Children's home run by Stockport Supported Accommodation Service in Stockport

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 improved effectiveness . Children and young people continue to make good progress across most aspects of their lives. The home has been proactive in progressing care plans with the local authority and families to reduce drift, particularly when there are plans in place for young people to return home. Education remains a high priority, and the home has been involved in identifying new education provision when required, and encouraging young people to re-engage with education. Additional tutoring is identified and secured when this is needed to maintain continuity for young people. Staff liaise with the virtual school and education providers to good effect. There are clear links with other agencies in the local authority to support any additional needs that young people might have. Relationships with other professionals remain

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

strong, and effective and regular communication is confirmed by social workers, to ensure that young people make positive progress. The home works in partnership with families, particularly when overnight contact takes place as part of plans for young people to return home, so that parents and young people are fully involved and understand the expectations placed on them. This encourages young people to achieve their outcomes, and to make positive progress in line with their plans. Two young people have made successful transitions from the home. One has moved to semi-independent living and was supported by staff to visit prior to the move. The other young person has been rehabilitated home with their family, and receives continued outreach support from staff at the home. The home was fully involved and took an active role during transition planning for both young people. Staff input during transition and ongoing support provide continuity to the work

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

undertaken with young people while they lived at the home and maintained the stability of the new living arrangements. Often, young people are already known to the staff team prior to admission, as a result of the home’s partnership working with early help services within the borough. This provides valuable and detailed knowledge of young people’s needs, contributing to effective care planning with clear objectives from the start of the placement. Two young people have been admitted to the home since the last inspection. These admissions were well planned, and introductory visits took place, so that the young people were able to see their new home and meet with staff. The social worker of one young person spoke of the ‘astonishing progress’ that the young person has made since moving from another children’s home. There has been no need to use physical intervention to manage the young person’s behaviour, in comparison to his previous placement where its use was reported to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

be high. This demonstrates both the home’s understanding of the young person’s needs and the effective behaviour management strategies that are in place to support him to manage his own behaviour. Incentives and positive praise are used constructively to encourage young people, alongside clear guidance and boundaries. This enables young people to settle quickly and to build strong relationships with staff. Physical intervention is used infrequently in the home, to ensure the safety of young people or others. Work is undertaken with the young person, following any such event, to help them to better understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. There is managerial oversight of all incidents, although some records should include more specific details to ensure clarity. A recommendation is made to this effect. There have been no allegations made against staff, or incidents of bullying. Young people are provided with information about how to make a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

complaint when they move to the home, and the participation worker visits regularly to ascertain their wishes and feelings. Despite progress, young people go missing from the home, which places them at risk. Staff follow the home’s procedures consistently, and there have been improvements to ensure that independent return interviews are completed in a timely manner, and strategy meetings are convened if young people go missing repeatedly. Good understanding of places that young people frequent and close working relationships with other agencies, including the police, mean that young people are located and returned home quickly. This knowledge is essential when records from independent return interviews are not made available immediately. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly to identify possible triggers and develop strategies to reduce missing episodes. One young person is supported to take medication more regularly. As a consequence, his frequency of missing episodes is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reducing. The home continues to be led by an effective and aspirational registered manager. She has clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement as a result of internal and external monitoring. The physical environment of the home is being improved by redecoration of communal areas, and there are plans in place to update the kitchen and bathroom. Staff are well supported in their professional development and receive regular reflective supervision to promote high-quality practice in delivering consistent care to young people. Access to specialist training and advice from the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) has enhanced the team’s understanding of autism to support one young person to continue to make sustained progress. The team remains stable, cohesive and committed to meeting the needs of the young people in its care. Practice continues to reflect the restorative approach used throughout the borough to promote

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

positive outcomes for young people. Two requirements were made at the last inspection. The independent person’s reports are now being sent to Ofsted within more appropriate timescales. The home has not notified Ofsted of any incidents that the registered manager considers to be serious. The home understands that one incident should have been notified and has implemented processes to ensure that notifications are made, in line with a recommendation made at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home may provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is managed by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

20/03/2015 Interim Declined in 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, and particularly of recording precise details about the use of physical intervention. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should notify Ofsted of any incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home, which the registered person considers to be serious. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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 whom 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

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

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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