Children's home run by Educare Adolescent Services Limited in Cannock Chase

Outstanding

The children‟s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people who have struggled to settle into other residential settings find stability in this home and benefit enormously from the highly personal care provided by the staff.  Highly trained and skilled staff provide strong routines and structure, which enable young people to feel very secure. They are able to relax and focus on their own needs and well-being.  Staff have an in-depth understanding of young people‟s complex emotional needs and behaviour and support young people to begin to change their behaviour.  Young people form warm and trusting relationships with the dedicated and perceptive staff, enabling them to make significant progress in their emotional, social and educational development.  Staff listen to young people and consider their views, wishes and feelings. Young people feel listened to.  Young people love their rooms, which they have personalised, and take pride in the home, which is comfortable, homely and well maintained.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff create a family atmosphere where young people can have fun together and with the staff. Young people enjoy a wide range of activities, including playing on the Xbox, attending table tennis club and having trips out together.  Young people are safe and no longer go missing. Staff work with young people to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe.  Record-keeping is up to date, clear and organised. The registered manager regularly reviews and updates risk assessments, behaviour management plans and placement plans to ensure that they remain relevant to the young people and help staff to keep them safe.  The registered manager has an exceptional understanding of young people and their developmental needs. He applies a therapeutic approach to all aspects of their care, from the colours used to decorate the home to young people‟s individual therapeutic needs.  Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings, which support

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

their professional development and enable them to contribute to the effectiveness of the team in discussions.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children‟s home is registered for two young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. This home is currently offering long-term care for children, aged 10 to 17 years, who have complex needs and display challenging behaviour.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

27/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

Young people have extremely positive relationships with staff, who are warm and friendly and focused on the young people‟s needs at all times. The home is welcoming and has a relaxed atmosphere, which enables young people to feel cared for and valued. One young person said, „This place is amazing. I definitely want to stay here. I honestly can‟t think of anything they could do better. They help with everything I need.‟ The kitchen has been refurbished recently, and this has created a particularly pleasant area where staff and young people enjoy gathering to chat and eat. Young people love their bedrooms and have personalised them to their own tastes. They take pride in the home and willingly do chores like washing up after meals and keeping their rooms tidy. Young people thoroughly enjoyed a trip out with each other and staff to choose and buy a large Christmas tree, which they then had great fun decorating.

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Outstanding

Young people make significant and sustained progress in all areas of their development. Enthusiastic staff help them to celebrate achievements by placing certificates and photographs on the walls and taking young people on trips as rewards to, for example, the theatre or theme park of their choice. Young people make progress in personal hygiene, social development, making friends, managing emotions, behaviour, education and independence skills. One young person excels at table tennis, and staff support him to attend a weekly club to develop his skills. He recently came to this home from another residential placement where he constantly displayed anger towards the staff. His feelings and behaviour have changed significantly since he came to this home and he said, „This feels like a “normal home”.‟ He said that he gets along with all of the staff and the other young person here and feels calmer because staff are very clear about the

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Outstanding

rules and boundaries. About the staff, he said, „They all give the same message.‟ Both young people attend education where they are progressing well, and staff are actively supporting one young person to move from a special school to a mainstream school, in keeping with his wishes. Another young person, who has recently left the home after a long-term placement to live independently, wrote to staff to say, „You have all helped me become the person I am today and I am incredibly proud of who I've become.‟ Staff have continued to support her by visiting and taking her out for meals. Forward-looking staff helped her to develop independence skills and very positive relationships with family members, who now provide her with a valuable support network. Staff listen attentively to young people who engage fully in the young people‟s meetings and complete monthly questionnaires about the home. They give their

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Outstanding

views of the service, including what they like about it, and of whether there is anything that staff could improve. One young person responded to a questionnaire, saying that staff consider his opinion; consequently, he feels safe and staff make him feel welcome. Another said, „Yes, I get listened to.‟ One young person stated, „The home is good at trying to encourage us to do more activities.‟ Another response was that the staff are good at being relaxed. When asked how the home could be improved, young people said, „No, [it] can‟t be improved,‟ and „No, it is the best.‟

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Outstanding

Highly trained and vigilant staff keep young people safe. One young person commented, „I feel more than safe here.‟ Another young person, who has a history of going missing, has not absconded since he arrived. Staff have not had to use any form of physical intervention for several years. However, the registered manager ensures that staff remain knowledgeable and skilled with regard to both physical intervention and young people going missing. None of the young people has been subject to child sexual exploitation. Once a month, the registered manager diligently reviews the detailed and effective risk assessments and behaviour management plans for each young person. All staff read these and use them as valuable working tools. Staff involve young people in their risk assessments and behaviour management plans and ask them to identify what staff can do to help them to manage their behaviour better. Staff confidently use clear rules, guidance and boundaries to create a calm, well-

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Outstanding

managed and safe environment. They demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of the impact of past and present experiences on young people‟s emotions and the links between these and their behaviour. Staff work with the in- house clinical team, which supports their work to help staff to identify and implement effective behaviour management strategies for each individual young person. Staff understand young people‟s individual vulnerabilities and quickly address any behavioural issues in key work sessions. Staff are not afraid to challenge young people‟s behaviour in order to ensure their safety. Staff training is relevant and up to date, and safeguarding is an integral part of regular staff supervision. Internet safety is vital for these young people, and staff adhere to strict rules on internet usage. Staff place a strong emphasis on working with young people and talk to them about the risks of the internet in key work

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Outstanding

sessions. Young people are aware that staff are protecting them and they accept the rules. The home is well maintained and safe. Staff complete risk assessments for all activities, both in and outside the home. Staff work closely with other professionals, including the police, social workers and education professionals to ensure that they identify all risks and include them in risk assessments. The local police regularly call in to talk to staff and young people, further enhancing staff local knowledge and awareness of any new risks that may arise. The social worker for one young person said, „They keep him safe here. He used to go missing. Staff are very clear with him that until he has somewhere to go and a friend to go with he can‟t have free time. They monitor his internet access and risk assessments are very robust.‟ The parent of another young person commented, with regard to the young person‟s understanding how to keep himself safe, „He is

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Outstanding

The registered manager has over 10 years‟ experience of working with children and young people. He holds his level 5 qualification in leadership and management. Staff are either level 3 qualified or are undertaking the qualification. All staff are first aid trained. The real strength of this home lies in the high level of stability and security that the child-focused staff and registered manager provide for young people. Consequently, young people form strong, trusting relationships with staff who help them to make significant and sustained progress in their development. The extremely competent registered manager expects high standards of skill and commitment from his staff. He addresses all issues head on and is not afraid to challenge other professionals or to pursue matters with his team. Staff commented that, „Management is good. The registered manager and the deputy are very clear with the staff and challenge any practice that is not up to standard.‟

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Outstanding

The registered manager has an exceptional understanding of the needs of young people who have experienced abuse and neglect. He focuses consistently on the aspects of care which support their self-esteem and emotional well-being. He pays assiduous attention to all aspects of the home. For example, he has painted the home in soft, calming colours. He has a profound interest in therapeutic approaches to care and is implementing the PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) approach to the work to create emotional safety and to enable young people to stay engaged with adults. The enthusiastic staff already use many elements of this approach, to great effect, with young people. Recording systems are highly organised and up to date. All paperwork is well presented, clear and detailed and evidences that staff read young people‟s records. Records reflect staff's detailed analysis of the young people‟s needs and ways in

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Outstanding

which they work effectively with them to address a wide range of issues, some of which are very personal and complex. Parents said that they feel that they are kept well informed, One mother said, „Here they tell me quickly what is going on.‟ She commented that she has an „easy‟ relationship with staff and that, „We work well together.‟ One social worker said that „communication is excellent‟ and that she receives detailed weekly reports of young people‟s progress, which are extremely helpful. The registered manager maintains ongoing communication with young people, staff, professionals and parents and uses this to review and develop the service.

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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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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children‟s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children‟s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children‟s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children‟s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children‟s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 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

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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