Lincolnshire Secure Unit

home are

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

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Young people develop warm supportive relationships with staff who care for them. This enables young people to feel safe and respected.    Good and well-planned multi-disciplinary care packages provide bespoke programmes, which meet young people’s individual needs.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Residential staff, healthcare staff and education professionals work in partnership to identify young people’s individual risk factors. Risk management plans focus on risk reduction strategies aimed at keeping all young people safe and promoting their welfare.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Staff manage behaviour well and show insight and patience when assisting young people through difficult times. Young people respond well to the ‘in- house’ rewards and privileges system. This behaviour management tool helps to motivate young people and supports them to take responsibility for their own actions.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Managers work well with external safeguarding agencies to ensure that practice is accountable and transparent and that young people’s welfare is promoted and protected.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 Young people enjoy their education and make very good progress, especially when bearing in mind their starting points.

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The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 The staff team is very well supported by its managers, and as a result is gaining in confidence and remains highly committed to its roles. The support from managers enables staff to provide good care and guidance to the young people in their care.

p.3

The children’s home’s provision is good because:

 A number of key records are not completed to a good standard, and this can make monitoring of incidents by managers difficult. For example, records of single separation still contain shortfalls despite this being the subject of a requirement at the previous inspection in July 2016.

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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

13: The leadership and management standard.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must: (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. This is with specific reference to ensuring that key records, such as those regarding restraint and single separation, are completed to a good standard. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must: (2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with specific reference to ensuring that all staff receive formal training in key areas, such as preventing radicalisation and refresher training in managing self-harm. 31/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities. (Regulation 33 (1)(c)) This is with particular reference to making clear the roles of learning support assistants. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the matters set out in the regulation. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(b)(c)) Specifically, that managing away records are kept in line with the regulation, and that single separation and managing away records provide sufficient detail to justify the continued use of the measure of control. 31/03/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) Specifically, ensure that challenging personal, social and behavioural skill development targets are identified for all young people taking part in education, enrichment and mobility activities.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) Specifically, improve the confidence and skills of education staff to provide young people with high quality independent advice and guidance on education, employment and training opportunities.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) Specifically, analyse available data on the progress and achievement of all groups of young people to identify trends over time.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) Specifically, ensure coordination of training events with the academic calendar to eradicate the cancellation of physical education (PE) lessons within the core education day.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) Specifically, ensure that the two-week post-release case worker meetings collect information about the impact of education within the education setting.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) This specifically relates to making sure that all potential and identified risks are highlighted and recorded in preparation for risk assessment meetings.

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 12 young people aged between 10 and 17 years. It provides for up to 11 young people placed by the Youth Justice Board and one place for young people accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who are placed by local authorities. Admission of any young persons under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who are under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State. Education is provided on-site in dedicated facilities. This inspection has the purpose of informing the Secretary of State on the continuing suitability for this provision to operate as a secure unit to restrict children's liberty.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/07/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/07/2015 Full Outstanding 10/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/09/2014 Full Good

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Good

The home experienced a very difficult period during autumn 2016, which caused serious disruption. It is to their credit that during that time, staff continued to work hard to help young people make progress and to help keep them safe. The home successfully navigated through this disruptive period and has been able to maintain good quality care and deliver good outcomes for young people, despite the challenges faced.

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Good

Young people are receiving a good standard of care and achieve good outcomes. They benefit from the strong relationships they build with staff, which helps them to settle and progress. Young people gave inspectors positive feedback about the time they have spent in the home. For example one stated, ‘I made a serious mistake that led to me coming here. Staff have been great. They have supported me through my difficulties and I can look forward to the future now.’

p.7

Good

Developing robust relationships with young people and providing them and their families with high levels of support is an area of strength. The quality of relationships underpin the high levels of communication and consultation that are ongoing. A parent told an inspector that, ‘Staff have been great. I can always speak with someone when I ring. They have been very supportive of him and we are so pleased with the progress he is making. So much so, we are hoping for an early release.’

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Good

Young people’s individual needs are recognised early into their placement and are captured in their written plans, strategies and risk assessments. These, along with their individual targets, are reviewed and updated regularly. This keeps them current and focused.

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Good

Well-established programmes of intervention are identified and implemented to address individual needs. Young people experience both one-to-one and group work from early into their placement, such as offending and sexualised behaviours interventions. Staff undertaking this work are multi-disciplinary and fully trained. This gives young people opportunities to both recognise the issues that have led to them being admitted to the home and to reflect upon and address those issues.

p.7

Good

Some newly introduced initiatives reflect the ambition of senior staff to move the home forward and improve practice, such as with a new referral assessment rating pro forma. This is designed to assist senior staff when they are considering the suitability of referrals. Another development is the creation and implementation of a key working change management plan. This plan is designed to improve the quality of recording, to give key workers a specific plan to work with and to provide improved targets for the content of each session. The system is also used to monitor the frequency and quality of key work sessions. As well as improving monitoring in this area, there has been a positive impact regarding the number of key work sessions taking place each month. This gives the young people more opportunities to discuss and reflect upon their behaviours and to develop coping strategies.

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Good

The overall physical, mental and emotional health needs of young people are being well met under the current arrangements. The systems built into working practices consider diet, exercise, substance misuse and sexual health, and positively promote young people’s health. Young people are able to reflect on their previous lifestyle and understand the risky situations they may have put themselves in. As a result, young people are empowered to make positive changes.

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Good

Planned activities for education holidays is an area of strength. Young people benefit from a range of activities. For example, for half-term a group of young people plan to participate in an arts project provided by an external group. Evening activities have been ad hoc. This has been recognised by managers by the recent introduction of planned evening activities. This has provided clearer routines with more structure for young people.

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Good

The strong relationships between staff and young people aids positive and constructive consultation. Young people have a number of forums and outlets that facilitate formal consultation. For example, documents and surveys are completed by young people, and there are weekly unit meetings and regular meetings with the manager. Young people are able to influence changes to activities, menus and decor as well as rewards in the privilege system.

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Good

Transition planning includes early identification of where a young person will move to when they leave the home and what educational and health arrangements they are likely to need. Planning for transition is good and well supported by an active mobility programme. On occasions, and much to the frustration of staff and young people, some placing authorities can be slow to implement these plans. The managers advocate on behalf of the young people and challenge placing authorities when appropriate.

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Good

The building is secure and in a good state of repair. The home is well-decorated and furnished and suitable to meet the needs of young people. This creates an environment where young people can relax and feel at ease. Bedrooms are personalised to suit the taste and reflect the interests of the occupant. Young people’s views about the home are generally positive, with a number pleasantly surprised by their surroundings and the attitudes shown by staff. This is reflected by a young person who stated, ‘They (staff) are very human and it’s not what I expected.’ Judgement grade

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Good

Staff prioritise young people’s safety and security and have a good understanding of their complex and challenging needs. This means that young people feel safe in the home. For example, young people did not raise any concerns about bullying. This is because supervision levels ensure that the opportunity for bullying is minimised. When incidents do occur, staff complete ‘bullying logs’. They then use these records to compile bespoke support programmes for both the victim and the perpetrator. These programmes utilise restorative mediation sessions to help young people to understand the negative effect their actions have on others. Consequently, staff challenge unacceptable behaviour effectively. This promotes young people’s safety and well-being.

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Good

Staff have a sound knowledge of safeguarding and child protection matters, including child sexual exploitation, and understand their roles and responsibilities relating to these areas of practice. Staff are able to identify any concerns and know what action to take to help keep young people safe. Not all staff have completed radicalisation training or awareness courses relating to the government’s ‘Prevent’ agenda. There is no detrimental impact on young people’s safety.

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Good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are clear and unambiguous. The registered manager and elected safeguarding managers liaise with the designated officer for the local authority and representatives of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) when necessary. This ensures that any issues regarding safeguarding and young people’s welfare are promptly addressed. The LSCB representatives feel the service prioritises care over control but that when control is necessary, that staff make sure that debrief sessions with young people are thorough. Consequently, the young people are able to understand why the interventions were necessary and are given good opportunities to reflect and develop better coping strategies. The LSCB representative is particularly impressed with how open and transparent managers from the home are in relation to physical restraint incidents, and encourage him to assess and review as many as possible. The LCSB representative

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Good

has completed physical restraint training with the staff and also occasionally sits in on care planning reviews to better understand how the young people are supported. These relationships are positive and encompass the statutory duty of such agencies to report on the use of physical restraint in secure settings.

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Good

Staff start to identify young people’s risks and vulnerabilities from the point of admission. They collate background information from a range of sources, including local authorities, the Youth Justice Board, youth offending teams and young people’s families. Staff evaluate these initial risk assessments within days of a young person’s admission to the home. They discuss the content of these assessments, and subsequent risk management strategies, during weekly risk assessment meetings. This collaborative approach to supporting young people includes input from healthcare specialists and education professionals. Staff do not consistently ensure that they record the details of all behaviours, such as sexualised gestures and body language. While this has not had an impact on the safety of young people, it means that full information is not always available when developing risk management plans.

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Good

There have been no incidents of young people absconding from the home since the last inspection. There have been occasions when young people have absconded from escort agencies when away from the home on authorised visits. The risk of young people absconding is minimised because robust risk assessments and missing from home procedures are in place. Consequently, members of staff are clear about their roles and young people are very well prepared and supported during outings.

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Good

Policies and procedures relating to the searching of communal areas, bedrooms and individual young people are in place. These promote young people’s safety and well-being. The registered manager confirms that personal searches only take place when staff identify potential risks. For example, when young people are at an increased risk of self-harm or when staff are aware that young people are concealing items that may cause injury or harm to others. Staff complete all searches sensitively and preserve young people’s dignity and privacy.

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Good

During their time in this secure setting, young people learn how to better manage and control their behaviour. This is because staff reinforce positive behaviours through clear and consistent boundaries, verbal praise and the effective use of the home’s reward system. Young people say that they understand the reward system and feel that it is beneficial. One young person said, ‘It’s such a good feeling when you get to gold. It makes me proud and motivates me.’ When young people display unacceptable or challenging behaviours, staff encourage them to reflect on their actions and, when appropriate, use restorative practice sessions. This supports young people’s personal growth and development.

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Good

Staff complete regular refresher training in the use of physical restraint. There has been an increase in the use of this measure of control since the last inspection, due mainly to a rise in incidents when young people have attempted to assault staff. Staff use their restraint training and verbal de-escalation skills to ensure that the frequency and duration of physical restraints continues to reduce. This reduction has been noted since September 2016. Managers use closed-circuit television (CCTV) to review all incidents of restraint. This enables them to ensure that practice is appropriate and to identify any learning points that can be shared with the staff group. Staff record all incidents of control, restraint and discipline. However, a number of these records lack sufficient detail and pertinent information. For example, staff do not consistently record antecedents to restraints. They use subjective language and this makes it difficult for managers to gain a full

p.10

Good

understanding of young people’s challenging behaviours without viewing CCTV recordings. Consequently this can be challenging for managers and other professionals who examine these records to fully understand incidents

p.11

Good

Staff use single separation and ‘managing away’ to prevent young people from harming themselves and/or others and/or when there is serious damage to property. However, records sometimes lack sufficient detail. For example, staff do not consistently detail the reason why this measure of control is necessary, with some staff using unclear language and expressions which are not specific or detailed enough. For example, on one occasion young people had to be separated from each other and the reason given was ‘due to circumstances on the unit’. This description is not detailed enough to justify the measure taken. The registered manager and allocated senior staff monitor the use of this disciplinary measure of control to ensure that this intervention is necessary and proportionate. Managers do not consistently record when they have authorised the continued use of this practice, or detail the review process to demonstrate their continued permission.

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Good

There is no evidence to suggest that practice is inappropriate, though lack of robust recording compromises the effective review of these incidents and the potential to identify learning points and shortfalls in practice.

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Good

All staff, including local authority ‘relief’ staff used by the home, are subject to relevant recruitment vetting checks. These involve disclosure and barring service checks, the assessment of any gaps in employment histories and the evaluation of references provided by previous employers. This means that managers have assessed and judged staff to be suitable to work with vulnerable young people.

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Good

Staff complete a range of health and safety, fire safety and security checks. These procedures combine routine visual observations and practical tests. Allocated staff record the frequency of these checks, highlight any areas for action and address immediately any noted shortfalls. Consequently, the safety of the environment for young people is promoted.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has over 20 years of experience of working with young people and is appropriately qualified. He provides strong leadership to the staff team and, importantly, is approachable and accessible to the young people in his care.

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Requires improvement

The staffing complement is sufficient to provide good staffing ratios and support to the young people. The management team has been successful in recruiting a number of new staff since the last inspection. A good induction process enables new staff to prepare to work in the home and to help them fully understand good practice and routines. This is particularly important when bearing in mind that this is a secure setting with additional demands and specialist knowledge required in order to maintain safety and security.

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Requires improvement

The staff team continues to develop a consistent approach. New staff are gaining in confidence as they become more experienced and have mentors and support from more experienced colleagues.

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Requires improvement

All members of staff receive regular training opportunities in areas such as safeguarding, child sexual exploitation, administration of medication and behaviour management. Not all members of staff from the care and education teams have received formal training in working with young people who are at risk of radicalisation. Additionally, some staff have not received refresher training in managing young people who self-harm. While these shortfalls have not compromised the safety of the young people, not all members of staff have the expected level of knowledge in these key areas.

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Requires improvement

All staff receive regular supervision from their line manager and formal appraisals. This ensures that their practice is subject to review, that they receive good support and that their performance is also assessed. Supervision is effective and records show how any issues have been explored, addressed and resolved. This assists staff to deliver good quality care to young people.

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Requires improvement

The quality of care is monitored closely and emphasis is placed on ensuring that young people feel safe and are making good progress. Completion of key records, such as restraints and incidents of single separation, is not consistently achieved to a good standard. This makes analysis of the incidents challenging at times and tracking of incidents more difficult to achieve. Managers have identified this shortfall as have external professionals, such as the regulation 44 visitor. However, insufficient action has been taken to address the shortfalls in this area and a statutory requirement from the last inspection has not been met.

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Requires improvement

Young people are confident to express their views and all know how to make a complaint. They have numerous avenues available to them if they wish to voice a concern. For example, they can use the home’s complaints system, meet the independent advocate and have open access to help-lines from the privacy of their bedrooms. Records of complaints are maintained and show how each one has been resolved and the time it has taken to do so. The complaints process is seen as effective by the young people who, as a result, feel they are listened to, that their views are taken seriously and that their concerns are addressed.

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Requires improvement

Effective partnerships are in place and maintained with social workers, youth offending workers, safeguarding teams and others. Parents are complimentary about the quality of communication with members of staff. As a result, care planning and delivery of service is seen as a collaborative effort to achieve the best possible outcomes for the young people.

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Requires improvement

Young people’s care plans are reviewed promptly if it is felt that sufficient progress is not being made. Reviews include members of staff from all disciplines who work in the home, and this ensures that reviews of young people’s care are thorough. The flexibility of approach, in having reviews as required, ensures that young people’s needs are considered paramount and that each young person receives a bespoke service.

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Requires improvement

The home has an up-to-date statement of purpose which describes the range of services it provides. The staff in the home deliver the service which is described in the document. Young people have a booklet which outlines the rules and routines and gives details of agencies they can approach if they wish to speak to someone outside of the home. This ensures that young people are aware of the rules, their rights and how they can seek support from external independent agencies.

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Requires improvement

Significant events are notified to the relevant agencies in a timely manner. This ensures that any concerns can be followed up to protect young people and demonstrates that practice in the home is transparent. It is also a good indication that managers welcome review from external sources.

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Requires improvement

Since the last inspection there has been a significant incident in the home. This has been the subject of an independent review commissioned by the local authority. The report about the findings from the internal review has not yet been finalised. Although the final report has not yet been published, managers have identified and recognised shortfalls that require improvement. They have taken positive action to address a range of issues, and some actions are ongoing.

p.13

Good

Young people make good progress during their time in education, often from a very low starting point and poor school experiences. Most arrive with few qualifications and with reading and numeracy skills well below those expected for their chronological age. Teaching staff are very skilled at helping young people overcome barriers to learning and at motivating them to study.

p.13

Good

Despite good efforts to obtain information about young people’s prior attainment and special educational needs, the schools previously attended by many young people provide incomplete information. Teaching staff complete an effective initial assessment so that programmes of learning match young people’s needs well. Education staff use the results of their initial assessment very skilfully to plan learning for each young person. Many young people arrive with complex behavioural, emotional and mental health needs, and staff provide effective support to maximise their attainment within the home.

p.13

Good

All young people who stay for at least four weeks leave the home with at least one accredited qualification and a small number of those who stay longer gain higher level qualifications. In English and mathematics, young people make better progress than their peers in mainstream schools.

p.14

Good

Young people’s personal and social skills, self-esteem and confidence grow as they take part in a good range of activities. Most prefer the more practical aspects of learning. However, teaching staff identify few skill development targets to assess this progress.

p.14

Good

A minority of young people who left the provision in the six months prior to inspection progressed into other education, training or employment. Little is known about the attainment and progression of all groups of young people. Routine reports are produced every six months, but there is no analysis showing outcomes for young people over longer timescales.

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Good

Teaching, learning and assessment are good . Most young people are enthusiastic about their learning as work is carefully matched to their ability, learning needs and individual circumstances. Effective individual coaching and advice are used in each lesson to help learners of very mixed abilities increase their skills and knowledge and gain in confidence. Staff frequently praise young people for their effort.

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Good

In the large majority of lessons young people participate well and complete appropriately challenging tasks. This contributes to the good progress being made relative to their starting points.

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Good

Teachers make appropriate use of the available information computer technology to enliven learning, where it is available. In better sessions, teachers make clear links between the learning taking place and future employability. The staff in the main kitchen provide enthusiastic encouragement and support within a commercial-standard work setting that motivates young people to progress very well.

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Good

Learning support assistants (LSAs) provide highly valued personal and learning support to young people during lessons. However, LSAs also carry care responsibilities which often prevent them from returning to the education department punctually for lessons and reduces their efficiency in supporting learning.

p.14

Good

All young people have individual education plans that are sufficiently detailed and clearly explain how academic learning targets are going to be monitored and achieved. Individual progress reviews are used very effectively to agree challenging academic progress targets, particularly for the more able learners. However, these have an inadequate focus on their behaviour and skill development.

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Good

Young people are routinely involved in discussions about their progress in education and are confident in raising issues and concerns as they arise. They are reasonably clear about how well they are progressing with their own education.

p.15

Good

The observation of teaching practice and the results of learning walks are used to inform performance management and identify staff training needs. The headteacher has developed useful links with a number of local schools to help review and improve the quality of the provision.

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Good

Appropriate attention is given to equality and diversity during lessons, with frequent, interesting discussions on current affairs or topics of personal interest, which help young people to consider their personal prejudices and understanding of significant subjects. However, young people demonstrated a naive understanding of the dangers of radicalisation.

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Good

The curriculum is adequate to meet the reasonable needs of the large majority of young people. Teachers work well together to coordinate a range of subjects and activities to meet the needs of individual young people, including supporting a few learners to complete their GCSE studies. The range of accredited courses is good and the curriculum now provides good opportunities for young people to achieve vocational qualifications in catering. Well-advanced plans are in place to introduce science qualifications for all young people during the summer term 2017.

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Good

Young people enjoy a good range of educational and leisure sports, games and physical activities, although a small number of PE lessons are cancelled when the gym is used for staff training events. Learning resources are good in most areas and support learners to develop relevant vocational skills or to research academic topics.

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Good

Teachers make appropriate use of wall displays to support learning and to share young people’s work, particularly in craft, design and technology (CDT).

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Good

A varied enrichment programme has recently been relaunched across the home, after education hours and during education holidays, which reflects the needs and interests of young people and enhances the education programme, including a variety of activities such as healthy eating, alcohol and substance misuse awareness, and sexual health. A very useful life skills enrichment programme is offered outside of the education core day. However, the impact of this learning is inadequately identified and recorded.

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Good

Education staff do not contribute sufficiently to the planning and assessment of learning points from enrichment and mobility activities and so these aspects are insufficiently incorporated in education progress reports.

p.15

Good

Education staff also influence young people’s care plans and contribute fully to transition planning . Teachers provide young people with useful informal careers advice during lessons and in a small number of individual cases when they have specialised knowledge. However, young people have a limited understanding of the relevance of academic and enrichment topics to their future employability, education and learning.

p.16

Good

Behaviour is generally good. Most relationships between staff and young people are mutually respectful and trusting. Young people get on well with their teachers and peers, which results in a relaxed and purposeful atmosphere in most lessons. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are infrequent. Staff offer consistent, considered challenge to examples of poor behaviour and most are dealt with effectively.

p.16

Good

Attendance is very high. Lessons start punctually and movements at break times throughout the day are managed efficiently. A small number of lessons are disrupted by the need for young people to attend meetings and appointments.

p.16

Good

Young people work safely in classes and in practical activities. They learn about and demonstrate safe working practices, including the use of personal protective equipment, especially in potentially high-risk areas such as the CDT workshop and in the main kitchen.

p.16

Good

Briefings from care staff at the start of each day identify any concerns that need to be shared about individual young people and are used to help plan education activities well.

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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 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, 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: 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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