Children's home run by Headway House Limited

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement 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

A great deal of work has been undertaken to meet the requirements and recommendations set at the previous inspection. However, there is a need for continued implementation to complete and embed these into staff practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are caring and nurturing in their approach towards young people, encouraging and supporting them to address their individual difficulties and challenges.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who have been residing at the home since it opened are making good progress. Those who have arrived more recently are still settling in and their progress is less discernible. There have been several admissions and discharges to the home since the previous inspection which has not promoted a stable home environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Those who are settled in the home are now engaged in full-time education and making good progress. Staff are working collaboratively with other agencies to develop meaningful education plans for those who are not yet in education, training or employment. Staff facilitate and encourage young people to work with home tutors and engage in planned daily activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to address their physical and emotional health needs, including referring them to specialist services to address their individual needs. Staff provide information and advice about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle alongside the impact of substance misuse, alcohol consumption and smoking. Young people are encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet and complete daily physical activity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have developed opportunities for young people to be involved in decision making in the home. There are regular house meetings that young people can attend. Staff are currently exploring a variety of ways to encourage young people to attend and share their views, however, young people regularly choose not to attend. Young people are regularly given the opportunity to complete questionnaires which give feedback about their views of the home, they meet regularly with staff to review their ‘key goals’ and they are actively involved in their reviews. Regular one-to-one sessions provide them with the opportunity to be heard individually.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff complete detailed assessments that explore risk and the required actions to minimise risk. Risk management plans provide practical strategies and information to staff which promotes a consistent approach. One risk management plan did not fully explore all known risk factors. A plan highlighted risks associated with aggression but the plan lacked clarity and information for staff to manage these risks. Staff have assessed risk levels associated with child sexual exploitation, however plans do not detail the actions required to minimise risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers complete pre-admission risk and impact risk assessments exploring all factors prior to admission. Staff fully consider if the young persons needs can be met but they do not evidence if a young person is compatible with others placed in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff follow detailed missing from care plans if there is an episode of missing. Staff respond to missing from care episodes well deploying a managed and coordinated approach. Staff actively seek and attempt to maintain contact with a young person. A young person was missing from the home for several days and the manager did not notify HMCI of this serious event.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to self-regulate their behaviour and emotions. Behaviour support plans detail triggers for negative behaviours and actions staff can use to de-escalate these. Plans do not clearly detail the required physical interventions used in a crisis situation. Physical intervention is used to manage risk of harm to others and damage to property. Staff record incidents detailing what occurred before, strategies used to avoid the intervention and what intervention is used and for how long. Records do not provide sufficient and consistent detail about holds used and their duration. Leaders and managers have identified the need to improve the quality of recording. Staff are trained in the homes preferred method of behaviour management. One significant incident has not been fully recorded: staff had completed a body map but others records were lacking.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have received many more rewards than sanctions. These have included going out to restaurants, choosing a magazine and being treated to an activity. Sanctions have been given following negative behaviour or damage to property. These have been proportionate or linked to the cause. Staff do not currently explore a young person’s views or comments following a sanction being given. A young person moved bedrooms following damage to their bedroom. This was to allow staff to repair the damage. A sanction is recorded that states the young person needed to earn back the bedroom. Evidence details that the young person had nearly earned back the bedroom but they did not go back to the bedroom as it was given to a new admission. The sanction was unrealistic and unachievable for the young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have contacted police during incidents to assist in the management of negative behaviours. Managers have reviewed these incidents and they consider that it has been required and appropriate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have referred and reported allegations made in the home. One incident was not referred in a timely manner. There is an evidence trail of actions completed including the investigation and outcome. No complaints have been made since the previous inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home area is safe with staff completing regular checks of the environment. It was noted on the day of inspection that the outside area had not been checked for several days.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have greatly improved the systems used to ensure all recruited staff meet safer recruitment guidelines. Gaps in employment have not been fully explored. References have been sought and verified but records lack evidence to show on which date this occurred or what was explored during the verification process.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have learned lessons from admissions and discharges to the home. They have reviewed and altered the admission process since the last inspection. They have good relationships with placing authorities which ensure they have all of the required information and detail prior to accepting an admission. Plans are regularly reviewed with young people and others ensuring need continues to be met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have implemented many new systems, acting on requirements and recommendations previously set. Some areas continue to require further embedding into staff practice. The home has a new responsible person who is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has developed and improved the systems in place to evaluate and monitor the quality of care provided. She has identified that these are not fully embedded but aspires to achieve this. The home is beginning to establish a permanent staff team with plans in place to address a vacancy and review the structure of staffing in the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children with emotional behavioural difficulties and or learning disability. The home is privately owned.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/04/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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

The registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

assesses whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation12 (2)(a)(i)(iv) and (d)). 01/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

Within 24 hours of the use of the control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes

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Requirement Due date

A description of the measure and its duration; and

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Requirement Due date

Within 5 days of the use of the 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 (2)(a)(iv)(c)). 01/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are  satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as  recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the  impact that the placement will have on existing group of children ‘(The Guide to  the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards page 56  paragraph 11.4)’.  If the registered provider is an organisation, they must appoint an individual as  the Responsible Individual for the home. The Responsible Individual’s role is to  supervise the management of the home as set out in definition of a Responsible  Individual in regulation 2 ‘(The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations  including the quality standards page 60 paragraph 12.3)’.

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Recommendations

 Incidents that are likely to be considered serious affecting the welfare of a child  include: a child being the victim or perpetrator of a serious assault; a serious  illness or accident; a serious incident of self-harm, or serious concerns over a  child’s missing behaviour, particularly where the child is considered to be at grave  risk due to age or vulnerability or where they have been missing for a  considerable period of time and their whereabouts is unknown ‘ (The Guide to  the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards page 63  paragraph 14.11)’.

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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

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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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