Children's home run by Step-A-Side Company Limited

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness . This home has declined in effectiveness because the progress and experiences of young people, with particular regard to their behaviour, have been poor. Although the home’s statement of purpose states that the home specialises in providing care for young people with emotional difficulties and challenging behaviour, the previous inspection of 26 April 2016 recommended that staff do more to meet each young person’s behavioural and emotional needs. This has not been achieved. The numbers of physical restraints, sanctions and instances when young people have gone missing have been relatively high, often requiring police intervention. Three young people have left the home with unplanned endings since the time of the last

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

inspection because of significant concerns about the home’s capacity to manage their behaviour and keep them safe, and this led to the home giving notice to the placing authorities. The home has also declined in effectiveness because education provision has not been put in place for the young person currently living in the home. In spite of this, there is evidence that admissions are generally well planned, with prospective young people making visits to the home in advance of them moving in, and existing young people being consulted about their opinion of what impact the arrival of a new young person will have. Placement plans are made early or in advance of a young person’s arrival and these are detailed and comprehensive and contain clear assessments of need and how these are to be met. Placing social workers comment that young people are made to feel welcome when being admitted to the home and settle in well. A birth mother commented, ‘The home is

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

brilliant, they have really settled him in well and he feels happy and safe.’ Leaders and managers actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided. Independent visitors conduct monthly visits and make recommendations about service improvement. Reports of these visits and the recommendations made are sent to the regulatory body, as are the reviews of the quality of care conducted by the registered manager on a six-monthly basis. The manager notifies the appropriate authorities about all significant events occurring in the home. There is evidence that there is good liaison between the home and the safeguarding officers and local authority designated officers of the placing authorities and this helps to ensure that young people are kept safe. As stated earlier, the home has not successfully implemented the recommendation of the previous inspection with regard to ensuring that young people’s emotional

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

and behavioural needs are met. This has now become a requirement that will be closely monitored at the next inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is run by a small, locally-based, private company, which also operates another children’s home in the area. The company also provides domiciliary care services for young people and homes for adults with disabilities, which are separately regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission. The home currently provides long-term care for a maximum of four young people, who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/04/2016 Full Good 11/11/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/06/2015 Full Good 02/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

8: The education standard In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (2)(a)(x)) 07/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard The registered person must ensure that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs. (Regulation 11 (2)(a)(i)) In particular, that all staff are able to manage the behaviour of young people in a positive way without recourse to restraint or police intervention. 01/11/2016

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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, 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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