Children's home run by A Wilderness Way Limited in Cumberland

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:

 Young people are supported by a motivated and competent staff team that has genuine aspirations for them to achieve their full potential.  The service provides excellent opportunities for unique, active and exciting outward bound experiences. This has proved beneficial in providing a firm foundation for the next stage of young people’s lives.  Young people enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff who they know well and respect. This has had a positive impact on their confidence, self-esteem and interpersonal skills.  Young people are learning new skills on a daily basis and are encouraged and supported by staff to be prepared to return to education once they move on. Young people benefit from the combined approach to learning. This includes opportunities to meet with an in-house teacher and engaging in a variety of off-site opportunities. This has proved to be effective in gradually reintroducing young people to full-time education.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people spoken with during the inspection confirm that they feel safe, secure and well cared for. They are protected from harm by staff who demonstrate a thorough understanding of their complex needs.  Personalised care planning, target setting and clear incentives have had a significant impact on helping young people to make positive choices.  There are some shortfalls in the effectiveness of leadership and management that require further improvement. These are: - Physical intervention records are not sufficiently robust. - On at least one occasion, the provider failed to make a formal notification to Ofsted in line with regulation. This compromises external scrutiny of practice. - Professional supervision for staff has not consistently taken place. - Access to communication is poor. This means that young people do not have access to a telephone to make and receive calls in private. - The registered manager does not have a visible presence in each of

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The children’s home provision is good because:

the services used by young people. This has an impact on the manager’s ability to maintain day-to-day charge of each setting.

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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 provider must ensure that young people have access to a telephone to make and receive calls in private. (Regulation 22 (3)(a)) 20/01/2017

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 20/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

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. This relates specifically to ensuring that a comprehensive record exists for each incident. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)–(viii)) 20/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must notify HMCI without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 20/01/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps that the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. This specifically relates to ensuring that risk management plans are reviewed, updated and monitored by the registered manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Those with a leadership and/or management role should be visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and/or management responsibilities. With specific reference to ensuring that the registered manager has a visible presence in each of the services used by young people. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)

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Information about this children's home

 The service is a mobile programme provided by a private company.  It is registered to provide care and accommodation in separate locations for up to eight young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  Only one young person is cared for in each location at any one time and each placement can last no longer than 120 days.  Placements may be made at short notice and in emergencies.  The service is also inspected by The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA).

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/01/2016 Full Outstanding 30/01/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/06/2014 Full Good

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Good

The support that young people receive is individually tailored to meet their specific and complex needs. Staff demonstrate great respect and empathy for young people who have experienced trauma and unsettled backgrounds. They take into account the underlying reasons for behaviour and respond effectively. This ensures that young people feel accepted even when they are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety or distress. Staff are clearly child-centred and are skilful at engaging young people. This helps young people to settle, build effective relationships and make progress.

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Good

Young people spoken with during the inspection report that they have good relationships with staff. One young person said, ‘This is much better than the last care home I lived in. Staff here are great, I really like them and I’d give this home 9 out of 10.’ Professionals are equally positive and confirm that they have observed warm and nurturing interactions between staff and young people. One social worker commented, ‘I have to say the staff team have been fantastic. [Name] has settled in so well and has progressed. I can see he is much more relaxed, he feels safe and has developed some really positive relationships.’

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Good

The majority of young people have previously experienced poor educational outcomes, disruptions and exclusions. However, through effective support and intervention, such as access to an in-house teacher, educational trips, work experience and engaging in a variety of outdoor activities, young people have started to engaged and are making good progress. This is particularly encouraging when young people have not engaged in any form of formal education for some time. Young people say that they feel more confident and have developed aspirations for their future. They also feel better prepared to return to full-time education once they move on. Young people’s identity is promoted through meaningful and safe contact with their family and friends. All contact is agreed, well planned and appropriately supervised to ensure that young people enjoy purposeful and safe contact. However, limited communication in some of the properties used means that young people are

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Good

unable to access a telephone or the internet to contact relevant people without reference to a member of staff on duty. This has the potential to impact on young people’s ability to remain connected with their family, friends or professionals.

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Good

Young people are supported to understand the importance of maintaining good physical and emotional health. Their needs are effectively identified and they receive prompt access to a range of health services. Staff provide young people with good information and advice on a range of health issues such as the dangers of smoking, substance misuse and the importance of exercise and healthy eating. Some young people have managed to decrease the amount that they smoke and have a clear plan for further reduction. Overtime, this will have a significant impact on their long-term health outcomes.

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Good

There is extensive evidence to demonstrate that the young people’s wishes and feelings are central to how the home is run. Consultation and communication within the home are good. Staff and young people were observed discussing issues and planning activities together throughout the inspection. Staff ensure that time is set aside for individual sessions and ensure that young people have regular opportunities to make choices on daily life in the home. As a result, young people have every opportunity to express their views and do so on a regular basis.

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Good

Young people spend time away from the home on a range of activities and camping experiences. The registered manager ensures that the standard of all accommodation is carefully risk assessed to ensure that young people are provided with a comfortable environment. The accommodations where young people reside are located in a rural community. The decor, furnishing and general presentation of these provisions are of a high standard. This ensures that the needs of young people are met and promoted.

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Good

Staff are highly skilled in recognising risks to young people’s safety. Staff support young people to manage their behaviour and, as a result, young people feel safe and secure living in the home. Young people spoken with during the inspection confirm that they feel safe, secure and well cared for. They are protected from harm by staff who know them well and demonstrate a thorough understanding of their complex needs.

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Good

Young people become increasingly safe in this provision. Staff undertake regular, targeted interventions with young people and this has helped to reduce the frequency and severity of previously problematic behaviour. Direct work includes sessions on sexual exploitation, substance misuse and sexual health. Young people engage and express themselves through this work and are encouraged to think about approaching situations differently. As a result, there has been a clear reduction in the frequency and intensity of risk-taking behaviour.

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Good

Risk assessments are individualised and reflect the diverse needs and personalities of each of the young people. They provide a good overview of identified behaviours, triggers, warning signs and control measures. However, there is no clear audit trail that these documents are regularly reviewed and updated. To date, this has not impacted negatively on young people. That said, this is not good practice and has the potential to undermine agreed strategies to manage risk.

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Good

All staff are trained in behaviour management, including the use of physical restraint. There is an emphasis on de-escalation and staff use their learning and positive relationships with young people to good effect. Physical intervention is only used when absolutely necessary and is used appropriately. However, physical intervention records are not robust. Records are not sufficiently comprehensive to assist the reader in understanding the events that occurred. To date, this has not impacted negatively on the well-being of young people. That said, records made in this way lack clarity and do not stand up to scrutiny in the event of a complaint.

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Good

Young people who are admitted into the home often come with a history of going missing on a regular basis. Records indicate that the number of missing episodes has decreased. This was confirmed by a young person who said, ‘I didn’t like the last place I lived in so I’d go missing every day. Since living here, I haven’t been missing at all. I don’t need to.’ This demonstrates that young people are making better choices in relation to their personal safety and feel safe and secure.

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Good

The home has good safeguarding procedures for staff to follow in the event of allegations, suspicion of abuse or unsafe practice. Professionals confirm that the organisation is transparent and concerns are managed appropriately. Records demonstrate that staff apply rigour to the management of incidents and investigations into allegations or concerns about staff practice are handled fairly and quickly. However, on at least one occasion, the registered manager did not ensure that Ofsted was informed of a significant event relating to an allegation about a member staff. This undermines the ability of the regulator to carry out its monitoring function effectively.

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Good

The recruitment of staff is sufficiently robust. The manager follows agreed procedures to ensure the thorough scrutiny of applicants prior to their employment in the home. This prevents unsuitable people from being able to work with young people.

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Requires improvement

The home is managed by a suitably experienced registered manager who has been in post since 2014. The registered manager is very child-focused and firmly believes that every child deserves to be well cared for and have every opportunity to succeed in life. She has a good understanding of young people and is totally committed to helping them achieve. That said, there are some weaknesses in the effectiveness of leadership and management that require improvement. The manager fully understands the strengths and weaknesses identified in this report and is committed to securing improvements. Achieving consistency in staffing has posed a significant challenge to the organisation as a whole. Since the last inspection, there has been a high turnover of staff within the organisation. However, ongoing recruitment and good strategic decisions by senior managers have provided a foundation to achieve a stable staff

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Requires improvement

team. Records demonstrate that staffing levels have started to improve and a consistent permanent staff team cares for young people. Most of the staff team are experienced and qualified. Staff who are not qualified are quickly registered on a recognised qualification in caring for young people. The registered manager has identified the need to improve staff induction. All staff have now received a secondary induction to help equip them for their work with young people.

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Requires improvement

The manager maintains an overview of the individual provisions where young people reside. However, she is not on-site daily and only visits each provision once a month. This does not enable her to maintain a visible presence and has an impact on her ability to maintain a detailed overview of care practice in each individual provision. Leaders and managers have identified this shortfall and are developing new leadership structures to drive best practice principles to all areas of work.

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Requires improvement

Staff do not receive supervision at appropriate intervals. This hinders the manager’s ability to routinely monitor and help improve staff’s performance, competency and conduct. New staff confirm that they had an induction which included shadowing opportunities and training. However, they are not being formally supervised and supported in a manner that is consistent with the statement of purpose. This is not good practice as it has an impact on the manager’s ability to assess performance during the early stages of employment.

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Requires improvement

Reports by the independent visitor show good evaluation of practice in the home and offer constructive criticism to the manager. This promotes effective quality assurance and the manager takes action to make improvements accordingly. The manager has recently completed the required six-month report on the performance of the home. It is suitably detailed and demonstrates analysis and learning from events and patterns.

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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 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

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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, 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

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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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