Children's Home run by Roundhouse Care in Staffordshire

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:

 Children and young people experience genuine care from staff who are highly dedicated to their work, well trained and experienced.  Children’s and young people’s welfare is always the most important consideration in the staff team’s day-to-day practice.  Children and young people feel safe, protected and valued by staff who they trust and respect.  By being supported and encouraged to pursue individual interests, hobbies and to use community facilities, children and young people have wide- ranging opportunities to develop personal and social skills, talent and abilities.  Children and young people participate in decisions that enable them to influence their care and to build up their confidence and self-esteem.  The staff work extremely hard to ensure that children and young people have a stable experience in their education and encourage high, yet realistic, aspirations.  Staff keep children and young people safe. Children and young people do

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

not go missing from care and the use of physical intervention is not necessary.  Staff are alert to children’s and young people’s vulnerabilities, and any potential risks.  Integrated working is commonplace, with excellent links established with health, education, police and social workers.  Staff are resourceful in helping children and young people to build up understanding of the importance of sustaining healthy lifestyles and taking responsibility to manage their own health.  The manager is ambitious, energetic and continuously looking at different ways to improve the provision of care for children and young people.  The manager has well-established processes for self-evaluation that have the explicit purpose of improving the quality of provision for children and young people. These processes include using research to help inform practice.

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Information about this children's home

This home, which is operated by a private provider, is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/01/2016 Full Good 27/02/2015 Full Outstanding 07/05/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

Outstanding

Children and young people receive excellent care from dedicated staff who are passionate about the care that they provide. Children and young people spend quality time with staff. For example, during the inspection, children and young people sat together with staff and listened to music. Children and young people chose songs that they wanted to hear. This sensitive and caring approach created a real sense of love and nurture in the home. This demonstrates that relationships are strong and built on trust. As a result, everyone lives together in harmony.

p.5

Outstanding

Children and young people make significant progress to build their confidence and self-esteem. For example, one young person delivered a public speech on behalf of the children’s voice project, which is part of the children in care council. The speech captured how she felt about her time in care. She explained that she had been involved with the care council for five years. This involvement with the project helped her to build her confidence in meeting new people. This is just one example, which demonstrates how children and young people make significant progress to overcome obstacles that were once barriers.

p.5

Outstanding

Children and young people have access to a wide range of activities that meet and expand their social, emotional and physical well-being. A staff member said, ‘She does dance, goes to youth club and attends the voice project.’ Staff provide nutritious homemade meals that encourage healthy eating. Children and young people comment about loving the food provided. As a result, they have a healthy diet that helps them to thrive physically.

p.5

Outstanding

Children and young people live healthy lifestyles that promote their well-being. Staff are strong advocates in promoting good health. For example, the staff ensure that children and young people access routine health appointments needed to maintain good health.

p.5

Outstanding

Children’s and young people’s school attendance is excellent. Children and young people enjoy going to school. They share their daily experiences with staff when they come home. They benefit from extra-curricular activities that enhance their social interaction and enjoyment. Staff help children and young people with homework and attend meetings that relate to their schooling. By doing so, young people are helped to see the importance and value of their education. A headteacher said, ‘We have great contact with the home. She has excellent attendance. Can’t say a bad thing about the home. Staff have been very supportive.’ Well-planned contact arrangements make sure that children and young people have access to family and friends who are important to them. Staff promote positive relationships between families and children. The attention to detail helps children and young people to see and understand the importance of relationships.

p.5

Outstanding

As a result, family bonds are strengthened.

p.6

Outstanding

The voice of children and young people is heard through regular meetings, key work sessions and daily engagement with staff. Staff are innovative to make sure that all children and young people are able to participate regardless of the difficulties that they face. For example, staff prepare in advance for planned meetings and use photos to plan the agenda. This careful preparation helps those that need clear visual aids to understand what is happening and to ensure that everyone feels equal in the meetings. There is a ‘wish list’ that enables children and young people to make individual requests. One example of this being used to good effect was when staff helped a young person to make her hair softer by purchasing special products.

p.6

Outstanding

Children and young people who are new to the home settle well. This is because children and young people already placed make new children and young people feel welcome. This welcoming approach helps them to develop new friendships. The friendships soon become established and children and young people begin to support each other in a most sensitive and caring way. For example, a young person helped another young person during a mealtime by encouraging him to eat all of his food. She continued to prompt him with lots of praise. He responded well and finished his meal. The young person continued to help him and offered him a lollipop from the freezer in delight that he had finished his meal. This significant bond between children and young people is a testament to the high values and ethos of the home that staff instil into practice. As a result, children and young people follow the excellent examples set by each other and staff. These give them

p.6

Outstanding

important social skills that prepare them for adulthood.

p.6

Outstanding

Children and young people feel very safe living at the home. Children and young people do not go missing from the home. However, staff are not complacent about the potential risks. Clear protocols are in place should any going missing incidents occur. Staff benefit from excellent relationships with the local police. The police are aware of the needs of all the children and young people living in the home. This helps them to prioritise their response to incidents in the event that they are required. Staff are experienced, skilled and knowledgeable to respond effectively to safeguarding and child protection issues. The manager makes sure that staff are provided with regular training that assists their learning. Consequently, staff are up to date with current legislation and this helps to make sure that they can protect the children and young people in their care from harm.

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Outstanding

Children and young people learn to manage their behaviour better. One child has made remarkable progress in a significantly short time. This is due to the clear understanding and excellent practice by staff to implement the child’s behaviour management plan. A staff member said, ‘We go out of our way to keep them safe. He must feel safe, as he has calmed down more. We try to be good role models for them.’ A social worker told the inspector, ‘He knows the boundaries and expectations. He has had some meltdowns but now they are not as regular. He is better at managing his feelings.’

p.7

Outstanding

Staff apply effective strategies to de-escalate and turn around negative behaviour. They focus on understanding the triggers for behaviour. Staff then use their skill and knowledge based on the home’s therapeutic model to provide the right support for each child. This keeps the focus on the child and not just the behaviour. As a result, children and young people become more able to make good choices. They are helped to become accountable for their behaviour. Consequently, there is no bullying and children and young people live happily together.

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Outstanding

Children and young people know how to complain. They all have access to an independent advocate. This ensures that their voice is heard. The manager takes immediate action to safeguard children and young people in the event of a concern being raised by a child or young person. The manager is quick in referring to the local area designated officer for advice. This makes sure that allegations are investigated immediately and the outcome is fed back to the child or young person as soon as possible.

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Outstanding

Young people live in a safe environment. Staff are highly efficient in making sure that the home is maintained to a high standard. The health and safety arrangements including fire are regularly monitored. This keeps the home free of hazards. Consequently, everyone living, working and visiting the home is safe.

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Outstanding

A rigorous vetting process protects children and young people against unsuitable candidates having access to them. Three members of staff have been safely recruited since the last full inspection. This rigorous recruitment process helps to keep children and young people safe.

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Outstanding

The home is beautifully furnished and decorated to a high standard. It exudes a warmth that makes you feel welcome. The communal areas are vibrant in colour, from the furniture to the decorations. Children and young people have an extensive variety of games and resources to play with. For example, a large cupboard provides arts and crafts for them to make things. There are displays of artwork on the walls showing the lovely colourings that children and young people have made. A social worker said, ‘The home is warm and nurturing.’ Judgement grade

p.7

Outstanding

A dedicated and compassionate leadership team excellently manages this home. The manager and his assistant both work well together and are successful in providing an outstanding quality of care to children and young people. This is because the manager has remained in post since the home opened in April 2011. The manager has a level 4 national vocational qualification in leadership and management for care services. The assistant manager holds a level 5 diploma in management for children’s services. She has also provided first-rate support to the manager since the home opened. Additionally, the home is complemented by a skilled, knowledgeable and qualified work force. Staff who do not have a suitable qualification to level 3 diploma or equivalent are within the timescale to complete in line with regulation.

p.8

Outstanding

It is clear from their practice that the staff understand and practice the aims and objectives of the home’s statement of purpose. Staff are proactive in applying their research-informed practice to the care that they provide to children and young people. The manager said, ‘It is all about how they improve. This tells us we are successful in providing them with the best quality care. You have to be passionate.’ The positive parenting therapeutic model remains consistently applied and is strongly embedded into the culture and delivery of care. The assistant manager said, ‘Our children are so happy. They engage well with us. The ethos of the home makes sure that we all have the same aims and objectives. The research-informed practice of our therapeutic model [is] used.’

p.8

Outstanding

The management team, along with the registered individual, continues to drive improvement through rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the service. For example, regular monitoring by the independent visitor and the manager’s own review of the quality of care help to identify areas for development. This provides a clear view of how the home will continue to succeed. The manager said, ‘We are always looking to the future. We listen [to] the children’s aspirations and wishes to improve the home and plan this into the development of the home.’

p.8

Outstanding

The management team provides outstanding support to their staff. Because of the dedicated approach, warmth and patience of the leadership team, new staff settle quickly. Staff are trained, supervised and appraised exceptionally well.

p.8

Outstanding

The rigorous induction and probation process helps staff to gain valuable insight into the expectations of the role. Staff benefit from lots of reflective practice, which assists their development. Staff and external professionals speak highly of the management team. They see the beneficial impact of the consistent approach and the positive effect that managers have on the children and young people. A social worker said, ‘The management is excellent.’

p.8

Outstanding

The manager has addressed the requirement made at the last inspection. The register of children and young people now holds all relevant information.

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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 looked after children 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 that 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 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 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

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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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