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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:

 Young people make progress in all areas of their lives.  Young people reduce risk-taking behaviour, such as going missing.  Young people attend and engage in mainstream education.  Young people’s health needs are met both physically and emotionally.  Young people are happy and enjoy having pets of their choice to care for.  Young people enjoy a range of activities and have their friends to the home.  Contact is facilitated and supported by staff, both in the home and in the young person’s home environment.  Feedback from families and professionals is good.  Young people live in a well-decorated and maintained home and have staff who are aspirational for them to achieve.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home. This is in respect of risk assessments for driving offences. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  Ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people are happy living in the home. They make progress from their starting points in all areas of their lives. Young people live in a home that is well decorated and maintained to a high standard. Their bedrooms are personalised to their taste. Young people have pets of their own. One young person has rescued three guinea pigs and a hamster. Another young person has her own hamster. Both young people were proud to show me their pets. Young people are responsible for their pets, including cleaning them out and feeding them. Care planning in respect of young people moving into and leaving the home is positive for them. Young people are prepared for independent living. Independence plans are, in part, constructed from the information that young people completed in their independence questionnaires and are progressed and reviewed regularly. Young people who have left the home since the previous inspection receive and

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Good

benefit from aftercare from staff. They can contact the home for advice and guidance, or to say ‘Hello’. One young person ‘popped in’ to share her A grade in her GCSE art with staff. As a result, young people are prepared for their transitions into adulthood, coupled with some security that they can seek further advice should they need it. Prior to young people moving into the home, managers visit them in their current placement. Young people then have the opportunity to visit the home to see whether they like it and would like to live there. This helps young people to feel involved and valued and to reduce any anxiety that they may have regarding the move. Young people have good relationships with staff and each other. Staff adapt their communication style to aid and meet the needs of each young person, for example, by making only one request at a time. Staff have high aspirations for young people and spend quality time with them. Staff and young people all sit down together

p.6

Good

each evening to eat dinner. This is a social time, when everybody talks about his or her day. Young people and staff enjoy good humour in a supportive and relaxed atmosphere in the home. This gives young people a structure and a sense of belonging in the home. Young people celebrate their birthdays with a party of their choice. For example, a young person enjoyed a bowling party, McDonalds and their friends going back home for birthday cake and refreshments. Young people spend time with their friends at their friends’ houses, or their friends are most welcome at the young people’s home. This helps to build young people’s social network in order to enhance their self-esteem and confidence. Young people’s health needs are met. They develop an understanding of how lifestyle choices can affect their health. For example, staff help young people to reduce the number of cigarettes that they smoke. Young people are registered with

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Good

appropriate medical personnel and attend routine appointments. Staff are creative in identifying and raising sensitive health issues. They are proactive in monitoring young people’s emotional health and liaising with appropriate agencies. Consequently, young people are now receiving the medical help that they need for both their physical and emotional health. Young people’s education is fully supported and facilitated. Staff are tenacious in navigating barriers that some young people experience in education. Young people progress in their education and now attend mainstream education placements. Managers and staff understand that moving to mainstream education can be daunting for young people and fully support them in their transitions. A family member said, ‘She is going to college, which is a good step, and she has a positive approach about college.’ Staff create opportunities for young people to engage in a range of activities in

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Good

accordance with their ages and interests, for example attending police cadets and guides. This helps young people to build positive friendships in the community and to build self-esteem and confidence, while engaging in an enjoyable activity. Young people benefit from safe and meaningful contact with their families in the home. Staff facilitate and supervise young people’s contact, if necessary, with wider family members. They work effectively to develop positive relationships with families to give young people a good foundation to build on. This gives young people a sense of belonging and maintains their identity, even if they live a considerable distance from their family.

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Good

Staff are dedicated and concerned with the safety and welfare of young people. They ensure that consistent rules and boundaries contribute to a sense of security for young people. A family member said, ‘[I] think she is doing better, a little bit more respectful. The home is a little stricter, making it crystal clear in respect of rules and boundaries.’ Consequently, young people benefit from this security and respond appropriately. Young people rarely go missing. When they have gone missing, they have been returned home quickly and safely. Managers and staff understand their roles and responsibilities with regard to notifying appropriate individuals and agencies. Good risk assessments that promote inter-agency protection with partnership agencies make sure that the safety of young people is promoted at all times. For example, school, colleges and police cadets know to notify staff immediately if the young

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Good

person goes missing. A placing social worker said, ‘In her previous placement, she went missing a lot, [but this has now reduced]. I really feel she is in a happy and stable place.’ Young people engage in child sexual exploitation training and workshops with specially trained professionals. As a result, young people are gaining knowledge and an understanding of some of the risks, should they go missing. This helps to keep them safe. Physical interventions are only used as a last resort. The frequency of restraints lessens as young people learn to trust staff and reduce putting themselves and others at risk. Restraint records give a clear picture of the events, and of young people’s views. Generally, robust recruitment processes protect young people. However, in a minority of cases, staff risk assessments do not reflect driving offences. All staff are aware of the whistle-blowing policy and safeguarding responsibilities. A staff

p.8

Good

member said, ‘Following the last report, everybody, most definitely everybody, knows about the whistle-blowing procedures.’ This ensures that young people’s safety and welfare are promoted.

p.8

Good

An appropriately qualified and experienced registered manager, who is currently enrolled on the level 5 diploma in leadership and management in residential childcare, manages the home. The registered manager leaves the home at the end of November 2016. A new manager has been appointed. A full handover will take place to make sure that there is a smooth transition for the young people. The registered manager informed young people verbally that he is leaving and also wrote them a letter. The quality of relationships with professionals and family members is extremely positive. A family member said, ‘Communication is really good. I was advised that the manager would be leaving and who would be taking over.’ A placing social workers said, ‘I genuinely cannot fault the home, and communication is excellent.’ This demonstrates that communication with those who are important to young people is consistent and effective.

p.8

Good

Staff receive regular supervision that reflects the needs of young people and the progress that they are making. Appraisals are undertaken annually, and all staff are appropriately qualified in line with regulatory timescales. The manager regularly reviews the service and has a desire to drive up standards of service for young people. Currently, managers are recruiting new staff, as they do not have a full complement. The manager has not accepted further referrals for placements as he acknowledges that the home would not be able to provide a consistent and good level of care to all young people. In this way, young people’s needs are prioritised at all times. Managers are aware of the strengths and developmental areas of the home. There are no regulatory breaches from this inspection. Nevertheless, managers are aware of the constant drive to try to make sure that young people receive the best possible service. This will improve young people’s lives now and in the future.

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Good

Young people continually make progress in all areas of their lives. Managers adapt and review plans when they feel it is necessary for young people. However, better account could be taken to involve young people further in their plans. This would further help to meet young people’s needs in line with their abilities and understanding and at a pace suitable to them. Managers are operating in line with their aims and objectives in their statement of purpose. This ensures that young people, families and professionals are aware of the service that they can expect.

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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 that 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 that 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 whom 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

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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