Children's Home run by Cumbria County Council in Westmorland and Furness

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to provide a good level of support to the young people who reside there. The staff team has remained relatively stable, with any new additions enhancing the gender and skills balance. The management team has continued to develop, and their complementary skills help to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the home. Staff at the home are well qualified, with most having attained the level 3 national vocational qualification and several (including the registered manager) having completed the level 5 manager’s award.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some areas of the home are currently being redecorated, and young people have assisted in choosing paint and furnishings. Areas that are in need of repainting have been identified, and there are plans in place to address this. One bathroom requires some work, and this is being undertaken by the contractor who did substandard work when it was originally decorated. The dining area would benefit from increased personalisation, and consideration is being given as to how this can be achieved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have positive attendance at education and employment, and their behaviour in the home is generally settled. Those who are being prepared to move on are developing independence skills. Young people spoken to were mainly positive about the home and the support that they were offered.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Emotional resilience workers have been employed by the county, and the home is making good use of them for advice and guidance in delivering care to the young people. One area of notable success is their gathering of information about a young person prior to their admission, which helps to inform staff about the best ways to support them once in placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people have moved on from the placement in planned and constructive ways. Another young person moved on due to the placement not meeting his needs, and his outcome has not been positive. The home had identified at the last inspection that the placement was not appropriate for this young person, but continued to support him until an alternative was identified. This showed commitment and tenacity with some very challenging and high-risk behaviours. The staff recognise that young people receive a significantly lower level of support once they move on from the placement at post-18, and continue to make occasional visits and keep in touch with young people whenever possible. Young people moving into the placement have been well matched, and there has been a noted improvement in the recording of matching considerations. The home gathers information from external agencies prior to placement to ensure that it has

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

as much knowledge as possible about the young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Child sexual exploitation is an area of high risk for several of the young people placed. The home works well with partner agencies to address the risks, and safety plans are in place for some young people, which the home has contributed to. Additionally, the home has worked in partnership to complete a mapping exercise which helps to inform them about local child sexual exploitation risks. Staff are constantly mindful of risks to young people and assist them to understand their risk-taking behaviours through one-to-one sessions and by supporting them to access external agencies such as the NSPCC, the child and adolescent mental health service and SAFA (Self-Harm Awareness For All).

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For other young people, self-harm is their area of high risk. The home is vigilant in offering support, aware of the times when risks may be heightened and proactive in putting strategies in place for alternative methods of emotional release. For example, one young person uses the manager’s email to share concerns directly as they arise, which appears to be reducing their incidence of self-harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing from home levels have reduced since the last full inspection, which is largely down to one young person moving to an alternative placement. This young person was persistently missing from this home. When young people do go missing, the staff try actively to locate them and work with police to secure their safe return. Independent return interviews are almost always offered, and the home is aware of the frequency of missing episodes and whether the trigger for a strategy meeting is reached.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of record keeping in the home has improved. All records checked had been signed and dated by their author. Paperwork relating to young people has been streamlined, and there is a focus on the quality of recording rather than the quantity. Young people’s daily diaries, in particular, have been developed into more accessible, readable and meaningful documents for young people. Direct work relating to specific incidents is clearly recorded and evidences that staff actively address issues of risk-taking behaviour with young people. The quality of notifications to the regulator could be improved to ensure that they capture the good work that the staff do to support young people following serious incidents and in addressing their risk-taking behaviours.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has good monitoring systems in place, and the quality of the regulation 45 reports has improved since the last full inspection. The manager has identified some issues in respect of the usefulness of external monitoring, mainly due to the timing of the visits. However, the process has identified areas for development which are being addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated in line with a requirement made at the last inspection. Unfortunately, the updated version has not been sent to the regulator and the requirement is therefore repeated at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to accommodate six young people, who may have an emotional and/or behavioural difficulty. The home is managed by the local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/06/2016 Full Good 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/10/2015 Full Good 09/02/2015 Interim Improved 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

The registered person must: (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and (b) notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)) 28/02/2017

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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 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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