Children's Home run by Staffordshire County Council in Staffordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Since the last inspection, the home has remained comfortable, welcoming and well maintained. The spacious sitting rooms and bedrooms are comfortable and creatively decorated with age-appropriate posters. Young people are able to bring some personal items from home for their short break if they wish. Young people enjoy coming for their short breaks and feel supported and listened to by caring staff. The young people speak warmly about the staff and describe relaxed and easy relationships with them. Young people enjoy the wide range of activities that enthusiastic and proactive staff provide, and that are displayed on large colourful boards in the corridors. These include art and crafts, music, bike riding, going to galleries, going to a trampoline centre and playing badminton.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people feel safe. They do not go missing from care and there has been a significant reduction in young people engaging in antisocial behaviour or using alcohol. Staff and the registered manager ensure that detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans are up to date, relevant and regularly reviewed. Staff undertake key-work sessions with young people to help them learn to keep themselves safe and young people understand that handing their mobile telephones in at night is for internet safety. Young people make progress in their social development, managing their own behaviour, attending education and securing better family relationships. The mother of one young person told the inspector that her daughter ‘has made so much progress. There is lots of improvement in her behaviour and family relationships. She loves going there.’ The service has very few incidents, due to the manager ensuring that she carefully

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

matches the young people for their short breaks and the skill of staff in managing behaviour. When incidents do occur, staff clearly record them and discuss the matter with young people in order to help them learn and reflect. The child-focused manager started in post in August and is awaiting her registration. She has worked hard to implement the new short-break service and to support staff to adjust their practice. The service aims to prevent young people from entering the care system and there is some evidence that they are already achieving some success in this. One staff member commented that he now feels ‘buoyant’ with a new manager and several new staff members. Of the new manager, he commented that she is ‘a breath of fresh air. She’s always around, she comes in early and her communication is excellent.’ The manager ensures that staff have regular supervision and that their training is up to date and relevant. Her recent focus has been on diversity training, both

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

online and in team meetings. Since the last inspection, she challenged the local authority when senior managers directed the short-break service to accept inappropriate emergency placements that are not in keeping with the statement of purpose. Feedback from parents and professionals is very positive and the service is highly valued. One worker from the intensive prevention service told the inspector, ‘The service is an absolute life-saver for families in crisis, providing respite. The staff are fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble. The manager is very accessible and staff are very supportive.’ One mother commented, ‘Staff are always available. They always invite us in when we drop my daughter off. We have meetings with staff and they come to the school meetings to represent her.’ There has been a positive response by the manager to the requirement and recommendation in the previous inspection. This has resulted in improved

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

recording by staff and the home working in keeping with the statement of purpose due to a reduction in taking inappropriate placements.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is managed by the local authority and provides residential short breaks for children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, aged between 12 and 17 years. The home also provides outreach services to support children, young people and their families.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

02/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 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 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 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 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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