Children's home run by Northamptonshire County Council in West Northamptonshire

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people report that they feel safe, that they enjoy activities, develop interests and that they feel listened to.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people are making good, and in some cases exceptional, progress. They are receiving nurturing care while building stable and trusting relationships.  Children and young people are highly motivated to do well. There are good role models in the home and there is a culture of excellent attendance at employment, training and education.  Children and young people respond to positive behaviour management and informed risk assessments. For all of them, risks have reduced while living in this home. There are low numbers of incidents and physical interventions. No children or young people have run away from the home.

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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 may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual has the appropriate qualification. (Regulation 32 (2)(a) (3)(b) (4) (5)) 11/07/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child's needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child's needs (see Regulation 5 (c)). Staff should act as champions for their children. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8.) This is with specific reference to ensuring that a young person receives a resource, as recommended in her personal education plan, to support her progress.  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. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.9.) This is with specific reference to ensuring that the home maintenance plan is reviewed and improved to ensure that it is effective.

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Information about this children's home

The home is a local authority children’s home and provides residential placements for up to eight children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Outstanding 17/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/08/2014 Full Outstanding

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Good

Children and young people are making good, and in some cases exceptional, progress. They are receiving nurturing care while building stable and trusting relationships. As a result, they are highly motivated to do well. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of developments. The garden area is much improved and children and young people like spending time there with staff, family and friends. A senior member of staff, with appropriate qualifications, has developed a quad- biking project. This provides the opportunity for children and young people to learn about health and safety, develop new skills and safely ride the bikes in a controlled environment. All of the young people enjoy this activity. Children and young people report that they feel listened to and that they are involved in and are contributing to decision making about their care. For example, following a request in a young people’s meeting, the home has adopted a pet

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Good

kitten. Young people have named him, take it in turns to look after him and all enjoy having him around the home. They are learning to be responsible pet owners. In addition, a suitably qualified member of staff is in the process of turning the games room into a gym. This, again, reflects the children’s and young people’s wishes. Staff and managers are aspirational for children and young people and there is a track record of excellent education and training attendance. Children and young people are encouraged to do homework and to plan their diaries. This is underpinned by a culture of celebrating all achievements. At the end of last term, three young people sat exams. They have done very well in some subjects. One young person is starting a college course and has decided to retake some exams. Two other young people have started full-time college courses. A fourth young person is in full-time employment and is undertaking an

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Good

apprenticeship. He has been given additional responsibilities in the home as he is making excellent progress. The young people starting college courses have part- time employment or undertake part-time voluntary work. Older young people are therefore excellent role models. All of the young people who the inspector spoke to were very positive about living in this home. One young person reported, ‘There is nothing that staff can do better. They care about us doing well. They are fair. They listen to us. I can speak to any of the staff if I am feeling a bit down. I am glad I am living here until I am 18. It was my choice.’ All of the children and young people are encouraged to undertake some physical activities. Children and young people enjoy swimming lessons, attending sea cadets, drumming lessons, go karting, boxing and climbing. All of them have completed physical challenges as part of raising funds for charities that they have

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Good

chosen. As a result, children and young people have enhanced self-esteem, develop a sense of pride in their home and form positive, trusting relationships. Children and young people have detailed health plans. They are supported to attend preventative health appointments and contribute to health promotion sessions. Staff address sensitive health issues in individual sessions with them. Children’s and young people’s health improves as a result of good health monitoring. Staff proactively ensure that all children and young people have contact arrangements in place with family and friends that are safe and positive. One child currently has enhanced contact arrangements as part of a plan to return to live at home. One parent said, ‘I could not ask for a better bunch of people to look after my son. I am very happy with the care he receives. They always contact me about any news, they let me know how he is doing and they are always reliable about

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Good

contact arrangements. I know that he is doing well because he is living in this home.’ Children and young people have detailed, up-to-date placement plans, which include child-centred information such as likes and dislikes, as well as essential information required by professionals. Children and young people contribute to their planning. The managers ensure that there are planned introductions and visits, as well as a detailed exchange of information, when children and young people are moving in. Young people are learning independence and life skills to support them when they move on. There is a self-contained flat within the home where four young people are currently being supported to prepare to move to semi-independent accommodation. They are developing a range of skills including planning meals, shopping and budgeting. There is a chef who supports this. Young people report that he makes it fun and interesting, and they are all making their own recipe

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Good

books. All of the young people receive a personal allowance and have savings accounts to help support them when they move on. As part of developing independence skills, children and young people are supported to use public transport independently and meet friends and family away from the home.

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Good

Children and young people say that they feel safe living in this home. From the point of admission, there are detailed individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans in place. Staff continue to assess risks and consult appropriately with children, young people, family and professionals. Due to careful monitoring, staff recognise emerging risks and respond sensitively, sharing essential information with key professionals. Staff contribute to child protection enquiries and conferences, planning meetings and strategy meetings. For all of the children and young people, risks have reduced while living in this home. There is no evidence of substance misuse. There are is a very low number of incidents of unauthorised absences and there have been no incidents of children or young people going missing. Staff practice is informed by the joint police and local authority missing from home policy and procedures.

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Good

There have been two incidents of low-level physical intervention by staff since the last full inspection. Both incidents were recorded in detail and reviewed by a manager. One involved staff supporting the management of an incident in school. This was good joint working to defuse a situation and resulted in the difficulties being resolved so that the child continued to attend. Behaviour management practice is influenced by children’s and young people’s views. Staff will give them the opportunity to calm down or to walk away from a confrontation before agreeing a sanction with them. This often results in no sanction because the issue has been resolved. This means that there are very few sanctions for negative behaviours and an increase in positive rewards. Children and young people are developing constructive strategies to manage behaviours. There are clear boundaries in place, explained at the start of each placement. This

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Good

includes a no smoking policy, a requirement to hand in phones at night and monitored use of the internet. The records that the inspector reviewed demonstrated that one child raised a concern about the behaviour of another child. Staff immediately responded to this. Individual sessions were held between each child and their key worker. Subsequently, staff led a discussion about play fighting and bullying in a young people’s meeting. The children’s and young people’s guide, which the current group were involved in reviewing, also outlines explicit information and consequences about unacceptable behaviours. A social worker said, ’I can see from physical and verbal interaction how settled and comfortable this young person is, living in this home. When he is not being receptive, staff know him well enough to challenge him constructively. They are nurturing and use humour and this works in helping him manage his anger and

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Good

frustrations. I am very impressed about how positive relationships are supporting him to make progress.’ Children and young people report that they know how to complain. However, they choose to raise any concerns or issues in young people’s meetings or talk to managers and staff directly. Consequently, there have been no formal complaints made by the children and young people. Judgement grade

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Good

The management team is relatively new. The former deputy manager has been appointed to the manager’s post and there is a newly appointed deputy manager. Unfortunately, there have been two episodes of absence from the home by the home’s manager since the interim inspection. Staff, children and young people shared that this has had some impact on their feelings of stability. However, this has not impacted on the safety and welfare of the children and young people, nor has it impacted on their progress. This home has a track record of good partnership working. Staff and managers are proactive in following up care plans and education plans. They share information with relevant social workers and specialist services as well as police, education and health staff. Staff demonstrated a thorough understanding and up-to-date knowledge of each child’s and young person’s needs. Managers ensure that the needs of the current

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Good

children and young people are considered when planning new admissions. They also try to match key workers’ skills and knowledge to children’s and young people’s needs. There is a detailed training and development plan in place for all staff. All staff receive regular supervision and appraisals. Supervision records evidence that individual children’s and young people’s needs are discussed, safeguarding is always on the agenda and staff are asked to evaluate their performance. Staff report that training and development adds value to their practice. However, one member of staff has not completed the required qualification within timescales and the managers need to review the qualifications of some of the sessional staff. Staff and managers advocate for children and young people and challenge professionals. In the case of one young person’s personal education plan, a resource was clearly recommended on two occasions, and there is evidence that

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Good

staff proactively followed this up with the case responsible social worker. However, they did not escalate the challenge and the young person has not yet received the resource. There are quality assurance mechanisms in place to support managers to identify areas for development and identify strengths in the service. This inspection identified a need to improve the home’s maintenance processes and plan. Two of the children’s bedrooms had maintenance issues. The deputy manager ensured that they were addressed immediately. One complaint has been made about the home. All complaint procedures have been promptly followed and appropriate actions taken to seek a positive resolution.

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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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