Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Limited in Stockport

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Several young people have arrived at the home since the last inspection. Their move into the home was effective and was carefully planned by staff. There are two young people who live in this home that have been there since the last inspection, but since that inspection their progress has stalled.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

School attendance is poor. Of the four young people living at the home, only one is regularly attending school. For one young person, attempts have been made to find alternative placements that would provide some learning opportunities. These relate to the young person’s interests, such as motor mechanics. However, to enable these opportunities to be undertaken, academic studies must also be undertaken which run alongside them. The young person is failing to engage in academic education and staff have tried a number of strategies to alleviate the obstacles that the young person has identified. Despite the fact that these concerns have been resolved, the staff are unable to engage the young person in education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another young person had been attending school, but after a period of gradual disengagement – from turning up late and leaving early to arriving and then leaving immediately – is now not attending at all. Work was sent to the home from the school, but the young person did not consistently complete this. The staff did work with schools so that the young person could transfer to a school which is nearer to the home, but this has not had a positive impact on the young person’s attendance.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person had been attending school, but would leave before the end of the school day, having experienced some bullying while at school. The staff team has worked hard to support the young person to meet with teachers so that they can begin to resolve those concerns, but this has not improved the young person’s attendance.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing from home incidents are sporadic and relate to more than one young person. As a result, these incidents are not a significant concern. The number of times that young people leave the home fluctuates; sometimes the influence of one young person on another causes an increase in such incidents. Staff are trying to work with the young people to reduce these episodes, but are hindered by the lack of return interviews being carried out for every incident of missing from home by one particular authority. This reduces the opportunity for the staff to better understand why young people go missing, where they go and who they are with.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a mixed response to managing safeguarding concerns. One young person recently spent time away from the home when there were known risks in relation to sexual exploitation. The young person returned with more money than they left with. This was appropriately explored with their social worker, but their response did not support the staff in the home to keep the young person safe. Actions by the staff in relation to this incident could have been better; this would have reduced the risk of the young person leaving.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff responded appropriately to a recent self-harming incident by ensuring that the young person had immediate medical attention. However, the number and type of checks that were made on the young person during the night were insufficient to ensure that she remained safe and well, particularly given the seriousness of the self-harming incident. A requirement is raised to reduce risks associated with missing from home episodes and to ensure that young people are kept safe following an incident of self-harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following the last inspection, an incident took place which was serious and was related to a fire that occurred near to the home. Notwithstanding the fact that the subsequent investigation was inconclusive, the manager should have considered this to be a notifiable incident, as it was serious and was linked to a young person at the home. A requirement is raised to ensure all that incidents that are serious in nature are notified to Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The health of all of the young people is generally good. Some young people have been helped and encouraged to attend medical appointments, and some young people have become more independent and have attended the doctor’s by themselves. However, not all of the young people regularly attend appointments with the optician or the dentist. A recommendation is raised at this inspection to improve young people’s attendance, which will ensure that they remain healthy.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff work very well together and they are consistent in their approach to looking after young people. This has enabled some very strong and trusting relationships to develop. These relationships make the staff feel like family to the young people. Young people said that they liked living at the home and felt that there were few things that they would want to change. Young people are able to contribute to the running of the home in formal and informal ways.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is appropriately decorated and young people are able to choose the decoration in their rooms to make them more personal. Fire doors have been added to the home. While this improves the safety for the staff and young people, the doors are unpainted and feel unfinished. This detracts from the pleasant appearance of the home. The deputy manager agreed to discuss this with the fire and rescue service in order to get advice on improving the doors without reducing their effectiveness in the event of a fire.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Checks on new staff are appropriate and ensure that young people are looked after by those who are appropriate to do so.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendation made at the last inspection has been met.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have emotional, behavioural and/or learning difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/09/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/10/2015 Full Good 30/03/2015 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) meet(s) 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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Requirement Due date

8. In order to meet the education standard, with particular reference to ensuring that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so, the registered person must ensure –

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Requirement Due date

(i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

(ii) support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

(iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

(iv) help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

(vii) raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

(x) help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular regard to reducing incidents of going missing and taking steps to ensure that children are kept safe following an incident of 30/04/2017 self-harm, the registered person must ensure –

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if –

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Requirement Due date

There is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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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 when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 Homes have a key role in organising and ensuring each child’s attendance at the necessary primary and secondary health services. Ensure that staff support the children to have a proactive role in looking after their day to day health and well- being. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraphs 7.10 and 7.11).

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

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