Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St. Helens

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 All the young people are extremely happy, safe and settled at this home and have expressed their wish to stay until they feel ready for independence.  Young people benefit from being exceptionally well-cared for by a stable, highly motivated and resilient staff team. They are treated and respected as individuals in their own right, which makes them feel genuinely loved and valued.  Young people’s wishes and feelings are central to the day-to-day running of the home and to the development of the company as a whole. All reasonable requests are positively responded to, if it is in their best interests.  This staff team provides particularly strong and effective challenge and advocacy for young people. This ensures, for example, the timely provision of specialist services and empowers young people to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development into adulthood.  This home ensures that all the young people benefit from constructive family

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

contact in line with any legal restrictions and personal preferences, which positively promotes young people’s sense of identity.  This team ensures excellent school attendance and actively supports young people’s individual learning needs and interests so that they can reach their full potential.  Good staffing ratios enable the staff to be very attentive to individual needs and preferences.  Young people enjoy taking part in a wide range of constructive activities. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported, which effectively develops their competencies and confidences.  Young people particularly benefit from the clear and consistent routines and boundaries in place at this home and respond well to the emphasis on positive reinforcement of good behaviours and effort.  This experienced staff team consistently and effectively de-escalates some sustained challenging behaviours without resorting to the use of restraint or

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

police intervention.  Good collaborative working is firmly established with relevant agencies to safeguard and promote young people’s welfare.  This experienced staff team has the confidence, in full collaboration with other safeguarding agencies, to enable young people to take age- appropriate risks as part of their development into adulthood.  This home is very well managed by a suitably qualified, experienced and child-focused individual who leads by example. She provides very clear direction, supervision and support to her staff and ensures that they receive timely training opportunities to meet organisational needs, individual young people’s needs and to further their own personal development.  Robust internal auditing systems are in place, identifying patterns and trends, key strengths and areas requiring further development. Consequently, there are no regulatory shortfalls or recommendations arising

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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 two young people who are experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/05/2015 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people benefit from being exceptionally well-cared for by a stable, highly motivated and resilient staff team. They are treated and respected as individuals in their own right, which makes them feel genuinely loved and valued. Consequently, they are extremely happy and settled at this home and have made outstanding progress from their individual starting points. The well-presented participation files provide young people with photographic memories of all the wonderful experiences that they have enjoyed when living at this home.

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Outstanding

Comments from young people include, ‘The staff help and support me to do well in education and to learn the skills I need for when I’m older. I take part in lots of activities that I like’ and, 'I am happy and safe here and the staff are sick. Even if I say or do something wrong they do not fall out with me but try to help.’

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Outstanding

Young people are secure in the knowledge that this is a long-term placement where they can remain until they feel ready for independence. They enjoy excellent relationships with all the staff and, apart from natural disagreements and rivalries that are quickly resolved, the boys generally get on really well. Comments include, ‘He made me so welcome when I first came here and he has shared my last two fantastic birthdays. We play snooker and football together and go dog walking with staff’ and, ‘I like all the staff and get on with the other young person.’

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Outstanding

The young people are from the local area, which significantly strengthens their sense of belonging. They have produced an excellent display of their sessions exploring the history of the local area and the exact spot where this new home is situated.

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Outstanding

On admission, one young person had no friends and limited social skills. Now he has made and maintained a great circle of friends and is involved in an external participation group, which is outstanding progress.

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Outstanding

All the young people enjoy regular, constructive contact with family and friends, which helps them to better understand past traumas, sustains their unique identities and builds emotional resilience. One young person has been supported to re-establish contact with some of his birth family and is thrilled to be spending Christmas Day with his grandad and two siblings. One young person said, ‘We have made friends with young people from another children’s home. We all get on really well and go to each other’s homes for tea, go trampolining and play cricket together.’ A grandmother said, ‘It’s the best thing that ever happened to my grandson. It’s smashing here and he is really settled because it is a small home and everyone is so nice. The staff are lovely. I can have as much contact here as I want and the staff will always transport him to see the family.’

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Outstanding

Educational support at this home is outstanding and parents are exceptionally pleased with the progress made. Comments include, 'My son had excellent support from the staff to do his exams' and, ‘I am delighted that my son is now going to college.’

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Outstanding

These are outstanding achievements from their starting points. On admission, one young person was at risk of exclusion due to significant challenging behaviours and one young person was not in school due to the risks that he presented. This staff team has successfully maintained school placements by initially staying in class with them throughout the school day and supporting their unique learning, emotional and behavioural needs. Consequently, one young person is now sitting GCSEs and another progressed to being on the student council before starting work experience. He said, ‘I am loving my work placement and I learned to fix a tyre today.’

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Outstanding

A pastoral teacher said, ‘This pupil was previously on 2:1 support provided by the care staff. We now contact the home and ask for support if we need to. They will come in at the drop of a hat, though the occasions are now few. It has been a long journey and we are seeing the results. Our working relationship and communication with this home is fabulous.’ A social worker highlighted, 'My young person would have been excluded without the support of this staff team and their close communication with his school and the virtual school.'

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Outstanding

There are ample opportunities for young people to contribute positively to their day-to-day lives and futures and to influence continuous service development through the company’s children’s council. As regards the latter, one young person said, ‘We have changed lots of things. Our clothing money went up.’ All reasonable requests are genuinely listened to and acted upon if it is deemed to be in their best interests. Of particular note, young people now have the confidence to positively contribute to their statutory reviews. One young person said, ‘If staff are unable to make changes to my care because of what I say, they explain why this cannot happen.’

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Outstanding

There is extensive evidence of frequent, qualitative direct work with young people, where highly relevant and sensitive issues are fully explored. Young people engage extremely well and demonstrate reflection and progression.

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Outstanding

This competent staff team has demonstrated tenacity in providing particularly strong and effective challenge and advocacy for young people. This ensures, for example, the timely provision of specialist services and empowers young people to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development into adulthood. They have also secured an independent visitor for one young person. Young people closely follow their individual risk assessments and risk management restrictions, which, given the history of their behaviours, is a huge achievement . Of significance, they have not been charged with any further offences since moving to this placement and they have been well supported practically and emotionally with ongoing court appearances. In fact, they are maturing into well-mannered and responsible citizens. As an example, one young person found some money in a supermarket and handed it in.

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Outstanding

Young people are supported and encouraged to access a wealth of recreational and social opportunities both inside and outside the home. This has included exploring and engaging in charitable events and theme nights. Recent examples include the 22 push ups for 22 days challenge and autism awareness.

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Outstanding

Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported. Skating is proving to be very popular. It is good physical exercise and they have built up friendships with peers outside of the care system, which has demonstrably improved their social skills and self-confidence. One young person said, 'I am really happy here and I am loving going to the BMX track every Saturday.'

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Outstanding

During the summer, they chose to go on day trips rather than a specific holiday. Photographs are prominently displayed throughout the home of lots of enjoyable times shared together. One young person said, ‘We went on high wires which I really enjoyed and a climbing wall. We had a great time.’

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Outstanding

To their credit, they also took part in a summer programme run by a specialist nurse for looked after children exploring healthy lifestyles and trying new activities such as mountain biking and archery. She said, ‘This home go over and above what is expected to fulfil all their obligations with health-related matters and have been great in supporting young people to have any treatments needed. They involve me in care planning and they always ring me if they have any questions or concerns.’

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Outstanding

Young people’s physical and emotional well-being has demonstrably improved at this home. Self-injurious behaviours have ceased. Personal hygiene has also improved and a skin disorder has reduced. One young person was malnourished on admission. He is now a healthy weight. Young people’s diets have significantly improved at this home. Consequently, they both now benefit from homemade nutritious meals. The staff have also worked hard in ensuring that young people choose healthy options at school too. This has all resulted in increased self-esteem and confidence.

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Outstanding

A significant amount of educational and innovative practical work, including competitive teeth cleaning, has been undertaken within the home to improve dental hygiene. It also took nine months of patient and persistent encouragement and support to give a young person the confidence needed to have some teeth extracted. This means that he can now have a brace, which is his expressed wish. With the same sustained and sensitive staff encouragement and support, one young person has overcome his genuine fear of needles at this home. This means that he is now up-to-date with all his immunisations.

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Outstanding

Young people benefit from clear routines and boundaries, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Consequently, one young person now benefits from a good night’s sleep. In turn, this has a positive impact on his emotional well-being, behaviours and ability to concentrate in school.

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Outstanding

The main focus now is helping young people to gradually prepare for successful future independence. To this end, they have their own bank accounts and are frequently involved in food shopping and cooking. Both young people are working through an individualised programme. These were creatively designed from the young people’s own checklist of areas that they needed more help with. Topics to date have included creating a good impression for college and work interviews and budgeting. They are already making wiser choices. Comments from young people include, ‘I was shocked to find out that I could spend £72 on biscuits a year so I will change that and I will halve my takeaways, saving another £143’, ‘I’ve stopped buying rubbish sweets so I have more money to spend on stuff I enjoy like trampolining’, ‘I cook for myself now three nights a week and I have a healthy diet’ and, ‘I had forgotten my card when I went to the bank and I learned that I can still

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Outstanding

pay in money without it. Staff said I was very polite and well-manned at the counter.’

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Outstanding

One young person has contributed fully in his pathway plan and is rightly proud of his achievements to date. Moreover, his increased confidence and self-esteem means that he now has positive future ambitions. He wrote, ‘I am proud of going to school and that I now keep out of trouble and help people. The staff help me with my anger and so I am doing better at controlling myself by stopping and thinking what I’m doing. They help me with my homework too because I want a good job and family in the future.’

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Outstanding

External stakeholders are consistently highly satisfied with the quality of care provided at this home and the outstanding progress that young people have made, especially given the risks that they initially presented and the complexity of their needs. Comments from families include, 'Everything is fine here. My son loves it at this home. It is the best thing that could have happened to him. The staff are brilliant and talk to me all the time about what's going on’ and, ‘My grandchild used foul language and was disrespectful to staff at the last home. This has all but stopped here because he really likes the staff.’

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Outstanding

Social workers say, ‘My young person is happy and safe here and is afforded very good-quality care. This placement meets all his needs. It is a warm, nurturing and safe environment and the staff are very approachable and supportive and respond very quickly to any issues. They offer stability and permanence and make good use of community activities’ and, 'I am more than happy with this placement and the progress my young person is making. I have a positive working relationship with this staff team that is very supportive of my young person. The home is well maintained and homely. Communication is excellent. I am given weekly reports of his progress and any concerns. He is provided with a very high level of care and the staff have a good understanding of his needs. Good staffing ratios are in place and he is supported in his learning and social interests.'

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Outstanding

An independent reviewing officer said, ‘I admit to being unsure initially if they could meet my young person’s complex needs and the high supervision he required, but this year in particular he has made significant progress. It is a lovely home, with great staff, who have a good rapport with him. He likes it there. The staff work well with the care plan and keep detailed records of activities. They always prepare well for reviews.’

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Good

Young people feel very safe and secure at this home and use every opportunity to voice how much they like this home and want to stay. For one young person, the close proximity to his family is particularly important to him. Comments from young people include, ‘This is a really good care home. It is the best I have been in and it is my longest placement anywhere. The best thing is that there are only two of us so I get lots of attention and I can talk to my key worker about anything’, ‘I feel safe here and have made lots of friends locally. It just couldn’t be any better’ and, ‘I feel safe and settled here and want to stay until I am 18.’

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Good

Parents say that their views about their child’s care are listened to and respected. One mum said, 'I have nothing but praise for this home and the work they do to keep my son and others safe.'

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Good

Staff clearly place the well-being of all the young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the sustained challenges that they present. Their resilience and commitment has now resulted in extremely positive experiences and outcomes for the young people, who are noticeably investing in this placement.

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Good

This experienced staff team has the confidence, in full collaboration with other safeguarding agencies, to enable young people to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development into adulthood. There is ample evidence of sessions with young people about keeping safe online and in the community and completing practical exercises to frequently test their knowledge and understanding.

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Good

This setting champions the interests of children first and foremost, but with a carefully balanced approach to risk. Consequently, young people have made outstanding progress in this home in respect to managing their own risks. Initially, they were supervised at all times inside and outside the home. In recognition that they abided by the strict rules imposed by the placing authorities, staff successfully advocated that they were increasingly given more freedom. Now, they thoroughly enjoy spending quality time together without constant scrutiny.

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Good

This has served to further strengthen their relationship and has significantly developed their negotiation skills. Their growing maturity is quite evident. This is demonstrated in their ability to actively choose to not get embroiled in the negative behaviours of their peers. They will also frequently help to clean the home without being asked. One young person enjoys gardening and recently built a shoe rack for the home. This all shows the pride that they have in their surroundings.

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Good

One young person with an abusive background has gradually come to accept praise for his achievements as his confidence has blossomed. This is significant progress.

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Good

Records of sanctions and rewards are in good order and cross reference to other relevant documents, including incident records and individual sessions. They clearly demonstrate a good balance between appropriately challenging unacceptable behaviours and positively reinforcing good behaviours and efforts. There is also good evidence of young people having the opportunity to negotiate sanctions and commenting on their records. This confirms that they feel the consequences are fair and proportionate to the particular misdemeanour. Furthermore, they have the ability to reduce a consequence following sustained good behaviour. Comments from young people include, ‘I deserved losing my television in my bedroom for the night and I apologised to the staff for being an idiot’ and, ‘I went on a trip to the beach for being good.’

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Good

The appropriate use of reparation and restorative justice prevents the need for formal police intervention. For example, one young person chose to bake a cake for a member of staff and apologised for being rude. This shows that he now has a deeper understanding of the impact that negative behaviours have on others and that he is developing empathy towards others.

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Good

The use of restraint is extremely rare. There have been none for the last five months and the last hold was the least restrictive, namely guiding a young person away from a situation to keep him safe. Records show that he then turned his behaviour round by shopping for and cooking tea.

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Good

Staff have an excellent understanding of the young people’s particular needs and always review and reflect on all incidents. On this occasion, it was felt that the young person could be missing his key worker who was on paternity leave. In response, the member of staff rang him that night to reassure him that he would be returning. This shows the genuine commitment that the staff have to the young people.

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Good

There has been one missing from care incident for two hours in the last 10 months. This denotes a significant reduction for one young person and demonstrates how happy, settled and safe he now feels at this home.

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Good

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. This is due to a proactive approach to maintaining good relations in the local community. Indeed, despite the high risks and complex needs of the young people placed, this home successfully maintains a low profile. Of note, there have been no police call outs to help staff manage behaviours.

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Good

The setting has responded appropriately and in accordance with statutory guidance in handling a recent unfounded allegation. Information was shared appropriately with relevant safeguarding agencies and effective support provided to both young people and staff members affected. Matters were resolved swiftly, in an objective and fair manner and appropriate courses of action taken in respect of learning from such incidents. Positive relationships were quickly resumed.

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Good

All the required external health and safety certificates are in place and internal checks undertaken at the required frequencies. This ensures a safe environment.

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Good

An ongoing process of redecoration and refurbishment means that the home is always maintained at a good standard. The conservatory has just been completed and the redecoration of young people’s bedrooms is the next priority. This home is clean and warm, with a relaxing ambience. It offers a particularly good choice of communal rooms where young people can relax privately, study or socialise with staff and peers. Young people are able to make choices regarding the decor of their bedrooms that are reflective of their personalities and individual styles. One young person said, ‘I asked for a big television and a sofa in my room and I got them.’ A family member who frequently visits the home said, ‘It’s a very nice home that has improved a lot. It is always very, very clean and well maintained.’

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Good

Staff recruitment files include all the required particulars to evidence a safe and competent workforce.

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Good

The registered manager has the qualifications required of this responsible position and substantial experience highly relevant to the individual needs of the young people living at the home. This company has notably substantially invested in her continued development. Consequently, the staff have all benefited from her clear direction, knowledge and expertise. The home is well resourced and staff feel well supported through regular supervision and team meetings, which are child-focused and encompass the views of young people. They also confirm effective on call support. This stable staff team is competent and capable and receives ongoing, relevant and good-quality training. This is carefully monitored by the manager to ensure that the courses specifically meet organisational needs, individual young people’s needs and to further their own personal development. Recent examples include training around sexually harmful behaviour, self-harm, attachment and the main theories

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Good

that underpin their practice. A member of staff was particularly impressed with the quality of the safeguarding training provided and said, 'It helped me focus on the needs of both young people in ensuring their safety.' Other staff comments include, ‘My induction was thorough. We have good managers, who we can ring anytime. They are committed to the staff and the young people. I never feel vulnerable because this home is always well resourced’, ‘The young people are safe here and the staff are well looked after’, ‘I have worked here for nearly two years and I really enjoy my job and I’ve learned a lot from the variety of training on offer’ and, ‘I feel very supported and I get to voice my opinion. It is a very fair, good team here.’ The one requirement made at the last interim inspection on 19 January 2016 has been satisfactorily addressed. In response, risk assessments are now very detailed in terms of triggers, risks, potential consequence and severity. They are also

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Good

regularly revised in recognition of young people’s continued progress. A key strength of this home is the effective management of risk. The home’s statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and revised. This ensures that it always accurately reflects the ethos, practices and staffing of the home. Young people have a personal copy of an informative and child-friendly children’s guide. This ensures that they know the services on offer and the expectations on their behaviours. The deputy has taken on a more active role in overseeing that staff better evidence the excellent direct work that they do with young people. Required documentation is also stringently scrutinised by the registered manager, so all records are in good order. They accurately reflect young people’s assessed needs, expressed preferences, abilities, achievements to date and future aspirations. It is also clearly evident that young people actively participate in this process.

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Good

There are effective internal and external monitoring systems in place. Consequently, there are no requirements or recommendations arising from this inspection. The registered manager’s last six-monthly review report of the quality of care provided in this home is accurate and evaluative and demonstrates a good knowledge of the many strengths of this service and areas for continued development.

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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

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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