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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness . Young people and their families benefit from excellent services provided by a committed and dedicated staff team. The young people enjoy their short breaks, make friends and achieve personal goals. Managers in the home, and senior managers in the local authority that operates the service, recognise the crucial role that short breaks provision has in supporting families. Additional funding has been provided to recruit three new family support workers. These workers will work with young people and their families at home, providing additional support. The additional family support workers will enhance existing services such as a family support group. They will allow the service to respond more flexibly and to better support young people and their families when they are in most need.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions arrangements are strong. The staff provide good, effective and nurturing care to young people moving from children’s to adult care services. The staff understand the emotional impact on young people and their families when the time arrives for young people to access adult care. Staff plan transitions in detail, visit adult care services with families and ensure that key information is transferred. The staff prepare young people, both practically and emotionally, for the change. The home environment is warm, inviting and maintained to a good standard. It is not institutional. When young people attend for their breaks, their possessions, such as games and toys, are available for them. This provides young people with comfort and reassurance. The staff are highly motivated and have an exceptionally good understanding of the needs of young people who have complex disabilities. The staff team provides

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people with consistent structure and routine. As a result, young people feel settled and have a sense of security. This results in young people behaving consistently well and means that staff rarely need to use corrective behaviour management approaches. Young people are protected from harm by good safeguarding practice. Staff members have completed safeguarding training. They also receive training in more specialised areas to ensure that they are able to provide sensitive and safe care. All young people have individual risk assessments. These assessments receive regular review and contain detailed information about young people’s vulnerabilities, risks and needs. Consequently, young people receive good and safe care from a well- informed and knowledgeable staff team. Young people’s views and opinions are taken seriously by managers and staff. The staff proactively seek the views of young people. These views are acted on by

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

managers and form an important part of development planning. Young people are confident to make complaints if they feel aggrieved. For example, one young person complained about staff and visitors parking in disabled parking bays. The registered manager rectified the issue immediately. The registered manager acted quickly in response to the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection:  The staff are now either qualified or undertaking the required qualification for working in residential childcare.  Visitors to the building now all sign in and out in accordance with the home’s policy.  The registered manager has ensured that the recording of physical intervention has improved by strengthening procedures and providing additional training to staff. The system for ensuring that young people’s medication is stored and dispensed safely is not robust. This has contributed to an incident in which a small amount of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

prescribed medication has gone missing. The registered manager has taken rigorous action to determine what went wrong in this instance and has implemented new systems to prevent further mistakes.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for up to six young people at any time, aged between 10 and 17, who may be of either gender and who may have moderate to severe learning disabilities/physical disabilities and who may have additional sensory impairments and/or disabilities. A local authority owns and manages the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

26/03/2015 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) meet(s) the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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 within the given timescales.

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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. (Regulation 23(1)) 24/02/2017

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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 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 that 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 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 whom 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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