Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

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 . The effectiveness of the service has improved since the last inspection. Young people’s outcomes continue to be good, despite changes to the staff team. Negative incidents are rare, and young people, their families and social workers hold the service in high regard. This home also provides young people with a mobile service. This means that much of the work with young people occurs off site in a variety of pre-assessed venues including hostels, a camper van and rental cottages. These varied opportunities enable members of staff to tailor their support to suit each young person’s circumstances on admission. The home itself serves as a base, but it is not always a part of each young person’s tailored programme. Senior staff have gradually improved the specification of the service. This includes assessing health and safety

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

matters in advance, completing risk assessments and ensuring that each location has a mobile telephone signal. This sort of preparation serves to help prevent difficulties. Hardly any notifiable incidents occur, which means that young people can get the most out of the service. The registered manager and deputy manager are long-standing employees of the company but have been with this service since 2015. They intend to switch roles so that the manager can spend time on new initiatives. Ofsted is currently undertaking the registration of the deputy manager. In practice, this change has very few repercussions for members of staff and young people. As part of the change, the manager and the deputy manager will swap their supervisory responsibilities. Since the last inspection, there have been several changes of staff members. This has reduced the proportion of the team who are qualified and experienced. New

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff experience a thorough induction and close supervision. This is particularly important because staff spend much of their time away from the base. Ongoing good outcomes for young people show that they enjoy strong relationships with their carers. The shift pattern includes regular periods of three days and nights on duty. This is an improvement on previous shift patterns, but it does not attract a diverse range of staff. The team has no female members to provide young people with positive female role models, which potentially reduces the team’s effectiveness. It also means that there are only male residents. The unusual nature of the service helps new young people reflect on their experiences. Recently, staff have improved their focus on each young person’s key difficulties as well as any new ones that emerge. This keeps the task of care planning on track and shows other professionals that young people are making

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

good progress. The vast majority of young people do sufficiently well to move to other children’s homes with lower levels of supervision and greater social opportunities. One young person learned from staff how much his negative behaviours affected his family and changed substantially. His mother wrote to staff, ‘We believe he’s turned a corner; it’s great to see a change in his temperament. Congratulations!’ After a relatively short space of time, one young person is back in daily education after refusing to attend at all. He eats nutritionally balanced meals and has ceased smoking. These are important contributions to his health. Another young man has passed a large number of qualifications online. These have given him skills in food hygiene, for example, and he has learned about fire safety. He will soon take his school examinations and is looking forward to a college placement. Senior staff now put all young people on the roll with a registered

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

school as soon as possible. Staff rarely restrain young people. Despite the difficulties that young people experience, including emergency admissions to the service, they soon establish good relationships with staff. Staff explain the consequences of negative behaviour but rarely impose substantial consequences. Young people feel respected and find that this approach is fair. The two-to-one staffing levels experienced by young people mean that there are restrictions on their activities. Senior staff have received some guidance on deprivation of liberty orders. However, more clarity is required to ensure that, when necessary, the local authorities seek legal orders to meet young people’s rights. The last inspection identified shortfalls in the independent person’s monitoring reports. These are now factual and credible. Of particular value is the independent visitor’s close analysis of young people’s safety while they are away from the base.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Other professionals express very positive feelings about the service. One recently wrote, ‘I’m really impressed with the approach and skills of the staff.’ In questionnaires, social workers say that the activities for young people and the cooperation of the team are ‘outstanding’.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

A large company operates this home. The home is for one or two children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Much of the care is organised around trips.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.4

Recent inspection history

10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.4

Recent inspection history

23/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.5

Recommendations

 Ensure that the home does not routinely deprive a child of their liberty without a court order. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.63)  Establish a diverse staff team with a range of interests, skills and experiences. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.6)

p.5

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’.

p.6

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

p.6

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 .

p.6

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,

p.7

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.7