Children's Home run by Idem Living Limited in Somerset

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 manager and staff team place the needs of the young person at the centre of their practice.  The young person feels safe at the home, listened to and that his privacy and dignity are promoted.  The young person has recently commenced a full-time apprenticeship and staff provide him with the necessary support and encouragement in his new working life.  The manager and staff take robust action when young people go missing. They ensure that all appropriate agencies and authorities are informed. The manager is very proactive when there have been serious concerns in respect of the safety and well-being of the current young person. She instigates multi-disciplinary risk management meetings.  The manager is good at engaging with the wider system in order that the young person’s needs are met.  The young person is supported well to maintain contact with his family and friends.  Staff receive the training that they need to meet the needs of the young

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

person.  The young person lives in a homely environment, which is decorated and furnished to a good standard and is well maintained.  To improve further, leaders and managers need to review the quality of care to determine the impact on the young person’s outcomes, ensure that the newly devised protocol with the placing authority is carried out regarding return home interviews, implement the record-keeping policy and continue to work with the young person to promote his health.

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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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The leadership and management standard

13: In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must: (2)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 31/01/2017

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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 staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. In particular, continue to explore approaches in encouraging healthy eating, exercise and the cessation of smoking (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10).  Ensure that when a child returns home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risk and putting arrangements in place to protect each child (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30).  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4).

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Information about this children’s home

This service is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may display emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/02/2016 Interim Not judged

p.5

Good

Leaders and managers ensure that there is a robust assessment and admissions process prior to a young person moving into the home. Comprehensive information is obtained from the placing authority and previous accommodation, in order to evaluate and ensure that they can meet the needs of the young person.

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Good

The current young person started living at the home in June 2016. He received the young person’s guide and said, ‘it was useful’. He knows how to make a complaint and understands who to speak to if he has any concerns. There are positive professional relationships between the young person and the staff team, based on mutual respect and trust.

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Good

The current young person has positive views of the home and said, ‘It’s good here, much better than where I used to live, they don’t use agency staff.’ The young person feels that he is listened to and is given choices. He said that his privacy and dignity are promoted.

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Good

Staff promote a healthy lifestyle. They provide guidance, support and encouragement in healthy eating and exercise. They discourage smoking and help the young person to make positive choices in his lifestyle. One member of staff has completed specialised training in the cessation of smoking. However, the young person does not always agree with, and act upon, the support being provided.

p.6

Good

The young person has successfully achieved exam results which enable him to attend a full-time apprenticeship. Staff supported him with the interview process and continue to support him in adjusting to his new working life.

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Good

The placing authority and family are positive about the care provided to the young person. A social worker said, ‘I have nothing but good to say about the home, they care for him as a parent would.’ A parent said, ‘They have been brilliant, they are organised, they know what they are doing, and don’t use agency staff.’

p.6

Good

Staff support the young person well to maintain contact with his family and friends. This is arranged and agreed with the placing authority. The young person values the time he spends with his family and friends. Judgement grade

p.6

Good

Leaders and managers promote the safety and well-being of the young person. A social worker said, ‘The staff keep him as safe as they can.’ A parent commented that they consider that their son is safe at the home. The young person said that he feels safe at the home, and he said that this is due to, ‘A consistent staff team that I know.’

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Good

Since living at the home, the young person has been missing on a number of occasions. The young person’s missing from home protocol is shared and agreed by the local police missing persons coordinator. The young person has a good awareness of the risks that he can place himself under when missing. Leaders, managers and staff take all appropriate steps to keep him safe and to promote his safety. The manager has ensured that risk assessments relating to this are regularly reviewed and updated.

p.7

Good

If the young person goes missing, staff take robust action and search the local area by foot and by car. They call and text his mobile phone, and notify all appropriate agencies, authorities and family members. A social worker confirmed that they are informed of all episodes of missing. In addition, a parent confirmed that they are informed of missing episodes and are regularly updated. The young person said, ‘Staff follow me and look for me when I go missing.’ The manager challenges the police if they do not take robust steps to search for the young person when he is missing. This has resulted in the police taking the necessary steps to safeguard him. The police missing persons coordinator said, ‘Staff act appropriately when he goes missing.’

p.7

Good

The manager has taken robust action and has instigated risk management meetings with the appropriate agencies and authorities following concerns when the young person goes missing. Records of these meetings are kept, and these inform the updated placement plan and risk assessments. In addition, the records pertaining to missing are comprehensive. These are audited and evaluated by the manager, who looks for any patterns and trends. However, a small number of records are not clear and concise enough to evidence the action that has been taken.

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Good

Following episodes of missing, the staff team ensures that the young person is safe and well and talk with him to find out what happened, where he has been and how he is. Independent return home interviews have not been conducted by the placing authority after each missing episode. The manager has challenged the placing authority, and as a result a new protocol has been devised to ensure that interviews take place from now on. As part of the home’s quality assurance, leaders and managers have undertaken a review and an analysis of incidents and episodes of missing. An action plan has been developed to improve the quality of the recording further in relation to episodes of missing, and a strategy has been developed and implemented to ensure that the young person receives independent return home interviews.

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Good

Staff demonstrate a good awareness of safeguarding principles and protocols, and they have all received safeguarding training. The designated officer in the local authority confirms that they have not received any referrals and there are no concerns.

p.8

Good

There are no records pertaining to the use of restraint, sanctions, accidents or injuries. All staff have received training in the home’s preferred methods of de- escalation and restraint.

p.8

Good

Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment principles are followed when recruiting and appointing new staff.

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Good

Fire safety is promoted. All staff and the young person have taken part in regular fire drills at various times of the day and night. The home is safe and well maintained. There is regular servicing of the home’s utility services.

p.8

Good

Leaders and managers have completed a comprehensive location risk assessment. However, this assessment is currently under review.

p.8

Good

Since the last inspection in February 2016 the registered manager has resigned and a new manager was appointed in July 2016. She is in the process of submitting her application to register with Ofsted.

p.8

Good

This is the first full inspection since the home was registered in January 2016. An interim inspection took place in February 2016, but as there were no children living at the home, the service was ‘not judged’. With support from leaders and managers in the organisation, the manager ensures that it is effectively managed. The requirements and recommendation made at the interim inspection have been met.

p.8

Good

Leaders and managers have completed an internal evaluation of the quality of care provided. This review has identified areas for improvement, but at the time of the completion of this evaluation the young person had been living at the home for a very short period of time. Therefore, leaders and managers have not yet undertaken a comprehensive review of the quality of care provided by staff to assess the impact that they have had on the young person’s experiences and progress.

p.8

Good

However, leaders and managers have developed a comprehensive development plan for the home that includes improvements in the home’s environment, the delivery of care, policies and procedures, staff training and quality assurance.

p.9

Good

Leaders and managers act upon any recommendations that are made by the independent visitor. These visits have been conducted regularly, and reports have been sent to Ofsted.

p.9

Good

Leaders, managers and staff place the young person at the centre of their care. The manager and staff have a clear understanding of his needs.

p.9

Good

The manager is very proactive in engaging with and challenging the wider system to ensure that the young person’s needs are met. She has immediately engaged with parents, social workers, senior managers in the local authority and the police when there have been concerns about the welfare of the young person. A social worker said, ‘Communication between us is good. I get regular phone calls and emails to update me,’ and went on to say, ‘I have nothing but good things to say about the home.’ A parent said, ‘They are great at keeping me informed. They let me know what he has been getting up to, and I feel that we work together quite well.’

p.9

Good

The home’s statement of purpose reflects the service provided and is regularly reviewed.

p.9

Good

The manager ensures that the placement plan and associated risk assessments are regularly updated to reflect the care and support that is required. The young person has been involved in the development of his placement plan and has signed this document.

p.9

Good

Staff receive the training to ensure that they have the knowledge, awareness and skills to meet the needs of the current young person. In addition to the required mandatory training, they have received training in understanding self-harm, understanding attachment, mental health awareness and safe administration of medication. All staff are undertaking the required care qualification. There are adequate numbers of staff on duty at all times to meet the needs of the young person.

p.9

Good

The manager ensures that all appropriate agencies, authorities and parents are informed of all significant events in the home.

p.9

Good

The home is homely and is presented to a good standard. The young person is happy with his bedroom and its en suite facilities. This provision further promotes his privacy and dignity.

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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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