Children's Home run by Blackford Education (schools) Ltd in Somerset

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 The young people living in this home are making exceptional progress in all areas of their lives. This is achieved by the manager and staff working collaboratively with psychologists, therapists, educational staff and other professionals in producing detailed individualised assessments and high- quality care.  A stable and well trained staff team provides consistently good care to young people. Changes in the staff team are rare, which means that they know and understand the young people very well. Similarly, some young people have been cared-for for in excess of four years. As a result, young people feel secure, develop trusting relationships and are supported well by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team.  Individualised care packages mean that young people are supported well. Moving to long-term placements is managed well and care is given to ensure that young people can continue with their education. The team manager

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

from a local authority reports that, ‘The transition went extremely well and very smoothly.’  Young people make excellent progress in their social, educational and behavioural development in relation to their starting points. The support and encouragement of the staff team results in young people having 100% school attendance, homework being completed regularly, a significant reduction in challenging behaviours in the classroom and a high number of qualifications being achieved by the young people.  The manager recognises that young people also learn from experiences outside of formal education. Camping, surfing, hill-walking, rambling and forestry work mean that young people are experiencing a healthy outdoor lifestyle. In addition, young people take part in regular group holidays. Recent trips have included skiing in Canada and surfing in Portugal, Tenerife and Cornwall, all of which means that young people develop confidence,

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

resilience, independence and a broader understanding of different cultures.  A particular strength of the manager is his ability to provide young people with an environment that is child-focused, therapeutic and safe. Robust and rigorous risk assessments mean that young people are able to take age- appropriate risks to support their learning and their developing independence.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide accommodation for two young people and is run by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/03/2106 Interim Declined in effectiveness 12/01/2016 Full Outstanding

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Outstanding

Young people living in this home are provided with high quality care. They live in a nurturing, supportive environment that results in them making excellent progress from their starting points. A professional spoken with during this inspection was extremely complimentary of the care provided, saying, ‘You can see the progress in the young person.’

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Outstanding

Changes to the staff team are rare, which means that young people enjoy trusting and supportive relationships with a stable staff team that knows them very well. Since the previous inspection, there have been some changes in the group of children living in the home. After four years of living in the home, one young person has moved to a foster home. Two other young people have moved into the home and professionals spoken to confirm that moves are well planned, detailed and careful consideration is given to the views of the young people. A particular strength of the manager and staff team is their knowledge of the young people. As a result, moves and changes are a positive choice and have excellent outcomes for the young people.

p.5

Outstanding

Young people make excellent progress with their health, education, social and psychological development. The organisation has a qualified therapeutic team, comprising a psychologist and play therapists, who work with staff and meet with the young people regularly. Young people receive bespoke packages of therapeutic care and support in accordance with their needs. A local authority team manager said, ‘The home provides a therapeutic approach and intervention that really works, so much so you can see the progress in the young people.’ As a result, young people make good progress.

p.5

Outstanding

The manager and the staff team provide clear, consistent messages that help young people to understand boundaries and provide them with a structured approach to their care needs. Positive behaviour is rewarded and consequences have been replaced by learning and talking to the young people. This means that sanctions and physical interventions are neither required nor used.

p.5

Outstanding

Young people’s attendance and attainment at school is outstanding. The benefits of attending school 100% of the time, a homework study timetable and committed and motivational staff result in young people achieving excellent educational outcomes.

p.5

Outstanding

The staff also recognise the importance of young people learning through play and engaging with the wider community. Regular holidays abroad, to places such as Canada, Portugal and Tenerife and to the company’s own caravan in Cornwall, mean that young people experience a varied and broad range of life experiences. As a result, young people not only develop skills, for example in skiing and surfing, but in addition experience the diversity of different cultures.

p.5

Outstanding

Young people enjoy living in a home that is extremely well decorated and is furnished to a high standard. The safe use of a wood-burning stove in the living room provides young people with an environment that is homely and very welcoming.

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Outstanding

Young people personalise their own bedrooms and are encouraged to help look after the home and keep their rooms clean. This promotes young people’s sense of belonging, pride in their possessions and self-respect.

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Outstanding

Young people are kept safe in the home. Robust and rigorous policies inform staff, and enable them to safeguard young people well. There has been one safeguarding concern since the previous inspection. Records scrutinised during the inspection confirm that the manager deals with safeguarding incidents effectively. A comprehensive training package is routinely reviewed and updated to reflect any lessons learned and incorporates current practice and research updates. A member of staff spoken to during the inspection was pleased with the level and the quality of the safeguarding training, saying that it is ‘great’ and ‘really interesting’.

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Outstanding

All policies and protocols are reviewed regularly. In particular, the safeguarding policy has been updated, ensuring that the same procedures are used between the school and the home. As a result, young people receive consistent and reliable messages about behaviour management. Incidents of physical intervention in school have reduced significantly and there are no incidents of physical intervention at the home.

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Outstanding

There have been no incidents of young people going missing. However, procedures are in place and staff are trained to respond if necessary.

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Outstanding

The home has an incentive and reward system to reinforce positive behaviour. Therapeutic methods are consistently applied by qualified staff and clinicians employed by the company. The impact on young people is such that their behaviours are managed effectively. Records confirm that young people develop a sense of pride in themselves and their home, and they develop the ability to give considered and informed responses.

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Outstanding

The home has an exceptionally well written and comprehensive range of risk assessments. The manager and staff recognise the importance of young people experiencing a range of activities. Playing out, swimming in the sea, hill-walking, forestry work and wood-chopping are all activities overseen by members of staff that teach young people good life skills. Detailed, specific risk assessments mean that they can enjoy such activities and enjoy new experiences safely.

p.7

Outstanding

Young people enjoy and benefit from a stable and committed workforce. Changes to the staff team are rare. However, when new staff are recruited, they are done so safely with a rigorous and robust vetting process, thereby ensuring that young people are not placed at risk.

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Outstanding

A highly effective programme of safety checks take place daily, weekly and monthly. These include fire safety checks and drills. This means that young people live in a building that is safe and is managed well.

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Outstanding

Since the previous inspection, the home has increased the numbers of young people they look after from one young person to two. For a short period of time, leading up to the previous inspection, the home was not compliant with registration. However, swift action taken by the senior management team and the registered manager resolved this shortcoming.

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Outstanding

Through attention to detail and a dedicated approach, the registered manager has continued to build on the home’s previous outstanding judgement.

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Outstanding

The registered manager provides the home with consistent and strong leadership. He is experienced in supporting young people as they move through adolescence towards independence, so much so that when young people leave the home, they do so confidently. A professional from a local authority remarked positively of the manager’s skill-set saying, ‘The registered manager is particularly strong. He is a very important figure in the young person’s life.’ The local authority recognised the positive impact the manager had on this young person and authorised further funds to provide a bespoke outreach package, the local authority reporting this to be an ‘excellent outcome’.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is due to complete the qualifications required for this role. He recognises the importance of continual professional development and routinely incorporates research and practice updates within team meetings and supervision. In addition, detailed handovers, regular team meetings and a comprehensive training package ensure that members of staff have an excellent understanding of how to meet the needs of the young people.

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Outstanding

The registered manager understands the significance and importance of collaborative working. Consequently, qualified clinicians, education professionals and placing social workers work closely to produce a range of effective assessments and care plans. Regular multi-agency meetings are held to review all plans. This attention to detail means that young people’s progress and improved outcomes are measured effectively through the collection of evidence.

p.8

Outstanding

Internal and external monitoring of the home is thorough. An independent visitor provides detailed and informative Regulation 44 reports, and in turn the manager uses this information to update the development plan. Records scrutinised during the course of the inspection identify a clear correlation between the quality of care, the safety of the young people and improved outcomes. Evidence of young people being consulted is threaded throughout all monitoring and recording systems. As the home progresses and develops, young people are assured that their views and opinions matter. They know that they are valued and listened to.

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Outstanding

As a result of a strong, confident leadership team, and the effective management of a skilled staff team, young people are making excellent progress. Since the previous inspection, there has been only one notifiable incident. This was dealt with well. There are no requirements or recommendations following this inspection.

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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 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 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, 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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