Children's home run by Plymouth City Council

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 is dynamic and skilful. Along with her staff team, she is committed to providing the best service that she can to the children and young people who attend this children’s home for short breaks. Since the last inspection a number of younger children have started to use this service. The staff team has adapted well in changing its approach to care from that previously used with much older teenagers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is very clear to the staff about her expectations. This ensures that children and young people who attend this home are happy and safe. The registered manager instils an ethos of child-centred practice. She is determined to ensure that all children and young people are afforded positive experiences that they may not have had otherwise. Support is also provided to families, and this helps families feel confident that the staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to safely care for their child.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The arrangements in place for the safekeeping and administration of medication are effective. Staff stated that the recent training provided for the team has given them additional knowledge and supported them in feeling more confident in this area of practice. There are good arrangements in place with a local pharmacist to ensure that medication that is no longer required or out of date is safely disposed of.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people who stay at this children’s home receive care and attention from a dedicated and committed staff team. The staff know the children and young people well, and some children and young people have been staying over at this home for many years. There are some concerns in respect to transitional planning for young people not being put in place in a timely way. This has resulted in undue stress and uncertainty for one family whose child is due to reach adulthood within a few weeks. There are no plans in place for him when it is time for him to move on from the service. Although this has been raised as an issue by the registered manager, the local authority has failed to respond appropriately. The registered manager makes sure that the property is kept in a good state of repair and strives to achieve a homely environment. However, the recent repair to the kitchen floor has resulted in flooring being laid that does not match. The

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

registered manager is rightly challenging this. Not all areas of the home felt cared for. The aesthetics of the building make it is difficult to avoid an institutionalised feel to this home. Although the children and young people’s bedrooms are welcoming and personalised, this is not reflected in some of the communal areas of the home. This unwelcoming appearance has been further compounded by recent decisions in the home. For example, locks have been placed on cupboards that house the television and the computers that are available for the children and young people to use. The removal of a television from one room has resulted in a sofa facing a plain wall with electricity cables attached to it.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The arrangements in place in respect to the independent visitor still remain unsatisfactory. A number of changes to personnel, a lack of time on site and a lack of time spent with children have resulted in a variable service. This shortfall in practice is recognised by the registered manager, who is working closely with the commissioning team to try to bring some much needed consistency and quality to this area.

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Information about this children's home

This registered children’s home operates as a short-break service and is run by the local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have a learning disability, physical disability and/or sensory impairment. As well as overnight stays, the service provides evening- and daytime-only sessions.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/09/2016 Full Good 10/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/07/2015 Full Good 13/02/2015 Interim Improved 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

44. Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month. (2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person: (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires (b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home's records (except for a child's case records, unless the child and the child's placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (3) A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person's report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether: (a) children are effectively safeguarded (b) the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being.

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Requirement Due date

(5) The independent person's report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (6) If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person's report: (a) details of the conflict of interest (b) the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit. (7) The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person's report to: (a) HMCI (b) upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located 01/04/2017 (c) the placing authorities of children (d) the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager (e) the responsible individual (if one is nominated).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all visits are meaningful and that children and young people are seen and spoken with.

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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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