Children's home run by White Orchid Marston Moretaine Limited in Dacorum

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:

 Parents say that they are happy with the quality of care that their children receive.  The interactions between staff and children demonstrate a nurturing and caring environment.  Children are encouraged to develop strategies that assist them to develop skills to self-regulate their emotions.  The manager and the team encourage positive behaviour using individual and group incentives.  The staff work well with the children’s families and ensure that children have established contact plans.  The staff work with the children therapeutically to support them to develop positive relationships.  The children have access to the organisation’s psychotherapist for both direct and indirect work.  Children live in a child-friendly, well maintained home with an excellent garden that provides numerous areas for the children to play and to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers.  The staff receive supervision. However, formal sessions are not occurring

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The children's home provision is good because:

as frequently as the organisation states in its policy.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Put systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care for up to six children who have additional needs. The children cared for are vulnerable and may have experienced trauma due to neglect, physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse. They may also be at risk of exploitation and may be experiencing mental health issues. The home provides a multi-professional approach to therapeutic care.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/06/2015 Full Good

p.5

Good

The home specialises in caring for younger children using a psychodynamic approach. Many of the children have experienced family or foster placement breakdowns. The home aims to work with the children therapeutically to allow them to develop positive relationships that prepare them for a return home or a long-term foster home.

p.6

Good

The house is very homely and well furnished. The large open-plan kitchen and dining area facilitate sociable, family-style mealtimes. Each child has their own en- suite bedroom, which is personalised to each child’s taste. One child’s room has had a small bath fitted as he struggles with showers because they invoke bad memories for him. This demonstrates the measures that the manager will take to ensure that the children are settled. The home provides areas where the children can be together or have some time away from the group. There are three sheds that are in the process of being developed for use as chill-out areas, and a workshop for a child with an interest in building bikes.

p.6

Good

The children use the well-equipped garden to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables and they can work towards having a pet. One child has a bearded dragon. There is also a house rabbit that roams the grounds, which the children play with. Tending the plants and pets helps the children to develop the skills required to care and nurture.

p.6

Good

The manager and the team encourage positive behaviour using individual and group incentives. The children earned a trampoline and are now working towards a bouncy castle disco. This encourages the children to learn about the impact that their behaviour can have on themselves and others.

p.6

Good

Staff provide support to the children and have good levels of engagement with the schools. This has enabled the children to settle into an education routine. With one exception, the children attend school regularly. This is a major achievement as they have each had very disruptive education histories. The staff have successfully ensured that each child is progressing towards their education developmental levels. One child attending a special school has progressed to a class more focused on learning needs than behavioural needs. Staff have worked with one child and his new school to successfully manage his transition to mainstream education, including the removal of one-to-one support in class. Another child, while excluded from primary school, is currently working with a tutor in the home each morning. The team take the children to and from school, which enables them to communicate with the teachers on a regular basis and ensures that there is a good

p.6

Good

understanding of any challenges that the child may be facing in either setting.

p.7

Good

The children have access to the organisation’s consultant psychotherapist. When appropriate, children can access individual sessions, as agreed in their care plans. In other cases, the therapist works with the team to identify strategies to assist staff to support the children’s emotional well-being.

p.7

Good

Staff have recently created an achievement folder that contains pictures of various events and activities that the children engage in within the home. This provides a record of positive memories for the children. The activities include conducting science experiments and cooking, reinforcing that idea that activities do not have to be costly to be fun. Children attend a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities. Attendance at the clubs enables the children to commence building friendship groups outside of the home.

p.7

Good

Professionals and family members are all extremely positive about the team’s work, particularly in respect of arranging, supervising and facilitating family contact visits. A parent described how the team has negotiated a rolling rota of contact as the child was struggling to see both his parents and sibling together. The parent reports that although there are larger gaps between visits it has much improved the quality of the time they spend together.

p.7

Good

Parents are happy with the care that their children receive and describe the progress that their children are making as being evident relatively soon after the children move in.

p.7

Good

The children were having a Caribbean meal as part of their Black History Month celebrations. Many of the staff and children were trying the dishes for the first time. One child, who was born in the West Indies and is familiar with the food, enjoyed sharing their knowledge of the different dishes. This exploration of different cultures is ongoing within the home and allows the children to learn about each other’s cultures and the wider world.

p.7

Good

The children are comfortable and playful in the company of the staff members. During the inspection, staff were offering telephone support to a child who had recently moved out. A staff member said, ‘Knowing that the children leave with the ability to trust when they move on is a brilliant thing.’ This demonstrates that the children know that the team is dependable and caring.

p.7

Good

The children appear happy in the home. A parent said, ‘The home is absolutely wonderful. They have given him a future that he deserves and a chance to be the real him and all because of the loving nurture they give. They have got to know him first and on his own merit.’ Judgement grade

p.7

Good

The home operates with very high staffing ratios, providing one-to-one care for the children.

p.8

Good

On the few occasions when children have left the premises without permission, they have been located quickly. Staff use keywork sessions to ensure that children are aware of the potential dangers. This was demonstrated during inspection when a child walked out of the back door and round to the front of the house. Staff followed closely behind him and the manager waited for him at the front of the property. The manager asked the child to give reasons why he thought staff were worried when he walked out. He was able to state the risks, which included ‘someone taking me’ and ‘getting squashed by cars’. His social worker confirmed that allowing him to walk around the external parts of the building and staff having a discussion with him about potential risks is an agreed strategy that he uses to calm down. This approach has been successful in allowing the child the space he needs to become calm while ensuring that he no longer tries to leave the driveway.

p.8

Good

The staff team has a good relationship with the local authority designated officer and is aware of how to make consultations and referrals when there are safeguarding concerns.

p.8

Good

There has been one incident involving bullying. Children’s meetings and keywork sessions are used to discuss bullying and any concerns that individual children raise. Children are encouraged to be kind to each other. This has helped them to interact positively with each other. During the inspection, one child was using the punch bag in the garden. It was clear that he was trying to release some frustration but he was still receptive to being advised by another child on how to fix his positioning.

p.8

Good

The use of physical restraint has increased since the last inspection. The manager reviews each incident of physical restraint to identify any triggers or patterns. The findings are discussed at team meetings and keyworker supervision with a view to developing alternate strategies. The recording of these incidents was expanded following the last inspection and now includes more specific questions relating to whether the child would like to seek medical attention.

p.8

Good

The therapist spends time in the home to observe and interact with the children in an informal way. This enables him to understand the group dynamics and to advise staff on behaviour management strategies. This familiarity supports the children to potentially progress to direct therapy sessions at their own pace. These informal observations also provide clarity in identifying when the home can no longer meet a child’s needs.

p.8

Good

One child has consistently shown extreme levels of sexualised behaviour. The manager has co-ordinated meetings with professionals, including the therapist and a potential specialist provider, to assess whether his needs are more able to be met elsewhere. Consequently, a more specialist provision has been identified and the child will move on in a planned way over the coming weeks. This approach puts children’s needs at the centre of staff practice. A parent spoke proudly about how his son had settled in and said, ‘He is being held emotionally and is able to feel safe, he has grown.’

p.9

Good

The registered manager, who is also the owner of the home, has held this post since the home opened in 2015. She is a qualified social worker with a level 5 qualification. The manager is dedicated and still engages in direct work with the children. She is focused on ensuring that the children are central to everything that the home does.

p.9

Good

Parents speak positively about the way the manager interacts with them, even before their children’s placements begin. Each parent described pre-placement visits and had examples of the manager advocating for their child with external professionals. One described the manager as ‘an absolute angel’. This trust in the manager and her team ensures that there is a true co-parenting partnership.

p.9

Good

The manager is instrumental in co-ordinating professionals’ meetings to discuss planning or concerns about the children. This ensures that there are no delays in care planning because of changes to allocated social workers. A social worker said, ‘The manager’s integrity is good and is reflected in the home. It is a strength that they can recognise the home’s limits and put this child’s needs first.’

p.9

Good

An independent visitor monitors the home on a monthly basis. The manager addresses any shortfalls highlighted in a timely way. These visits ensure that the service has an external view of its performance and encourage the raising of standards. The manager conducts a six-monthly review of the quality of care, which includes consultation with the children, their families and professionals. This effective review identifies the aims and objectives for the next period, to drive improvement in the care provided.

p.9

Good

Staff are employed using safe recruitment practices and they receive a thorough induction. Staff supervision notes are comprehensive. However, one probationary member of staff has not received regular formal supervision sessions. There is a lack of clarity about the frequency of supervision for the part-time staff. This has minimal impact on the children but it does not provide consistency of support for the staff team.

p.10

Good

Staff receive both mandatory and developmental training. The training matrix is colour coded to easily indicate when the training and refresher courses need to be undertaken. Staff have either received training or are booked on to refresher training in the coming months. This training aims to ensure that staff are consistently equipped with the most current knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the children. All eligible staff hold a relevant level 3 qualification.

p.10

Good

The manager ensures that the children’s parents and social workers receive weekly updates in a newsletter form, detailing how the children’s week has been. A parent said, ‘I get an email of the overview of the week and it is really important to know how he manages.’ This also includes any pending medical appointments so that the parents can opt to jointly attend. This inclusive approach ensures that children benefit from having parents who still feel part of their lives. A parent said, ‘From the initial meeting with the manager she listened to us and understood us and spoke about how we would work together, and that gave us confidence’.

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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 has 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 that 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

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

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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