Children's home run by The Governing Body of Woodlands School in Plymouth

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has been absent from this home since January 2016. A skilled temporary manager has been brought into the service who is working with the registered individual. Together they have ensured that all of the requirements made at the last inspection have been met and they are competently moving this service forward.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have good oversight of the home. They have a concise development and improvement plan in place that they are driving forward in a child-focused, determined and relentless way. They are clear about where they are in their improvement journey and where they aim to be. This has supported remarkable improvement since the last inspection and offers clarity in respect of the next steps for this service. As a result, no requirements are being made from this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have ensured that staff fully understand the development plan for the home. They are very clear about the expectations on staff in terms of performance. As a result, there is a shared desire to continue to move this service forward and improve things for the children, young people and their families.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have provided the staff with training and support to ensure that the quality of care has improved. Staff stated that they now feel that they have the skills they require to care for children and young people better. Staff are now provided with the information they require to ensure that they can monitor and support children and young people in every aspect of their lives and not just with their basic care needs. The staff feel empowered and professional. One member of staff stated: ‘We didn’t realise how bad things were at the time, but looking back now we can’t believe we have come so far.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Communication and the sharing of key information now underpins the care provided to the children and young people. This allows the staff to adapt how they support children and young people in line with their care needs and, for some, their very complex health needs. The systems in place for the safe-keeping and administering of medication are safe and effective. There have been four very small medication errors since the last inspection, but none of these have directly affected children and young people. This is remarkable, and is much-needed progress that supports children and young people being safely cared for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Parents consulted as part of the inspection were able to report significant progress since the last inspection. One parent stated that, ‘Things are so much better now, the improvements are unbelievable, our son is so happy.’ While some parents are understandably concerned about the improvements being sustained, they report good communication and action from the manager when they make contact with him.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are set small, appropriate and measureable targets to achieve. There is good engagement in this process and children and young people receive certificates to celebrate their achievements. There is a real sense of pride from staff when they are able to present the awards. Children and young people are making progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are looked after by staff who really do care for them and know them well. Communication with children and young people is good. Staff receive ongoing training and support that allows them to communicate with non- verbal children. This has supported children’s wishes and feelings for their views to be heard, understood and acted upon. Children and young people are happy and relaxed in the home and are able to enjoy experiences that they would not be able to access if they did not spend time at this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to care for up to eight children and young people at any one time. Primarily the home offers regular short breaks to children and young people. It is registered as a children’s home because some children and young people spend significant amounts of time here. The home is registered to look after children and young people who may have sensory impairment, learning disabilities and physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 02/03/2016 Full Inadequate 06/01/2016 Full Inadequate 02/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness 20/08/2014 Full Good 15/10/2013 Interim Good progress

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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

13: The leadership and management standard 01/08/2016 24: Monitoring and surveillance 01/08/2016 46: Review of premises 01/08/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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