Children's home run by A J Residential Care Ltd

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one child admitted since the last inspection. Staff planned a careful introduction and admission. This, together with staff involving his family members, made him feel less anxious about the move. Initially, the use of physical intervention was necessary due to the child’s negative behaviour. Staff worked effectively with medical professionals to reduce the amount of stimulus at the home. This, combined with the staff’s skilled use of effective de-escalation techniques, resulted in a significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of angry outbursts. Their consistent approach, established routines, co-working and understanding of the young person’s needs assisted in him settling quickly.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have an extensive knowledge of children and young people and meet their complex and holistic needs, including those arising from their disability. Excellent care plans provide clear measures of their development and progress. For all the children and young people, small developmental progress and acquisition of skills can be significant. The staff’s realistic goal setting, encouragement and practical and emotional support result in children and young people making continued progress. The staff monitor and record these achievements and young people receive praise and rewards to provide incentives for further progress and improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff’s practical support and close liaison with schools and colleges are instrumental in young people’s excellent attendance. Due to the staff’s careful preparation, the growth in confidence has allowed some young people to go on a school trip overseas. This is a remarkable achievement for young people who do not easily manage a change of routine.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people enjoy strong, caring relationships with staff. Trusting relationships built have enabled a young person, who has previously refused counselling, to engage with therapy. Staff are sensitive and offer emotional support to help young people to deal with painful memories from their past. This results in emotional stability and a drastic reduction in self-harming behaviours. A professional said, ‘[Name of young person]’s confidence is improving, communication is better and they are gradually engaging with professionals.’ Good relationships between staff, professionals and parents have enabled some family contacts to take place at the home. Staff place great importance on this and prioritise their response for those having contact at their family home. This maintains their relationships with family members. One parent said, ‘I come there for contact. The large room was too much for [name of child] so we use the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

smaller room. Since then sessions have been much better as it is quieter with no distractions. We can all enjoy contact.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The high ratio of staff contributes to keeping children and young people safe. Staff are fully aware of children’s and young people’s individual vulnerabilities, which are detailed in effective risk management documents. There have been no significant incidents or notifications since the last inspection. Complaints are dealt with promptly and effectively and senior management oversight offers impartiality.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff are intuitive and effective at observing and reflecting on behaviour changes. Excellent behaviour management plans with clear strategies for staff are in place. The staff’s consistent and calm approach stabilises negative behaviour, resulting in a significant reduction in physical restraints. Any physical holds used are a last resort to keep young people safe, and their use and recording is in line with the regulations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As some children and young people have lived at the home for a significant time, the long-standing staff know them extremely well and their communication is familiar. Partnership working with medical professionals provides staff with communication aids tailored for individual children and young people. This has improved communication, with children’s and young people’s wishes and feelings sensitively listened to and acted on by staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff’s excellent knowledge of children’s and young people’s familiar routines provides safety and security to their everyday lives. They live in a calm environment. Their bedrooms are personalised in accordance with the children’s and young people’s wishes and their sensory needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has grown in confidence and is developing his management skills. The requirement and recommendations from the last inspection are met. A suitably qualified person now provides the manager’s supervision. The manager has also established new and effective working practices at the home. These include a detailed monthly progress report and a system for capturing feedback, which informs the management review of the service. The rigorous and impartial assessment by the independent visitor provides scrutiny, thus generating ideas for further improvements to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage young people to develop their independence skills, including setting up a bank account for a young person to manage his own online purchases. Careful evidencing of young people’s practical skills feed into the social worker’s capacity assessment. This helps to ensure that young people make the transition to the most appropriate adult provision when they leave the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned and family-run home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who may have emotional, behavioural and/or learning difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/08/2016 Full Good 01/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/12/2015 Full Outstanding 19/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further,, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  As the home will have a day-to-day understanding of young people’s capabilities and needs, the children’s home staff will have a valuable contribution to make to the pathway planning process. They should actively seek to make the fullest contribution, working with other relevant persons, particularly in respect of evidencing young people’s independence living skills to feed into the local authority capacity assessment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.28)

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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 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 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 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 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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