Children's home run by Salford City Council in Salford

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 . The requirement at the last full inspection in June 2016 relating to staffing shortfalls at the home has now been met. Two permanent staff have joined the team and a senior worker has been identified to cover a secondment. These arrangements have enabled the management team to focus more directly on the organisation of the home, benefitting young people and staff. Following the last full inspection, some new young people are living in the home and others have left. On admission, or shortly afterwards when an emergency admission is made, young people receive a thorough induction into the home. This process helps them to settle into the home and establish relationships with the staff. Young people who have moved on from the home, have done so in a planned successful way and continue to keep in touch with the staff. The progress that

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

these young people made while living at the home has enabled them to return to live with their family or into independent living accommodation. Four young people live at the home and most continue to make progress, because of the care and support provided by staff. All young people have an education provision in place, with two young people attending full-time at school and their attendance is good. This is a significant achievement considering their previous educational experiences and will benefit them in their future lives. Arrangements are in place for one young person recently accommodated in the home to re- commence her education. However, one young person is refusing to attend their lessons despite staff encouragement and guidance. They have not benefitted from the educational opportunities made available to them. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that all young people should be in full-time education while they are of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained in the care plan, or other relevant plan, states otherwise. The home has experienced a short period of disruption with a number of incidents of challenging behaviour, resulting in a young person causing some damage to the home. However, the manager and staff team have been swift to respond and rectify the damage. In the main, the home is in a good state of repair. An action plan clearly outlines where further improvement work is to take place, and this includes young people’s bedrooms. As a result, the young people live in a home that is welcoming and homely. Despite a number of challenging incidents, the young people have, overall, remained settled. This has resulted in them making continued progress and enjoying various activities. Young people know their arrangements for visits with their families. Their friends are welcome in the home and they have enjoyed

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

sleepovers with their family and friends. Staff act as any responsible parent would and this enables young people to enjoy the same experiences as their friends. Incidents of young people missing from the home have decreased. The management team and staff have developed effective working relationships and strategies with other homes, where young people continue to be missing from home. This coordinated response involves the young people’s social workers, missing from home team and the local police force responsible for safeguarding young people. This close liaison with professionals and the local authority has supported the staff to protect young people and identify when they are not able to keep them, or others, safe in the community. In this instance, the home has advised the local authority and a young person has moved to another home. Staff set boundaries and implement rewards and incentives to promote young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people’s positive behaviours to beneficial effect. There has been no use of restraint following the last inspection. This approach helps young people and staff to continue to have good and meaningful relationships. Consultation with young people continues to take place regularly through young people’s meetings and key work sessions with staff. This ensures that young people feel listened to and valued. One young person says, ‘I really like it here, staff are very friendly, and we do a lot of activities and are treated really well.’ Safeguarding is at the forefront of staff thinking. Staff are consistent in placing the welfare and safety of the young people at the centre of their practice. They demonstrate a positive understanding of safe working practice. The use of clear risk assessments with strategies understood by staff and proactive safeguarding practice ensure that young people, including the most vulnerable, are not at risk of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

harm. There are no safeguarding concerns and all staff are trained to recognise, respond and report any suspicions of abuse or neglect. Two new staff members confirmed the home’s safer recruitment practices and procedures are robust. This prevents unsuitable persons from working with the young people. Comprehensive monitoring systems result in high standards of care. The independent person visits the home each month and produces a detailed, evaluated and effective report. Shortfalls identified in monitoring visits or audits by the management team are discussed during team meetings and supervision and are quickly rectified. These processes ensure that a high level of care is consistently provided to the young people. The registered manager is qualified, experienced, and passionate about making a difference to the young people living in the home and leads her staff group by example. She makes constructive

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

challenges to other professionals and senior managers within the local authority when she feels they are not providing an appropriate level of service to young people they have placed at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

 The home is registered to accommodate five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  The home is operated by a local authority.  The home’s overall aim is to provide high-quality care in a safe, warm and welcoming environment where young people are supported to reach their potential. It seeks to promote well-being and self-esteem by building positive relationships based on respect and understanding, as written in the home’s statement of purpose document.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Children should be in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained in the care plan, or other relevant plan, states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school, unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (’Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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 at 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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