Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to have positive experiences and make progress in their development. Both have quite busy lives spending time out in the community, socialising and visiting their relatives. Staff ensure young people enjoy trips to the countryside and beach, go for meals in pubs and restaurants, go shopping and participate in a local youth group. One young person is developing her resilience to cope with busy social environments and tolerate pets without becoming anxious. This has helped her enjoy a birthday party where friends and family were altogether for the first time and to be a bridesmaid at a family wedding.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to develop their self-care and independence skills. This includes using public transport, improving personal hygiene and more verbal communication. One young person is more skilled at completing chores around the home and using the kitchen to make drinks and snacks. These new skills, positive experiences and socialisation are a boost to young people’s confidence and the sustained improvements they make promote a better quality of life. One young person uses a communication folder at school with signs and symbols that he does not have at home and an aid for walking. There is no clear rationale for this difference and whether it had any impact on the young person. The manager in charge at the time of the inspection made a commitment to find out and if necessary review the care in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out into foster care. This was a carefully planned transition and has been a successful move for the young person. Her immense progress while at the home ensured this opportunity was available for her to live in family environment. There are now plans for a new young person to move into the children’s home. The management of this is very thorough to help make it a successful move. Before this happens, one of the young people already in the home is being assisted to move bedrooms. This will provide a bedroom with the necessary adaptations such as overhead tracking to support his mobility needs. Staff and managers have given these changes a lot of thought to minimise disruption to young people’s routines.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy living in a home that gives then plenty of room and where they each have their own personally decorated bedroom. There is a large garden that provides outside space and a summer house to use in good weather. The manager plans to extend the garden and install different locks on the external doors of the home to promote the needs of the young person moving in, who is more independent. Staff have helped young people decorate the home for the festive season and young people enjoy opening their advent calendars each day.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a number of staff changes recently and this has been managed well to cause least disruption to young people. New staff are committed to their roles and the staff team work well together. Staff feel supported and think their supervision helps them to be an effective team and provide a high quality of care. Staff uphold their safeguarding responsibilities and senior managers respond swiftly to any concerns. Young people’s relatives and staff from other agencies consider the home promotes the needs of young people well. For example, ‘He has made significant progress in his social skills and communication and continues to do so.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and senior staff regularly monitor staff practice, record keeping and the quality of care. The manager completes a six monthly review of the service, which aims to continuously improve the care provided to young people. For example, care practice and supervision of staff continue to develop in line with an evidenced base model of social work. This partially meets the required action from the last inspection to use monitoring systems to make improvements. In comparison, the independent visitor’s monitoring and evaluation is still weak and does not contribute towards any improvement. This aspect of leadership and management has not improved since the last inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with learning and physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/06/2016 Full Outstanding 17/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/11/2015 Full Outstanding 16/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to using the reports prepared under Regulation 44 to identify areas for improvement, the registered person is required to:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 31/01/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 The design of the home should include any necessary adaptation to meet the needs of the children with disabilities or specific health issues (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18). In particular, ensure that young people who require specialist aids such as a rollator are provided with one.

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Recommendations

 The ethos of the home should support each child to learn, emphasising the value of independent study and reading for enjoyment. The home must make available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning and ensure the home’s routines do not form barriers to children wishing to use the homes resources to study (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18). In particular, resolve the different approaches between the home and school when young people use a communication folder, symbols and picture exchange communication in one setting and not the other.

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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

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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