Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Staffordshire

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 make progress and enjoy themselves.  Young people are safe and feel safe. They do not go missing and they are not at risk of exploitation.  Young people are able to express their own chosen personal identity.  Young people’s education attendance improves.  Young people’s emotional and physical health needs are met.  Managers actively challenge external agencies when services are not effective.  Young people enjoy contact with their families, both in the home and outside the home.  There are a number of shortfalls, including not making sure that young people are given feedback when they express their views. Young people do not contribute to their files. Staff do not always receive regular supervision and appraisal from managers. The registered manager does not fully understand the statement of purpose.

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

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) ensure that staff: (iii) help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account, and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. 14/02/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(5)) 14/02/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees: (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and (c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)(c)) 14/02/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’). (Regulation 45(3)) 14/02/2017

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. Homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene, etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9)

p.5

Information about this children’s home

This privately-operated children’s home provides care for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Young people may remain beyond the age of 18.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/12/2015 Full Requires improvement 09/09/2015 Full Inadequate 27/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/11/2014 Full Adequate

p.6

Good

Young people have made good progress and have had enjoyable experiences in this home. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘The placement of [the young person at] the home has been exceptionally fantastic… they have really turned him around.’ Young people say that they are happy at the home and have progressed well. They are able to personalise their bedrooms and are encouraged to express themselves in their own chosen identity.

p.7

Good

Young people attend and engage in education. When young people are apprehensive and refuse to go to school, staff work closely with educational professionals to facilitate the reintegration. During the period of absence, a tutor attends the home to make sure that young people do not fall behind in their education. A professional from the local authority stated:’[X] has made amazing progress in less than a year, both at home and at school.’ An independent reviewing officer said: ‘He was a school refuser and is now head boy.’

p.7

Good

Young people enjoy good physical and emotional health. Some young people have complex health needs and access a range of health services, including child and adolescent mental health services. In addition, in-house therapy services provide individual therapeutic support to young people. Regular consultation with staff also provides the opportunity for joined-up working and the potential of a shared understanding of the young person’s internal world. This, coupled with young people attending routine health appointments, makes sure that their holistic health needs are being fully met.

p.7

Good

Young people’s views are sought through young people’s meetings and one-to-one key-working sessions. Managers do not respond to young people about how their views can or cannot be met and the reasons for the decision. Furthermore, staff do not make sure that young people’s views are fully reflected in their care planning, individual placement plans and risk assessments. This means that young people do not always know what is expected of them and what they can expect from staff.

p.7

Good

Young people benefit from living in a safe and well-maintained home. The spacious property provides young people with sufficient privacy to be alone, or they can spend time together in the communal rooms. Photographs and memorabilia are displayed around the home. This helps young people to maintain their identity, settle in and feel comfortable. A significant part of the home has been redecorated with new furnishings since the last inspection. The redecoration of the remainder of the home is ongoing, with a new bathroom currently being fitted. Some parts of the home still have an institutional feel to them, for example a shower room and bedroom corridor. The manager states that this is an ongoing area for improvement.

p.7

Good

Young people enjoy attending activities. These range from ice skating, petanque and going to the local youth club. All young people have enjoyed a holiday abroad of their individual choice. Rome and Florida were their chosen destinations. Young people researched and sought information prior to their holiday. Sensitive preparation was undertaken with young people prior to their holiday. For example, young people went on a day trip to London to help to prepare to deal with crowds of people. Young people were excited to talk about their holidays and shared their experiences. This has given young people an interest in travelling abroad, visiting historic cities and enjoying cultural experiences. Consequently, young people develop confidence and an interest in other cultures.

p.8

Good

Young people have been prepared for moving into semi-independent living. Young people have independence plans that reflect their needs. Managers have challenged placing authorities to make sure that young people are supported in accordance with their needs. For example, staff advocate for young people to have overnights stays in the area in which they will eventually live. They recognise that, without this support, some young people will struggle to live independently. Consequently, young people are receiving the support necessary from all the professionals involved in their transition to adulthood.

p.8

Good

Young people enjoy regular contact with their family that is risk assessed and, if necessary, supervised by the home. Contact arrangements take into account the needs of the young person and their family. This makes sure that young people know and understand their backgrounds, and can maintain important links with their family.

p.8

Good

Positive behaviour management plans are effective. Records and risk assessments take full account of young people’s triggers and highlight strategies to manage known risks. Plans are reviewed and updated in response to incidents. Communication within the team ensures that everyone is always aware of presenting issues or concerns. Staff are consistent in their approach and clear boundaries are in place. This means that young people understand what is expected and, as a result, negative behaviour has been reduced.

p.8

Good

Staff are trained in physical intervention techniques, which are only used as a last resort. Incidences of physical intervention have been at a low level and professionally managed. Records are clear and the manager makes sure that interventions are evaluated. This means that physical intervention remains appropriate at all times. Young people are not at risk from any form of exploitation and do not go missing from the home.

p.8

Good

Any complaint made by a young person has a proper investigation and outcomes agreed with the complainant and manager. This means that they have confidence that the registered manager will deal with their concerns or complaints in a respectful and meaningful way that values conciliation.

p.9

Requires improvement

The home is well managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been registered with Ofsted since December 2015. The registered manager has a level 5 diploma in leadership and management in residential care. All staff have undertaken mandatory training in first aid, safeguarding and fire safety. Most staff are qualified. Those who are unqualified are within regulatory timescales, at present, to obtain their qualification within two years of starting work.

p.9

Requires improvement

The requirements made at the last inspection have all been met.

p.9

Requires improvement

The registered manager has a commitment to drive the service forward and to improve the quality of care for young people. She has worked hard since the last inspection to improve standards and to make sure that a stable and consistent staff team cares for the young people. Although some of the staff team are relatively new in post, they feel that they work well as a team and all have a consistent approach to the young people. However, some staff supervisions are inconsistent and some appraisals have not been undertaken in a timely manner. This does not provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their roles and responsibilities alongside identifying their training needs.

p.9

Requires improvement

Significant improvements have been made since the last inspection. The manager is aware of the continual journey of the home to strengthen shortfalls. She is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and the progress that young people make. However, the weaknesses and areas for development are not reflected in the internal six-monthly monitoring records. This has an impact on how quickly the service can improve.

p.9

Requires improvement

Although the manager is working towards the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, by her own admission she was not aware of the actual age of the young people whom the home usually cares for. As a result, a planned admission of a 9-year-old was being arranged during the inspection, yet this age is currently outside the range of the statement of purpose.

p.9

Requires improvement

The manager has developed positive working relationships with external agencies, including the police, placing authorities and specialist health provision. This is reflected in the positive feedback from professionals and parents. The manager offers challenge when the responses from other services are not effective. This helps young people to have the support that they need.

p.9

Requires improvement

The home has robust selection and recruitment processes. Comprehensive checks of new staff are undertaken prior to them commencing work at the home. This makes sure that only adults who are considered safe care for the young people.

p.10

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.11

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.11

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.12

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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.12

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.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

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.13

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.13