Children's Home run by Safe Base Care Limited in Wirral

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 have positive experiences living in this safe, friendly and supportive family home. Enthusiastic, friendly and skilled staff work together cohesively to deliver a high standard of individualised care that consistently meets young people’s needs and is improving their lives. Young people are happier, healthier and succeeding in education and training. They enjoy the same social experiences and opportunities as other young people and are developing the confidence and skills they need in life.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people’s trusting relationships with the staff help them have a strong sense of belonging and emotional security. They feel safe and are protected from harm. They are listened to, and their feelings and worries are taken seriously. The staff’s good safeguarding practices help the young people to be safer. They also help young people to understand and manage their feelings and improve their behaviour. Young people learn how to manage disagreements, understand other people’s points of view and develop positive and meaningful relationships.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Productive working relationships between the manager, staff, families, placing authority, schools, training providers and health workers mean that young people receive the best possible support in meeting their assessed needs. The manager and staff fight for young people to achieve better outcomes and will challenge services when they are concerned that young people are not getting the help that they need.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The leadership and management are inadequate because the home has not had a registered manager since February 2015. A new manager has been in charge from June 2016. He has relevant experience and suitable qualifications, and provides effective leadership that prioritises young people’s welfare and focuses on improving their lives.  The effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement in relation to the supervision of the manager, the review of the quality of care and behaviour management practice, policies about the employment of family members and the decoration of the house.

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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

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

2 (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent person, who carries out visits under Regulation 44, must make a rigorous, detailed and evaluative assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person’s review of the quality of care, under Regulation 45, must provide a thorough and evaluative assessment of children's experiences and views about living in the home and the impact that care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children; to enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness, and identify any actions required to make improvements in the home. 09/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the manager and responsible individual receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of children, and 09/12/2016 receive professional guidance and identify areas for their continuing professional development. 49. Notice of changes

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place – if the registered person is an organisation – any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49 (e)(iii)) 09/12/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Improve the quality of the decoration of the physical surroundings, especially the bathroom and bedrooms. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 Review the arrangements for managing and checking medication, and use a pill counter instead of staff handling medication when they are checking the amount of medication stored in the home. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

 Review the use of sanctions to address poor behaviour to make sure that they are being used effectively to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves and other children and adults. In particular, ensure that the use of financial reparations is proportionate and reasonable, and that consideration is given to children making reparation in ways that do not always involve a financial penalty. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the system for rewarding and recognising children’s positive behaviour is based on each child achieving individual goals relevant to their assessed needs and placement plans; that children are involved in setting their goals and rewards; and that the system is kept under review to reflect children’s achievements and changing needs. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 47, paragraph 9.39)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the effectiveness of every sanction is reviewed by an appropriate person who has not been involved in imposing the measure on the children. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 49, paragraph 9.59)  Ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of all employees and directors safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. Ensure that clear and impartial processes are in place for when relatives are employed by the organisation, including their: recruitment and employment; line management, supervision and performance management; dealing with complaints and allegations, and disciplinary procedures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/06/2015 Full Good

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Good

Young people live in a safe, positive and supportive family home. They receive a good quality of individualised care that consistently meets their assessed needs and helps them to achieve better developmental outcomes. The manager and staff’s consistent personalised support has brought stability to young people’s lives. A parent said: ‘My son is doing really well at the moment. The staff cope with him well and I am really happy with how they are meeting his needs.’ The staff help young people to feel safe and make continuous and sustained progress, including in their education, health, emotional well-being, social and life skills and personal relationships. They are now less likely to go missing from home and no longer take part in criminal behaviour or use drugs. A social worker said: ‘I am very impressed with how the care home and staff have assisted the young person to turn his life around. He is more confident, his self-esteem is increasing and he is

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Good

communicative – a real change from where he was 10 weeks ago.’ The manager and staff’s effective communication and social skills build positive relationships with young people. They are friendly and engage constructively with young people. They let young people know that they are important, show them that they are interested in their lives, that they care for their welfare, and want them to do well. This positive and understanding approach has helped young people to develop safe, stable, secure attachments with staff. Young people clearly trust staff and know that they are reliable. A young person said: ‘The staff treat you with respect. They are always kind, polite, helpful and don’t shout at you.’ Another young person said: ‘I’ve got a connection with staff. I can trust them and can talk to any of them.’ The manager and staff listen to young people’s views, wishes and feelings, and always take them into account. Young people are involved in every decision about

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Good

their lives and the running of the home. This is done as a natural part of young people’s daily lives. They can talk to staff at any time, and staff are interested in their ideas and opinions. Young people make decisions about the food they eat, the clothes they wear, how they spend their spare time, how their home is decorated, their education and careers, their health, and where they will live in the future and the support they will need. The staff are good at helping young people think about the implications of their decisions and what is the best for them. The manager takes young people’s complaints seriously. He took effective action when a young person raised an issue about another young person’s behaviour. The young person was happy with how the manager dealt with his complaint. He said: ‘He listened and sorted things out with the young person.’ The manager and staff fully take into account the particular needs of young people

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Good

living a long way from their family home. They help young people maintain important links with their families and ensure that they see their families frequently. The manager also makes sure that these young people have access to local education and health services that meet their assessed needs. The manager and staff have a clear understanding of each young person’s needs, vulnerabilities and interests. They have good relationships with social workers, schools, colleges, training providers, health professionals, and local businesses. They work effectively with these partners to ensure that young people get the best possible support and opportunities that promote good outcomes. The manager and staff are tenacious in making sure that young people get the right help at the right time. They actively challenge services to provide young people with good-quality support. A social worker said: ‘The manager is forward-thinking and pushed for a

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Good

young person to get a service from the child and adolescent mental health service, and found other sources of support while waiting for the service to start.’ The manager and staff recognise and value the importance of education for young people’s futures. They enthusiastically encourage young people to learn and develop their knowledge and skills through meaningful education and activities. Young people’s participation in education and motivation to learn has improved significantly since they moved into the home. All three young people are in full-time education or training and have excellent attendance. A young person said: ‘They’ve made it easier for me to go to school.’ The manager and staff work extremely well with schools to tackle any barriers to young people’s education. A teacher said: ‘The manager is keen to work together in the young person’s best interest. He supports what we are trying to achieve at school.’ The manager and staff help

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Good

young people find education and training programmes suitable to their needs and interests that enhance their career prospects. They have helped a young person secure a full-time apprenticeship and college place in light-vehicle maintenance. He is enjoying the work and has a clear plan to achieve what he wants out of life. The manager and staff help young people’s education in practical ways by making sure that they have the tools and equipment that they need in the kitchen and garage to develop their skills. Young people enjoy an exciting range of fun activities based on their interests, choices and abilities, including go-karting, fishing, going to the cinema, fun fairs, repairing bicycles, baking and cooking, and playing computer games. Staff recognise and celebrate young people’s achievements. Young people have the same social opportunities as other young people of their age to spend time with their friends. Their friends visit them at home, and they stay overnight at friends’

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Good

houses. Young people live in a healthy environment where staff actively promote their physical health and emotional well-being. They enjoy healthy, nutritious and varied diets and get plenty of physical exercise. The staff provide young people with good advice about diet, sexual health and relationships, drugs and alcohol, which is helping them understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. Some young people, as a result, have changed their behaviour and no longer use drugs. Young people have access to community and specialist health services, including counselling and drug and alcohol services. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s specific health needs and manage their health with sensitivity and confidence. They closely monitor young people to make sure that they are healthy, supporting them to attend routine health checks with doctors, the dentist and optician. They also ensure that the young people always get suitable medical advice and treatment

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Good

when they are feeling unwell or if they are concerned about their health. The manager and staff work hard to ensure that young people receive the treatment and medication to meet their individual needs. They follow clear and safe medication procedures to ensure that young people only receive medicines as they are prescribed for them. They keep clear records of medication, and suitable checks take place every day to reduce the risk of any errors. However, staff count some medication by hand as part of the checks. Using a pill counter instead would be a safer method of checking the amount of medication. The manager and staff listen to young people’s views and support them to make informed decisions about medication. For example, they arranged for a young person’s medication to be reviewed by the prescribing doctor when the young person stopped taking his medicine because he felt that it was not working and was making him feel sick.

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Good

The manager and staff ensure that young people get the right support and guidance to help them develop their life skills and prepare for moving into their own accommodation. Their assessment of young people’s life skills and emotional well-being plays a key role in planning for young people’s futures. The staff ensure that young people have plenty of opportunities to build their confidence and practical life skills, including shopping, cooking and managing money. They identify the areas in which young people may need more support and they work on these issues, for example budgeting and building up a network of people whom the young people can go to if they need support. They think carefully about the best ways to help to prepare young people to move on. The manager is currently converting the basement of the house into a separate flat for a young person to use to build his confidence and life skills, while still receiving the support he needs

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Good

from the same staff to promote his welfare. The young person is fully involved in the planning for his future, and he is extremely positive about moving into the basement flat.

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Good

The manager and staff give young people’s safety the highest priority. They have created a strong safeguarding culture where young people are always listened to, their views and worries are taken seriously, and they are treated with respect. As a result, young people feel safe, trust the staff and have a strong sense of belonging. The manager and staff have a good understanding of any signs that may indicate that young people are at risk of harm, including in relation to abuse, exploitation, bullying, drugs, alcohol and social media. They work collaboratively with families, social workers, the police and the local authority to understand and manage risk and protect young people. Their decisive responses and effective management of risk have helped young people become increasingly safer.

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Good

The risk of young people going missing has significantly reduced since they moved into this home. The manager and staff help young people to understand the risks and dangers if they go missing, what to do if they need help, and give them a strong message that they want them to be safe. When young people have been missing, the staff have worked closely with families, social workers, teachers and the police to find them quickly. Staff always warmly welcome young people home, check on their welfare, and try to find out the reasons for the young person going missing to reduce the risk of it happening again.

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Good

The manager and staff provide young people with clear and consistent boundaries that help young people to understand and develop socially acceptable behaviour, and feel emotionally secure. They act as good role models to help young people to build positive relationships and to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Young people are learning how to resolve conflicts amicably, and their relationships have significantly improved. There are no longer any concerns about bullying, name-calling or fighting. A young person said that ‘things are now much better and we get along well’. Staff spend time with young people, trying to understand the feelings behind any negative behaviour. They try to find out what young people want them to do when they feel angry, fed up or anxious. They use young people’s views to inform their approach, including giving young people time and space to calm down. One young person goes and sits on a wall outside to

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Good

think about things and, when he is ready, comes back to talk to staff about what happened. Staff’s calm and insightful approach means that challenging situations are resolved without the need for staff to use restraint. A social worker said, ‘The staff manage difficult situations positively.’

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Good

Young people feel that they are treated fairly. The manager and staff’s behaviour- management strategy is based on reinforcing positive behaviour and relationships through praise and rewards. This approach is helping young people to manage their behaviour effectively. However, the rewards system uses the same goals for each young person, for example getting up for school on time and showing respect to each other. This means that it does not necessarily focus on each young person achieving individual goals to address specific issues relevant to their assessed needs and placement plans. Young people are not involved in setting their goals and rewards, and the system has not been reviewed to reflect young people’s achievements and changing needs.

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Good

The manager and staff occasionally use sanctions to address poor behaviour, for example when young people have caused damage. Young people usually make financial reparations towards the cost of the repairs. However, on one occasion a young person was expected to pay the full cost of replacing his wardrobe. This appears to be an excessive amount for the young person to pay. It may run the risk of reinforcing negative feelings and not have the desired effect of helping him understand the impact of his behaviour on himself and other people. The young person did not have the opportunity to negotiate the reparation with staff. It also may be worth considering using a measure that does not involve a financial penalty, for example helping to put together his new wardrobe. The use of sanctions is often reviewed by the person imposing the measure on the young person. This does not provide an impartial assessment of the appropriateness and

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Inadequate

The leadership and management are inadequate because the home has not had a registered manager since February 2015. The responsible individual has taken over as the manager and has been in day-to-day charge from June 2016. Ofsted is currently considering his application to become the registered manager. Another person has taken over as the responsible individual and needs to write to Ofsted to confirm the change.

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Inadequate

The new manager has relevant experience and has completed the level 5 diploma for the leadership and management of children and young people’s residential services. He provides effective leadership that prioritises young people’s welfare and focuses on improving their lives, in line with the objectives of the home’s statement of purpose. He ensures that young people receive a good standard of care in a positive home environment. The stable and cohesive staff team are helping young people to make significant progress in all aspects of their development.

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Inadequate

The staffing arrangements ensure that enough suitable staff are always available to meet the assessed needs of the young people and deliver a continuity of care that promotes meaningful relationships. The manager and senior staff provide staff with good day-to-day guidance and support. Staff have regular formal supervision to reflect on their work with young people and professional development. Detailed records are kept of staff supervision showing the areas of discussion and the agreed outcomes. These records also include a note of young people’s views about how well staff work with them, which provides the manager with key information about each member of staff’s performance and competency. Most of the staff are suitably qualified, and the rest of them are working towards gaining the level 3 diploma for residential childcare within two years. The manager and senior staff actively support staff’s learning and the continuous development of their

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Inadequate

knowledge and skills. This includes providing training programmes tailored to the individual needs of the young people living in the home, for example recent training around depression and anxiety. Thorough recruitment and selection checks ensure that only suitable people are employed to work at the home. The manager makes sure that staff have the right experience, skills, personal qualities, values and motivation to work with vulnerable young people. New staff follow a clear induction programme that enables them to develop the necessary skills and knowledge they need, to reflect on their learning and experiences, and to have their performance thoroughly assessed by a manager.

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Inadequate

However, the effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement in relation to the supervision of the manager, the review of the quality of care, policies about the employment of family members and the decoration of the house. The manager and responsible individual are currently not receiving practice-related supervision from a person with appropriate professional qualifications and experience in residential childcare. This means that they do not have the opportunity to reflect critically on their practice with a person who can provide them with effective professional challenge, support and guidance, and identify areas for their continuing professional development.

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Inadequate

The leaders and managers’ ability to understand the home’s effectiveness and how to secure improvements is impeded by a lack of in-depth scrutiny. Although the quality of the monthly monitoring by an independent person provides a more evaluative assessment of the arrangements for safeguarding and promoting young people’s welfare, it does not provide consistently rigorous analysis of practice and the management of the home. For example, the monitoring reports noted an increase in the use of sanctions, but lacked a thorough evaluation of the reasons for this, the effectiveness of sanctions and staff’s practice in promoting positive behaviour. Also, the manager’s review of the quality of care does not provide a comprehensive assessment of how well young people are being supported in line with the quality standards, their experiences and views about their care, and the impact that care is having on their lives. This lack of detailed assessment does not

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Inadequate

help the manager to identify accurately areas of strength and possible weakness, and identify the actions required to make improvements in the home.

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Inadequate

The home’s policy about the employment of family members does not set out clear processes in relation to every aspect of their employment, including their recruitment and employment; line management, supervision and performance management; dealing with complaints and allegations, and disciplinary procedures. Further clarity is needed to show how family relationships will be managed impartially to minimise any potential risks to the people involved and young people.

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Inadequate

The manager ensures that the house provides young people with a homely and pleasant place to live. The physical environment is safe, furnished to a good standard and repairs are carried out promptly. The young people said that they liked the house and have plenty of space and privacy. One young person had chosen paint for his room and was looking forward to having it decorated. However, the decoration of the house, including the bedrooms and bathrooms, is showing signs of wear and tear.

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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 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

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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