Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kedleston (High Peak School) Limited in Cheshire East

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 Staff are still building relationships with a number of the young people who were recently admitted and are helping them to adapt to the rules and boundaries in place, so sustained progress cannot yet be demonstrated.  This home admits highly complex young people with diverse needs and challenging behaviours, without demonstrating robust impact risk assessments and matching processes prior to admission. This has resulted in four recent disruptions.  There are ineffective escalation arrangements in place to ensure that timely independent return interviews are always completed and that relevant intelligence is shared, to try to reduce the high number of missing episodes.  The internal and external monitoring systems in place are not sufficiently robust.  This home has a high number of new members of staff in the team, 50% of whom are unqualified.  Not all of the members of the staff team are benefiting from regular

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because:

supervision to guide and support them.  Records are not all maintained at a consistently good standard.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Staff have a proven ability to work in partnership with resistant families, to re-establish constructive family contact quickly for young people and to ensure that contact remains a positive experience for all concerned.  This home supports young people actively and effectively to ensure that they receive the most appropriate education that best meets their individual emotional, behavioural and learning needs, so they can reach their full potential.  A key strength of this home is the opportunity for young people to engage frequently in a wide range of age-appropriate, stimulating and constructive activities, both on-site and in the local community.  There are particularly good opportunities and specific facilities in place to enable all the young people to gain age- and ability-appropriate life skills needed to prepare them effectively for future independent living.  The recent development of a therapeutic team means that young people

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The children’s home’s strengths

have direct access to a range of specialist services to help meet diverse and highly complex needs.  Young people benefit from being cared for by a staff team which is diverse in its age, experiences, backgrounds and ethnicity.

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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 ensure that staff assess and make arrangements to reduce the risk of harm to each child including ensuring that independent return interviews are undertaken in a timely manner to assess the risks associated with going missing and make appropriate arrangements to reduce the risk of harm to that child. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)) 30/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

The registered person must ensure that within five days of the use of a measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 30/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work they perform, including training in first aid. (Regulation 32 (3)(b)) 31/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, and then send a copy to Ofsted within 28 days of every revision, in particular, but not exclusive to, updating the experience and qualifications of all the staff, including any staff commissioned to provide education or health care. (Regulation 16 (3)(a) and Schedule 1 (19)) 30/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

Reports following independent monitoring visits to the home should demonstrate consultations with parents and relatives, which informs their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(4)) 31/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience at the frequency prescribed in their own policy. 31/12/16 (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) The registered person must, without delay, notify Ofsted and the relevant placing authority, of any serious event and the actions taken. (Regulation 40 (1)(a)(b)(5)(a)(iii)) 30/12/16

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Requirement Due Date

The registered manager must establish and maintain an effective system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided in the home, and in particular the quality of recordings, including, but not exclusive to, key worker sessions, restraint and missing from home records. Any quality of care review must include the opinions of young people, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(5)) 31/01/17

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  To meet the care planning standard, the registered manager must demonstrate that the home only accepts a placement once they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the young person’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and after they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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 28 children and young people who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is part of a company that also provides a school on the same site for day pupils and the majority of the residential young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 31/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/10/2015 Full Good

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Requires improvement

There have been variable outcomes for young people living at this home. Some have progressed very well. In fact, one young person won an award from his placing authority in recognition of his achievements in this placement. There are a number of young people who were only recently admitted, so realistically they are still settling in and building relationships. This has been eased for one young person because her brother is a day pupil at the same school on-site. One social worker said, ‘At my last visit, I observed good relationships between staff and young people and it was delightful to see a group hug between peers on return from college.’

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Requires improvement

However, there have been limited positive outcomes for other young people. This has resulted in four notices of placement closure in the last seven months, including some when young people had only been in placement for a short period of time. Some young people genuinely struggle with the rural location, having previously been used to city life and few boundaries.

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Requires improvement

As an example, one young person previously in a long-term placement close to home, was placed because he was not attending school. However, he refused to attend the school on-site and was extremely disruptive and aggressive within the home. This had a significant impact on the stability of the group. He also said that he would keep going missing until he was moved closer to home. Notice was served within one month of admission and an alternative placement found in his home town.

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Requires improvement

Another young person was admitted in January this year, but was being educated some distance away. Staff struggled to get him there, so he moved within four months to a smaller children’s home closer to school.

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Requires improvement

Within four months one young person was remanded in custody because of the number of offences committed, including assaults on staff, threats of violence towards other young people and significant damage. Clearly, these behaviours had a negative impact on the experiences of other young people.

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Requires improvement

All the young people currently living at the home have access to full-time, individually tailored education to meet their unique learning, behavioural and emotional needs. Examples include equine studies, a millinery course and foundational trade skills. The majority of young people benefit from excellent school attendance following a history of disengagement. Moreover, several now have positive future ambitions. Comments from young people include, ‘I want to be a plane mechanic,’ and, ‘I want to work in social care.’ Daily handovers between the teaching and residential staff ensure consistent care in both settings. However, the high number of missing from home incidents, albeit by a small number of young people, still inevitably has a negative impact on school attendance and educational progress.

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Requires improvement

A key strength of this home is the opportunity for young people to engage frequently in a wide range of age-appropriate, stimulating and constructive activities, both on-site and in the local community. Horse-riding at a nearby farm and the local skate park are currently proving to be very popular. Two young people regularly go to the local youth club, which serves to strengthen their sense of belonging.

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Requires improvement

Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported, which increases confidence and competencies. Examples include fishing, mountain biking, art, cooking and baking. One young person has found a love of climbing, thus providing regular physical exercise. Another young person is a talented footballer and is an established member of a local team. This is all outstanding progress given some of their histories, which include gang culture and drug misuse.

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Requires improvement

A significant development has been the recent expansion of the therapeutic team. This service now has a qualified nurse, a psychologist, an occupational therapist and a speech and language therapist. This means that young people can immediately access specialist services to help to meet their more complex needs. Consequently, self-injurious behaviours are reducing for one young person, both in frequency and severity. One social worker said, ‘The therapeutic services provided have been very helpful in providing comprehensive assessments of my young person’s needs, and regularly reviewing strategies to manage her behaviours.’

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Requires improvement

One young person has a history of disrupting placements when he starts to feel safe and comfortable but the manager said, ‘We were not going to let this happen again.’ There has been a significant drop in the overall number of incidents of aggression, but they remain extremely intense. That said, he is now positively engaging with the educational psychologist to help him better understand how his behaviour has a negative impact on other young people.

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Requires improvement

Another key strength is re-establishing and consistently gradually increasing positive family contact. This has resulted in one young person successfully returning home and another is working towards this desired goal. One young person lives at the home during the week and attends the school on-site, then spends every weekend at home. This has met his educational needs effectively and demonstrably improved family relationships. One young person was thrilled to attend a family wedding in his new suit which the home bought him and, ‘had a fantastic time.’ Other comments from young people include, ‘My mum and stepdad come to see me here, so I am happy,’ and, ‘I really enjoyed seeing my sister. I missed her, so I am happy that she will be coming here every month.’ A social worker said, ‘My young person now enjoys fortnightly contact because family relationships have improved, which has been managed very well by this home.’

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Requires improvement

There are appropriate arrangements in place to enable all the young people to gain age- and ability-appropriate practical and social skills needed to live independently in the future. Consequently, one young person has gradually learned to cease some extremely socially inappropriate behaviours during this placement. One social worker highlighted that, ‘This home is very good at developing young people’s self- caring skills.’

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Requires improvement

This home also benefits from a fully furnished apartment on-site, enabling young people to experience semi-independence with the added reassurance of ongoing staff support. One young person said, ‘Since I came here, I have passed my mathematics, English and information and communication technology exams, and I am now in college studying health and social care. I have started an independence programme so I now travel on my own and can shop on a budget.’

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Requires improvement

Feedback from placing authorities is generally positive about the progress young people make at this home. Recent examples include: ‘The home is lovely and both of my young people are very happy there and making progress’, ‘She is a different person since moving here. She had multiple breakdowns before’, ‘It is early days, but our young person is receiving individualised care and has 100% school attendance’, ‘My young person has lived here for 17 months and has had no missings. She is making great educational progress with a curriculum that meets her needs, and contact is going really well.’

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Requires improvement

Comments from parents include, ‘I am happy with this placement and my son is being a good boy there, and they are meeting his emotional needs’, ‘Staff are very good at sorting out our contact,’ and, ‘He is doing well in school. He likes his bedroom, which has been decorated to his personal preference.’

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Requires improvement

Young people say that they feel safe at this home and confirm that they have at least one adult they feel comfortable chatting to about any concerns. One young person is noticeably enjoying the opportunity to be a child again and taking part in age-appropriate activities. Another is purposefully removing himself when he sees a negative situation escalating. Previously, he would choose to get embroiled. This shows his developing maturity. Comments from young people include, ‘I’ve been here for 16 months and it’s nice and I like the staff’, ‘I feel safe here and get on really well with all the other young people. Most of the staff are alright too,’ and, ‘It‘s alright here and I feel safe here all the time, even when others are kicking off, but I wouldn’t say it’s brilliant.’

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Requires improvement

All the required health and safety certificates are in place to ensure a safe environment. There are also effective arrangements in place to ensure that the home is always maintained at a good standard despite significant and sustained criminal damage. It offers highly personalised en suite bedrooms and excellent leisure facilities, including a swimming pool, gym and tennis courts. An adventure playground is currently being developed in the substantial grounds. Consequently, young people are very proud to show visitors round, which demonstrates their sense of belonging.

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Requires improvement

Safeguarding agencies recognise that this home is looking after particularly complex and vulnerable young people who present with significantly challenging behaviours. However, some would welcome more timely communication about significant incidents. They also expressed dissatisfaction about the quality of these reports.

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Requires improvement

Correct procedures are adhered to following an allegation. This includes suspension as a neutral act and support during the investigation for the alleged perpetrator and victim. Staff have also had the confidence and competence to enact the whistle-blowing procedures if they suspect inappropriate practice.

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Requires improvement

Some incidents have been managed effectively through restorative justice. This has ensured that young people are not unnecessarily criminalised. However, the police have recently raised concerns about a 25% increase in the number of requests for assistance by staff to manage young people’s behaviours and because of missing incidents.

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Requires improvement

The home shares the police’s concern about the high number of missing episodes in recent months, with some evidence of young people being encouraged to go missing by their peers. This includes individuals at high risk of child sexual exploitation. The internal monitoring of patterns and trends explains some of these increases. For example, plans to return one young person home were changed within a fortnight of this transition. She reacted by going missing to her home town, spurred on by another new admission. To her credit, she is now attending college and has made some new positive friendships. She enjoys free time with them and no longer goes missing. This is outstanding progress from her starting point.

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Requires improvement

Regular meetings take place with the local police to agree strategies to try to keep young people safe. Currently, the minute young people go off-site they are reported missing. This approach has meant that they have been intercepted successfully before they have got on a train or before their final destination. Abduction notices have also been served. However, the arrangements to ensure timely return interviews are not sufficiently robust. For example, one young person has had 39 incidents, but only 11 interviews completed. There is clear evidence of requesting them, but no escalation if there is a delay. This is an important safeguarding process to reassess risks and consider strategies to try to prevent a reoccurrence.

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Requires improvement

Rewards for good behaviour and effort have the desired effect on the majority of young people’s behaviours. Comments include, ‘I have been here for nearly a year and I got a bike first for being good and I will be getting a dark orange scooter soon,’ and, ‘I really like it here and I don’t want to blow it. Staff bought me a fishing rod because I didn’t go missing.’

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Requires improvement

Overall, there remains a high number of restraints, but for the majority of individual young people these have demonstrably reduced. This has been recognised by placing authorities. Comments from young people’s social workers include, ‘She has settled well here and staff manage her behaviours well. They have de-escalated incidents that could have resulted in self-harming herself or others’, ‘There has been a positive change in my young person’s presentation and behaviours at this home,’ and, ‘Some staff are in tune with my young person and can help her to regulate her own behaviours.’

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Requires improvement

The majority of restraints relate to one young person. Recent assessments show that the complexity of her needs are far greater than initially identified. Nevertheless, she has benefited from the stability of this placement for 17 months. The home has also ensured her safety. However, she is no longer making progress, so a smaller and more specialist home is actively being sought.

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Requires improvement

There was a spike of 43 restraints during the Easter holidays. In response, during the summer holidays, they increased the community activities and trips provided, and some enjoyed a beach holiday together, which all had the desired effect. Consequently, there were 11 restraints in July and August. However, the records do not demonstrate the required system for ensuring that the registered person has spoken to the young person about the measure within five days of the incident.

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Requires improvement

The impact risk assessments in place provide a good background and details of current risks of the individual referred, and the known risks and vulnerabilities of the other young people already in placement. However, they are not always completed prior to each admission. There is also no analysis and evaluation to show how they intend to meet these diverse and often competing needs. These documents are an essential part of care planning as a means of demonstrating a robust matching process and thereby trying to avoid further disruptions. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

There are 15 young people currently in placement, living in four houses on the same site, and the home has high staffing ratios. The manager, therefore, has a large span of responsibility. This has been recognised by the company with the recent recruitment of two deputy managers. One said, ‘There is a lot to do, but there is great potential here. We need a consistent staff team.’

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Requires improvement

They are working towards a structure of a manager, a deputy, a senior and care workers in each home, but there are vacancies. A recruitment drive continues and any gaps in shifts are covered by consistent agency staff known and liked by the young people. Comments from agency staff include, ‘I like doing shifts here. There is a good atmosphere,’ and, ‘I have worked here most days for the last 12 months.’

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Requires improvement

There is a good gender balance and ethnic diversity in the staff team. The members of staff also come from a variety of relevant backgrounds and have a range of transferable skills to help meet the unique needs and personal preferences of young people placed. However, the statement of purpose is not regularly reviewed and revised to reflect accurately the experience and qualifications of all the staff, including the therapeutic team and any staff commissioned to provide education.

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Requires improvement

The main challenge is the continual turnover of staff. There have been 37 new starters since October 2015. This means that some have not yet completed all the mandatory courses. For example, there are 13 members of staff who are not trained in basic first aid, but two courses are planned before the end of the year to address this. In addition, only 50% of the team members are qualified for their respective care roles. In response, they have now trained three staff to be assessors. One member of staff said, ‘We are still building our team, but all the seniors are approachable for advice and they value my past experiences.’

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Requires improvement

There was one requirement and there were two recommendations made at the last inspection on 31 March 2016. In response, the independent person now visits out of school hours to ascertain the views of young people and staff. However, in the last seven reports, there has only been one consultation with one young person’s parent to help inform their opinion as to whether children are always safeguarded effectively, and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. Consequently, the home has sourced a new monthly visitor.

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Requires improvement

The last internal review report by the manager on the quality of care provided in the home provides a clear and accurate evaluation of the experiences of the young people living there, and identifies strengths and weaknesses and actions required for the next six months to ensure continuous improvement. However, it does not include any consultations with young people, their parents, placing authorities or staff.

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Requires improvement

Few staff benefited from supervision during the summer holidays, so one of the new deputies introduced a new system from September. Records show that the regularity of supervision has improved and individualised action plans are explored to ensure continuous personal development. However, individual supervision sessions are still not at the frequency prescribed in the home’s own policy for all staff.

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Requires improvement

Notifications of significant events are not always forwarded to Ofsted and placing authorities in a timely manner. In addition, there is limited detail and a lack of relevant updates to enable safeguarding agencies to determine whether appropriate action has been taken to protect young people and to try to prevent a reoccurrence. Other required documentation is also not consistently maintained at a good standard, including incident records and key work sessions. Some entries include third party information. This suggests that the internal monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust.

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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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