Children's home run by Care 4 Children Limited in Stockport

Good

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:

 Young people have made good progress from their starting points. Their behaviour is improving alongside their confidence. They are no longer involved in damaging behaviours, such as violence and crime.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There are trusting relationships between the staff and young people. These are built up through completing outward-bound challenges together as a team.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people participate in a range of outdoor activities and experiences that are new to them, gaining new skills and abilities. They are achieving recognised educational qualifications for the first time in many years.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are learning to manage their own behaviour and emotions with the guidance of the staff. As a result, there are minimal behaviour issues and physical interventions.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Partner agencies are highly complimentary of the care and support provided to young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Care planning is good and risks are identified and managed very well. This ensures that young people who have previous safety concerns are protected during their placement.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff are very well trained in outdoor activities and in caring for young people. This provides for a caring and structured experience during their time at the home.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that appropriate records of staff supervision are kept. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this children's home

This home provides emergency care and accommodation of up to 120 days for one child who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This service is operated by a private company which has a number of homes. This is the first inspection following registration.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

N/A first inspection following registration.

p.5

Good

This service has been set up to provide emergency time-limited placements for young people who have complex emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people live in a mobile caravan, and qualified staff members engage with them on outward-bound activities to guide them through a period of crisis in their lives.

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Good

Young people are making good progress during their time living here. They gain recognised qualifications in outdoor pursuits, which in turn builds their confidence and pride in themselves. A social worker commented: ‘It gave him time to discover who he was and this was the turning point for his progress, he is doing so well now.’

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Good

Trusting relationships are key to the success here. These are built through participating in challenges with the staff, including forest craft, mountaineering, rock climbing and kayaking. Young people also go out for meals and watch films with the staff. Alongside this, staff act as caring role models to guide young people in choosing more positive behaviour. For example, young people’s anti-social behaviour, violence and crime have diminished since living here.

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Good

Young people’s views are very much a part of living here. They feel included in decisions about their lives and enjoy the experience. Regular meetings and daily discussions all contribute to young people having their say. Moreover, the staff focus on positive reward as part of behaviour management, which is working very well. One young person commented: ‘It is wicked, the best things are mountain biking and fishing, and the staff are mint.’

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Good

Young people’s health needs are well met. They are registered with appropriate health care services at one location and the staff have the details of all the hospitals in the areas that the mobile caravan visits. They also have access to an in-house trained therapist. Arrangements for administration of medication are sound and all staff are trained in first aid to ensure their competence in providing safer care to young people.

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Good

Young people’s educational needs are met during their time living here. They gain approved qualifications based around personal social and employability skills. One young person gained a kayaking award that will stand him in good stead for employment in the future. These are massive achievements for young people who have been out of educational settings for many years.

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Good

Young people moving into this home arrive on an emergency basis. They have an initial assessment of need to ensure that the service is right for them. Young people receive a warm welcome from the staff, and a young person’s guide is also available to explain the running of the home.

p.6

Good

The safety and protection of young people is central to care practice. Young people said that they feel safe and protected by the staff. Moreover, effective planning with partner agencies and high levels of staffing helps to minimise risks and vulnerabilities for young people. For example, there are significantly reduced incidents of young people going missing and being involved in crime. This helps to make them safer. Effective protocols are in place with partner agencies and these are followed by the staff when young people do go missing, to promote their safe return.

p.7

Good

The staff have regular training in safeguarding and have a good understanding of how to protect young people. Organisational policies and procedures are also in place to guide staff practice. Health and safety checks are regularly undertaken to ensure the safe running of the mobile caravan. These measures complement the culture of safety and protection in the home.

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Good

The staff fully understand young people’s needs and have developed strategies to manage their individual behaviours successfully. As a result, physical interventions with young people are low. These are reviewed by the registered manager for their appropriateness. The staff are also trained in a certified method of physical intervention to safely hold young people if necessary.

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Good

The staff work with young people to educate them in keeping themselves safe, through individual key-working sessions. For example, topics include stranger danger and exploitation. Also, young people are routinely involved in safety checks of the equipment used to participate in outdoor activities. This encourages them to take ownership of their own safety. Judgement grade

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Good

This home is managed by an experienced and qualified registered manager. He is also the manager of two other single-bedded homes in the company. He has a deputy manager in post and together they work effectively to ensure the smooth running of the home. The staff spoken to as part of the inspection said that they enjoy their work, and they were highly complementary of the management team. They have guidance, policies and procedures to support their care practice. The staff are suitably qualified. There are sufficient numbers of staff members working here with the right skills, including care and activity-based skills, to meet the needs of young people. The staff also have regular training, handovers and team meetings to develop their competence further in delivering a high standard of care. Management records show that the majority of the staff have monthly supervision, in line with organisational policy, although two staff records could not be found to ensure

p.8

Good

Partnership working with all agencies and young people’s family members is effective. Regular progress reports are provided to social workers to keep them involved and updated. Their feedback is gained and this is very positive about the care and experience received by young people. This demonstrates the good working relationships forged between them.

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Good

Quality audit systems are in place and provide an overview of care practice. For example, independent monitoring is detailed and actions set are welcomed by the management team to learn and improve. A development plan is in place and sets the direction for the home. For example, plans are underway to introduce electronic progress reports and an underpinning model of care practice.

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Good

The written records are good and provide a picture of young people's daily living. Furthermore, their ‘progression reports’ capture each young person’s journey and progress. These contain photographs of them conquering outdoor challenges and record meaningful memories for them to look back on. Their information is securely stored and shared confidentially to protect their safety and privacy.

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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 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

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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