Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Walsall

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:

 The registered manager ensures that this service delivers excellent and outstanding care to young people with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities. The staff team is highly knowledgeable, nurturing and skilled.  Staff form excellent relationships with young people. Young people thrive because of the trusting relationships that they have with staff.  Staff’s thorough understanding of young people’s needs means that care planning is personalised and supports young people to make exceptional progress that enhances their life chances.  Staff ensure that opportunities for young people to make choices, develop independence skills and experience new activities are utilised to the full.  Staff are exceptionally skilled and competent. They complete training that reflects young people’s individual needs, keeps them safe and promotes their development. Their practice and performance is reviewed effectively

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

and monitored to ensure that young people’s needs are met.  Partnership working arrangements between the home, education providers and health services are highly effective. These are tailored to respond to young people’s changing needs, promoting their welfare and well-being.  The registered manager is innovative in her approach, and explores various ways to learn from others and to develop practice further. This includes using research to inform practice.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people. The service is available to children and young people with a learning disability, a physical disability, sensory impairment or any combination of the three. The service is operated by a private organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/10/2015 Full Good 11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/11/2014 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people thrive at this home and make outstanding progress in all aspects of their development. This is because they receive bespoke care and support that are tailored to meet their individual needs. Staff have a breadth of knowledge, skills and experience that enable them to work effectively with young people. There is a ‘can do’ culture at the home. Young people grow in confidence and self-esteem, because they receive constant verbal praise and encouragement. As one parent commented, ‘He hasn’t stopped smiling since he moved here. He’s started to vocalise. He just looks so much happier and he is sleeping better. He’s got his sparkle back.’

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Outstanding

Staff have excellent relationships with young people. Staff are warm and nurturing in their approach. Staff care deeply about young people and are intuitive of their needs. Staff work effectively as a team, utilising the individual strengths of staff members to address the changing needs of young people. As one placing social worker commented, ’Staff go beyond expectations. When I visit, his key workers always come in to meet with me, even when they’re not on shift. Their commitment is incredible. They know him inside out.’ As a result, young people receive care from staff who care about them and understand their needs extremely well.

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Outstanding

Relationships between young people and staff are exceptionally strong. Staff are proficient in a range of verbal and non-verbal communication methods, such as picture exchange systems. They use their skills to gain young people’s views and opinions regarding their care and the running of the home. Staff take time to build their relationships with young people, getting to know and understand them. This means that they are able to interpret body language and facial expressions. This includes the staff being able to determine when young people are upset or distressed. As a result, young people are able to have a meaningful role in influencing their care arrangements. For example, one young person with very restricted communication has been able, with staff support, to develop a meaningful communication system using eye blinks to request changes to her feeding patterns.

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Outstanding

Staff are creative in planning for key-work sessions, using interactive materials in order to make them more interesting and accessible for young people. Staff use sessions highly effectively to support young people to make progress across a range of development areas, such as their health, education and understanding of risk. Staff receive training in trauma and attachment. They utilise this theoretical knowledge to develop sensory opportunities with young people. Staff recognise that some young people have missed nurturing experiences in their early childhood and actively promote sensory opportunities to enhance relationships with adults. This includes offering foot massages, using different textured materials in craftwork and sensory lighting. This means that young people receive highly personalised care, which supports them to make exceptional progress.

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Outstanding

Staff enthusiastically support young people to engage in a range of positive social and recreational activities. These include community fun days, seaside holidays, safari parks, craft, and musical activities in the home. As a result, staff support young people to develop rich, varied and imaginative experiences that not only enhance their physical well-being but also help to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Outstanding

Young people have extremely complex health needs. Staff harness the advice and services of a range of healthcare professionals, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists and community nurses. Joint training sessions are organised for staff and designated health professionals to equip staff to meet young people’s needs. This has resulted in improved health outcomes for young people. For example, developments in one young person’s physical management programme have resulted not only in improved dexterity but also a significant reduction over a six-month period in hospital admissions due to chest infections, from three to none.

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Outstanding

Many young people have exceptionally detailed and precise healthcare needs, and staff show skill and diligence in meeting these needs to a consistently high level. As one community nurse said: ‘I have absolutely no concerns about the care offered. Staff are caring and responsive. They always respond promptly to changing health needs. They know the young people exceptionally well.’ Staff work effectively with healthcare professionals to source appropriate aids and adaptations to improve young people’s life experiences, for example identifying a less-intrusive specialised mattress to monitor one young person’s epilepsy at night.

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Outstanding

Fundamental to young people making developmental progress is education. The registered manager and staff work in partnership with schools to help young people to progress. Staff regularly attend reviews at school, and transfer key learning and development targets to placement plans. Staff communicate well with schools, and provide advice and guidance if required. The use of daily home– school diaries enables staff to review progress and report changes on a daily basis. Staff regularly visit schools to ensure that physical and communication aids are consistently used in both settings. As one class teacher commented: ‘Staff are very knowledgeable and responsive.’

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Outstanding

Staff members understand and implement cohesive and comprehensive plans for young people. The registered manager makes sure that plans contain information from key support services and family members. She collates and analyses the information to provide the staff who are caring for young people with direction. Plans are consistently reviewed and adjusted to reflect the changing needs of young people. As a result, staff provide effective care guided by excellent plans, overseen by the registered manager.

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Outstanding

The registered manager and staff understand that key points of transition for young people can be difficult. Those young people moving in and, likewise, those leaving receive thoughtful and meticulous planning and support. Periods of transition are successful, because they take place slowly and carefully. Young people are well prepared through establishing relationships with those caring for them, engaging in activities that are important to them and staff making extensive efforts to understand young people. Plans are adjusted and proceed at the young person’s pace, so they do not hamper the young person’s progress.

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Outstanding

Young people’s physical and learning disabilities are not seen or treated as a barrier to independence. Instead, staff assess their skills and abilities and devise programmes that assist young people to be as independent as possible. As one case manager observed: ‘Staff respect that he is now a young adult. They are respectful and promote his independence in a warm and professional way.’ Family members are welcomed into the home and receive regular updates from staff. For young people who are living away from their home area, staff facilitate flexible contact arrangements, including for some young people daily telephone contact. For those who live locally, staff are happy to facilitate daily visits from family members. As one grandparent said: ‘Staff have made us so welcome. They are so friendly and happy to answer any of our questions. We can’t believe how lucky we are for him to move here.’ This promotes positive family relationships and

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Outstanding

helps to keep young people safe. Young people know how to make a complaint. Their children’s guide has recently been updated following feedback from young people. It is personalised to meet individual communication needs. Family members are confident that the registered manager appropriately addresses any concerns raised. The manager ensures that complaints are appropriately investigated and resolved within acceptable timescales.

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Good

Staff keep young people safe. Risk assessments are thorough and robust, taking into account all aspects of each young person’s physical, emotional and behavioural needs. The staff address a very complex range of needs including immobility, the administration of medication, and moving and handling with great skill and care. Daily handovers always include a record of each young person’s needs, which ensures that all staff on duty are fully appraised of every detail in a young person’s life, and what may affect their safety and well-being on that day. The registered manager makes sure that the whole staff team understands the importance of being vigilant in order to safeguard young people. The registered manager ensures that, when concerns are identified, these are responded to swiftly and thoroughly. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and are aware of the potential signs and triggers that can place young people at risk, for example of

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Good

child sexual exploitation. Staff are alert to such concerns, and take active steps to manage and reduce the risk. This means that staff are rigorous and effective in protecting vulnerable young people.

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Good

Risk assessments are robust and detailed. They reflect consultation with others, including young people when appropriate. Staff regularly review these documents to consider young people’s behaviours, changes to their circumstances and future aims and objectives. Staff ensure that good case recording helps to identify patterns and trends of risk-related behaviour quickly. This means that staff are able to implement preventative strategies and identify quickly any additional support required to help to keep a young person safe.

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Good

There are no incidents of young people going missing, or of any physical intervention. Young people are continually under staff supervision and do not go out alone. There is a high vigilance regarding their contact with adults in the community and with visitors to the home. Warm and positive relationships with staff, alongside a calm atmosphere, are the key to managing young people’s behaviour. Consequently, young people become increasingly safe as staff come to know them, and they become used to the home and feel secure and safe.

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Good

Medication administration systems are robust and effective. Managers and senior staff complete regular medication audits, and administration records are checked each day. Staff undertake mediation administration training and additional competency assessments, which are observed by registered nurses when young people require specialist interventions. These procedures significantly reduce the potential for medication errors to occur.

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Good

Young people live in a safe environment. Staff undertake regular health and safety checks that include the service of specialist equipment, such as hoists. Fire risk assessments reflect phased evacuation procedures, and young people participate in fire drills and practices. As a result, they are safe and secure in their home.

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Good

The registered manager promotes the safety of young people through safe recruitment of staff. Potential new staff members go through rigorous processes, including checking applicants’ work history, taking and verifying references, and completing identity and criminal records checks. New staff benefit from a thorough induction process that includes structured programmes, and mentoring and supervision by experienced colleagues. Because of these robust processes, well- vetted and inducted staff members care for young people in a safe manner. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

An experienced and suitably qualified registered manager leads the home. She places the well-being of young people at the heart of her practice. She has been registered with Ofsted since October 2013. She has extensive experience, skills and knowledge in the delivery of quality bespoke care services for young people with complex disabilities. An enthusiastic and committed deputy ably supports her.

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Outstanding

The manager understands the home’s strengths well, and is equally receptive to new ideas and different ways of working. She and her staff model excellent professional practice in all aspects of their work. Staff demonstrate a high level of courtesy and respect towards the young people in their care. As a result, this service is not only caring but also takes responsibility for improving young people’s lives as its top priority.

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Outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in all aspects of their personal growth and development. The registered manager takes account of new developments, treatments and practice. Routines and procedures in the home evolve to reflect young people’s achievements, alongside their vulnerabilities.

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Outstanding

Staff receive high-quality training that reflects young people’s individual needs. They undertake tailored courses that enable them to communicate effectively with young people, meet their healthcare needs and protect them from harm. The registered manager continually reviews staff performance during regular professional supervision. This is appraises both individual and group practice. Shortfalls are challenged effectively through robust performance management procedures. The manager has recently undertaken an audit of staff individual learning styles to enhance learning opportunities. This means that young people’s development is not compromised by poor practice. Staff say that they feel ‘appreciated and valued’ by the registered manager.

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Outstanding

There is a stable staff team. All staff either have achieved or are planned to complete within the statutory timescales a level 3 diploma in residential childcare. The registered manager actively promotes a culture in which staff recognise the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff embed this into their practice. Consequently, young people feel highly respected, valued and supported.

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Outstanding

The registered manager monitors the quality of care provided by the service effectively. She robustly evaluates practice in the home, identifying patterns and trends. Her quality of care reviews incorporate feedback from independent visitors, and consultation with young people, family members and other agencies to drive forward continual improvements to the quality of care provided. This rigorous review ensures young people’s individual progress and development. When shortfalls are noted or highlighted, the manager ensures that immediate action is taken to address these and to prevent further occurrence. This ensures that the home continues to improve to meet young people’s changing needs.

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Outstanding

Partnership working is exceptionally strong. The registered manager recognises the importance of maintaining strong relationships with partner agencies. There are regular meetings with other agencies regarding young people. The service develops joint training with other agencies to develop the skills and expertise of the staff. Collaboration with agencies helps young people to make progress in all aspects of their lives, and one social worker stated: ‘Communication is amazing. They keep me regularly updated through emails and texts, even at weekends. They send monthly reports that are very comprehensive. I couldn’t ask for more.’ Staff, parents and professionals all provide exceptionally positive feedback about the quality of management, aims of the service, skill of the staff and standard of communication.

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Outstanding

Staff utilise partnership relationships effectively to advocate and challenge on behalf of young people to ensure that they receive appropriate support to meet their needs. Staff are confident to challenge other professionals, including healthcare staff, when they perceive shortfalls in practice that could affect the well- being of young people.

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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’. 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

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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.

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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 0300 123 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, 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,

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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