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home are

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Children and young people are supported by a committed staff team. This enables them to feel settled in their home.  The staff team works consistently with the children and young people, building relationships with them and incorporating the use of humour to promote communication.  Children and young people benefit from living in an environment that promotes the ethos of a ‘normal’ family home. This includes the encouragement of forming positive friendships.  The registered manager is responsive to the needs of the children and young people and escalates concerns to ensure that they receive the services that they need.  When children and young people are missing from the home, staff take action to locate them and to minimise the risk of harm. The recording of these incidents is an improved area of practice.  Staff have strong relationships with professionals and parents and provide them with frequent updates on the current progress of children and young

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The children’s home provision is good because:

people.  Children and young people experience well-planned transitions from the home and maintain continued relationships and outreach support from staff.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must ensure that, within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’):

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Requirements Due date

(i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(b)(i)(ii)) 16/01/2017

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Requirements Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’). (Regulation 45(3)) 01/05/2017

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Requirements Due date

14. In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to matching, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that:

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Requirements Due date

Children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(2)(a)) 16/01/2017

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Requirements Due date

Recommendations To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as a ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Requirements Due date

 The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Requirements Due date

 All children’s case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Requirements Due date

 Homes are required to develop and keep under review a ‘statement of purpose’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to the statement of purpose including information about the current responsible individual and the current staffing and qualifications. Details of core training should match the home’s training plan.

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Requirements Due date

 The children’s guide should help children to understand the statement of purpose of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to keeping the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and to seek children’s comments before revising either document.

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Requirements Due date

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children are missing from the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to the recording of return home interviews.

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Requirements Due date

 All children’s case records must be kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to the manager ensuring that they receive the minutes of child exploitation meetings so that staff can implement any required actions to protect children.

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Requirements Due date

 The home should be located in an area that supports children’s safety, well- being and personal development. The location of the home should support its aims, objective and ethos. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 17, paragraph 3.23)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to reviewing the current location risk assessment to reflect the increase in the risk of missing from home incidents and child exploitation.

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Requirements Due date

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Requirements Due date

This is with particular reference to repairing the damage to the lounge door and the repair or replacement of kitchen cupboards.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

19/10/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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people living in the home are

Children and young people experience care that enables them to build trusting relationships. A young person reported that, compared to past placements, she feels settled here. Her mother confirmed that her daughter is happy and that she presents as settled.

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people living in the home are

Children and young people engage with staff and, through this emotional investment, good relationships are developed. A young person reflected that staff at the home spend time with her and listen to her. This process is helped by the successful use and response to humour. A child said: ‘To work here you need to laugh and have a sense of humour.’

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people living in the home are

Children and young people are supported to explore their identities and are provided with experiences to develop their self-esteem. They do this by maintaining links with their family and significant others in their lives. The staff team recognises the importance of appropriate contact, and this is supported by the creation of clear contact plans for individual children and young people. Family relationships are also supported by the thoughtful actions of staff. A parent said: ‘The home is very welcoming.’ A professional reported that staff have developed a positive relationship with a young person’s father, who was initially reluctant to work with professionals.

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people living in the home are

Children and young people benefit from an assessment of their needs prior to admission. This enables needs and risks to be discussed and identified and appropriate plans implemented. In addition, children and young people are supported to visit the home and meet with staff and other residents before they move in. This helps to reduce their anxieties and provides an opportunity for staff to further review the mix of children and young people.

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people living in the home are

Children and young people are successfully encouraged to attend school and other educational provision. For example, a young person had planned introductions to her school. Her attendance has gradually increased and continues to improve. The young person said: ‘I am moving forward now.’

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people living in the home are

Children and young people are provided with opportunities to participate in community activities and build friendships within these groups. In the home, they enjoy spending time together, for example gathering around the dining table, playing cards and games.

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people living in the home are

Children and young people are encouraged and supported to maintain and make positive health choices. When concerns are identified, appropriate help and guidance are sourced from specialist providers. Staff develop their understanding and knowledge about health issues, and share this knowledge with the children and young people. For example, staff have developed a resource pack to reinforce to children and young people the impact of drug and substance use.

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people living in the home are

Young people develop the skills to successfully manage their transition into adulthood and independence. Young people often remain in contact with the home after they have left, and staff continue to provide them with support as they meet the challenges of living independently.

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people are helped and protected

Children and young people are helped to understand their behaviour and how this might sometimes put them at risk. Staff work with them to help minimise risk- taking behaviours, such as running away from home.

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people are helped and protected

When child sexual exploitation is identified as a risk, this is detailed in the child’s or young person’s risk assessment and missing from home plan. However, not all relevant documentation is put in place following professional meetings. This means that staff may not be working in line with multi-agency plans.

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people are helped and protected

When children and young people are missing from the home, staff take action to locate them and so minimise the risk of harm. Staff attend known addresses and have made links with known associates, to help them to quickly find and safeguard children and young people.

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people are helped and protected

The recording of these incidents has improved, but further work is needed to capture information about return home interviews. The locality risk assessment identifies risks in the local area to children and young people, but should be revised to take into account the rise of missing from home and child sexual exploitation incidents.

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people are helped and protected

Children and young people are safeguarded because staff are aware of the home’s safeguarding procedures. Staff feel confident to act when necessary to protect children and young people, including undertaking whistleblowing. When allegations are made, information is shared with relevant agencies. This ensures that children and young people receive the appropriate support and are protected throughout any investigation.

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people are helped and protected

Children and young people are supported to have an understanding about the dangers of cyber-bullying and online grooming. They are required to complete an e-learning safety course before using the home’s online media.

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people are helped and protected

Children and young people are supported to improve their behaviour because staff use positive reinforcement rather than sanctions. Physical restraint is only used as a last option to keep young people safe, but recording of such incidents is not always compliant with the regulations. This is a procedural shortfall that has no impact on children and young people. A young person reported that when she is angry, staff spend time talking to her and that this helps.

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people are helped and protected

Children and young people know how to make a complaint. A young person said that she could make a complaint to anyone in the home, and another child was observed to tell a member of staff about a bullying incident at school, as they wanted help to stop this. This helps children and young people to feel protected and listened to.

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people are helped and protected

The home has a children’s guide, provided to children and young people when they are admitted to the home, This is currently under development, but needs to be done in consultation with children and young people and to include details of the advocacy service and office for the Children’s Commissioner.

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people are helped and protected

The condition of the home is maintained to a good standard. It is well furnished and meets the needs of the children and young people. There are areas of the home that need repair, such as the damage to the lounge door and kitchen cupboards.

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people are helped and protected

The manager follows a safer recruitment policy, and this is implemented when new workers are employed. For example, the manager identified a recent case in which a person was offered a job, but references could not be confirmed. Consequently, they were not employed. This ensures that only those fit to work with vulnerable children and young people are successful.

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leaders and managers

The manager is experienced, well organised and motivational to her team. Staff report that she is supportive and child focused. She has high expectations, and her ethos is to effect change through engagement and time spent with the children and young people. She is suitably qualified and has been a consistent member of the team for a significant number of years.

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leaders and managers

The manager has a clear understanding of the care needs and plans for the children and young people. She is proactive at requesting information and calling meetings to ensure that their needs are regularly discussed, that updated plans are implemented and that positive outcomes are achieved. A professional said: ‘The manager is very proactive to get the best service for children and young people.’

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leaders and managers

Children’s and young people’s case records clearly identify their needs. Their plans are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are making progress. Children and young people are supported to participate in the decisions made about their lives. However, their voice is not explicit in some care documents. In addition, plans and records do not always include the date and signature of those completing them.

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leaders and managers

The manager has oversight of the home’s functioning and the needs and plans for the children and young people. However, the manager’s six-monthly report would benefit from further development. This document is descriptive rather than evaluative, and does not include important consultations that have taken place, such as the results from the home’s annual survey. In addition, there is no clear action plan to further improve the quality of care.

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leaders and managers

The manager works in partnership with agencies, maintaining contact with a range of services, even if children and young people have disengaged from these services. This helps to ensure that individual service provision and support remain available, so that children and young people have the continued opportunity to re- engage with these services.

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leaders and managers

The manager escalates concerns about the actions of other agencies or professionals when necessary, but not always effectively. This has resulted in poor matching that sometimes has negative consequences for young people.

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leaders and managers

Staff receive regular supervision that provides them with the time to discuss the needs of the children and young people for whom they care. Staff are supported in their roles with specialist training on, for example, child sexual exploitation and drug and substance misuse. However, core training does not always match the arrangements set out in the statement of purpose.

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leaders and managers

A number of consistent long-term staff members have retired, and vacancies have yet to be filled. This has an impact on the ability of staff to respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities.

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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 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 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, 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 Text phone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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