Children's home run by Medway Council in Medway

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people with a wide range of complex and diverse needs settle and develop a real sense of belonging.  They thrive in the very homely, family atmosphere; they are valued and respected and develop meaningful attachments to the adults who care for them.  Young people make wide-ranging progress and become more confident in facing the challenges of growing up and becoming independent.  They engage in regular community and faith activities and expand their experience and understanding of the world.  Young people are consistently able to express themselves, explore their feelings and learn self-control.  Young people are kept safe by a high standard of safeguarding and health and safety practice and are proactively prepared to manage age-appropriate risks.  Leaders and managers strive to provide a holistic care experience for young people and draw on research and external resources to improve their

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

practice.  Innovation and invention to improve outcomes for young people are a feature of the home.  External stakeholders are unanimous in their acclaim for the high standards of care provided as well as the effective partnership working with the home.  Leaders and managers are not complacent and readily identify, recognise and focus on areas of practice that require further improvement.

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must seeks ways to improve staff skills, knowledge and practice in helping young people to successfully manage long-term health conditions arising from complex needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 3461, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must seek ways to strengthen the structure for providing regular staff supervision by reducing the disruptive effects of unforeseen circumstances such as long-term sickness. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must seek ways to improve effectiveness and speed of communication with staff regarding changes to roles, responsibilities, policies, procedures and arrangements, particularly in relation to problems related to shift and part-time working. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by the local authority. It provides residential care for up to eight young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Currently, there are seven young people of both genders in residence.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/07/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/03/2016 Full Good 21/08/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Outstanding

The dominant feature of this home is a lively, expressive group of young people who display a strong sense of belonging and positive attachment to the adults who care for them. They express pride in their home and speak positively and warmly about staff. They welcome visitors and enjoy having their friends to visit and share meals.

p.6

Outstanding

Staff provide consistent structure and boundaries and couple this with warmth and a genuine interest in the daily experiences of the young people. This helps the young people to feel safe and secure and as well as to explore areas of turmoil and confusion in their lives.

p.6

Outstanding

Young people settle quickly and make steady progress across key areas of their lives. They become less guarded and more able to connect with the world around them. They successfully access learning and all but one are positively engaged in full-time education outside the home. The one young person who is recently out of education is being strongly supported to consider his options for the soonest possible return to full-time learning.

p.6

Outstanding

Young people with complex needs are able to live together and learn from their differences, express and understand their feelings and improve their effectiveness in personal and social relationships. Managing conflict, competing for attention, sharing and learning to compromise form part of routine life in the home and provide a rich source of learning for the young people. Restorative approaches are actively encouraged when harmful incidents have occurred.

p.6

Outstanding

Within their capabilities, the young people take ownership of their progress and development. Each young person is supported to complete and maintain a comprehensive personal placement plan in which they identify the issues most pertinent to themselves and explore how these can be addressed. This creates investment in their placement and helps them to engage with therapeutic interventions.

p.6

Outstanding

Staff display high levels of acceptance of the young people as well as an unreserved respect and optimism for their futures. This increases freedom for the young people to explore difficult issues in their backgrounds and to face challenges in developing a clear identity. Young people are able to take risks and expand their experience of the world.

p.6

Outstanding

Specialist services such as counselling and therapy are accessed effectively by the home. The monitoring and support provided to some young people with long- standing conditions arising from complex needs can, however, be improved.

p.6

Outstanding

Key working is a particular strength of this home. Records and plans reflect strong commitment by key workers to the learning and progress of their allocated young people. Sessions focus on identified and prioritised areas of need and risk, based on ongoing assessment and review. Sessions are conducted in planned as well as opportunistic ways and significant incidents are treated as an opportunity for learning. Recording is detailed and meaningful and includes outcomes and issues for further exploration. The registered manager and his deputy use an effective system to monitor the frequency and quality of sessions.

p.7

Outstanding

Young people profit from a highly individualised approach to their care and within structure and boundaries applicable to all, they are able to exercise personal interests and express their taste and preferences. This is reflected in highly variable bedroom decor, murals and furnishings as well as a wide range of gear associated with various interests and hobbies.

p.7

Outstanding

Some young people attend regular faith activities and are reported by leaders as participating meaningfully and forming positive relationships with other participants. Young people are also involved in the police and air force cadets.

p.7

Outstanding

Activities outside the home are varied and often adventurous and challenging. Young people are encouraged and supported to try new things. Staff are sensitive in striking a balance between favourite activities and new, challenging ones.

p.7

Outstanding

House meetings are lively and all of the young people regularly contribute to meal and activity planning as well discussions around areas of dissatisfaction and difference. The registered manager writes a response to each set of detailed minutes as a way of helping young people to maintain perspective on issues and agreed actions.

p.7

Outstanding

Developing independence and learning life skills are strongly supported and when appropriate, formal programmes are introduced to support this development systematically. Creative use is made of real situations to promote learning. One young person was required to make a written application to move into a bigger room and the process was used to understand rental and tenancy procedures.

p.7

Outstanding

Moves in and out of the home are planned and managed with the utmost care and consideration. This helps to maintain continuity and helps young people to make positive changes and settle quickly.

p.7

Outstanding

Staff work closely with placing social workers in managing and facilitating contact between young people and their families. The home is flexible and strongly child- focused in managing these arrangements. This helps to sustain warm and friendly relationships with families and enables young people to benefit as much as possible from these contacts.

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Outstanding

The home is spacious and has a large garden. It is maintained to a high standard, and health and safety practice across all identified areas of risk is of the highest standard. A recent internal local authority health and safety audit resulted in the highest possible rating. Fire drills are varied and creativity is employed to guard against complacency. Recently, a smoke generator was used to add realism to a drill. This followed careful risk assessment and was effective for the young people and staff in promoting the value of drills.

p.8

Outstanding

The immediate setting of the home is quiet and rural but is situated within a busy network of towns and cities. A well-developed and detailed survey clearly identifies the significant features of the area, including relevant amenities and issues of potential hazard and risk to young people.

p.8

Outstanding

Managers respond quickly to any new risks that may arise in the home and learn quickly from unforeseen incidents that highlight health and safety risks. This helps staff to keep young people safe from normal hazards. The home has a proactive and developmental approach to risk management. Young people are encouraged to take age-appropriate risks and learn how to manage risks and keep themselves safe. This positive, risk-reduction approach requires skill and good judgement and helps young people to build confidence and develop their sense of competence in the world.

p.8

Outstanding

The home’s safeguarding practice is underpinned by a comprehensive and systematic risk management tool that identifies and rates risks for each young person. These include risks of going missing, sexual exploitation, aggression and offending, to softer issues associated with emotional literacy such as ability to label feelings, recognising rising anger, and ability to empathise and mix socially. Effective processes are in place to establish a baseline measure and track progress. Although the young people usually drop below their baseline risk measures as underlying issues emerge following their settling-in period, the home is able to demonstrate an upward trend for all of the young people over time.

p.8

Outstanding

New approaches are sought to improve the impact of learning by the young people around keeping themselves safe. Recently, a social work student in placement and one young person developed and delivered a presentation on the safe use of the internet to the other young people. This approach helps the young people to engage more effectively with issues that are relevant to them. Good levels of supervision, effective risk assessment and effective emotional management have contributed to no young people being reported missing from the home during this inspection period. The home is, however, fully prepared for this possibility and high-quality risk assessments, going missing protocols and individual profiles are in place for each young person.

p.8

Outstanding

Allegations or suspicion of potential harm are responded to with expertise and urgency. Managers and senior staff demonstrate very good understanding of safeguarding procedures and protocols and follow these. Responses are thoughtful and measured.

p.9

Outstanding

The use of physical intervention to prevent harm to self, others or property is occasional and only applied as a last resort. A student police officer on a training placement expressed her admiration for the skill of staff in de-escalating situations of rising tensions. When de-escalation is unsuccessful, minimum levels of restraint are applied for the shortest possible duration.

p.9

Outstanding

There is a strong emphasis on post-restraint practice and the written comments of the young people show that there is meaningful reflection on events. These sessions are well timed, enabling young people to participate constructively. Recording and managerial oversight of incidents is of a high standard and clearly indicate that the seriousness of restraint is understood and that its likely effects on the restrained and users is not underestimated. This understanding and approach to physical interventions helps to keep them to a minimum and reduces relationship breakdown between young people and adults.

p.9

Outstanding

There is a high sensitivity and low tolerance to bullying in the home.

p.9

Outstanding

Effective use is made of rewards and positive sanctions, and this promotes positive behaviour in the home. Negative sanctions are appropriately applied when necessary and all sanctions are appropriately recorded.

p.9

Outstanding

The leadership in this home is strong and aspirational in seeking ways to improve outcomes for children. The experienced and well-qualified registered manager’s strategic approach is complemented by a strongly motivated deputy manager, who is firmly focused on the operational aspects of running the home. Together, they lead a capable and dedicated staff team that has the capacity to consistently provide a high level of care and continuity in relationships for the young people.

p.9

Outstanding

Leaders and managers are visionary in their ideas and plans to improve the home. They are driven to enrich the care experience of young people, and prepare them to tackle the next phase of their lives with confidence and competence.

p.10

Outstanding

Securing valid and relevant feedback from stakeholders to inform improvements to the quality of care is one of the priorities for leaders and managers. Various methods are employed and the views of placing social workers, independent reviewing officers, school leaders and the young people are regularly canvassed. Response rates and reliability of information provided are, however, variable and existing methods are under review.

p.10

Outstanding

Leaders and managers are robust in their approach to care planning and are able to marry the day-to-day needs of young people with the overarching placement plans of placing authorities in an effective manner. They also enable young people to develop a sense of ownership and engagement in the plans and targets for their care and progress. The feedback from placing authorities and other professionals is very positive and reflects a strong sense of partnership with the home. Young people benefit from the close working and cooperation between the home and external agencies.

p.10

Outstanding

When plans are not working, the registered manager and his deputy are quick and decisive in arranging professionals’ meetings to decide the best way forward for the young people. This prevents drift and maintains good quality decision making and change interventions.

p.10

Outstanding

The home is host to eight student police officers every year. These short placements provide the officers with valuable insights into the care system and also contribute to promoting a positive attitude in young people to law enforcement. The report written at the end of placements is made available to the home and this adds to the feedback that informs further development and improvement.

p.10

Outstanding

The home also provides practice placements for student social workers. The current student has been attached to the home for the past six months and reported that she has been struck by the homely atmosphere and the positive, open relationships between the young people and staff as well as the child-centred and individualised approach to care. She said, ‘This looks and feels like a proper home.’

p.10

Outstanding

The young people are positive about the local vicar being a regular visitor to the home and some are on first-name terms.

p.10

Outstanding

The home’s carefully managed integration with external agencies and community structures provides stimulation and interest for the young people and staff and helps to maintain a fresh approach to practice. It also reflects a mature, balanced and open approach by leaders and managers to enhance young people’s experience of the world.

p.10

Outstanding

Leaders and managers draw on the resources and expertise of outside agencies. They have, for example, introduced materials used in youth justice settings to support and improve key working. They consult research findings and other academic sources to inform and improve their practice in advancing outcomes for the young people. The registered manager also now sits on the local authority fostering panel, and this broadens his knowledge and insight and improves his strategic approach to improving the quality of care, particularly in managing young people’s best possible transitions in and out of the home.

p.11

Outstanding

Young people profit from a very motivated and caring staff team whose members are supported and sustained by regular supervision, meaningful and regular training and team meetings. Staff are confident and trusted by leaders and managers and this gives them freedom to explore creative and new ways of working with the young people.

p.11

Outstanding

Leaders and managers maintain a firm grip on all aspects of the running of the home. The high quality of recording, as well as the monitoring systems in place, enable close scrutiny of the emotional well-being, progress and safety of young people. This routine monitoring is underpinned by leaders and managers’ impressive knowledge and understanding of each young person.

p.11

Outstanding

Current shift patterns and the mix of part-time and permanent staff make regular attendance at team meetings and effective dissemination of key information difficult, and leaders and managers need to seek ways of improving this. The existing structure for providing regular and consistent staff supervision is vulnerable to breakdown, as illustrated by the recent disruption caused by the extended period of illness of a key member of staff. The current structure is being reviewed by leaders and managers.

p.11

Outstanding

Leaders and managers are mindful of possible changes in structure within the larger organisation that could undermine effective and continuous leadership in the home, and contingencies to mitigate these effects have been proactively considered.

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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’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that 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 whom 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: 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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