Children's home in Rochdale

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has admitted one young person in an emergency. They moved on to a more specialist service following a three-month placement in the home. Last week, the manager admitted a young person in a planned way from a home within the organisation. Both young people have been helped by bringing their core staff teams with them, as this has reduced the potential upheaval of the transitions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is new in post and is in the processing of registering with Ofsted. She has suitable experience and skills to fulfil the role and is in the process of completing her level 5 diploma in leadership and management in residential childcare. The manager now has a full staff team, whose members work together effectively. She recognises that there has not been consistency within the staff group working in the home with each young person. In part, this has been due to the high staffing ratios that young people’s needs dictate and, despite her efforts to maintain consistency, that is only just being achieved. The manager makes some progress in addressing the shortfalls identified at the full inspection, although there remain areas of development. She does not ensure that risk assessments accurately reflect how risk is managed in practice. This is not helpful in ensuring that all staff understand how they can reduce risks and meet young people’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

needs, especially when there are numerous temporary staff working at the home. The manager has not maintained accurate records of who has worked at the home either, which does not safeguard young people or staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is developing systems to review the quality of care provided and understands the impact that living in the home has on young people. The independent visitor is completing monthly monitoring of the home. However, she does not set out her opinion as to whether young people are safeguarded effectively or their welfare promoted. This does not assist the manager in developing her skills in reviewing the quality of care or assist the regulator in understanding whether young people are safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make progress. Staff develop strategies in managing young people’s high-risk behaviours, which results in improved use of de-escalation techniques and, consequently, staff use restraint less frequently. The manager ensures that she reviews each use of restraint and that staff and the young person are offered the opportunity to reflect on each incident, which improves practice. Staff are proactive in addressing issues of self-harm with young people and develop improved ways of managing these risks. However, the recording of direct work sessions, and incidents, lacks detail and clarity. This is not helpful for young people or staff, now or in the future, in understanding the care that staff provide.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff welcome young people’s families into the home when that is safe and in young people’s best interests. This supports young people to maintain their relationships with their family and their sense of identity. Staff work in partnership with specialist health professionals to meet young people’s mental health needs. When it becomes apparent that the placement is not able to meet a young person’s complex needs, staff work with placing authority social workers and the new placement to ensure that the transition is planned and well managed. Staff maintain contact with the young person in her new placement, showing their continued concern for her welfare. As a result, the young person experiences well- planned care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand what to do when a young person goes missing. They work in partnership with the police to reduce the time that young people are at risk of harm. Staff always encourage young people not to leave the home and follow them when they do. They keep looking for young people when they lose sight of them and welcome them when they return. Staff challenge the behaviour of the police, who attend to complete safe and well checks, when it is unprofessional and unhelpful. The manager escalates her concerns to a complaint when police do not respond to staff’s concerns about their behaviour. Staff understand that independent return interviews are necessary following incidents of going missing behaviour. This is not completed in a timely manner as statutory guidance demands, and reflects a lack of progress since the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure that the young person who is new to the home is supported to settle in. The young person is positive about the move and appears happy and relaxed. The placing authority social worker commented: ‘I am very pleased. My young person is managing change better.’ The young person is making progress in regulating his behaviour and is engaging with staff and his therapist. The young person is being home educated while a reintroduction to school is planned. Staff support the young person’s learning; however, this lacks structure and school’s input which does not promote educational progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The period since the last inspection has seen one young person make some progress in managing their behaviour and a successful transition to a more specialist service. Another young person is settling well into their new home. The newly appointed manager is making progress in addressing shortfalls in practice. She recognises the areas which require development and has the capacity to address these.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for one child who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home forms part of a large social care company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/10/2016 Full Good 01/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/08/2015 Full Outstanding 12/03/2015 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered provider must ensure that: 2(a)(i) staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. In particular, ensuring that risk assessments are accurate and up to date. 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential: and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that the registered person: (e) ensures that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. In particular, that the staff rota accurately reflects who has worked in the home. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)–(b)) 28/02/2017 The registered provider must prepare and implement a policy setting out the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, absent. In particular, that staff ensure that an independent visitor completes a return interview in a timely manner. (Regulation 34(4)(b)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person’s report sets out the independent person’s opinions as to whether children are safeguarded effectively and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)) 28/02/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, that case records are accurate and detailed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the necessary support is given to children to enable them to access their education or training. In particular, that staff ensure that a young person’s school provides educational materials to support their continued learning when they are unable to attend school. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.13)

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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 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 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 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

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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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