Children's home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people are making measurable progress in their development and acquiring new skills and experiences because of the quality of care that they receive from staff in the home.  Young people receive good-quality individualised care in a stable and nurturing home environment.  A key strength of the home is good communication between staff, parents and professionals. This ensures consistency for young people across all areas of their lives.  Staff are skilled at obtaining young people’s views and supporting them to make choices in their lives using their chosen communication system. This means that young people are supported to participate in decisions about their lives.  The registered manager and staff team are committed and child focused and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. This is underpinned by regular mandatory training and training specific to the young people’s needs.  Young people are kept safe by high staffing levels and robust risk

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The children’s home provision is good because:

assessments, which are consistently followed by the staff team.  A small number of shortfalls were found at this inspection. These relate to a staff member not completing the level 3 qualification and the registered manager not ensuring that agency staff have the skills, experience and qualifications to meet the needs of the young people.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

32: Fitness of workers The registered person must ensure that: (4) For the purpose of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has attained (a) the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 Diploma’); or (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma. (5)(a) In the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, the relevant date is 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(5)) 25/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must: (c) ensure that the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with specific reference to the use of agency workers in the home. 25/01/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that they seek to involve the placing authority in young people’s plans by ensuring risk assessments are shared and signed by social workers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 2.5, page 11)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a voluntary organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have learning disabilities and autism.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Information about this children’s home

14/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Information about this children’s home

23/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people benefit from good and well-planned care, which is tailored to their individual needs. Staff are experienced in meeting young people’s complex needs and work effectively together to ensure that young people receive a consistent approach, which ensures stability and predictably for young people. One parent said that the home has been, ‘fantastic for X. They cater [for] her needs and are experienced in handling in her complex needs.’ Positive nurturing relationships were observed between staff and young people during the inspection, and these relationships are used effectively to support young people to learn to manage behaviours and make progress in their development. Young people make significant progress in their development in areas such as communication and behaviour, due to the quality of the care provided by staff. One parent reported that she could ‘see a difference in X’s development’ in areas such

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Good

an improved eye contact, developing independence skills and self-feeding. Staff ensure that young people’s health needs are met. Each young person has an individual health passport, which details his or her individual health needs. Staff work well with health professionals by attending meetings, following specialist advice and working with the specialist nurse on specific areas of need, such as diet or sleep patterns. There is a robust medication procedure in place, which is regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure that young people’s medication is correctly administered. Young people acquire new skills and experiences because of living in the home. Staff are proactive in encouraging young people to take part in activities and in identifying activities in the local community. For example, young people go swimming regularly and attend Stockport Wheelers and the local cinema. One young person has completed his Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. This

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Good

demonstrates that young people experience a wide range of activities, which promotes their self- confidence and development. One parent commented that it has been, ‘good for X to have access to activities and one-to-one supervision. This is paying off and I can see it in X.’ Staff proactively ensure that young people actively participate in day-to-day decisions about their lives, using their individual communication methods. There are some excellent examples of practice of staff using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) effectively with young people, to ensure that they are given choices in all aspects of their care, from food choices to activities that they want to do. This ensures that young people are listened to and their views are central to the running of the home. Staff support young people to develop independence skills in line with their abilities, such as helping to prepare their own breakfast and putting their washing

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Good

in the basket. Transitions are well thought out and managed to ensure minimal disruption for young people. For example, for two young people who came from another home in the organisation, their key worker transferred with them to ensure consistency and continuity of care. Staff prepare young people well for changes or transitions, using social stories to ensure that young people understand what is happening in their lives. A strength of the home is excellent communication between staff, parents and professionals. Staff email parents with an update every night when a young person stays in the home and ensure that any relevant information is passed on and shared: for example if there has been a behavioural incident. Staff attend regular meetings with parents and school to ensure that young people receive a consistent approach across all areas of their lives.

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Good

A high staffing ratio ensures that young people are kept safe in and outside the home. Staff give young people’s safety a high priority and identify and understand young people’s individual risks, such as self-harm. Individual risks and vulnerabilities are detailed in thorough risk assessments, which are kept up to date and used to inform staff practice. All staff are consistent and diligent in following risk-management strategies, which ensures that young people are kept safe. There have been no missing episodes since the last inspection. However, staff are clear about what actions to take should a young person go missing, and these actions are clearly set out in each young person’s risk assessment. This ensures that staff know what actions to take to keep young people safe if they go missing. Staff are experienced in working with young people who have autism, and they use their skills, experience and positive relationships with young people to effectively

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Good

prevent or de-escalate situations. Staff seek to understand the cause of any behavioural incidents to support young people in the future, and they work proactively with other professionals to understand and address potential causes of difficult behaviour. The specialist nurse reported that ‘it was identified through assessments that X was not communicating effectively. She was becoming frustrated, leading to challenging behaviours. Staff at Pendlebury attended training provided by Heaton School, regarding developing a PECS communication system.’ Staff know the young people well and are able to identify potential triggers to behaviour and use de-escalation effectively. As a result, there are very few restraints, and there has been a reduction in restraint over time. When restraint does take place, it is carried out in line with the legislative framework, and any restraints that have been carried out are reviewed, recorded and monitored. Young

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Good

people are observed afterwards, and information is shared with the social worker and parents.

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Good

The registered manager has been in post since 2009. She is suitably qualified to undertake this role, having obtained her level 5 diploma, and she has a wealth of experience and knowledge in respect of working with young people who have autism. The manager is very child focused and has a detailed understanding of the needs of the young people in the home and the progress that they have made. Staff enjoy working in the home and said that they feel well supported by the manager and deputy manager. One staff member commented, ‘I like working here. The manager is helpful. I like other staff members and we work well as team.’ Staff receive regular supervision, which supports them in their roles. There is a core group of experienced staff members who have worked in the home for a substantial period. These staff members are all up to date with mandatory training and have had additional training specific to the roles and the young people

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Good

in the home. This includes staff attending a sensory needs workshop, autism and epilepsy training and training in intensive interaction. This ensures staff’s continual professional development and equips them with the knowledge and skills to meet the complex needs of the young people in home. There has been a delay in some staff members completing the national vocational qualification (NVQ) as required. At the time of the inspection, there was one staff member who had not yet completed this. The manager has ensured that there is a risk assessment and a plan in place to address this, which includes a clear timescale for this to be completed. The manager uses agency staff to cover shifts in the home. The information held by the home on agency staff used is not sufficient for the manager to assess whether agency workers have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the complex needs of the young people whom they are caring for, which could leave

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Good

young people at risk. The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager makes good use of quality assurance processes to ensure the continual development of the home. She is forward thinking in terms of developing the home in the future, to improve outcomes for children, for example looking at ways to obtain more specialist input in areas such as sexualised behaviour. The manager plans in advance and makes decisions about admissions and transitions that ensure that young people’s needs are prioritised and remain central to the process. The manager actively challenges the local authority when necessary, to ensure that young people’s needs are met, and has done so in respect of the transition planning for one young person who has recently turned 18 years old. This has resulted in a placement being identified and a clear transition plan being put in place. The independent reviewing officer (IRO) reported, ‘They

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Good

have been brilliant; I have a lot of respect for them. They are proactive in making sure X’s transition plan progresses. They advocated on behalf of X and worked well with me and social worker.’

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 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 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 whom 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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