Children's Home run by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council in Dudley

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 provision is outstanding because:

 Creative and dedicated staff support young people to make exceptional progress in their personal, social and emotional development.  Relationships between staff and young people are excellent.  Staff place considerable time and energy into helping young people to make meaningful progress in their education. This includes enthusiastically celebrating the smallest of achievements.  Staff take time to listen to young people and are committed to ensuring that the best possible outcomes are achieved.  Staff have an excellent awareness of young people’s individual journeys and plan their care in a way that secures measurable progress.  Staff ensure that the accommodation provides young people with a safe, pleasant and stimulating environment, which helps to give young people a sense of belonging.  Staff ensure that safeguarding young people is an integral part of their day- to-day practice.  Staff are knowledgeable about risks that can compromise young people’s

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

safety. They take swift and effective action against information that might mean that young people are at risk of child sexual exploitation.  Staff use their strong links with therapeutic services to help to improve young people’s emotional health and resilience.  Staff work proactively with partnership agencies, including education and placing authorities, to ensure that a strong collaborative approach is secured, which is aimed at keeping young people safe.  The manager and staff use research extremely well to understand how best to support young people who have a range of complex needs.  Staff are highly skilled, knowledgeable and insightful in their support of young people. They are innovative in their approach, and explore various ways to learn from others and to develop their practice even further.

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Information about this children's home

This home is one of five homes run by this local authority. It is registered for up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, and it is situated in an urban area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Outstanding

Staff have excellent relationships with young people. Staff are warm, nurturing and affectionate in their approach. They care deeply about young people and are intuitive of their needs. The staff group work effectively as a team, utilising the individual strengths of each member to address the changing needs of young people. As a result, young people receive care from staff who care about them and understand their individual needs extremely well. Young people experience a homely and welcoming environment. Staff are proud of the home and ensure that the decoration and furnishings fit well with the needs of the young people. Consulting young people is at the heart of everyday life at the home. Staff actively encourage young people to participate in everyday conversations, house meetings, and key-work sessions. In addition, the staff demonstrate insight into how best to encourage young people to open up and talk. This might include taking a young

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Outstanding

person for a drive, sitting and doing artwork or just having a cup of tea together before bedtime. Young people said that they feel listened to and that they know that staff care for them. Young people are involved in advocacy and support each other through their experiences of being in care. One young person is a member of the Children in Care Council, and another is anti-bullying ambassador. When a young person makes a complaint, staff respond swiftly and address the issues. Staff are committed to understanding young people’s wishes and to enabling them to contribute to the care that they receive. Young people’s education is given a high priority by the staff. Effective planning and action mean that staff can swiftly overcome barriers to learning, even when these have previously been entrenched. Because of staff encouragement and support, young people have excellent school attendance and make meaningful

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Outstanding

progress as a result. A headteacher told the inspector, ‘We feel that they have worked effectively with our school and have ensured that transition has worked well. They work well in partnership with us.’ This daily liaison between school and home ensures that young people are fully supported so that they make measurable progress. Staff acknowledge and celebrate every academic success, however small and this includes giving young people certificates and rewards. As a result, young people develop a positive attitude towards their education and have increased chances to reach their full potential. Staff are diligent and proactive in meeting the physical health needs of young people. High-quality relationships between the staff and the young people they care for mean that young people are willing to discuss sensitive health issues and accept the help that they need. The staff’s focus on championing young people’s

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Outstanding

health needs has a very positive influence on young people’s self-esteem, confidence and sense of identity. The staff in the home form strong working relationships with therapeutic services. These help staff to support and address young people’s emotional health needs in a well-coordinated and seamless way. This joined-up approach means that staff have a solid understanding of the progress that young people are making in respect of their emotional health and of what their ongoing support needs are. Staff enthusiastically support young people to engage in a wide range of positive social and recreational activities. These include attending football clubs, residential activities and treasure hunts. When a young person begins to lack motivation to engage, staff quickly look at new ideas to ensure that the benefits of leisure activities are not lost. As a result, young people develop rich, varied experiences

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Outstanding

that not only enhance their physical well-being, but also help to develop their confidence and self-esteem. The positive relationships staff enjoy with young people supports conscientious work with them encouraging the development of positive behaviours. This, in turn, helps young people to make safe decisions. For example, young people start to understand that the house rules are there to keep everyone safe. The number of behavioural incidents that they are involved in decreases, and young people benefit from living in a calm and well-managed environment. The staff have established effective partnership working with other professionals and families. Monthly progress summaries enable staff and young people to review targets to make sure that young people have every opportunity to achieve their potential. Staff prepare comprehensive reports for young people’s reviews, detailing their progress and future needs. Young people are supported to attend

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Outstanding

their reviews if they want to, so that they are involved in and informed about their plans. Consequently, young people are empowered and understand how decisions are made about their lives. Young people are supported to keep a photographic journal of their time and experiences at the home. This enables young people to reflect on positive times and to have the opportunity to visualise their journey of development, and it demonstrates the excellent progress that they have made in relation to their starting points. This celebration of success helps to motivate young people to feel proud of their achievements. Young people are given every encouragement to stay in touch with their families. This includes staff always being ready to give practical support to make this contact possible. These meaningful and well-planned contacts mean that young people enjoy seeing their families, and their relationships with their loved ones are

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Outstanding

Young people are safe in the home. This is because the manager and staff team are proactive and highly skilled in dealing with any incidents that occur. As a result, young people feel secure in the knowledge that staff will keep them safe. Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding practice and the ways in which they can protect the welfare of young people. The manager and staff proactively liaise with the local authority and the police to share risk management strategies and other relevant information about young people. Consequently, partnership working is particularly strong. A social worker told the inspector, ‘The communication between the home and social care is excellent. The home appropriately recognise and manage safeguarding issues. They have a common approach to safeguarding.’ Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s presenting risks. This includes staff being aware of the potential signs and triggers that can place young

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Outstanding

people at risk of child sexual exploitation. The staff group are particularly alert to such concerns, and take all the necessary steps to manage and reduce the risk. They ensure that they supervise young people well and that there are appropriate restrictions on internet access. Staff use key-work sessions and positive relationships with young people to increase their awareness and understanding of their potential vulnerability. The result is that their actions have helped to reduce the potential risk of young people being exploited. Despite this, staff remain very mindful that young people are vulnerable and actively review how they keep young people safe from such risks. This thorough management approach to safeguarding results in young people feeling safe. The home environment provides a safe place for everyone and there are no hazards that place young people or staff at risk of harm. The manager ensures that

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Outstanding

routine health and safety monitoring supports keeping young people safe. This includes taking fire safety seriously by completing regular fire drills and checks of equipment. Staff ensure that good case recording helps to identify patterns and trends of risk- related behaviour quickly. This means that they are able to implement preventative strategies and identify quickly any additional support required to help to keep a young person safe. Risk management plans are current and individualised. Staff practice and routines are adapted and adjusted quickly to respond to changing needs, which makes the service very vigilant and attentive to young people’s circumstances. Consequently, young people have the similar social experiences as other young people of their age. Staff consistently promote young people behaving in a positive way. For example, staff use reward charts, praise, activities and treats effectively. High-quality

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Outstanding

relationships mean that young people receive acknowledgement of their good behaviour. Young people do not go missing from the home, and the levels of physical intervention are low. When situations of conflict arise, staff are effective in diffusing situations and use distraction techniques to good effect. When a young person displays inappropriate behaviour, staff use reflective debrief interviews to support both themselves and young people to learn and reflect on these situations. This means that staff learn how best to support a young person to reduce the likelihood of the behaviour escalating again. The manager ensures that risks associated with self-harm are fully considered and reviewed appropriately. Such risks are not an active concern for the current young people.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since May 2007. She has completed the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The registered manager is currently not in day-to-day charge of the home because she is currently completing a university practice placement. An interim manager is managing the home in her short absence. The registered manager will return to her post in December 2016. The interim manager understands the home’s strengths well, and is equally receptive to new ideas and different ways of working. This ensures that the team always meets the needs of young people to a high standard. The home has 12 staff members, of which 11 are qualified to the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. One member of staff is currently completing the qualification in the required timescale. The interim manager and staff model excellent professional standards in all of their work, and demonstrate a high level of courtesy and respect towards the young

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Outstanding

people in their care. As a result, this service is not only caring, but also takes responsibility for improving young people’s lives as its top priority. Staff are consistently complimentary about the interim manager. They use team meetings to great effect, using this forum to share research that enables practice to develop. As a result, the staff who support young people are dynamic and driven. The aims and objectives of the statement of purpose are met. Staff understand the ethos and values of the home and deliver them in practice. They have a true sense of care and go beyond expectations. Practice is based on a strength-based nurturing approach to care for the young people, which is person centred and can draw on a range of therapeutic models, including attachment focus therapy and social learning theory. These approaches to care help young people to build up the confidence, self-esteem and resilience that they need to overcome difficult past

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Outstanding

experiences. The manager ensures that a robust recruitment process results in only suitable adults working at the home and this supports keeping young people safe. The staffing levels provided for each young person are excellent. A well-organised training matrix ensures that all staff stay up to date with current practice and gain the skills that they require to support young people. Staff actively promote joint working and engage well with the community and partnership agencies, such as education, youth services and placing authorities. This collaborative and professional approach ensures that effective lines of communication are sustained. The manager is confident and assertive in challenging partner agencies when they do not fulfil their responsibilities. This challenge helps to protect young people from risk and supports them to make meaningful progress. The manager’s use of self- evaluation is well considered and regular, and attention to detail is very good. This

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Outstanding

routine programme of self-assessment and review enables her to promote outstanding practice in which young people’s needs are at the heart of the process. Continuous monitoring enables the manager to understand and to evidence the changing needs of young people, both in the short and long term. This ensures that staff understand how best to work with a young person in order to keep them safe and to help them to make outstanding progress.

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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

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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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