Children's home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Monmouthshire

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:

 The registered manager has a good level of skill, knowledge and experience that means he is able to lead and manage the staff team effectively.  The qualified staff team have a wide and varied level of experience. They have worked together for a substantial period of time. This means young people benefit from a consistent and reliable work force that know and understand them well.  A good range of monitoring and reviewing systems provides the registered manager with detailed information that allows him to effectively review and plan improvement. Staff are provided with sufficient training which equips them to meet the needs of the young people.  Staff are extremely committed to overcoming any barriers to young people’s full participation in their learning. Bespoke educational packages are available to young people. Some young people engage and make good progress from their starting points.  The views and opinions of the young people, their families and professionals

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The children's home provision is good because:

are captured and integrated into plans and records. Meetings and discussion forums are held regularly to provide young people with opportunities to share their views. Plans are in place to improve consultation and inclusion of young people in the development of the home and the recruitment of staff.  Young people spoken to during the inspection confirmed they were well cared for. They feel the staff team are ‘easy to talk to’, and said it’s ‘alright’ living in the home. However, they felt it was too rural for them, which meant it wasn’t easy for them to independently access opportunities to socialise.  While the registered manager addresses shortfalls identified through regular monitoring, a number of areas for improvement were raised at this inspection. They do not detract from the good progress made by some young people, and the safe level of care provided by the staff.

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iv)(viii)) 20/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children's home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 20/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 20/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

7: The children's views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each child is given appropriate advocacy support; and ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child's arrival about what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or 20/12/2016 those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision (Regulation 7 (b)(iii)(d)(iii))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The home should be located in an area that supports children's safety, well-being and personal development. The location of the home should support its aims, objectives and ethos, as described in the Statement of Purpose. In particular this relates to young people developing their independence away from the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 17, paragraph 3.23)  As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risk to them. This relates in particular to the regular supervision of newly appointed staff. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Information about this children's home

This home is one of a number of homes operated and managed by the organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than three young people who may have behavioural and or emotional difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/11/2015 Full Good 05/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/12/2014 Full Adequate

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Good

Young people benefit from individualised care, provided by a qualified, experienced and knowledgeable staff team who know the young people very well. This promotes quality relationships, trust and stability. A young person spoken with said that while he didn’t want to live in the home, the staff were ‘alright’, and confirmed he felt well cared for and he could talk to the staff.

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Good

The young people are encouraged and supported to engage in education. A particular strength of the home is the staff team understands how learning opportunities have many guises. They understand that for some young people who have not been to school for a while they need support and time to re-engage with their learning. Bespoke and individualised educational programmes are provided resulting in some young people making progress with their learning. The registered manager recognises that this is an area that requires further development and therefore a requirement is made to ensure young people are further helped to break down any barriers they have to learning.

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Good

The staff team provide a warm and caring environment that enables young people to feel valued and safe. The individualised care provides opportunities for the young people to explore their own identities and develop interests. For example attending clubs and meeting up with friends and family. Young people are further encouraged to take responsibility in developing skills that will help them as they move towards independence. However, the rural location of the home means that older young people are restricted with unsupervised and independent access to the wider community. A requirement is made to make sure the manager reviews how this can be addressed.

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Good

Young people’s health needs are known and understood by staff. All health care plans are detailed, and records indicate young people attend all necessary health appointments. In addition staff have regular access to health care professionals including psychologists. By working together young people benefit from adults who are able to support them when they are worried, anxious and confused. In doing so staff help young people make sense of their time living in the home and incidents of challenging behaviour have reduced.

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Good

Staff spend a large percentage of their time talking and interacting with the young people. Records kept within the home confirm that young people are routinely encouraged to share their views and opinions about the running of the home and their experiences of living in the home. This means staff understand them well and can advocate on their behalf during meetings, and it also results in young people feeling valued and listened to. However, it was noted that young people recently moved into the home do not have an independent advocate and are not wholly involved in the recruitment of new staff. To ensure all young people have access to independent advocacy services and are further involved in the development of the home two requirements are made.

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Good

Young people are safe and protected because staff give the highest priority to their safety and well-being. All staff are trained in child protection and safeguarding. While there have been no reported incidents of young people going missing, staff understand very well the procedures to follow. The manager uses robust systems to protect young people should an allegation be made about a member of staff. Well-kept and detailed records sighted during the course of the inspection confirm the manager reports and shares information between all agencies promptly and effectively. This means both staff and young people are effectively safeguarded.

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Good

The manager and staff team have a very good understanding of individual risks relating to the young people living in the home. They use a range of effective risk management plans to identify risk and strategies to support the young people. This means the young people are helped to safely take risks in accordance with their age and abilities. For example returning to their families, spending time with their friends and moving to independence.

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Good

Staff use effective communication, coupled with positive role modelling, patience and compassion to promote positive behaviours. Consequently the use of sanctions and physical intervention is rare. On the occasions that a young person has been physically restrained, it has been done so safely and in line with the homes policy and procedures. All staff confirm they are trained to safely intervene with young people and are particularly pleased to report ‘it’s a long time since we needed to use physical intervention’.

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Good

The home has very good relationships with the local police, and records indicate management of behaviour is good and their involvement in the home is rare.

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Good

The manager and staff are skilled at recognising when young people’s outcomes are not improving by living at the home. They take proactive action to identify increased risks, and effectively plan how to support the young person to either remain at the home, or to move on from the placement in a planned and well supported manner. Staff are aware that young people are vulnerable when using the internet. Access is carefully monitored through a robust IT system when young people are in the home, and this is coupled with discussion and on-line learning for both young people and staff.

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Good

The home is very well-maintained. Health and safety checks are routinely undertaken by staff, and young people have a good understanding of what to do in the event of a fire. A locality risk assessment is reviewed annually. However, risks relating to the close proximity of agricultural buildings and electric fencing have not been included. A requirement is therefore made to ensure this document is updated to reflect these risks.

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Good

Recruitment and vetting procedures are sound. Records scrutinised are very well kept providing all necessary information and checks which means young people are safe in the home. While young people are currently involved towards the end of the recruitment process, a recommendation is made to ensure young people are more actively involved throughout.

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Good

The home is managed by a registered manager who has the necessary skills, experience and competence. While being suitably qualified, he continues to update his practice through regular training, and plans are in place to enhance his current qualification. This means staff have strong leadership, and the home is managed well.

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Good

The registered manager is supported by an extremely dedicated and enthusiastic team. Staff are complimentary about the manager, in particular saying ‘he’s great’ and is always available. Staff confirm they receive regular planned supervision that is recorded and used to support their annual appraisals. However, further scrutiny of the supervision records found two new members of staff had not received supervision in line with the home’s policies. A recommendation is therefore made to ensure this shortfall is addressed.

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Good

Regular team meetings, detailed and recorded handovers, and a robust training package ensures staff have a good understanding of how to meet the needs of the young people. The staff spoken with confirm they benefit from a regular and varied training package.

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Good

There are some new staff working in the home alongside a number of staff who have been in role for a significant period and are experienced and skilled. As a result there is always a sufficient number of experienced staff supporting the young people which enables them to engage in activities in the home and the wider community.

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Good

An environment of staff supporting one another and working together exists, which means no agency workers are used and young people are supported consistently.

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Good

Monitoring of the home is robust and templates and monitoring tools used in the home capture the views of professionals, young people and families. The registered manager introduced a young person’s communication book, and young people make representation at the ‘Hear by Rights’ meetings held across the company. Comments and feedback are captured by the manager and included within the internal monitoring processes.

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Good

All policies and procedures are reviewed and updated annually. However, the statement of purpose was found to have some misleading information with regards to services the home provides. A requirement is made to ensure this is corrected and a reviewed version is submitted to Ofsted.

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Good

Despite the requirements and recommendations made following this inspection, the registered manager successfully leads and manages the home. He benefits from support, encouragement and guidance from his senior management team. He works hard to improve outcomes of the young people also evidenced by a periodically reviewed development and action plan.

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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 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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