Children's Home, Residential special school run by Amberleigh Care Limited in Shropshire

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 . Young people continue to receive a good level of care that supports their development and responds to their needs. Staff have a good awareness of the different needs of young people through care plans that are pertinent and sufficiently detailed. Relationships observed between young people and members of staff are consistently positive. Since the last inspection, two young people have moved into the home and one young person has left. Those new to the home state that they had been able to visit the home and that members of staff had visited them in their previous placement. This helped to secure their smooth transition to the home. Links between members of staff and the therapeutic team continue to be strong, with regular communication, consultation and advice relating to the young people’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

needs. This provides the foundation for staff to offer young people the therapeutic care that they require. As a result, staff understand the young people’s emotional health needs well and, consequently, there are signs of improvements in young people’s emotional resilience. Young people continue to engage well with different aspects of life at the home. This includes trying out new activities and having a high level of educational involvement. Young people have increased their ‘independence skills training’ since the last inspection. This is helping to give them valuable life skills. Since the last inspection, good use has been made of the monthly independent visits process. An updated CCTV policy has allowed the management team to assess the way that it uses cameras in the home, further supporting the privacy of young people. A development plan details the way that the home is to move forwards, by both increasing the skill level of the staff team and improving young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people’s experiences both at the home and after they have left. No safeguarding concerns have been raised since the last inspection. The manager notifies all necessary agencies of significant events. This ensures that those with responsibility for the young people are kept up to date. One social worker spoken to during the inspection highlighted the strong communication from the staff team as being positive. The manager ensures that behaviour management systems are good, with consistent boundaries in place for young people. Incidents requiring restraint are low in number, due to the effective defusing techniques used by the staff team when young people become challenging. Sanctions used are proportionate and relate to the behaviours exhibited, helping young people to understand the reasons for the sanction. One requirement and four recommendations were raised at the last inspection. The staff team is working well to respond to the issues raised. The manager now

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

monitors all behaviour management records within the necessary timescales. This is helping to increase her awareness of young people’s challenging behaviours. Information regarding young people’s health needs is now fully recorded in young people’s placement plans. This ensures that all relevant health information is recorded that is a key aspect of young people’s care. Placement plans have had some improvements and all necessary information relating to young people’s care is now in place. Although young people still state that they do not like the level of supervision from members of staff, they understand that it is necessary. Work is being completed on the door alarm system to improve its effectiveness. The young people’s guide is in the process of being updated, with new photos from around the building and increased information regarding the Children’s Commissioner. This is currently at the printer’s, so the recommendation is to stand until this has been completed.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 12 young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider and offers an integrated residential therapeutic care and education package to young men.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

04/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the children in their care understand their rights as a child looked after, or a child living in a children’s home. Children must be informed of how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for advice and assistance about their rights and entitlements. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.19)

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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 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 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. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

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

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