Children's home run by Leicester City Council

Good

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

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people feel respected and that their views are seen as important. Young people benefit from the warm and supportive relationships that they have with staff who know them well and understand their individual needs. Comments from young people include, ‘They treat you like a proper family.’  External professionals hold a consistently positive view of the care provided and also of the leadership of this service. Staff are resilient and demonstrate that they ‘stick by young people’.  Young people make personal progress because of the support and guidance provided by staff.  Behaviour management arrangements are good. Staff understand young people’s behaviours in the context of their personal histories. They work consistently to help young people to begin to make changes to behaviours which put them at risk.  The leadership and management of the home are good. Staff are well trained and feel supported in their role. The management team monitors

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

service arrangements and takes action to strengthen practice when necessary.  Some areas for improvement are identified, which are not at this time linked to any poor outcomes for young people. There are some weaknesses in the completion of areas of behaviour management records. The home’s updated statement of purpose has not been submitted to Ofsted, as required. The manager’s reporting on her monitoring of the care provided over the previous six months lacks details of the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for young people.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (a) (vii)) 19/12/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person or the authorised person must within five days add to records of control, discipline or restraint to record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (c)) 19/12/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of any revisions to the statement of purpose and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3) (b)) 19/12/2016

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for children. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 64 and 65, paragraph 15.2)

p.4

Information about this children's home

The home is run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for seven children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/06/2015 Full Requires improvement 19/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/11/2014 Full Adequate

p.5

Good

This established local authority home provides a good quality of care. Young people, who are often admitted at a time of personal crisis, receive a good level of support for their diverse and complex individual needs. Young people are settled, say that they are content living here and report having good relationships with staff. A young person commented, ‘They treat you like a proper family. I feel respected.’ An involved professional identified a strength of the service as the manner in which the team ‘stick by young people, even when things are very difficult’.

p.6

Good

While the level of progress achieved by young people is very different, each young person has developed since the point of their admission to the home. For some, this is to have settled into their placement, being able to relax and start to build trusting relationships with staff. One young person is shortly to start an apprenticeship, after several years with a very low school attendance record prior to admission. While progress is slow for the young person currently living in the semi-independent area of the home, staff have remained consistent with their support and guidance. This means that the young person is becoming more self- sufficient and better prepared for the more independent care arrangement being planned.

p.6

Good

While it is not easy for the team to create a homely environment, due to the institutionalised nature of the building, they remain mindful of this and where they can, try to reduce the impact of this. For example, the plans to change internal doors are focusing on obtaining doors which are domestic in style, while meeting health and safety requirements. There has been deterioration of some food preparation surfaces in the kitchen, due to wear and tear. However, the provider has confirmed that resources and plans of work are agreed to address these issues by the end of January 2017. This commitment demonstrates that the provider responds appropriately to meet health and safety requirements.

p.6

Good

Education is seen as important. The team works proactively with external professionals to ensure that each young person has opportunities to access education appropriate to their needs. When young people do not have a current option to attend an education facility, staff endeavour to structure the day to include learning and stimulating activities. This is not always successful as some young people are very resistant and others are dealing with personal issues, which staff say currently prevent them from moving as forward as they would like with education. Feedback from involved professionals reflects a positive view about the proactive manner in which the team has supported one particular young person to access an apprenticeship.

p.6

Good

Young people are generally in good health. Staff encourage and support them to attend for expected health checks and for individual health appointments. Young people understand that healthy eating and physical activity are important to good health and they are encouraged to make healthy choices. The service has established links with a dedicated team member from the local authority child and adolescent mental health team. As a result, staff have open access to specialised support and guidance. The link professional holds the service in high regard for the proactive way that mental health is monitored and support is afforded for individual’s emotional health and well-being. Comments include, ‘They are really helpful when I am trying to engage with hard to reach young people.’ This was mentioned in the context of explaining how staff had aided young people to take part in assessments and to access additional support from this team.

p.7

Good

Young people know how to raise a concern or to make a complaint, and feel confident to do so. Since the last inspection, the manager has placed an emphasis on recording discussions relating to young people, raising suggestions or points for discussion around their care. As a result, young people feel listened to and that their views are valued.

p.7

Good

Staff know how to keep young people safe and work hard to help and protect them. Staff training ensures that staff understand the potential risks for the vulnerable young people in their care, including the risk of child sexual exploitation. This means that staff will pick up on the signs of concern quickly and be able to respond appropriately. The effective use of risk management strategies means that young people have become safer since moving to this home. For example, an involved professional reflected on a young person’s progress, ‘When he first came in he was often shouting/screaming and banging on doors. When I see him now he is much more regulated and has good relationships with staff.’ Staff work with young people to raise their awareness about potential hazards and support them to make positive choices in relation to their own safety.

p.7

Good

The team is used to frequent changes in the resident group and associated peer dynamics. Staff understand that new residents are particularly vulnerable for differing reasons. Also, that there is always a potential for bullying to occur. Staff monitor young people’s interactions, which means that they are able to identify and address issues promptly.

p.7

Good

Some young people present behaviours which challenge the care arrangements in the home. External professionals say that staff are very resilient, and remain supportive of young people through difficult times. Staff understand that behaviours are linked to young people’s life experiences and that they must work hard to help them to feel safe. Physical intervention is used when staff feel that they must intervene to keep young people or others safe. Young people say that staff are consistent in the setting of boundaries. As a result, young people know what is expect of them. There have been 32 incidents involving physical holds since the last full inspection of the home in December 2015. Records are kept of each event, which are monitored by managers and the independent person responsible for monitoring care arrangements. Two areas of weakness were found at this inspection in the required recording of behaviour management strategies. These

p.7

Good

relate to young people’s views not consistently being recorded and the effectiveness and consequence of the use of sanctions not always being recorded. No direct impact on young people is identified.

p.8

Good

The service responds promptly on occasions when young people have raised concerns about their care. Details of allegations about staff practice are reported appropriately to the local authority designated officer. The effective reporting of concerns means that issues are investigated through multi-agency safeguarding procedures. The manager takes forward identified learning points and strengthens practice where necessary to improve safeguarding arrangements.

p.8

Good

Involved professionals report positively about the way that safeguarding issues are managed. While one young person has had a particularly high number of missing from home events, involved professionals confirm that the team has worked well with this young person who has been very difficult to engage. Staff follow individual risk management plans when young people are found to be missing and endeavour to keep in contact with them, until they return safely.

p.8

Good

An experienced registered manager leads the service. She is currently undertaking a level 5 diploma in order to achieve the appropriate management qualification. Staff say that they are confident in the management structure and feel supported in their role. External professionals refer to the manager as a strength of the service, and as someone who advocates for young people to ensure that their needs are met.

p.8

Good

The management team is proud of the commitment of the staff team and talks confidently about the strengths of the service, as well as also being able to recognise the areas for further development. Following the last inspection, decisive action was taken to strengthen service arrangements in response to recommendations set at that time. Closer monitoring of the use of physical intervention has supported the team to see patterns of behaviours in certain areas of the home. This has led to team reflection that has then helped in the staff development. There is improved evidence of consultation with young people. Records show that young people’s views are gathered, they are listened to if they want to make a suggestion or raise a concern and they receive feedback.

p.8

Good

There is a large staff team which has had some turnover since the last inspection, also there are a number of current unfilled vacancies. The provider links these vacancies to the organisation’s high expectations and standards of staff, which they remain committed to, in order that young people are supported by the very best staff. Recruitment is ongoing and vacancies have been covered by the use of regular temporary staff and the commitment of the staff team, that undertakes additional shifts to provide consistency of care. This has minimised the impact on young people.

p.9

Good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities and show a real focus on improving the lives of young people. The opportunity to discuss practice and the progress that young people are making is facilitated during daily handovers, staff meetings and during one-to-one supervision. New staff attend training from the start and develop their practice with the support of more experienced and longstanding staff members. Access to core training ensures that staff are knowledgeable and have the skills to meet young people’s needs.

p.9

Good

The home’s statement of purpose has been reviewed and updated this year to reflect changes in the staff team and service arrangements. However, Ofsted has not received a reviewed document since July 2014. This has restricted Ofsted’s ability to monitor any changes in service structure but has not impacted directly on the care 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’.

p.10

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 looked after children 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

p.10

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.

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 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 .

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, 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,

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

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

p.12