NumberFour

Inspector Janine Shortman-Thomas

Inspection date 23/01/2017 Previous inspection judgement Good Enforcement action since last inspection None

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to live in a safe, caring and supportive environment that enables them to make good progress in regards to their education, health and emotional well-being. Young people spoke positively about their experiences in the home and acknowledged the progress that they have made. One young person said that they are managing their emotions ‘much better now’, and went on to rate the home 9 out 10. Another young person wrote, ‘I love it here. They (the staff) help me a lot.’ The manager’s feedback from professionals validates the young people’s views, and one professional wrote, ‘This is an excellent placement, with an excellent staff team, and excellent management. This has been a very positive experience for (name).’ They went on to write, ‘The standard of care that has been provided to (name) throughout her time at the home has been of an excellent standard. The placement has provided a caring and safe environment.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are supported to manage their emotions and their physical responses to these emotions in a safe and appropriate way. The staff maintain positive relationships with young people and are clearly aware of the triggers which can affect young people’s emotional responses. During these times, the staff support young people appropriately and sensitively. Effective working relationships with placing local authorities and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) ensure that young people can access any additional help and support as and when they require. This, in addition to the positive and effective links that the manager has forged with the local hospitals, ensures that young people receive prompt medical and health care when they require.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff respond appropriately to safeguard young people when they engage in risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harming or going missing from the home. The manager ensures that the staff follow the risk assessments and care plans that are in place to support young people during these times and she requests the additional support and services promptly. Professionals confirm that the manager shares young people’s risk assessment and care plans with them. One social worker wrote, ‘The care plans and risk assessments are always shared. They are always comprehensive and young person focused to ensure their welfare is paramount.’ The manager is acutely aware of her responsibilities to safeguard young people and identifies when risks become too great. At these times, she and the senior management team are appropriately assertive and proactive in requesting the necessary meetings with the placing local authorities. This ensures that suitable

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and safe placements are identified to promote and maintain young people’s safety when the provider identifies that young people’s risk-taking behaviours are becoming too great for them to manage safely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Physical restraints are used sparingly and appropriately as a last resort to support young people at times of heightened anxiety and distress. The manager maintains good oversight of these incidents and ensures that young people and staff are offered the opportunity to reflect and learn from them to further develop care practice in this area. Most records are completed thoroughly and provide a good account of individual events and actions taken by staff to manage them. However, there was neither a detailed record for one physical intervention for one young person, nor was there a detailed record made following a further assault on a member of staff which resulted in a young person receiving a youth caution. Consequently, there is no audit trail of the level of this assault, what was done to prevent this during the incident and why this course of action was taken. Furthermore, the reader is not highlighted to the police involvement and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

subsequent outcome for the young person as this information was not recorded within this physical intervention record.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has taken suitable action to address the four requirements and two recommendations raised at the last inspection. Two of the requirements, which relate to the transition planning and arrangements for young people joining and leaving the home, and securing a suitable education provision for young people new to the home, have been addressed. Consequently, young people now benefit from positive, planned and successful transitions into and out of this home. They enjoy enhancing their educational opportunities as they all benefit from attending a suitable education provision, which meets their individual learning needs shortly after they arrive. The manager also now ensures that the statement of purpose is up to date to reflect how the staff are to be supported by the manager, and any changes within the staff team. This ensures that the placing local authorities and families are aware of who is providing the care and support to the young people

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

within the home, and how the staff are being supported by the manager to do this. Finally, the manager has supported the two staff members who had not completed the required child care qualification within the required timeframe to do so, and suitable arrangements are in place for the newer staff members to achieve this within the required timeframe. As such, young people are cared for well by staff who are qualified and understand their roles.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s safety is promoted within the home as all the required health and safety checks of the property have now been undertaken. In addition, the welfare of young people is promoted as the safeguarding arrangements and the quality of the care that the young people receive from the staff is now more effectively scrutinised by the external independent visitor. This is because the manager has taken suitable action to address the two recommendations which were raised in this regard at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be effectively managed through the strong leadership of the registered manager, and staff confirm that they are fully supported in their roles. Good internal and external monitoring systems ensure that the manager is fully up to date with the progress that young people make, and this further supports her with identifying additional areas for continued development. This ensures that the manager and the staff team continue to improve the experiences for young people, which enables them to make good progress.

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Information about this children’s home

 This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who experience mental health disorders, excluding children and young people who also have a learning disability. The home accommodates children irrespective of gender and young people between the ages of 10 and 17 years of age. The home enlists the support of a clinical psychologist within their care planning for children and young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/06/2016 Full Good 11/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/08/2015 Full Good 07/01/2015 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:  The home’s record of any serious event must include a full description of the event, the action taken, and the outcome of any resulting investigation. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 63, paragraph 14.14)

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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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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 ‘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, workbased 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

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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