Children's home run by Courtyard Care Limited in Tameside

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team continues to ensure that children and young people’s safety and welfare are given the highest priority. The manager is realistic of her and her staff team’s skills and abilities. She only agrees to provide care and accommodation to children and young people for whom she is confident that she and her staff team can provide safe and effective care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager ensures that children and young people’s transitions into and out of the home are planned, supported and managed well to aid with smooth, successful and stress free moves. Good transitional planning along with effective care planning, which includes families and all other relevant agencies, ensure that children and young people’s complex and comprehensive health needs are fully understood and effectively managed by a competent and dedicated staff team. This ensures that children and young people receive a high level of bespoke care and support at the point of their arrival.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to make good progress in many areas of their lives. The manager values education in its broadest sense, and appreciates and understands the importance of the social and emotional aspects of learning. The manager is extremely diligent in her work with educational professionals, parents and carers to ensure that children and young people can access a suitable education provision to meet their specific and individual needs. The manager advocates strongly on behalf of children and young people to ensure that they are offered the same educational experiences and opportunities as their peers. She works effectively with education colleagues and tirelessly with family members who may be reluctant to changes in this regard. The manager and staff support family members to understand and value the benefits that these experiences bring within the school environment to children and young people’s lives. This in turn supports

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

them to accept and work with these positive developments for their children. Consequently, all children and young people are now appropriately supported to attend a suitable education provision safely. This enhances and broadens children and young people’s social, emotional and learning experiences and aids with their continued development. The manager and staff have an intrinsic knowledge and understanding of the complex health needs of the children and young people that they support. The manager and staff work meticulously with nurses, paediatricians, occupational therapists, general practitioners, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. This cohesive and multi-agency practice ensures that children and young people’s known and emerging health needs are understood, consistently identified and effectively managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the complex medical challenges that children and young people have, the manager continues to ensure that these barriers do not prevent children and young people from safely enjoying the same experiences as their peers. Children and young people are supported and assisted to engage in a range of new and exciting opportunities outside of the home such as going on holiday, accessing local stay and play clubs, and attending local community groups such as beavers. Children and young people are also supported to enjoy in-house activities such as messy play, baking and painting. These positive experiences, which permit children to be children first, enable children and young people to benefit from different environments, settings and experiences, which enhances and broadens their understanding of the wider world.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are dedicated and committed to providing a high standard of care to children and young people. They speak fondly of the children and young people and understand their needs and vulnerabilities well. Professionals and parents are happy and complimentary about the care and support that staff provide to children and young people. One parent wrote, ‘The home environment is a lovely place. All the staff who work there always make myself and my children feel really welcome. I know my son is taken good care of and he really seems to enjoy himself.’ A social worker validated this when they wrote, ‘[Name] is provided with a high level of care from the staff. He is provided with lots of opportunities to participate in social and leisure activities. [Name] is fully supported to attend his education provision and his development is encouraged.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Significant events, such as medication errors and complaints, are taken seriously and addressed sufficiently by the responsible individual and the manager. Any learning points and action plans identified within these investigations are promptly shared with and addressed by the manager to ensure that the safety and well- being of children and young people is maintained.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has suitably addressed the one requirement raised at the last inspection. As such, families, partner agencies and placing authorities are now aware of the staffing arrangements and qualifications of those staff who provide care and support to their children and young people. Furthermore, sufficient arrangements have been made to address the one recommendation raised at the last inspection. The manager now uses the improved independent monitoring systems, alongside a range of her own quality assurance systems, effectively to support her with the ongoing developments of the service. The manager is visible and passionate about her role in supporting children and young people to the highest standard possible. She is committed to developing her service further and has a realistic and achievable plan in place to ensure that these developments continue. This ensures that children and young people continue to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

benefit from safe and effective care arrangements, which promote and enhance their positive experiences and aid with their continued progression.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No requirements or recommendations have been raised at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who may have physical and/or learning disabilities. The home enlists the support of a clinical nurse three days a week in its development and implementation for care planning.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/06/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/12/2015 Full Good 18/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 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, workbased 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

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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