Children's home run by Alicie Enterprises Limited

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two requirements and three recommendations resulted from the full inspection. The home has addressed all of these, apart from partial compliance with one recommendation. Its repetition is the sole recommendation of this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has completed the review of care arrangements report. It contains a thorough analysis of the progress of both the home and young people. The registered manager continues to challenge drift and delay from placing authorities. She is a strong presence in the home and is central to progress. The home is proposing an ambitious plan for further therapeutic training in the next year. This is designed to improve further the existing staff knowledge base and outcomes for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A programme of redecoration has occurred. The home now appears more bright and welcoming. Any repairs are conducted promptly, therefore creating a more homely and safe environment for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose is up to date. It contains information on the qualifications of the staff team. This allows professionals full knowledge of the skills and expertise of the staff team prior to considering placing a young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have attempted to engage young people with local bodies, such as the Children in Care Council, with limited success. Young people understand that resources are available, but they have chosen not to engage. They continue to be represented, via access to independent advocacy and legal representation if required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Restraints and physical interventions are not fully recorded. The current process does not allow young people to record their wishes and feelings fully. Consequently, strategies for avoiding repetition are not fully evaluated and the safety of young people may be placed at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are very happy. One refers to the home as, ‘amazing’. They form close bonds with each other and offer support when each other is struggling or upset. Former and current residents plan to celebrate Christmas together in the home. Young people enjoyed a successful holiday to a holiday camp in the summer and assisted staff in the planning process. Progress is reflected in reduced risk- taking behaviour and progress in education. Case records show no recent missing episodes for two young people since the last full inspection. Close and trusting relationships with staff result in young people maintaining close phone contact and offering full information as to their whereabouts. This helps to keep them safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the young people are engaged in education, with significant levels of staff support. On arrival, young people quickly access education provision and local authority funding to purchase educational resources. One young person has raised attendance from 23% to 85% since her arrival in the home. Another completed three GCSE examinations in the summer, one year early, despite significant disruption to their timetable. Staff and young people take pride in these achievements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are inventive and proactive. They listen to the concerns of young people and act quickly to establish realistic long-term solutions. Following the limitation of family contact for one young person, staff traced a further relative to arrange contact. This acts as an enormous source of reassurance and maintained placement stability.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A strong safeguarding culture remains. Staff worked in partnership with local police to serve an order on a potential perpetrator who was seen in the vicinity of the home, offering cigarettes to young people. Local police refer to the home as, ‘brilliant’. Trusting relationships with staff allow young people to offer staff full access to social media accounts. This helps young people to understand the dangers posed by the internet.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff morale remains high. Two former staff members have returned to employment in the home and there is no use of agency staff. This promotes consistency and the ‘family ethos’ within the home.

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Information about this children’s home

 This is a private children’s home registered to care for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/05/2016 Full Good 13/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/09/2015 Full Good 09/03/2015 Full Requires improvement

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a restraint occurs that young people should be given the opportunity to express their feelings about the experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60).

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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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