Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

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:

 The children and young people living in the home are making good progress since their admission. Staff know them well and provide support and encouragement to help them to reach achievable goals.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Well-planned and thoughtful admissions assist staff to build trusted and secure relationships with children and young people. Consistent care has resulted in stability and security which is helping to develop positive relationships between staff and children and young people, increasing self- confidence and self-esteem.  Children and young people‟s safety is top priority. High levels of staffing, individual behaviour management plans and risk assessments mean that children and young people are increasingly safe.  Some children and young people‟s files were found to be lacking local authority care plans, contact plans, minutes of review meetings and information relating to delegated authority. These shortfalls need to be escalated to the relevant placing authority by the home‟s manager.  Lack of management oversight means that the manager is unable to monitor, review and evaluate whether the home is consistently run in the

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The children's home provision is good because:

best interests of the children and young people.  The home‟s statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and updated whenever necessary. However there has been considerable delay in sending these revisions to HMCI within the required timescales.  Improvements are required in the bathrooms to improve facilities for children and young people. The home‟s kitchen requires updating to provide a place for young people to develop independence skills

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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

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each record. In particular, this relates to lack of placing authority care and contact plans and information about delegated authority in relation to the child. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

If the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plan. (Regulation 5(c)) 22/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure monitor and review systems are used to support continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(h)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(ii)) 11/01/2017

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Information about this children's home

This is a private children‟s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children and young people who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A multi-disciplinary team supports children and young people with their mental health needs. This home offers education on-site at a registered school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/07/2015 Full Good 17/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness 15/10/2014 Full Adequate

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Good

Staff value and respect children and young people and strive to support them to reach their full potential. They care about children and young people and are confident that they provide a good level of care. Young people were observed having positive interactions with the staff and were seen to be happy and relaxed in their home. Staff involve children and young people in planning the decor for their bedrooms, recreational activities and menus. This affords them a sense of stability and security and helps them to settle quickly into their environment. Staff build positive relationships with children and young people. They have a comprehensive knowledge of their complex needs, gaining information from families and placing social workers. They gather children and young people‟s views on their individual preferences and care experiences. For example, children and young people who enjoy physical pursuits are encouraged and supported to

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Good

participate in circus skills at a local club. This community activity has helped children and young people to increase self-confidence and self-esteem and has assisted them in making new friendships and learning new skills.

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Good

There have been seven admissions and six discharges since the last inspection. The requirement made at the last inspection has been met. The manager is able to demonstrate that she has notified the local authority when children and young people have left or when other children and young people have been admitted.

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Good

The registered manager ensures that children and young people‟s admission to the home is a positive experience. She ensures that staff are suitably trained to meet children and young person‟s specific needs. Staff travel to previous placements to meet children and young people who live far away from the home. This proactive approach means that they are familiar with staff prior to transition to the home. A social worker commented: „The admission was managed really well, staff came and worked with [name] to introduce themselves. They made efforts to alleviate any worries and contacted me with any queries.‟ Since the last inspection the home has been through many changes, with children and young people arriving and making positive transitions from the home. This did cause some anxiety and instability for some children and young people. Staff supported and reassured them and helped increase their understanding of what

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Good

was happening, explaining in simple terms the reasons for these changes. This resulted in children and young people helping to welcome new admissions to their home. A staff member said: „We have had quite an unsettled period that caused [name] some concern. Key-work sessions were successful in helping [name] to understand what was happening and to reassure her that she would not be leaving the home.‟ Staff value children and young people‟s education. All children and young people have 100% attendance at school and make good progress from their admission. The staff support them with their learning and homework when required. Children and young people who attend the on-site education provision are well supported to make sure that they settle into the school routine and benefit from a positive learning experience. This enables them to swiftly move on to mainstream education provision. A social worker said, „[Name] attends school regularly and is

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Good

Staff consistently follow children and young people‟s individual plans, supporting them to devise strategies to manage their behaviours in a more positive and safe way. Young people are becoming more resilient and are learning to manage their anxieties in a calmer manner. Staff enable young people and support them to give their views on their care. Consequently, young people are developing self- confidence and self-worth. The home‟s kitchen is worn and is in need of new drawer fronts and floor covering. Bathrooms require some work to fix broken a broken toilet, and there are missing tiles and holes in walls to be filled. These improvements would ensure that children and young people enjoy living in a well-maintained environment in which they can further develop new skills such as baking and self-care skills that will assist them in their adult lives.

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Good

Young people are safe due to the actions that staff take to support and protect them. Staff have a good understanding of how children and young people‟s experiences and emotions can be communicated through behaviour, and individual risks are identified. The registered manager and staff devise detailed risk assessments, with clear actions to minimise risk and negative behaviours. Staff use consistent approaches which have reduced the risks for some young people, such as self-injurious behaviours. One social worker commented that a young person‟s personal safety has improved since being in placement here and that her self- harming behaviours have reduced. Staff use a range of behaviour management strategies with children and young people, such as time out, change of face and distraction. These strategies are clearly set out in children and young people‟s individual plans and reviewed on a regular basis. The registered manager and staff engage in regular consultation

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Good

sessions with the in-house psychologist, reviewing specific behaviours, and adjusting strategies when necessary. This ensures that clear, specific plans are followed that have maximum impact on supporting children and young people to manage their behaviour in a more positive way. There is a high level of physical restraint recorded. However, the majority of these are positive holds and guides to ensure that young people remain safe. Details of these restraints are recorded clearly and are reviewed effectively by the registered manager. Staff use rewards and praise to encourage positive behaviour. When consequences are used, they are age appropriate and proportionate. Consequently, children and young people are learning to manage their behaviour in a more positive manner which has resulted in the reduction in incidents. One social worker stated: „[There are] less frequent incidents reported now, and I feel, overall,

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Good

[name]‟s safety and stability is improved.‟ There are no missing-from-home incidents. This is due to the children and young people‟s ages, levels of development and the high staff ratio. Staff have a good understanding of procedures and actions to take should a young person go missing from the home. Children and young people who present a risk to each other through aggressive and sexualised behaviours are closely supervised both in and out of the home. This approach has reduced the risks, and they are developing positive relationships with their peers in a safe way. Children and young people‟s bedrooms are fitted with electronic monitoring systems that quickly alert staff should children and young people exit their rooms at night. This means that children and young people are adequately safeguarded at all times. There has been a high turnaround in staff since the last inspection. New staff are well inducted and have a clear understanding of the home‟s safeguarding

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Good

procedures. This means that they know exactly what action to take if this becomes necessary. Managers and staff provide a safe home environment for children and young people. Regular health and safety checks ensure that environmental risks are reduced. The manager consults safeguarding agencies, such as the police, to ensure that staff are aware of the potential risks in the home‟s locality. This information is documented in the home‟s area risk assessment, which is reviewed on a regular basis. This means that staff are well informed and are able to keep children and young people safe in the community.

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Requires improvement

The home‟s manager has been in post since November 2015 and was registered in August 2016. She has the necessary skills and experience to provide leadership and management for a motivated and committed staff team. She is well supported by a suitably qualified and experienced house manager. Both managers are highly child- focused and have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the specific needs of vulnerable children and young people. A number of shortfalls were noted at this inspection in relation to the lack of management oversight, including a lack of local authority care plans, contact plans and information containing delegated authority. Monitoring and reviewing in this home needs to be improved. Insufficient documents mean that the manager is restricted when evaluating whether the care afforded to children and young people is effective, and is unable to identify when and where improvements need to be

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Requires improvement

made. This lack of oversight means that the manager is unable to monitor, review and evaluate whether the home is consistently run in the best interests of the children and young people, and that the methods used in the home improve their quality of care. Despite this, children and young people are achieving positive outcomes in all aspects of their lives.

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Requires improvement

The home is successful in meeting the aims and objectives as outlined in its statement of purpose. Child-focused practice is embedded within the home's philosophy. This document has recently been updated to include new staff members. However, it has not been sent to HMCI within the required timescales. The manager is proactive in developing professional relationships between the home and a variety of external agencies. Good links with the child or young person‟s placing authority help staff to support children and young people and to meet their individual needs. This has been effective in helping children and young people to make good progress in aspects of their development and to minimise and reduce risks. Staff say that they are well supported and receive appropriate training, comprehensive supervision and annual appraisals. Staff meetings are well attended and provide a good opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and identify any

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Requires improvement

gaps in training. These formal meetings are particularly well recorded and demonstrate the wide range of discussions in relation to children and young people and other subjects, such as staff development. Managers and staff work proactively with other agencies and professionals. They have positive relationships with parents and placing social workers to secure good outcomes for young people. They work effectively with education staff, independent reviewing officers and healthcare agencies. This collaborative working supports young people to develop in all aspects of their care.

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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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