Children's home run by Milton Keynes City Council

Good

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

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people who have complex emotional and/or physical disabilities make good progress while reaching milestones.   The record keeping has improved and offers a clear picture of the planning and decisions made for young people.   Young people have trusting, nurturing relationships with the committed and stable staff team; their views are valued.  Transitions in and out of the home are well managed by the staff allowing young people to settle quickly.   Young people are kept extremely safe with no safeguarding concerns arising. Risk assessments are comprehensive with all concerns properly assessed.   An experienced manager monitors the progress of the young people well while supporting staff. Internal and external monitoring processes are both effective.  Staff have established good-quality relationships with external professionals, which further support young people.   The previous requirements and recommendations have been met. Those made

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

at this inspection do not have an adverse impact on the young people.

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12 The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(a)(iii) Have the skills to identify and act on signs that a child is at risk of harm. (2)(a)(iii)) Specifically, ensure that staff complete training for child sexual exploitation. 03 April 2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Staff should be familiar with the home‟s polices on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, clear recording. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children’s home

The children‟s home is registered to accommodate eight children and young people who have a learning disability and/or physical disability, with associated sensory impairment. The service is delivered and managed by the local council.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/07/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

08/09/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

21/01/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Good

Young people who have learning and/or physical disabilities consistently make progress as they benefit from specialised care tailored to their complex needs. Well-organised planning and staff engagement led all them to achieve monthly targets for progress. A social worker reported a broad range of positive experiences for all three young people she has placed in the home. Record keeping for the young people has improved, fulfilling the one requirement and one recommendation made at the last inspection. The majority of files now contain a significant amount of information such as placement plans, review minutes and transition plans. These provide a clear picture of the journey of the young people, including all decisions and actions made and how these are in their best interests. One care plan reviewed on inspection contained numerous errors crossed out in pen, making it hard to follow. Observations of staff demonstrated they have nurturing, warm relationships with

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Good

the young people. Staff are committed to their care and pay considerable attention to their complex needs while providing one-to-one care. Staff have a clear understanding of the varying needs of the young people. They treat the young people with respect and dignity and spend quality time with them. A social worker said, „Staff have formed a trusting and professional relationship with X and they have good insight and understanding of X‟s autism and behaviour.‟ Staff are skilful at obtaining the wishes and feelings of the young people. They creatively interact with those young people who are non-verbal by recognising their distinctive sounds, actions and gestures. Staff ensure that the young people‟s views and opinions are always acknowledged and shared with professionals. The majority of young people have an advocate in place, who regularly visits the placement to speak with them and with staff. Young people successfully transition from the home at the time that is right for

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Good

them. A young person with limited family support successfully moved on to adult supported living with the assistance of staff. Staff effectively engaged with professionals while following a detailed plan of action. A social worker wrote, „The communication and support by staff around transitions was excellent, liaising with staff in the new “adult” house and this ensured a good transition for X last month.‟ Some young people have made huge strides in developing independent skills based on ability. Staff teach and encourage them to become self-reliant, because the majority have not had the opportunity prior to being placed in the home. Young people learn to complete their personal care, and prepare small meals for lunch. A social worker said, „This is a great achievement for X, as prior to moving he did not have these skills. He is very proud of his independence and new-found skills.‟ The young people‟s health needs are a top priority for staff. Staff acquaint

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Good

themselves with all the young people‟s pre-existing conditions prior to admission to ensure that they can respond knowledgeably. Young people are encouraged and supported to use equipment that improves their mobility. Medication is safely stored and administered through a process that promotes accountability; there have been no mistakes. Young people are provided with healthy, home-cooked meals. The staff prepare meals and cater well for the young people‟s different needs, often introducing certain foods into their diets in line with their care plans. Staff are clear and diligent in following the process to feed children and young people who have had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and cannot eat orally. Young people receive support with their education. The staff have made good- quality links and attend education review meetings. Daily communication logs provide effective communication between the home and school. The staff ensure

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Good

that young people attend school daily and welcome them with an afternoon snack on their return. Parents of young people are well informed and actively involved in the care of their children. Staff have good communication with parents regarding care planning, contact and often advise them on important decisions on behalf of the young people. Staff supported an anxious parent when a young person was admitted to the hospital for a minor procedure. The social worker reported that, „The communication and preparation was excellent and this resulted in the young person managing the two procedures well and calmly.‟ The young people reside in a home that is well maintained with ample resources. All communal areas of the home are in good decorative order. All areas are accessible by the young people without any restrictions. The rooms of the young people are personalised and kept tidy. Managers have evidenced a willingness to

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Good

adapt the home to meet the particular needs of young people when necessary. A young person proudly provided the inspector with a tour of the home during inspection.

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Good

The young people are safe. Concerns relating to missing from care, child sexual exploitation and other safeguarding issues are non-existent due to the staff providing diligent, one-to-one care. No incidents of safeguarding were raised with the designated officer, allowing the staff to concentrate on the care of the young people. The staff are competent in keeping the young people safe. They have a clear understanding of the safeguarding policy and procedures of the home. Basic safeguarding training for staff is up to date; however, the majority of the staff have not yet completed training in understanding child sexual exploitation, as mentioned in the safeguarding policy. This has not negatively affected the young people. Risks associated with the complex needs of the young people are well managed by staff. Risk assessments are well written and promptly updated as young people‟s behaviours and needs change. The staff monitor young people closely, but are not

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Good

risk averse in providing opportunities for them to be active with few restrictions. The positive behaviour management policy outlines how staff will respond and manage the behaviours of the young people. Staff appropriately differentiate between behaviours that are deemed serious but are part of the behaviour young people consistently display. All incidents are recorded and reviewed by the manager for learning opportunities. The physical environment is well maintained and staff ensure that young people safely use the premises. Health and safety risk assessments for electrical, gas and fire are up to date. Routine services of specialist equipment, such as hoists used to move young people with limited mobility, prevent malfunction. In the event of fire, all young people have personal evacuation plans on file, advising the staff how to facilitate an evacuation. There have been no new staff recruited to work directly with the young people.

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Good

Staff are safely recruited, the most recent of which have now been working with the young people for a year without any incidents or concerns.

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Good

The registered manager has been in post for two years. She is a qualified social worker who has gained valuable experience by managing two children‟s homes for the council that meet the needs of young people who have disabilities. The consensus among the staff is that the manager is firm and fair, while being supportive of the young people. A potential change to the role of the responsible individual will be occurring in the near future. It is apparent from conversations with the manager and her assistants that they are prioritising the needs of the young people. They role model good practice to staff by actively being involved in care; for example, working day and overnight shifts in the home. This contributes towards the continuous monitoring of the young people, as reflected in the manager‟s five-monthly reporting. External monitoring of the home is sound. The independent visitor routinely visits

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Good

the home on a monthly basis and provides an accurate overview of how the service is functioning. His reports provide useful information for managers, enabling well- organised plans of action to be developed and these are formally reported on annually. The quality of staff is the strength of the home. They have consistently been in place for over a year. The majority of staff are permanent; the home does not use agency workers. All staff are suitably qualified with only three new starters still to complete the appropriate qualification. They all expressed that their ability to work together was a strength of the care that the young people receive. A vast amount of support is provided to the staff by management. Staff appreciate the approach taken and the clear instruction and opportunity to express their views they are given. Supervision records show that staff reflect on their practice, and they are also subject to annual appraisals. Team meetings are purposeful, including

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Good

the use of guest speakers and good learning and team-building opportunities. The statement of purpose was last updated in August 2016 and provides a synopsis of how staff proactively plan and deliver services to young people who have disabilities, while keeping them safe. The ethos of the home is clearly being met by the information gathered on inspection. Professionals positively spoke about their experiences with the staff. They praised them for their ability to communicate effectively on all matters relating to the young people. An external professional stated that managers are quick to respond to any concern raised.

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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‟. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 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 0300 123 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 at: 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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