Children's home run by Living Life (UK) Limited in North Northamptonshire

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’s provision is outstanding because:

 Children and young people make significant and sustained progress because they are cared for by a competent and caring staff team which provides a child- centred, therapeutic, holistic approach. A social worker said: ‘I have recommended this home to my colleague.’  Children and young people are happy. They really like the staff and enjoy the huge range of activities they experience with them. They love their home, particularly the garden and their bedrooms. A child said, when asked to make a judgement, that he thinks his home is outstanding.  Children and young people experience positive structures, rules and boundaries in a child-focused and therapeutic environment. This helps them to be safe.  Education is part of the ethos of this home. Children and young people enjoy attending school and eagerly complete homework, or other educational activities, with staff after school.  Children and young people contribute significantly to the day-to-day running of

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

the home and their care. They are listened to and taken seriously.  The management team continually strives to improve the service using research- based, innovative practice to enhance the lives of children and young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is one of two registered children’s homes operated by a small private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

Children and young people are happy in this home. They like the staff and the other children and young people. A parent said: ‘It feels like a big family.’ A social worker said: ‘Staff present as quite fond of the boys and they’re always out on activities.’ They make significant and sustained progress in all areas of their life.

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Outstanding

Children and young people are welcomed into the home. New admissions are well planned: staff visit the child and the child will visit the home prior to admission. A child said: ‘The staff came and met me before I moved in and they gave me the chance to ask any questions about the home. I was able to look around and pick my bedroom before I moved in.’ Subsequently, children and young people settle quickly and start to make good progress. A parent said: ‘The boys have settled really well. They have good positive relationships with all the staff.’

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Outstanding

Children and young people feel that staff help them with all aspects of their lives. For example, a child said, ‘The staff are willing to help me with anything at any time. They help to get my opinions across at meetings and they take an interest in any activities I do.’ Listening and consulting with children and young people is part of the culture of this home. A child said: ‘The staff ask me regularly what I would like to do.’

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Outstanding

Children and young people agree that something they love about this home is the activities they participate in. They particularly enjoy a trampoline centre, roller skating, swimming and football. They love the garden, which is spacious and has a football goal, basketball net and a treehouse. Some attend an annual summer camp in America, which they thoroughly enjoy and which helps them with their independence, confidence and self-esteem. Children and young people are fully supported to participate in their hobbies and interests. For example, some enjoy football and have joined a football club and go to support local and national teams.

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Outstanding

Promoting education is part of the ethos of this home. Children and young people enjoy going to school and consequently have regular attendance. Furthermore, they complete homework, or an educational activity, as part of their daily routine. Staff work closely with teachers, ensuring good communication and a consistent approach. A teacher said: ‘They work in conjunction with us at school in order to provide help and support.’ Staff have a good understanding of the educational needs of the children and young people and attend all meetings, including parents’ evenings. Furthermore, they are sensitive to the children’s and young people’s perceptions of living in a children’s home and the perceived impact on their friends. For example, a member of staff met a child outside the house, rather than at the bus stop in front of his friends, as this was his preference.

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Outstanding

The health of children and young people is well promoted. They are all registered with appropriate healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists and opticians. Furthermore, a consultant clinical psychologist provides monthly consultations and training for staff to reflect on children’s and young people’s behaviour. The psychologist teaches transactional analysis theory and practice and attachment theory as the principal models. The statement of purpose says: ‘Transactional analysis is a helpful model for our team to adopt as it provides the opportunity to reflect on our own thoughts, feelings and behaviours and that of the children and young people. It emphasises the importance of interpersonal skills and interactions.’ Children and young people also access a range of therapies in the community, such as art, drama and play, and staff work closely with external agencies to ensure that the children and young people receive the most

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Outstanding

appropriate therapy for them at the right time. An assistant psychologist also forms part of the management team and works regularly in the home, monitoring progress of the children and young people and supporting staff in the therapeutic approaches used. The therapeutic care provided supports the emotional well-being, recovery and development of children and young people.

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Outstanding

Children and young people benefit from contact with family and friends. This is facilitated and supported by staff. Parents feel that their children are well cared for and they feel welcome in the home.

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Outstanding

Children and young people can practise independence skills such as cooking, household chores, shopping and budgeting. A child was very proud of his new football boots, of which he said: ‘I saved up for them plus birthday money.’ Children and young people are helped to appreciate the value of money.

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Outstanding

The large house provides a welcoming and homely environment for children and young people. It is very well resourced with toys, and sports and educational equipment. Children and young people have individual bedrooms, some of which have en-suite facilities. They like their rooms, which are highly personalised.

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Outstanding

Children and young people have warm and supportive relationships with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Consequently, they do not go missing from this home. Staff implement good procedures where any child protection concerns are identified. A designated officer said: ‘I have found them to refer all levels of concerns, which is helpful in terms of transparency and openness.’ Creative and innovative practice helps children and young people to keep themselves safe. For example, children and young people who self-harm are encouraged to use safe strategies, such as ice or elastic bands rather than sharp objects.

p.6

Outstanding

Children and young people report that some bullying does occur in the home. However, they say that staff challenge any bullying immediately and this helps. Children and young people are highly supervised, which enables staff to spot any bullying behaviour quickly. They do not tolerate bullying behaviour and quickly challenge this. They also work proactively with children and young people about bullying and the effects this has on others.

p.7

Outstanding

Carefully targeted intervention helps to promote positive behaviour. Staff continually reflect on the behaviour of children and young people and discuss, as a team, the best way to support them. A structured routine with consistent rules and boundaries helps children and young people to feel safe and secure. A knowledgeable and experienced staff team has a good understanding of the needs of the children and young people. Participation in a range of activities helps them to develop their confidence, self-esteem and resilience. These attributes enable children and young people to manage the trauma they have experienced and the difficulties they are likely to experience better. Good monitoring systems help managers to track patterns and trends, which informs care planning.

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Outstanding

Staff use physical intervention where necessary but this reduces over time as children and young people settle in and interventions start to succeed. Staff work restoratively by helping children and young people to repair relationships when arguments have occurred.

p.7

Outstanding

The registered manager provides strong and supportive leadership. She is experienced and is currently undertaking the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. A social worker said: ‘The manager is very knowledgeable – she is always one step ahead of us. She is on top of everything.’ She is ably supported by a deputy and an assistant psychologist, who form the management team. The management team has excellent monitoring systems, which helps it to understand patterns and trends of behaviour and the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There are good plans to address any shortfalls identified.

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Outstanding

Staff are either qualified or are completing an appropriate qualification. They have access to good training opportunities. Additionally, a psychologist supports staff training. A member of staff said: ‘We have monthly training with a clinical psychologist, which enables us to reflect on the children's behaviour and the root causes of the behaviours displayed.’ This ensures that staff think and work therapeutically to improve the health and well-being of children and young people.

p.7

Outstanding

Staff are child-focused in everything they do, which helps children and young people to make exceptional progress. A member of staff said: ‘The children are at the forefront of every decision and their individuality, successes and achievements are always celebrated.’ Staff enjoy their work and feel very well supported by their peers and the management team. A member of staff said: ‘This is a wonderful place to work and support children. Staff care about the children. I am really proud to work here and really proud of the children. The manager and deputy are amazing and really care about these children.’

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Outstanding

External professionals agree that staff work in partnership with them. They say that communication is excellent. This ensures that professionals work consistently and holistically for children and young people.

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Outstanding

Complaints are dealt with quickly and effectively. Outcomes from complaints are used to inform practice. A parent said: ‘Any problems I’ve had, they always do their best to sort it out.’

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Outstanding

The management team members continue to challenge and extend each other and staff to ensure that the service continually improves and that children and young people thrive.

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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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