Children's home SC418700

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 feel safe and are safeguarded well. Staff take appropriate action to minimise risks, act appropriately if safeguarding concerns arise and support young people well if any allegations are made or there are concerns.  Staff care for and support young people to settle quickly and make good progress. Young people understand the progress that they are making and engage well with the service’s therapeutic programme.  Staff use any opportunity to engage with young people about the issues affecting their lives. This helps young people to develop an understanding of how their past affects their behaviours and to make positive changes.  The registered manager has a clear vision for the home and well-thought- out plans, which are progressing well, on to how achieve this goal.  Senior managers have a comprehensive governance system, which identifies and makes effective improvements to this service.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 There is an extensive training programme, which is being enhanced further to provide staff with a foundation in practical skills in therapeutic engagement with young people.  Notifications regarding serious incidents are not always made to Ofsted as required. However, these notifications are consistently made to other relevant agencies, such as social workers and the police.  Education arrangements do not ensure that young people are engaged in 25 hours’ education per week. The provider is taking steps to improve the number of hours of education that each young person receives.

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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, 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

40: The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— (a) a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious; (c) there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; (d) a child protection enquiry involving a child— (i) is instigated; or (ii) concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. In particular, the registered person must ensure that any serious incidents are notified to HMCI appropriately. (Regulation 40(4) of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015) 28/02/17

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that their plans to provide a school, so that young people can resume full-time education, are completed as soon as possible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered for five young people. It currently only accommodates up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company that also provides therapeutic services and educational support.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people like living at the home and quickly make good progress from their starting points. Staff care for them well. They recognise, celebrate and reward young people’s achievements, which assists young people to become more self- aware and to increase their self-esteem. Staff carefully plan and work with young people on how they move into the home. Each young person initially agrees to stay for one month. This allows time for the young person to consider whether the structured programme of support is right for them and for the managers to consider whether the young person is able to engage with the programme. Most young people stay on at the home to complete the programme. One young person who recently completed his first month said that the assessment period helped him to decide that this was the right home for him. He has settled quickly, is engaged with the therapeutic programme and is progressing well.

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Good

Young people are involved in the decisions about their targets from the time when they arrive. They have a clear understanding of what is expected of them, what they have accomplished, and what they find challenging. Staff know what issues young people struggle with, what they do well and what they have managed to change. They develop strong relationships. Young people appreciate these relationships and value the care and support of staff. One young person said, ‘Even when I am not behaving, I know they care and are trying to help me.’ The therapy programme is an integral part of the package of care provided. It includes one-to-one sessions for young people with a partner agency, to work through a programme of support. Young people engage with the programme to differing degrees but are positive about how it helps them. One social worker was particularly positive about the changes that the programme has supported the

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Good

young person to make and stated, ‘[Child’s name] respects and responds to their counselling and advice.’ Healthy lifestyles and healthy eating are promoted and supported successfully. Young people are enrolled at the local leisure centre, and the meals provided are home cooked and offer a balanced diet. Young people are also encouraged to be involved in regular sporting activities that they enjoy as part of their weekly routines. Young people’s interests and hobbies are encouraged and supported. Appropriate activities and pastimes, which fit young people’s interests, are found and supported. One young person who has a passion for sport spoke very positively about his weekly football club. In addition, the change to the layout of the premises has enabled a games room and a small room for individual therapy and meetings to be added. Young people have a voice in how the home is run. Regular young people meetings

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Good

are chaired by them and they are involved in deciding decor, trips and food shopping. Staff’s support for contact with families who live some distance away is well organised and appreciated by families and social workers. The environment is safe, comfortable and homely. The small kitchen is in need of refurbishment, and this is planned for the spring of 2017. Young people receive education away from the home each morning from a private tutoring service contracted by the provider. In the afternoon, staff provide educational activities. For some young people, this arrangement has increased their attendance and engagement with education, and young people were generally positive about the education that they receive. However, this does not equate to 25 hours’ education per week as required. Senior managers confirmed that the current arrangements are not ideal and are temporary. The provider is, as a matter of priority, sourcing a permanent school

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Good

building where young people can be educated, and the current arrangements are overseen by their head of education. The provider has also employed its own qualified teacher who will take up his post in early 2017. He will run the afternoon education sessions and be part of the provider’s school when this is opened.

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Good

Staff carefully develop and monitor their understanding of the particular risks for each young person. They identify how any changes, such as a young person moving in, may affect other young people and plan to minimise or eliminate any risks identified. This knowledge allows staff to promote good behaviour and reduce the potential for young people’s negative behaviours to escalate. They spend time with young people, show an interest in who they are and how the young person likes to do things. This helps staff to build trusting relationships with young people. It also enables staff to consider how potential changes may affect young people’s behaviours and to decide how to defuse or prevent potentially challenging situations. Staff provide strong role models of the behaviour that they expect of young people and address group dynamics to assist them to behave well. Staff’s consistent messages and support have resulted in young people being able

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Good

to keep themselves safer. The number of times when young people go missing has reduced. One social worker said that, since being here, the young person’s involvement with the police has significantly decreased and he has not gone missing, although previously this had been a frequent concern. Incidents are seen as opportunities for young people to learn. Staff talk to young people about what has occurred, discussing with them why it happened and what they understand about it. This helps young people to develop greater insight into their behaviours and to have more control over risky or negative behaviours. Young people talked about how they appreciate what staff do to help them to change and said that their support has made a real difference. Appropriate records of safeguarding concerns and risk assessments are well maintained. Partner agencies are confident about how the manager and staff work with them to deal with any safeguarding concerns.

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Good

Notifications to relevant agencies, such as the police, social workers, family members and health professionals, are made appropriately. Notifications of serious concerns, such as self-harm, are not always submitted to Ofsted. These omissions have had no impact on the welfare of the young people concerned. A well-written sanctions policy supports staff to make good decisions about when a sanction should be used and what this should be. Young people reported that sanctions are generally fair. One young person said that he was able to talk to the manager when he had not considered that the sanction was fair, and it had been changed. No complaints were made in the last year, but staff and managers are open to concerns being raised. For example, when a member of the public raised a concern, he was provided with the complaints procedure. Staff and managers also followed this up by visiting the person to ensure that they did not wish to take any

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Good

further action. This supports an open and transparent culture, which instils confidence that any concerns raised will be managed appropriately. Well-organised and thoughtful recruitment and vetting procedures result in only suitable staff working with young people. The provider has recently added an additional screening process for applicants. A senior member of staff undertakes a telephone interview with each potential applicant, to assess how well they understand the rigours of the role that they are applying for. This provides additional safeguards to the process and supports applicants’ understanding of what a residential worker does, so that they can more easily decide whether the role is right for them. The provider has an effective safeguarding board, which oversees the safeguarding arrangements throughout the organisation. A recent report from the board has reviewed restraint practice and is recommending that a deeper investigation into

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Good

practice reviews the reasons for its use and plans how best to decrease its use if necessary.

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Good

An appropriately qualified registered manager skilfully leads and manages the home. He has been in post since the summer of 2016 and has made significant positive changes to the environment and working practices. His insightful decisions have enabled staff to work through a difficult period during the summer while a new staff team, including a new senior management team, formed effectively. His strong leadership has enabled him to make the changes that he considered necessary yet retain a focus on young people. Although these changes resulted in a short period of more frequent challenge from young people, they are now settling. Young people confirmed that they like and feel able to talk to the manager. Young people’s well-being and progress are central to the management team, which has developed a comprehensive and extensive governance system. This effectively underpins and supports the home’s management team to understand

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Good

and improve its practice and support for young people. The senior management team has a clear commitment to learning from appropriate research and appreciates the importance of regular positive communication. The management team issues a monthly newsletter to all young people and staff, which celebrates young people’s and staff’s achievements. The statement of purpose balances well the detail of this home and the overarching policies and procedures of the organisation as a whole. It accurately reflects the nature of the care and support that staff provide. Managers use the well-written monthly reports from the independent visitor to focus on what makes a difference to children. The manager’s six-monthly reports on the quality of the service are submitted to Ofsted on time and include a satisfactory, evidence-based assessment of the care and support on offer. Care plans and records of young people’s needs and achievements are well

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Good

documented on the provider’s online recording system. The programme is being improved further, to allow staff to detail how young people’s behaviours change over time, so that staff can better understand how their care makes a difference. On the days of inspection, high numbers of staff (three staff to four young people) enabled young people to attend meetings and enjoy their school holiday break. However, records show that in the summer 2016 a number of staff, including the previous registered manager, left and from that point permanent staff have worked long hours each month. For example, sometimes the number of daytime hours that staff worked reached 200 in a month. They also accrued additional sleeping-in hours. While additional staff from other homes that the provider operates supported the staff complement to be made up of people who know the company’s processes and procedures, this does not support a suitable level of continuity of

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Good

care for young people. The management team recognises that this is not an appropriate long-term solution and has taken steps to improve this position. The team appointed new staff members, some of whom have moved from the provider’s other services. A cleaner has also been appointed, so that staff have more time to complete their administrative duties. Managers, therefore, expect the number of additional hours worked to reduce in the next month. Training is given a high priority and promoted by managers who provide an extensive training programme for all staff. This is being supplemented in the new year by additional training for all staff in practical skills for working therapeutically with young people. Staff are well qualified for the positions that they hold in the organisation. Five out of seven staff hold the level three diploma for residential childcare, and the other two members of staff are enrolled on the course. The therapists also hold

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Good

appropriate qualifications and are registered with relevant professional bodies. Appraisal and supervision sessions occur regularly and are valued by staff as helpful markers for their personal development and career progression. This supports an effective culture, which challenges and supports staff. Staff support includes group and individual therapy sessions, to support their understanding of themselves and of ways in which their reactions may affect young people. The management team builds and maintains effective relationships with relevant professionals. It supports professionals’ understanding of the therapeutic programme by offering training. Professionals consider that their relationships with staff are positive. A social worker said that there is good communication between them and they are extremely supportive. Another reported that staff always respond to any request that they make quickly and efficiently.

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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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