Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

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

The registered manager has taken effective action to address the requirement and most of the recommendations made at the last inspection. New management audit systems have been introduced. This includes a daily audit and checklist for young people’s medication. In addition, all care, health, education and behavioural plans for young people now include a document review sheet. This review sheet contains the date when staff sign to confirm that they have read the documents and are familiar with any changes. While the manager has considered the recommendation about allowing young people to take managed risks, this had not been progressed and the recommendation is repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transition planning for young people is detailed and individualised. One young person has successfully returned to live with his family after a rehabilitation programme was agreed. Although the young person chose to leave the home earlier than planned, staff maintained contact with him and his family and updated the local authority throughout the process. Another young person has since moved into the home and has begun to settle and build relationships with staff. The young person said, ‘I like it here. I have stopped smoking and I haven’t run off. I really like [name of keyworker]. I know she cares. She will listen to me, but also says if I’m wrong. She doesn’t shout, she just explains it clearly and gives me time to think. I have not had that in other places I have lived.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who have recently moved into the home are identified as being at high risk of child sexual exploitation. There are clear and robust risk assessments in place designed to safeguard young people. These assessments identify extremely high levels of direct supervision for young people. For example, risk assessments state, ‘1:1 (24 hour) staffing at all times.’ While this level of supervision is reducing risk and enhancing young people’s safety, the potential impact on their opportunities to develop independence skills or make suitable friendships are not sufficiently considered. Furthermore, there is no identified plan for young people to have time unsupervised or to set goals for the young people to work towards having free time. Although the registered manager acknowledges the challenges of managing risks without restricting young people’s liberty, this is an area of practice that requires further development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s behaviour both in their home and in the community has improved. Communication, negotiation and compromise are now evident in the interactions between the young people and the staff. This change in approach avoids reliance on issuing continuous sanctions and resulting in negative consequences and offers a more constructive way of managing behaviour. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of physical intervention. The registered manager reported that this was appropriate and documentation was completed. However, due to a new electronic recording system, the records were unavailable on the day of the inspection. The manager recognised this as an area for improvement. She has already raised her concerns with the provider about experiencing technology difficulties, but there continue to be delays in accessing important information.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education attendance for all young people has improved. They are making progress and are on the right track to achieve successful outcomes. For example, one young person who had previously struggled to attend and engage with their education is now attending on a regular basis and is on track to achieve formal qualifications. Another young person is already engaging in educational activities and has a plan to return to a full-time provision in the next month. The manager has successfully challenged the local authority about delays in identifying suitable education provision and has been liaising regularly with the local authority’s virtual headteacher. The virtual headteacher said, ‘The home has been very proactive and has looked at suitable alternatives including liaising with other education colleagues. To be fair, with other children’s homes I have worked with, this does not really happen, so I cannot fault them.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people said that they felt safe living in the home and that they are able to talk to the staff if they have any worries or concerns. They also confirmed that they are fully aware of the home’s own complaints procedures. One young person reported that she had used the process and that she ‘was impressed by how quickly the manager had dealt with her complaint’. She commented that as well as having a direct discussion with the manager, she had also received a formal letter explaining the process for complaints and a further letter with the outcome and the agreed actions. This approach ensures that young people feel listened to and are supported appropriately when they raise concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures and their roles should concerns arise. When concerns have arisen, the staff have taken immediate action to contact the local safeguarding team and to sensitively support young people appropriately throughout.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team continues to be consistent and knowledgeable. Team members benefit from professional supervision, which takes place regularly. The home also has team meetings, training and daily handovers in place to improve staff practice. Staff all reported that the manager is ‘very approachable’ and will ‘listen to new ideas, thoughts and suggestions’. Staff members feel valued and gain satisfaction in their work. One staff member stated, ‘I think we try hard with all young people. We work well as a team and we want the young people to do well.’

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Information about this children's home

The home is a privately owned children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/11/2016 Full Good 20/01/2016 Full Good 25/11/2015 Full Inadequate 25/03/2015 Interim Sustained 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 registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner: records of the use of measures of control, discipline or restraint. (Regulation 38 (h)) 17/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that staff take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on the individual child's needs and developmental-stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that practice in the home does not routinely deprive a child of their liberty without a court order. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 50, paragraph 9.63)

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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 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

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Information about this inspection

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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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