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

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 sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders have taken action to partially meet the requirement and two recommendations from the last inspection. Young people benefit from positive experiences the home provides and make good progress. Staff work closely with partner agencies, and there is good management of any incidents affecting the welfare of young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are interim management arrangements in place, but this has not stopped the improvement of internal monitoring and review systems. Actions identified at the last six-month review of the service have been implemented. The manager has facilitated a workshop for staff about behaviour modification with young people, and senior staff continue to develop use of the evidence-based social work model that is central to the support of young people. Senior staff regularly evaluate staff practice, record keeping and the quality of care for young people, to improve the quality of their lives. Further action is under way to track the progress young people make more systematically. This partially meets the required action from the last inspection to monitor and make improvements. In contrast, the independent visitor’s monitoring and evaluation of staff practice is weak. In addition, the concerns that are noted in monthly visits are not followed up by the independent

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

visitor and he does not translate them into any formal recommendations for improvement. This part of the leadership and management of the home has not improved since the last inspection. The impact of this situation on young people is limited by the strong level of review and evaluation that senior staff in the home implement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three young people have moved in and out of the home since the last inspection. Two of them were supported to move home to live with their families in line with their care plans. One of these was previously placed out of area in a secure setting, and has made significant progress to now be living at home again. The third young person is living successfully in supported lodgings. The staff provide young people and their families with outreach support to help make these placement moves successful.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Care records for young people who have already moved out have been archived and were not available to contribute to the assessment of the previous recommendations. The pre-placement risk assessment for the last young person to move in did review his needs and explore the potential for disruption with the young person already at the home. This was based on information available to the home at the time, but was not informed by an assessment from children’s services nor a chronology of their involvement with his family. These shortfalls in planning and assessment of new admissions can potentially lead to inappropriate placements and disruption for all young people at the home. In this case, a senior manager who was aware of the young person’s needs and history relating to previous placements was able to assess the appropriateness of the admission, mitigating any potentially negative impact. To reinforce good admissions practice

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the recommendations from the last inspection are carried over into this report.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work hard to support young people with their education, health, relationships, activities and interests. One young person has 100% attendance at school, goes to after-school clubs and is progressing well with her education. Staff help her to finish her homework, which she was struggling to do, and she has an award for her progress in physical education. Other young people have made good progress as well, one receiving GSCEs last year and another enabled back into education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure that young people attend health appointments and receive the services they need. One young person received excellent support in having an emergency operation close to Christmas. Healthy meals are provided and young people enjoy regular exercise such as swimming and walking. Staff provide young people with a small, nurturing environment that is good for their emotional health and well-being. Young people’s engagement with mental health services is encouraged. Staff also receive advice about care strategies from a professional mental health worker, who commented about a young person, ‘Given the time she has been living at the home I am amazed at her progress.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work closely with relatives and friends, and other agencies involved in the care of young people. There is good support for young people to remain in contact with parents and siblings in line with the placing authority’s plans. Likewise, young people’s friends are welcome in the home and they enjoy sleepovers. One parent commented, ‘It is very homely and I am more than happy with the care of my son.’ Good partnership working helps young people make positive moves back home or into independent living.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff strive hard to keep young people safe. Their support for one young person in terms of implementing boundaries and expectations is very good, and risks to her safety are effectively minimised. This young person is never missing from the home and her behaviour is far better than it was prior to admission. When others are absent or missing from the home, staff practice is robust in ensuring they return safely. The staff have good links with local safeguarding agencies and work together to keep young people safe. Staff are quick to review practice when any young person’s welfare is jeopardised. For example, staff have helped a young person improve their sleep pattern, and are changing their strategies to effectively target support for a young person with substance misuse. While practice is evolving, sometimes rapidly, to keep up with the changing needs of young people, risk assessments are not as up to date. It is recommended that leaders review

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

these documents more frequently to support the efforts of staff and avoid any confusion about the care of young people.

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who have learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 01/06/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/07/2015 Full Good 10/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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, with particular reference to using the reports prepared under Regulation 44 to identify areas for improvement, the registered person is required to:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 31/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, ensure risk assessments and strategies to reduce risks from missing from home and substance misuse are up to date.  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 56,

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Recommendations

paragraph 11.4). In particular, ensure that completed matching assessments demonstrate that the impact has been fully considered.  The registered person must challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child's placement. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 56, paragraph 11.5). In particular, obtain a copy of the latest single assessment to inform the care a child needs.

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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 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 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 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

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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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