Children's Home run by Essandore Limited in St Helens

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:

 Staff are well trained and have skills in effective communication with the young people, many of whom have complex communication needs. This allows young people to make choices about their daily living arrangements, have a voice in the running of the home and raise any concerns or complaints, if necessary.  The home supports the young people to engage in social and recreational activities, both within and outside the home. For many of the young people, engaging in outside activities is a new experience, and enhances their life experiences and quality of life.  Full programmes of educational provision are in place for each young person, supported by personal education planning that is subject to regular review.  Staff help young people to improve their behaviour by using positive strategies such as praise and rewards. This has a positive impact on their lives, as it helps them to build and maintain relationships. It also means that

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The children’s home provision is good because:

they are able to engage and achieve in education.  The service aims to provide a ‘home from home’ experience in which young people are cared for by a team of staff who understand their complex behaviours and vulnerabilities. Staff benefit from thorough safeguarding training and demonstrate excellent insight into the particular vulnerabilities of young people with disabilities.  Careful and considered preparation and planning is undertaken when moving a new young person into the home.

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (1)(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the training matrix includes the training needs of managers. 30/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that:

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Requirement Due date

(3) (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d)) 30/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which: (a) include the information and documents listed in schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date; and 30/01/2017 (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that documents such as risk assessments pertain to young people’s current needs.

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that the home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children, and are, homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, the provider should consider the necessity for the televisions used by young people to be contained in a wooden cabinet with a Perspex front.

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers accommodation for up to five young people who have learning disabilities and who may also have physical disabilities. The home is owned by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/09/2015 Full Good 03/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 31/07/2014 Full Good

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Good

Young people benefit from having trusted and secure relationships with the staff who care for them. They also benefit from the good relationships that their parents have with staff and the effective communication between them. Parents feel confident about the care and support that their children receive. A parent said: ‘It’s a two-way thing. If they don’t know something, they ask me, and vice versa. It really works.’

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Good

Although many of the young people have complex communication needs, the home has trained staff in communication methods such as Makaton and the picture exchange communication system (PECS). This means that staff are able to respond in the individual young person’s preferred form, so that young people are able to express their wishes and feelings and to raise worries or complaints. It also allows them to make choices about such matters as the clothing that they wish to wear, the food that they wish to eat and the activities that they wish to take part in. The inspector observed positive relationships between care workers and young people while choices were being made by them. Young people enjoy a range of activities, both in the home and outside it. This has enabled several of the young people to engage in things that they had previously not experienced. One parent commented: ‘My wife had three days’ holiday with my son, supported by staff from

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Good

the home. The staff were fantastic and this was such a good opportunity for both of them.’

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Good

There is good education provision in place for all young people. There are personal education plans in place and these are reviewed appropriately. Key workers attend and contribute to these review meetings so that they are aware of any changes. Communication between the home and the school is very good, and information regarding young people’s anxieties, behaviours and general moods is shared to ensure continuity of care in both settings.

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Good

One parent described the staff as ‘wonderful and dedicated’. These qualities, combined with good training and strong leadership, mean that young people enjoy nurturing, child-centred and enjoyable experiences which contribute to the quality of their lives. Young people are treated with dignity and respect. Personal care needs are met sensitively. Their individuality and personal achievements are celebrated and, in turn, they grow in confidence and build emotional resilience.

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Good

The majority of the young people benefit from progress in their social and behavioural relationships. Staff are trained in appropriate methods of behaviour management, and the reward systems that the home has developed have led to improvements in young people’s social development. Parents commented: ‘He is calm now, very calm. Before he came to live here he was anxious’, and ‘He didn’t have any routines, but now the staff have him in a routine at bedtime and he has benefited from this in terms of better schoolwork.’

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Good

Transition plans have been put in place to support young people moving on from the home. These include staff helping young people and their parents to identify appropriate accommodation that will meet the individual needs of each young person. A parent commented: ‘They [staff] have been tremendous in helping us to identify the most suitable place for our son. I just wish he could stay here, where he is very happy, but I know that this isn’t possible.’

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Good

Good social, recreational and education opportunities are provided both in and outside of the home. Young people go to the cinema and enjoy horse riding. They also have opportunities to go shopping and eat out. Very good attention is also given to allowing time for young people to relax and have a quiet time, to play in the garden and to maintain personal hobbies. Staff are very creative and enjoy helping young people to make themed displays. At the time of the inspection, staff and the young people were rehearsing an interactive pantomime which they were planning to present to parents and social workers.

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Good

Good arrangements are in place to support young people with contact with families and friends, and the home has developed a weekly report which supports communication between the home and parents. This means that parents are kept informed about the young person’s progress and any items of importance.

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Good

Currently, the televisions used by young people are contained in a wooden cabinet with a Perspex front. There is insufficient rationale about the need for these cabinets. Their appearance detracts from a welcoming environment, as they are not typically found in a family-style home.

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Good

Although many of the young people living in the home have limited verbal skills and complex communication needs, the staff work hard to ensure that young people are made aware of how they can raise concerns or obtain help, if needed. This is achieved by trained staff using effective communication methods, such as Makaton and PECS. There are regular key-working sessions in which young people are able to share any concerns that they might have about their care. Key workers demonstrate a good awareness of individual young people’s needs, and this provides young people with a good avenue of support. Young people’s needs and areas of risk are clearly spelt out in a placement plan and in risk assessments, which are regularly reviewed and updated. Placement planning includes an assessment of the building, and the inspector observed an adaptation which had been fitted to the home to ensure that a young person was kept safe. This entailed fitting an additional security measure between

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Good

the doors in the vestibule, which closes automatically, thus preventing a young person from leaving the building unaccompanied. All of these measures help to ensure that young people are kept safe.

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Good

The staff team is stable and provides a consistent experience of care for young people. All staff understand the vulnerabilities of each young person and there are clear strategies in place to manage and reduce risks. However, risk assessment records do not always contain sufficient information to ensure that all risks are taken into account. Some records are contradictory to the individual placement plans, and young people’s files contain risk assessments from previous placements as well as the home’s own assessments. This does not have an impact on the well- being or safety of young people because, in practice, staff know them well and provide excellent support and supervision.

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Good

Young people are allowed to take risks that are appropriate to their age and their capacity to understand dangers. Staff help them to learn the skills that they need to keep safe in the community. For example, one young person was supported to use public transport and another young person routinely visits the local shop to buy pies for the other young people’s and staff’s evening meal. This encourages young people to take small steps in order to demonstrate that they can stay safe. This promotes independence and helps to avoid interventions that are overly restrictive.

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Good

Some young people have complex behaviour management needs, and all staff receive training in the use of restraint. This helps to ensure that young people are kept safe from inappropriate methods of restraint. The ethos of the home is of positive rewards for good behaviour, using a creative system which the home has developed. The home does not use sanctions, as this would have little effect due to the cognitive level of understanding of the young people.

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Good

Staff are proactive in their safeguarding responsibilities. For example, they record and report all concerns, such as any injuries or bruising that a child may have. Good recording systems are in place, for example body maps which are signed off by senior leaders to provide an extra layer of oversight. The manager and staff are fully aware of the procedure to follow, should they have any concerns about the safety of a child or young person in their care.

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Good

A clearly written safeguarding policy is in place and staff receive training in safeguarding which is regularly updated. The home has systems in place to inform the Local Safeguarding Children Board and the local authority designated officer of any concerns arising, and effective action is taken. These measures help to ensure that unsuitable people do not have the opportunity to harm young people or to place them at risk. The home provides a safe and secure physical environment. The perimeter is made secure by gates and fencing which are unobtrusive, yet ensure that young people are not at risk from traffic. Risk assessments, including a fire risk assessment and location risk assessment, are in place. Fire safety procedures are carried out with regular tests of alarms and practice drills, and each young person has a personal evacuation plan.

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Good

Recruitment practices require some minor improvements, for example ensuring that all staff submit on their application for employment a record of the exact months and years of their employment history.

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Good

The experienced registered manager is a strong and caring leader who is suitably qualified and experienced. He is well supported by a deputy manager who uses her experience and knowledge to encourage a very dedicated staff team.

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Good

The registered manager is an excellent role model for the service. He has a strong ethical value base that promotes the rights and welfare of young people. He is a highly skilled practitioner with excellent knowledge of evidence-based interventions. He is able to use this knowledge to advocate effectively within the professional network to ensure that the experiences of young people remain at the heart of care planning.

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Good

Staff report that they feel well managed, supervised and supported by regular monthly supervision and team meetings. There is a comprehensive induction programme in place for new staff and good access to ongoing training in the core areas of the work. Staff members commented: ‘I feel it is a great team of staff and great managers’ and ’This is a really good team. Staff gel together.’

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Good

There is a training matrix in place which clearly shows individual staff members’ ongoing training and gives an overview of any training needs. However, this matrix does not include the registered manager or the deputy manager. This means that there is no ongoing record to monitor or identify the training needs of managers within the home.

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Good

An independent visitor conducts monthly visits and writes a report which makes recommendations for service development and improvement. In consultation with all key stakeholders, there are reviews of the quality of care at a frequency determined by regulation. These also make recommendations for service development and improvement. There is evidence that these recommendations have been acted on, and this means that the home is proactive in improving and developing the service. Copies of these reports are sent to the regulatory body in a timely way.

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Good

The statement of purpose is comprehensive, and clearly sets out the aims and objectives of the home. The statement is reviewed annually. Staff practice is reflective of the statement of purpose and what it states the home can provide for young people.

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Good

Placing authorities, fellow professionals and parents value the standard of care provided by the home and feel that communication from the home is good. A daily communication handover sheet has been set up, which ensures that school, home and parents are fully informed about a young person’s daily progress. One social worker commented: ‘I cannot fault the care that is provided and I am impressed with the level of communication between the home and me and the parents.’

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Good

The home has appropriate systems in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant bodies of significant events that occur within the home or with young people. This ensures that those with an interest in young people’s welfare are kept appropriately informed.

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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 children looked after 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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