Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Nottinghamshire

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’s provision is outstanding because:

 Children and young people make significant progress in all areas of their lives due to the exceptionally competent and dedicated staff team and managers in this home. For those receiving a short-break service, they enjoy experiences which they would not be able to have elsewhere. This enhances their sense of self-worth and value.  Staff and managers actively seek to ensure that the wishes, views and feelings of all children and young people are sought and considered in relation to the care and support they receive. This is achieved through the use of extremely imaginative and sensitive means by staff. Methods used to elicit the views of children and young people reflect the exceptional competence and skill of staff and managers. As most children and young people at this home are non-verbal, such innovative means of eliciting their wishes and views enable them to contribute fully to the care and support

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

they receive.  Staff and managers work extremely closely with all partner agencies. Feedback during this inspection was consistently positive about the excellent communication skills of staff and managers. They work as a cohesive team with other agencies, to ensure that children and young people receive the bespoke care they need at all times.  For those young people moving on to adult service provisions, transition planning is excellent. Staff and managers plan well in advance of moves, working proactively and closely with other agencies. This ensures that young people feel exceptionally well prepared for their moves and reduces anxiety for them and their families.  Children and young people feel safe in this home. Staff protect them from any actual, or potential, harm. This is achieved through detailed pre- placement planning, assessment and regular reviews of all risk assessments, health and care plans.

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 Parents and carers spoken with during this inspection, and feedback from surveys and questionnaires, reflect an extremely positive and close working relationship with staff. All parents and carers report feeling that their children receive excellent care and support at all times at this home. This is summarised by one parent who stated: ‘There are not enough words to express what the staff have done for my child over the years. We would not be where we are today without them. They go above and beyond all the time to support the whole family.’

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It provides residential care and short-break services for up to 16 children and young people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and complex health needs. The home’s statement of purpose indicates that the age range will be between 10 and 18 years of age.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/10/2015 Full Outstanding 24/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/12/2014 Full Outstanding

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Outstanding

Children and young people make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives, due to the consistent and highly competent care and support they receive. Staff and managers set high aspirations for them and use highly imaginative practices to ensure that they make progress and increase in confidence and skills over time. This is particularly evident in relation to understanding and increasing their independence skills. Staff and nursing staff recently planned and undertook direct work with young people to assist them in understanding what medication they take and why. As most young people are non-verbal, such work is inspirational and extremely imaginative. It assists young people to take control of their medical needs and to understand better why procedures need to be undertaken to support them.

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Outstanding

The home has nursing and occupational therapy staff based on-site. Their input is crucial to the success children and young people make over time. They work closely with care staff and managers to assess, plan and review the complex health needs and plans of each child placed in this home. They provide bespoke training and one-to-one support for staff. This provides for a highly competent and skilled staff team at all times. When considering new admissions to the home, health staff consider the known needs of new admissions and work with managers to ensure that those needs can be met. This has led to excellent matching and placement decisions being made and in children and young people receiving the specialist care and support they require from the point of admission.

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Outstanding

Planning for new admissions is very sensitively handled by staff and managers. They take considerable time and effort to ensure that children, young people and their families feel comfortable and work at their pace. This includes meetings, tea visits and excellent planning over a period of time. They visit parents and schools prior to admission, to gain insight into how they can best support children and young people. Staff appreciate the emotional impact on all involved and offer sensitive support at all times. As one parent stated: ‘The plan for our child to come to this home for short breaks has been handled so well. We have been for several visits and built up our confidence. The staff have been amazing and we could not ask for a more responsive service for our child or us as a family.’

p.5

Outstanding

Planning for transitions from this home are excellent. Young people and their families receive exceptional support from staff and managers in order to make a successful transition to adult service provision. Staff plan in advance and work very closely with other agencies to ensure a smooth transition. They attend meetings, take young people to visit their new provision and fully support parents and carers through the process. Following one young person moving on to a residential adult provision, staff also took another young person from the home to visit him after he moved. This reflects how staff place great value on friendships and in supporting all children and young people to understand changes and to maintain contact. The parent of this young person stated: ‘The staff have gone above and beyond their role to support our family and child to make a successful transition to their new home. They attended every meeting, took us over to see the new place and could

p.5

Outstanding

not have done more. They are like extended family to us and our child.’

p.6

Outstanding

Staff work very closely with education providers at all times. They visit each child’s school during the year to consider educationally set targets and then incorporate them into the targets set within the home. Attendance and engagement of all children and young people in education is excellent. Staff fully support them to achieve and make progress. There is a very clear and commendable attitude evident from key work staff to education and in working closely with parents and carers to ensure that progress is made. This applies to both children and young people who are resident in the home and those receiving a short break.

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Outstanding

Staff know and respond to the complex needs of children and young people exceptionally well. Plans and risk assessments clearly consider individual needs and set out support for each child and young person. Staff work flexibly and imaginatively to ensure that children’s and young people’s behavioural needs are responded to in a sensitive and supportive manner at all times. There has been no use of physical intervention or sanctions since the last full inspection. This is testament to the ability of staff in supporting children and young people to manage safely any concerning or potentially risky behaviours they may display.

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Outstanding

A wide range of fun and stimulating social activities and events are provided to children and young people, both those receiving short breaks and those resident in the home. Staff and managers have forged very strong and positive links with the local community over time. Such links have led to a range of community-based activities and events being put on. These include an annual fun day and the engagement of some young people in a local theatre group’s productions. Local charities and individuals have raised funds for equipment for the home, as well as funding and maintaining a sensory garden in the grounds of the home. Such positive engagement of the local community leads to children and young people feeling fully engaged with the local and wider community.

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Outstanding

The registered manager takes great pride in ensuring that the home is furnished and resourced to an exceptionally high standard. Children and young people have highly personalised bedrooms, reflecting their likes and preferences. Specialist equipment is available to them at all times, with play equipment to stimulate and enhance their social experiences. The on-site occupational therapist and nurses provide an invaluable service, supporting staff with training on aids, adaptations and specialist medical procedures. Parents report having total peace of mind when their children either come for a short-break stay or move to live in this home. This is summarised by one parent who stated: ‘I never have any concerns for my child. They are loved, very well cared for and have everything they need.’ Another parent reflected on the social experiences their child has at this home: ‘My child has been ice-skating recently. This is something that we just would not be able to do at

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Outstanding

home, so they are getting to do things for the first time, which is amazing.’

p.7

Outstanding

Children and young people contribute fully to their looked after review meetings. Child friendly review booklets enable them to state their views and include photos of activities and important events. Staff work hard to complete questionnaires with them prior to review meetings, to elicit their wishes, views and feelings. Given the challenges in communicating for most children and young people, this is a real testament to the tenacity and commitment of staff. The voice of the child/young person is evident in all aspects of how this home is run. Placing social workers and independent reviewing officers give high praise to the staff. One independent reviewing officer commented: ‘The staff team is amazing. They actively and imaginatively seek the views of children all the time. I cannot fault them on any level, they are inspirational and aspirational for the children in their care.’

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Outstanding

Children’s and young people’s safety is viewed as paramount by staff and managers in this home. High staffing levels, detailed risk assessments and plans provide excellent security and safety for the most vulnerable children and young people. There have been no reports of missing from care incidents at this home. Managers ensure that, on admission and discharge, detailed information is shared with the local police about new residents. Missing from care risk assessments reflect in huge detail the needs of each child and young person, whether resident or receiving short breaks. Assessments and plans receive regular reviews and updates from key workers and case managers, to ensure that they remain relevant.

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Outstanding

The registered and deputy manager place a strong emphasis on training for staff in all areas of safeguarding. This includes training on sexual abuse and exploitation, radicalisation and many other areas. The deputy manager has the lead for considering and arranging training for staff. There is a clear and strong focus on safeguarding and clear and well-recorded evidence of staff benefiting from bespoke and excellent training opportunities in this area.

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Outstanding

Staff have done some detailed work with children and young people in relation to their rights, complaints and advocacy. Records reflect this work and demonstrate that children and young people know and understand how to make a complaint and their entitlement to advocacy support. There have been no complaints made by children and young people since the last full inspection. There have only been two complaints from others. These have received prompt and very comprehensive attention by the registered manager. She has ensured that complainants feel listened to and that a resolution is sought to address any concerns. Records of complaints reflect actions taken and provide a clear sense of how matters have been resolved, to the complainant’s satisfaction. There is also clear evidence of a learning culture within the staff team, following complaints. Staff meetings consider any concerns raised and action plans have been set to consider improvements. This

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Outstanding

reflects a staff and management team keen to continually learn and make improvements.

p.8

Outstanding

There have been no allegations made since the last full inspection. Staff spoken with demonstrated a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures and action they would take, in the event that a child or young person made an allegation. Safeguarding procedures are clearly known and understood by all staff, with training being regularly provided to them to enhance their knowledge and skills.

p.8

Outstanding

Recruitment and selection procedures for staff ensure that unsuitable adults are not able to work in this home. Recruitment records considered during this inspection reflect a comprehensive system of checks being undertaken prior to appointment of new staff. Induction and probationary periods enable managers to further assess and consider the performance of new staff. Staff complete mandatory training upon commencing working in this home and regular refresher training on safeguarding and child protection is provided.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has been in post for over four years, and has a wealth of previous experience working in similar settings. She has all the necessary skills and qualifications for the role and provides inspirational leadership and management to the staff team. She sets very high expectations for staff, constantly striving to improve the outcomes and experiences of all children and young people. She is supported by an equally inspirational and committed management and staff team. All staff and managers spoken with during this inspection were clearly dedicated to the children they support and want the very best for them. Feedback from parents, carers and involved professionals is exceptionally praising of both staff and managers at this home.

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Outstanding

The pervading ethos evident in this home is one of continually striving to ensure that children and young people have the best possible chances and outcomes. They constantly strive to seek the views of children in a truly meaningful way. One young person was asked about how best to support them with the use of hoists and slings for personal care. As this young person is non-verbal, staff used imaginative and bespoke methods to elicit their views and wishes. This reflects the total commitment of staff and managers to eliciting the views of children and young people, in order to incorporate them in their care and health plans.

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Outstanding

There is a real focus on ensuring that the holistic needs of children and young people are known and met in this home. This is achieved through the excellent and close partnership work undertaken with a range of involved agencies. Staff can clearly articulate and demonstrate the progress made by each child and young person, either resident or receiving short breaks in this home. Records reflect the journey of children and young people in all areas of their lives from their starting points. Their progress is clearly evidenced and reflects the exceptional care and support they receive from staff and managers.

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Outstanding

Staff feel very well supported by managers in this home. They report high levels of satisfaction about the high quality and range of training available to them. They receive regular and meaningful supervision and consider themselves to be fully engaged by management in all aspects of how the home is run. There is a strong team ethos within this home, with children and young people being at the centre of all practice and planning. The staff team challenges any actual or perceived barriers for children and young people.

p.9

Outstanding

Management systems for monitoring and overseeing the running of the home are excellent. Managers and staff take on lead roles for various areas, overseen by the registered manager. An independent visitor comes to the home every month and provides detailed reports. The registered manager fully considers those reports and ensures that any recommendations receive prompt attention. The home has a detailed development plan in place, regularly reviewed and updated.

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose for the home clearly sets out the aims and objectives and services provided. It is understood by placing social workers, other agencies and parents and carers. No shortfalls were identified as a result of the last inspection and none have been identified at this inspection.

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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 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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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