7

Good

Staff respond quickly and appropriately to any concerns relating to young people. They ensure that behaviour management plans reflect the current and changing needs of young people at all times. They support young people to understand any concerning behaviours, using research-based models of practice, which includes social pedagogy. This provides young people with an opportunity to consider and better understand their emotions and actions, leading to strategies being put in place to support them. Such strategies are then shared with other agencies, such as education providers. Over time, young people learn how to consider their own behaviours and emotions and to respond in a less concerning and potentially harmful manner to themselves or others.

p.7

Good

The selection and recruitment of staff to this home are robust and prevent unsuitable adults from working with vulnerable young people. There have been no allegations made against any members of staff since the last inspection. Staff spoken with during this inspection demonstrated a detailed awareness and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. They report feeling well supported by managers and confident that any allegations would be handled in line with relevant policies and procedures and that they would also be well supported throughout the process.

p.7

Good

The physical environment of the home is safe and secure, both internally and externally. The manager has undertaken a recent and very detailed review of all areas of the home and grounds, to ensure that there are no risks presented to young people. This reflects the commitment of managers to ensuring that young people receive care and support to meet their emotional and physical needs at all times.

p.8

Good

Since the last inspection, a new manager has come into post. He has submitted an application for registration to Ofsted and has very recently been through the interview process. He has many years’ experience of working in similar settings, is social work qualified and has a level 4 diploma in leadership and management. In a relatively short period of time, he has made significant changes to how the home is run and operated, leading to improved progress and outcomes for young people resident at this home.

p.8

Good

He places the needs of young people at the centre of his practice and has implemented numerous changes to how staff work with young people. Clearer shift patterns now enable staff to focus on the holistic needs of young people much better. Structures support young people to have clear routines and boundaries in place. This is supporting them to engage well in education and social activities and has led to a significant reduction in concerning incidents. A placing social worker and an independent reviewing officer for one particular young person both stated: ‘He has blossomed while living in this home. This is due to the care and support staff and managers provide to him in all areas of his life. This has been a really positive placement for him.’

p.8

Good

Staff report feeling very well supported by managers in the home. They receive regular and detailed supervisions, with plans in place for all staff to have their annual appraisals this year. The manager has undertaken extensive reviews and checks of all staff, to ensure that their supervision, appraisals and training needs are known and met. One member of staff has a lead role for ensuring that all mandatory and other training needs for staff are recorded and monitored. Staff have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities and report feeling well supported to attend and continue their learning. There are clear plans in place to ensure that any specific training is identified and sourced. This provides young people with care and support from a staff team which has the necessary skills to meet their complex needs.

p.8

Good

The manager has in place a detailed development plan for the home. This sets out both short-term and longer-term goals and actions. It receives regular reviews and updates to ensure that it remains relevant. Staff feel well involved and included in all aspects of how the home is run, and demonstrate a commendable understanding of such plans and how they influence the care and support provided to young people.

p.9

Good

Managers closely monitor and oversee all aspects of the care provided to young people. Clear systems are in place for monitoring case records, with all plans and assessments being relevant and up to date. Staff take on lead roles for such areas as case file audits and training. This not only ensures that young people receive the care and support they need, but also provides staff with opportunities to develop their own skills and competences.

p.9

Good

Since the last inspection, a number of young people have moved on from this home. Such moves have been handled sensitively and have taken into full consideration the complex needs of those young people and where their needs could best be met. Discharges have been well planned, with young people being fully involved in the decision-making processes with staff and managers. New admissions have been well planned, with the manager fully considering the needs of existing young people and the ability of the staff team to meet new young people’s needs.

p.9

Good

Staff place the needs of the young people at the centre of their work. They praise and celebrate the achievements of young people daily. A ‘tree of achievement’ has been put in place in the home. This is used to display certificates, photos and other mementoes of young people’s achievements. Young people take great pride in this and choose what they want to be displayed.

p.9

Good

Staff and managers forge very close and positive working relationships with a range of agencies, professionals and family members. Feedback during this inspection was consistently positive in relation to the communication and information sharing of staff with such people. Staff and managers take great pride in wanting to provide positive and consistent care to young people and have a clear view that information-sharing with such agencies as education providers is crucial to this process. This approach provides young people with a real sense of security and being valued.

p.9

Good

The statement of purpose for the home is clear and sets out the aims and objectives of the services being provided. It is understood and applied by staff and managers consistently. Managers ensure that case records for young people reflect what support is being provided to meet their needs. Regular monitoring and robust management oversight of all records and documentation provide a clear and safe sense of the work being done to support young people with their complex and individualised needs.

p.9

Good

No shortfalls were identified as a result of the last inspection and no shortfalls have been identified as a result of this inspection. Staff and managers are providing very good levels of care and support to young people placed, which is leading to improved outcomes and experiences for them.

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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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