Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

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.

p.2

The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 The manager and staff work in a way which ensures that the young people living at the home make exceptional progress across all aspects of their lives.  The positive ethos created by manager and staff concerning the importance of education ensures that all of the young people achieve an excellent education and progress to college or work placements.  The manager and staff have developed exceptionally trusting and secure relationships with the young people. They know the young people’s starting points, take into account the impact of trauma and abuse and are non- judgemental in the way in which they approach the young people.  There is a clear path for the young people to move from the home to the attached supported living accommodation. Transitions are well planned and paced at a rate set by the young people.  The manager and staff work closely with psychological services, ensuring that those young people who require specialist care are seen quickly. The

p.3

The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

joint clinical and care approach includes innovative and creative ways of working.  The culture of safeguarding that has been developed by the manager and the staff team encourages open and honest discussions about sensitive issues, and the young people talk openly with the staff about past experiences.  The staff team is keen to develop new and innovative ways to support the young people. They use evidenced-based practice to help to focus on the complex needs of the young people and maintain a child-focused approach to their work.  The manager has very high aspirations for the young people and empowers her own staff team and other professionals to meet these expectations.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a local authority and is registered for up to six children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

Recent inspection history

23/05/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

Recent inspection history

27/10/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

Outstanding

The manager and the staff work extremely hard to ensure that the young people feel listened to and in control of their next steps. The key workers build a unique relationship with the young people, which helps them to talk about often difficult and sensitive subjects. This approach allows the young people to form trusting and secure emotional bonds. In turn, this helps them to develop resilience and confidence in themselves. Educational achievement is excellent in this home, with young people achieving awards and nationally recognised qualifications. Tutors are employed to assist a young person who needs extra support. The culture of aspiration that has been developed also ensures that young people progress into further education placements, in which they can continue when they move into the attached semi- independence accommodation. All of the young people in the home have access to an independent advocate who

p.5

Outstanding

ensures that they feel that they are listened to and included in the decisions made about them. She also supports them in making complaints and in being involved in a variety of consultation events. The manager has an independent advocate who facilitates the children’s meetings to ensure that the young people feel that they can say anything they wish. A young person said: ‘They listen. It’s great and we know what happens.’ Another young person said: ‘It feels like we are important and someone really does care rather than just doing their job.’ The change from care to independence is a key feature in this home. The young people have clear pathway plans, which support and guide their moves from the home into independence. Careful planning and allowing the young people to set the pace of the move enable the young people’s confidence and social skills to be developed to support them during this often-difficult change. Excellent workbooks

p.5

Outstanding

and key-worker sessions about living independently assist this process, ensuring that it is a positive move. The manager and staff team have considerable experience and knowledge and work with many other professionals to ensure that all of the young people have comprehensive care plans to meet their very individual needs. Professionals, including specialist health professionals, the police, immigration officials and education professionals, all work together to support the young people. The staff are eager to work with other agencies to ensure that the young people are provided with a high standard of care. Contact with families and important adults is important to help the young people to understand what has happened in their lives and to give them a sense of belonging. The manager and staff understand how important this contact is for the young people and go to exceptional lengths to ensure that their contact with

p.5

Outstanding

families is safe and meaningful. When direct contact with families is not safe, the staff are sensitive and creative in doing everything that they can to help young people to understand why direct contact is not available.

p.6

Outstanding

The manager and the staff team create many opportunities to ensure that the young people feel safe and secure. They see each young person as an individual and tailor risk management strategies and plans that complement their uniqueness. A young person spoke of ‘feeling safe’ and ‘knowing I can have a cuddle when I want’. Another young person talked about the special relationship that she has with her key worker. She said: ‘Even if I’m having a bad day, she is there for me and isn’t just in my face. She understands it’s difficult and that I still get it wrong.’ There is a genuine feeling of respect and affection between the manager, staff and young people. Adults are confident to give hugs and show affection to these young people who, in most cases, have not experienced this nurturing approach before. Behaviour management policies and excellent training allow the staff to be able to be confident in providing the emotional support that the young people require. A

p.6

Outstanding

young person said: ‘It’s like being part of a big family where you can make mistakes, but then it does not take people ages to forgive you. You can still get a hug.’ Risk assessments are thorough and clear in identifying risks. There is also a risk assessment document which the young people complete, helping them understand why people are worried about their behaviour. The manager and the staff team have an excellent understanding of the risks that the young people face. They respond quickly and effectively when risks are identified, but do not lose sight that these young people are adolescents who need to be able to learn how to take age- appropriate risks. Some of the young people have developed ways of coping with extreme stress and anxiety, which place them and others at risk. The risk management strategies developed with other professionals demonstrate innovative and creative safeguarding and are effective at reducing risk and keeping the young

p.6

Outstanding

people safer. Some young people still go missing from the home. Staff do everything possible to prevent this from happening. When the young people leave the home, staff follow well-defined missing-from-home protocols. Working closely with the police, they aim for a speedy and safe return. Return interviews are seen as very important, and information gathered is used to inform future events. The manager and the staff team understand that the key to safeguarding young people is the young person’s ability to communicate with others. Those young people who face barriers to communication, for example when English is not their first language or when disabilities prevent them from engaging with others, are supported fully by the use of translators, visual prompts and online tools. There is a safeguarding culture in this home, which is based on openness and ability to learn. The responsible individual and manager work closely together to

p.6

Outstanding

enable the staff to feel that they can make a difference to the young people. They encourage reflective practice and take opportunities to improve their practice through learning from incidents and events. One staff member said: ‘I love my job. I feel I can help these young people to keep safe. We have great training, and I know I can go to anyone and ask for advice without feeling daft.’ The physical appearance of the home is superb. It is purpose built and was conceived with a great deal of planning. It is a large building, but it feels very homely and safe. There is a maintained plan in place to deal with any repairs. One young person remarked how ‘cool’ it was to have a great place to bring your friends.

p.7

Outstanding

The manager is very experienced and suitably qualified to lead this home. She is inspirational to staff team members and they speak highly of her. She is supported by a charismatic responsible individual who has a supportive role in the home. This, together with a strong senior worker team and committed residential workers, ensures that this home remains an exceptional place in which to live. It has been judged as an outstanding home since 2014. The whole of the staff team is passionate about the young people in the home. Team members are motivated and supported by their manager, but each of them has individual strengths which they bring to the job. They quickly address any problems and come up with a range of ways to support the young people. They are resilient and extremely compassionate in their approach. Supervision of the staff is regular and reflective. Issues relating to practice are discussed, and solutions are agreed. The records of supervision show that the

p.7

Outstanding

supervisors take the emotional impact of this work on staff seriously, and there is evidence of support plans in place when necessary. The recording on the young people’s case files is exceptional. The files are easy to read and well organised. There are examples of the young people recording in their files and of how their key workers have helped them to understand what is written about them. Risk assessments and care plans are clearly linked. There are audit tools in the files, which demonstrate that key workers take responsibility and a great deal of pride in ensuring that these documents reflect the extremely good progress that the young people are making. Monthly management oversight and scrutiny by the manager are also demonstrated in the files. Any issues raised from these audits are quickly resolved. The manager has developed an extremely robust monitoring process, which occurs every month. These audits are recorded in a series of reports, ensuring accuracy of

p.8

Outstanding

information and accountability of the staff. The manager also ensures that she uses both external and internal audits to ensure that the home is working effectively. The impressive amount of research completed by the manager is evident in practice papers that she has written. She presents reports to a variety of forums. She uses this research to inform her practice, and this provides a role model for the staff. Evidence of research-based practice is seen running through care plans, key- worker sessions and risk assessments. This helps staff to improve their practice and feel more confident. This has a direct impact for the young people who are cared for by staff who understand them and the impact of their previous life experiences on them. The manager is very highly regarded by her staff, the young people and the large network of other professionals working with the young people. A social care professional described her as a ‘fantastic role model’, and another spoke of her

p.8

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’.

p.9

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

p.9

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.

p.9

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

p.10

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 .

p.10

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,

p.11

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

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

p.11