Children's Home run by Halton Borough Council in Halton

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last 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

Children continue to make progress in their independence, communication, emotional regulation and behaviour. Some, whose families report have poor sleep patterns, show improved quality of sleep within the home. However, records are not always sufficiently detailed or evaluative in demonstrating children‟s progress consistently against their goals and aims. There has been some improvement in records, which now break down developmental and communication goals into smaller steps. However, there are missed opportunities to identify some goals from children‟s starting points, to demonstrate the achievements that they make as a benefit of using the service. This has been identified as an area to further improve and leaders are undertaking a review to ensure that the home can effectively and consistently demonstrate the progress children make as a result of their short breaks.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Where moves are planned, such as when a young person is reaching adulthood, the home works effectively with partner agencies and families to support the smooth transition to adult services. Staff contribute their knowledge and understanding of the young person and their needs during a thorough planning process. They accompany them on visits to their new home and when they move in, to help them to adjust and settle in their new environment. Other providers are also invited to the home so that they can get to know young people within a familiar environment prior to their move. The home celebrates the time that a young person has spent with them, for example, one has recently enjoyed a leaving party with magic, one of his favourite activities and a photograph album was created as a reminder of the event. Families appreciate the home‟s support at an often emotional time, particularly when a young person has used the short

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

break service for a number of years. The support offered by the home facilitates a positive experience at a time of significant change in a young person‟s life.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some placements have ended as a result of breakdowns elsewhere in foster care placements or when young people from other local authorities have reached adulthood and plans have not been progressed. In these instances, social workers have not involved the home in planning the support of their transitions. One young person‟s service was ended as a result of the impact of his behaviour on other children; the home recognised they were no longer able to meet his needs to effectively safeguard him and others.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New admissions to the service are well-planned and are arranged at the child‟s pace. Where the home feels unable to meet the needs of a child or young person, they advise parents and professionals appropriately. The home attends meetings with parents and professionals to ensure they have a full understanding of the child‟s individual needs prior to undertaking transition visits and the appointed key worker undertakes comprehensive assessments. By the time of a child‟s first overnight stay, staff are able to provide a good standard of care as a result of effective knowledge of their needs which they can meet consistently as a team. Leaders have identified that there has been some drift in transitions, partly from external factors, and therefore the assistant manager and an experienced member of staff now take responsibility for all new admissions. They attend initial meetings where they clearly identify a plan of transition and expectations to ensure that

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children are able to access the service at an appropriate pace. This has had a positive impact with timescales from receipt of referral to the child‟s first overnight visit being considerably reduced, yet still at the child‟s pace.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to the vulnerability of children and young people who attend the home for short breaks, there are high levels of supervision which helps to protect them. Comprehensive risk assessments and behaviour management plans are in place and well implemented in practice, meaning that staff are able to manage behavioural needs and mitigate any risk of harm. The team are attuned to children‟s needs and are able to use distraction techniques which means that incidents are prevented and physical intervention is not required to manage behaviour. Children very rarely go missing from the home. Children who are more mobile each have a specific missing child risk assessment and staff are aware of the procedures to follow should this occur. The home now has a “missing child policy” in place and staff have clearer guidance on the procedures to be followed when a child is missing from the home. This policy is linked with the Pan Cheshire

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Protocol which provides further guidance. As it is a rare occurrence, staff consider scenarios in team meetings on a quarterly basis to ensure the procedures if a child goes missing are well-embedded. Staff have also recently undertaken training to update their knowledge on the particular safeguarding needs for children with disabilities and complex needs to support their practice. They record every injury and report them to social workers, however slight. Therefore practice within the home effectively safeguards children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leadership and management continues to be effective. There is a stable, experienced and committed staff team who provide a high standard of care to children and young people who use the service. Staff know the children well, and demonstrate their warmth and affection towards them both when speaking of them and in their interactions with them. Children were encouraged in play by the staff and children were relaxed and confident in interaction with the inspector, encouraging hand clapping and positive touch such as holding her hand. There is regular, structured supervision provided for staff, as well as annual appraisals to ensure that their standard of practice remains high and any training or support required is identified. The home‟s employee development review identifies future training, such as „social stories‟, to support practice within the home. There is good communication at all levels within the staff team and managers and leaders clearly

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

listen to input from the team. Following a recommendation from the last inspection, staff have undertaken additional child development training with specific reference to autism and learning disabilities. The manager has responded to the feedback from staff that this was not delivered at an appropriately advanced level to benefit practice and further training is planned. High quality training to enhance the team‟s knowledge and skills to support learning, development and communication is essential to promote the best outcomes for children and young people and therefore this recommendation is repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has sought specialist advice from medical professionals with regard to covert medication practice to develop clarity between this and medication which is administered via a substance such as drink as a „preferred choice‟. Two young people currently receive medication covertly, which is clearly recorded in health records. The manager has therefore addressed the remaining two recommendations from the last inspection. However, a review of medication administration records identified that a child had received two sachets of medication, while the entry for required dosage stated this should be one. It was explained to the inspector that the dosage alternates between one and two sachets each day, and therefore the recording error had been created as a result of pre- populated record sheets. While this did not directly impact on the welfare of the child on this occasion, accurate recording of medication is essential to ensure

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children and young people are administered appropriate dosages and therefore a requirement is made in this regard.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three of four requirements have been suitably addressed since the last inspection. Staff are clear with regard to their roles and responsibilities and the procedures to be followed if a child goes missing as well as how to support them when they return. Also, the home now has a “missing child policy” in place. This includes only the „missing‟ definition used by police in risk assessment due to the vulnerability of children and young people who use the service. However, staff need to be fully aware of the range of definitions so that they can be clear with the police about the category that should be used, in the event that a child or young person leaves the home without permission. While the policy links with the Pan-Cheshire Protocol, which outlines the responsibilities of all agencies, the policy does not state that the placing authority has responsibility to ensure that an independent return interview

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

is conducted with a child who goes missing. Clarity within the policy would ensure that staff can advise parents that this is something that should happen if a child has returned to the family home before this has taken place, following any missing episode. A recommendation is therefore made in this respect.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Very recently, an alternative independent person has been appointed to complete external monitoring visits. Although training had been delivered to corporate visitors who conducted previous visits, managers recognised that sufficient progress was not being made to provide the quality of assessment required. The latest report is more rigorous and impartial in assessing the home‟s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home. This will provide the home an improved quality of evaluation and effectiveness in identifying strengths and areas for improvement and therefore the requirement is met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Regular internal monitoring continues to support the manager‟s oversight of the home in the care provided to children and young people. The most recent report sent to Ofsted focusses considerably on the response to the previous inspection and does not provide a sufficiently detailed evaluation of progress made by children as a result of the quality of care provided. This requirement is therefore repeated at this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  The home is registered to provide short breaks for up to four children who may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairment. It is managed by a local authority and provides a service to children from other local authorities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 01/06/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/01/2016 Full Good 04/03/2015 Interim Sustained 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

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. In particular, this should provide analysis in respect of the quality of care provided and progress made. (Regulation 45 (3) ) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home. In particular that records accurately reflect the dosage of any medication administered to a child. (Regulation 23 (1) ) 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):  The home‟s staff should recognise and celebrate the achievements of children using the service, with particular reference to tracking progress from individual starting points. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 31, paragraph 6.7)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how the staff should support the child on return to the home. This relates to clarity within the 'missing child policy' and procedures such that staff have a clear understanding of the different definitions of 'missing' or 'absent' when reporting to the police to reflect the vulnerability of children using the service and of the responsibility of the placing authority in providing an

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Recommendations

independent return interview. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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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

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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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