Children's home run by South West Childcare Services in Plymouth

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children’s home provision is good because:

 Leaders and managers focus effectively on the needs of young people. They demonstrate well the principles of appreciating uniqueness, and understanding the difficult behaviour of young people is a consequence of their previous experience. This ethos is spread throughout the staff team and contributes to young people feeling valued.  Young people are safer because of the care and nurture provided by the staff team. Their needs are understood well and they trust the staff to keep them safe. Risk-taking behaviour has reduced and young people make steady progress towards independence.  Young people have good access to the services that they need. Care and support are provided in partnership with other professional agencies and parents. Managers have an assertive and effective approach to advocating on behalf of young people when services do not match their entitlements.  Care planning is provided by a team of staff who have the experience and

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

the necessary guidance and training to provide a good quality of care. The organisation sponsors staff to complete qualifications up to foundation degree level. This provision demonstrates that staff are valued, encourages stability of staffing and provides for succession planning at the home.  Feedback from stakeholders confirms the rigour with which staff support and advocate on behalf of young people. A social worker described the staff team as ‘doing an incredible job’. A mother told the inspector that she was ‘really proud of how well my son is doing’.

p.3

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) In particular, ensure that supervision practice follows the organisation’s expectations and the supervision policy document.  Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children's homes. All children's case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

p.4

Recommendations

In particular, ensure that records are well ordered and easily assessable to staff.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, consider homely touches to all areas of the home.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a small private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/11/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/06/2015 Full Good

p.5

Good

The home provides care and accommodation for young people with complex emotional needs, who can display significantly challenging behaviour. Young people may have experienced being moved from previous placements as a result of this behaviour. Staff at this home understand the importance of building on the strengths of young people and not giving up on them. Young people feel listened to. Their views and choices are given good consideration.

p.6

Good

The home provides good stability for most young people, allowing them to develop relationships with the staff and to progress in all areas of their lives. Young people have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. They are effectively guided and well supported by staff who understand and can respond effectively to their needs. This approach has allowed young people to begin to develop socially acceptable behaviour and to take some responsibility for their actions. For one young person, there is a reduction in difficult behaviour related to anxiety. In addition, their emotional well-being is gradually improving.

p.6

Good

Care is taken by staff to identify and plan effectively to meet the needs of young people. Good health support is provided, and includes the services of mental health professionals and access to child and adolescent mental health services. Young people are encouraged to attend routine health appointments and receive rewards for attending appointments that they may find difficult, such as vaccinations. During a stay in hospital, staff travelled long distances to see a young person, making sure that they felt valued and were able to continue to develop trust in the staff team.

p.6

Good

A good range and variety of activities are provided for young people, and support their physical and emotional development well. Good use is made of local facilities, when possible, so that young people are integrated into their local community. Alongside support for emotional well-being, young people are encouraged to develop practical life skills such as cooking and cleaning.

p.6

Good

Despite the substantive and unrelenting efforts of the staff, it has not been possible to secure suitable full-time education for a young person. Until this is resolved, the young person is supported by staff to follow an education plan which includes lessons provided at the home, work with staff and educational activities.

p.6

Good

Young people who have completed full-time compulsory education are working part time and are being helped to develop employment skills. Contact with parents and other family members is encouraged and supported well by staff, when possible. Young people spend time with their brothers and sisters. They are encouraged to develop and sustain friendships with other young people. Friends are free to visit and spend time at the home, and are welcome to stay for meals or join in with activities.

p.6

Good

The home offers young people a warm and friendly environment. Repairs are carried out quickly. However, it has taken some time to replace pictures and fittings within the many corridors and the stairwell, leaving some spaces that are not as homely. This distracts from what is otherwise a suitable home for young people.

p.7

Good

Most young people have found a long-term home here, and staff have a genuine affection for them and are consistently positive about their potential. Social workers and other professionals appreciate the tolerance of and dedication to young people, especially following incidents which result in significant and substantial damage being caused to the home.

p.7

Good

The care and support provided by staff contribute well to young people reducing their risk-taking behaviours. They are helped to explore and consider alternatives to destructive responses when they feel frustrated and/or anxious. Staff’s ability to recognise early signs of distress allows them to intervene and helps to avoid incidents escalating.

p.7

Good

Carefully considered risk assessments help staff to anticipate and respond appropriately to any issues which may affect the safety or well-being of young people. Incidents of young people being missing from the home have reduced, over time. The strategies in place to support staff and other agencies to find young people quickly and return them to safety are effective.

p.7

Good

Young people are able to take age-appropriate risks which promote their developing independence. These opportunities are carefully considered, taking into account the particular vulnerabilities of young people and their individual support needs.

p.7

Good

A number of different strategies are used to effect change to difficult, criminal or unacceptable behaviour. Rewards, praise and encouragement are the preferred methods used by staff. The police are only involved in the lives of young people after careful consideration and consultation with other professionals, and when all other options have been exhausted. Decisions are made in the best interests of young people. The physical restraint of young people is used as a last resort to keep them safe. Following any incidents, both young people and staff are helped to consider what could have been done differently to avoid the need for restraint. Incidents have reduced over time.

p.7

Good

Young people have good access to the services that they need which will improve their safety. Professional stakeholders provide guidance around a variety of issues, including anger management and the impact of substance misuse. There has been a gradual and sustained reduction in risk-tasking behaviour.

p.8

Good

Young people feel listened to; they are able to express their concerns to staff and meet with other adults who will advocate on their behalf, if necessary. Staff are clear how to safeguard young people and know how to respond effectively to any child protection issues.

p.8

Good

Arrangements for the recruitment of staff are designed to avoid unsuitable adults working with young people. Attention to health and safety, including fire safety, also contributes to keeping young people safe.

p.8

Good

Following a period of difficulty in recruiting, a suitably experienced and qualified manager is now in place. She is a thoughtful, reflective and child-centred practitioner who has the confidence of both the staff team and senior leaders.

p.8

Good

Staff receive regular supervision and support. Discussions following significant incidents take place and provide opportunities for staff to learn and develop their practice to provide the best possible care to young people. Essential and specialist training is provided to staff, alongside opportunities to undertake care qualifications. Staff’s knowledge and understanding are assessed during supervision, team meetings and in discussions following incidents.

p.8

Good

Relationships with both professionals and families are productive. Work with other agencies is good and contributes to providing for the needs of young people and helping them to progress. In particular, the staff are currently working on a daily basis with education providers to support a young person’s learning while he is waiting for a school placement. Relationships with both professionals and families are productive.

p.8

Good

Leaders and managers have undertaken a review of care plans and work collaboratively with placing authorities. This work has contributed to the staff team providing a good service to young people. A self-contained flat, which is annexed to the home, is currently being used to help a young person to gain the skills needed and to understand what it is like to live independently. The nurturing and support that he needs from staff are still provided to ensure his continual progress, emotional well-being and safety.

p.8

Good

Independent monitoring of the quality of care provided in the home and monitoring by the manager provide additional safeguards for young people. Leaders and the manager are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Practice development needs are identified early to improve the care that is given to young people. Alongside a formal development plan, there is also a ‘to do’ list in the office. These systems help to avoid things being missed, and ensure that all staff can contribute to making improvements.

p.9

Good

Records, including policy documents, are available within the home. These documents are not always well ordered and information is not easy for all staff to find. Supervision practice does not follow the organisational supervision policy. Contracts are not in place and records of supervision sessions do not demonstrate that the agreed agenda has been covered. While not good practice, this weakness does not yet impact on the care provided to young people. The organisation has recently appointed an operations director with a background in quality assurance. Among several areas of improvement work, she will be auditing and reviewing the filing systems.

p.9

Good

The home’s statement of purpose is kept up to date and accurately describes the services provided to young people.

p.9

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’. 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 looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

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 harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

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

p.11

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including 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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.11

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 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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12