Children's home run by Choices Home for Children Limited in Cheshire East

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 sustained effectiveness . Young people continue to benefit from well-planned care. Staff develop positive relationships with young people and support them to achieve improved outcomes. Most young people in the home continue to make exceptional progress. For example, one young person, who has made considerable progress in addressing her own risk of sexual exploitation, has been involved with providing training to foster carers with the local child sexual exploitation team. This team values staff’s partnership working. One of the therapists said: ‘Staff are always open to advice and information that may help them to support young people in their care, particularly on issues of child sexual exploitation, drugs and alcohol. It is excellent that joint working has been established.’ Young people attend and engage well with their schools and colleges. For some

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people, this represents extraordinary progress from their starting point, as, following dis-engagement from education, they are able to progress from home tutoring towards a full-time school placement. Other young people are working towards their public examinations. Staff support them well. As one teacher commented: ‘The home promotes good school attendance and communicates well about the needs of the children in their care. They have had some very complex young people to work with and do a good job.’ Staff promote young people’s physical and emotional health really well. They work with local specialist services to ensure that young people benefit from the therapeutic intervention which they need. Staff spend time with young people when they struggle to understand their physical health needs and seek appropriate support so that young people are reassured. Staff ensure that, over the years, the young people who live at the home develop

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

independent living skills which prepare them for adult life. Young people understand how to plan meals and cook, budget, do their laundry, as well as how to use public transport and open a bank account. Young people enjoy a wide variety of activities within the local community such as going to the cinema, participating in the army cadets, going horse riding and volunteering at the local animal sanctuary. Young people flourish as their self-confidence grows. Staff support young people to develop and maintain relationships with their families and friends, regardless of the long distances involved. This ensures that young people have a strong sense of identity. As a result, young people develop the emotional resilience and practical skills to prepare them for semi-independent living. Since the last inspection one young person has moved to another home and another has joined the home. The young person left the home when his aggressive

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviours escalated following increased cannabis misuse. Staff attempted to engage the young person in substance misuse services, but he refused, and his behaviour began to impact on group living. The registered manager worked with the placing authority to ensure that a planned move took place to another children’s home. Stakeholders recognise that staff manage challenging situations well. As a headteacher commented: ‘The home communicated well and kept us in the loop with all meetings and information regarding the end of placement. The home had some difficulties around this time, with physical violence aimed at the staff, and I feel they coped well with this ending as it could have escalated further and didn't.’ The registered manager admitted one young person in a planned way. He completed an impact risk assessment, which suggested that staff would be able to meet her needs. Unfortunately, despite staff’s efforts to develop positive

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

relationships with the young person, she has been unable to make progress in managing her aggressive behaviour, which is adversely affecting the other young people in the home. The registered manager has recognised that the young person’s behaviour is not progressing and arranged a meeting with her placing authority to organise a planned move. He has secured additional staffing to ensure that other young people and staff remain safe until she moves on. The registered manager is enthusiastic and dynamic. He has an excellent understanding of the young people living in the home and their plans. He monitors young people’s progress closely and works effectively with placing authorities to ensure that all young people living in the home are safe. A social worker said: ‘I feel that the level of care and support that my young person receives is of a high standard. I feel she is listened to… This is the most settled she has been for years.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

She is safe and secure at the home and likes living at the home. I feel staff have a good understanding of her needs.’ The registered manager’s and staff’s detailed knowledge of young people means that they are able to anticipate potential difficulties as young people approach key stages in their lives. They are resourceful in tackling these so that young people usually remain invested in their plans and the home. The registered manager has made progress in addressing the areas identified for improvement at the last inspection. Staff ensure that all visitors to the home sign the visitor’s book and they obtain young people’s essential documentation from placing authorities. The independent visitor has completed monthly visits, although they did not send the reports to Ofsted. The registered manager was not aware of this until recently and is taking steps to rectify this. Most young people become increasingly safe. They make excellent progress in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

addressing their risk-taking behaviour such as substance misuse and going missing. As young people feel secure living at the home, they are rarely missing. Staff know what to do when they are missing and work with the police and families to make sure that they are at risk of harm for the minimum time. Staff always ensure that police complete a safe and well check and that an independent person completes a return interview. Staff are alert to issues of child sexual exploitation. They complete direct work with young people and work in partnership with the police and local child sexual exploitation services to protect young people who are at risk. Staff are skilled in the use of de-escalation techniques and are able to reflect on patterns and trends of physical intervention. The registered manager reviews each use of physical intervention with the member of staff and the young person. He monitors the effectiveness and ensures that practice is improved. Staff recording is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

not always clear in terms of which hold is used or the position of the young person during the restraint. The registered manager has identified this shortfall and has plans in place for additional training around the recording of restraint.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for five children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or physical disabilities. The home is provided by an independent company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

17/12/2014 Interim Sustained 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, the 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

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 07/04/2017

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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

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. In particular, staff must fully record the description of the hold used and the position of the young person being held. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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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