Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

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 . Since the last inspection the home has continued to provide an exceptional level of care and support to all young people living in the home. Staff are ambitious for young people and they challenge barriers effectively to ensure full participation and inclusion at home, at school and in the wider community. As a result, based on their starting points, young people are making excellent progress and their outcomes significantly improve. For example, young people develop greater independence: education attendance and achievement have significantly improved, social skills have increased and young people are provided with lots of opportunities to engage in a range of constructive and enjoyable activities. All of these factors contribute to broadening young people’s experiences and enhance all

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

aspects of their development. One young person said, ‘Staff can’t improve on anything, they are the best staff in the world. They were outstanding last time and they are even better this time.’ Individualised care planning works exceptionally well and there are clear steps that staff take to ensure that the young person’s individual needs are met. Care planning is closely monitored and the home’s own plans clearly reflect the local authority’s plan. Young people are fully engaged in the care planning process and are encouraged to voice their wishes and feelings. Together, young people and staff identify new targets each month. This ensures that progress is ongoing and that the young people are fully engaged in the process, increasing their confidence and self-esteem. For example, a young person had agreed a goal of travelling independently to his work placement, using public transport. Due to the distance,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff initially completed the whole journey with the young person and, over a period of time, through consultation and discussion, support was gradually decreased. The young person is now able to travel on his own and is extremely proud of the achievements he has made. Young people enjoy a stable and settled home environment. Prior to any young person moving in or out of the home, the manager has continued to complete detailed compatibility risk assessments and transition plans. The individual needs of each young person form part of the assessment and careful consideration is given to the compatibility of the group. This demonstrates that compatibility and individual needs are considered of high importance. In addition, staff complete direct work with young people already living at the home. This ensures that, throughout the transition process, all young people are prepared and supported. Staff are dynamic, committed and clearly keep young people at the centre of their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

practice. They are creative in thinking of different ways to increase young people’s knowledge about risks that they may face in their daily lives. For example, they have developed monthly newsletters that include interesting facts about young people’s favourite computer games or sports personalities. Within the newsletters, there is further information about other topics, which include sexual health, drug and alcohol misuse and ‘sexting’. The newsletters include the risks that young people may be faced with, signs, symptoms and what they need to do if they are worried or concerned. This encourages young people to talk openly about events in their lives in a safe environment. Young people respond well to the information provided and one said, ‘There is stuff in there I did not know.’ Young people make exceptional progress to understand the way that they relate to people, including their families. Staff complete direct work with young people to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

explore their needs, difficulties and vulnerabilities. This work helps young people to make decisions about how to improve their relationships with others, and together they agree goals and support plans to achieve positive outcomes. Because young people trust staff to support them, they work hard to make and sustain appropriate contact with families and friends. For example, young people have progressed from fully supervised contact to unsupervised time in the community. This improves their emotional resilience, improves relationships and increases their knowledge and understanding of their background. A parent said, ‘I cannot believe the change in my son’s behaviour in such a short space of time. He is now respectful when he visits and our relationship has certainly improved. He has gone back to school and is already talking positively about getting a job when he is older. I really cannot fault the support the staff have given him and us as a family. If he can’t be at

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

home, he is in the best place I ever could have hoped for.’ Safeguarding is a priority of all staff working at the home and is central to their practice. Staff have a clear knowledge of their roles and responsibilities in protecting young people and this continues to be on the agenda in team meetings and individual staff supervision sessions. The staff have established structured care routines that young people respond to well. Staff manage behaviour through good, clear communication, which includes negotiation, compromise and flexibility. This has resulted in no punitive behaviour management, such as physical interventions and sanctions, since the last inspection. This results in a home where praise is fundamental and consequences are rare. Furthermore, the episodes of going missing have greatly reduced and all young people said that they felt ‘safe’, ‘happy’ and had staff they could talk to if they were worried or upset.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Consistent and effective teamwork supports young people’s progress. Staff members are mutually respectful of each other, and they have developed excellent communication systems and regularly review their practice, sharing new ideas, thoughts or suggestions. One staff member said, ‘We could not ask for a better team. We all work together to achieve the best care for young people. We are not afraid to challenge each other and see this as a way of continually improving what we do.’ The use of bank or agency staffing is rare as established staff members volunteer to work additional shifts. When new staff work at the home they always work alongside a long-standing member of the team, as staff clearly recognise that young people do not cope as well with new staff caring for them. This ensures that young people receive consistency of care from those with whom they have established relationships. Staff attend regular team meetings and benefit from professional supervision,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

which takes place regularly. The manager has developed a culture of learning and development. This is crucial to continually improving care and outcomes for young people. In addition, the registered manager and staff keep fully abreast of changes in legislation and government guidance and share the information within team meetings, supervisions and through direct discussion with young people. For example, direct work was completed with young people about what the age of consent is and what action staff will take if they are worried or concerned about young people’s safety. This proactive approach ensures that both the young people and the staff caring for them are fully up to date with government guidance, legislation and all factors that they need to understand. Strong and effective leadership and management of the home are evident. The registered manager sets very high expectations for both staff and young people

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and is clearly very highly regarded. His highly effective management has strongly influenced the excellent outcomes and progress made by young people. All agencies contacted during this inspection commented on the very child-centred practice of both the manager and the staff and the outstanding achievements of young people.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is for four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is a privately owned children’s home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 Interim Improved 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 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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