Children's home run by Proactive Care in Tameside

Inspector Maria McGranaghan

Previous inspection judgement Sustained effectiveness

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people living in the home are

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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This children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people develop in confidence and self-esteem while living in the home.  Educational attendance and attainment are consistently improved. Young people have a vision for their future and feel that they can achieve.  Young people engage well with staff and have formed trusting relationships.  Consultation with young people is well planned. Young people engage and voice valuable views and opinions.  Young people make relationships within the community that enable them to feel part of the community in which they live.  Young people who have a history of disruptive behaviour settle in the home. Disruption is significantly reduced.  Relationships with a range of external agencies are well formed. This means that young people’s risks are assessed collectively and managed in a way that reduces risk.  Young people confirmed that they are aware of the complaints procedure and of how to make a complaint. There have been no complaints since the last

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This children’s home provision is good because:

inspection.  Internal and external monitoring of the home are consistent and provide a good analysis of the service provision in the home. Any areas for further development are responded to quickly.  Staff benefit from suitable training opportunities. This training provides staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to undertake work with young people who display challenging behaviour and have complex needs.  Supervision is consistent and effective. Staff feel exceptionally well supported and are happy and motivated in their work with young people.  Young people benefit from a small consistent staff team. Strong relationships are formed between young people and staff.  The home is well maintained and provides spacious accommodation for those accommodated.

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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, 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 upon completion. (Regulation 44(1)) 02/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious (Regulation 40(4)(b)) 02/04/2017

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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

 Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, 9.5, page 42, paragraph 5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the behaviour management policy, including individual behaviour management plans, is understood and applied at all times by staff, and recorded and kept under review and revised when appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, 9.34, page 46, paragraph 4)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that young people are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care and the work undertaken with them in order to support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, 4.11, page 22, paragraph 7)

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home offering care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/08/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

05/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Since the last inspection, two young people have left the service. One young person was deemed to be inappropriately placed. Arrangements for the transition to a more suitable placement were made without delay. The second young person has made the transition to an alternative placement, more suited to his individual growing needs. At the time of this inspection, three young people are accommodated. Young people’s educational needs are very well met in this home. Each young person has a full-time educational placement. Attendance and achievement are consistently good. A teacher said, ‘This home really goes the extra mile and provides excellent support for the young people. We have very good relationships with the home, and communication is always consistent.’ One young people said, ‘Before I came to this home, I had been kicked out of loads of schools. I really like where I am now and I am training to become a plumber. Everyone always needs a plumber. Staff help me a

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Good

lot, and it just feels different here.’ The staff enable young people to understand that education is important to achieve good future life chances. Consequently, young people develop personal goals and aspirations for their futures. Healthcare planning is good. Young people attend routine appointments and check- ups with support from the staff team. When additional support is required, staff link into a range of external agencies in order that young people receive the specialist advice that they need. Likewise, regular visits from the looked after children’s nurse enable young people and staff to discuss any health concerns or queries. For example, issues, including legal highs, cannabis and relationships, are addressed using learning tools such as documentaries, key work sessions and sessions provided by the community nurse. One staff member said, ‘We try and keep information real. It has to be up to date because young people need to know facts in order to make

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Good

informed choices.’ The foundation for all work undertaken in the home is the trusting relationships that young people form with staff. A young person said, ‘The staff are great here. I get on really well with them and can talk to them about anything. They treat you right and listen to you. This is the best home I have lived in.’ Observations of young people and staff sharing banter and discussions and making plans provide good evidence of the mutual respect developed between them. Young people’s goals and targets are recorded and regularly reviewed by staff. Regular key work sessions ensure that young people receive the right help and support to make good progress and to remain on target. However, young people are not consistently involved in the development and review of their individual plans or in including their views on the progress they make. Consequently, young people are not always clear about their current targets and goals or how they are to be achieved. A

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Good

recommendation is made to address this matter. Young people benefit from consistent contact with family and friends. Family members are regular visitors to the home. A parent said, ‘I sometimes come for tea or to spend time with my child. I am always made welcome, and the staff are all so friendly and supportive.’ A young person said, ‘I get to see my family often and I like that.’ Likewise, when relationships have broken down, staff provide a high level of support in order to re-build relationships with family members. This has proved successful, and some young people have established regular contact with extended family members. Planned and unplanned activities take place on a regular basis. Individual interests are well supported and include cinema, trampolining, go-carting, football and day trips with staff. One young people said, ‘We do lots of stuff. Sometimes we do games in the house or we will go out.’ Furthermore, young people have developed

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Good

friendships in the local area. When appropriate, friends are allowed to visit the home and stay for tea or watch a movie. The manager said, ‘We want the young people to have as many normal experiences as possible. We want them to feel like this is home.’ Regular young people’s meetings take place, and this ensures that young people can have a voice in the day-to-day planning for their care, for example menus, activities, decor and trips. Young people engage well with these meetings and are active in reviewing their previous requests. Consequently, young people learn to understand that their views and opinions are valued by staff, and are appropriately responded to.

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Good

Young people’s safety is suitably protected in the home. The designated officer said, ‘I have been invited to the home and have met the young people and staff. The young people now know who I am and what my role is. There have been no concerns and I have confidence in the staff team.’ There are no child protection concerns in the home. On the whole, young people are supported to live together and respect each other as individuals with different life experiences, needs and opinions. Likewise, young people are enabled to learn about behaviours, such as bullying, both from a victim and perpetrator prospective. Key work sessions and young people’s meetings regularly take place and these empower young people to recognise the impact of bullying and take the appropriate action to make it stop. Risk assessments are developed in partnership with placing social workers. On the whole, they detail the action to be taken to reduce and minimise risk and the

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Good

response to identified risk. A member of staff said, ‘We review risk assessments all the time in team meetings and look at different ways of working with young people. I think it is good because we try working in the same way and this has helped to reduce risks.’ However, some risks, such as climbing on scaffolding or buildings, are not suitably assessed. Records do not accurately reflect the agreed protocol for managing and reducing this type of risk-taking behaviour. Consequently, there are inconsistencies in some young people’s risk management. A good practice recommendation is made to address this matter. Physical intervention is rarely used in the home. Staff focus on de-escalation and re- direction techniques in order to defuse situations. On the whole, this has proven successful. When physical intervention has been applied, care is taken to ensure the safety of the young people at all times. Records of physical intervention are

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Good

transparent and reflective of the home’s policy and individual care plan. A member of staff said, ‘We only use physical intervention where absolutely necessary. We try everything before considering an intervention. We always contact the on-call manager who will come to the home to offer additional support if necessary.’ As a result, only two minimal interventions have been used since the last full inspection. Young people live in a home where their safety and well-being are suitably supported. Detailed individual missing from home plans are in place, and this ensures that the correct procedures and strategies are implemented without delay. Likewise, external agencies work with staff and young people to ensure that a consistent approach is maintained should a young person go missing from home. Thus, risk management processes enable young people to begin to understand issues regarding personal safety and make informed decisions about their actions

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Good

and behaviours. A community police officer said, ‘This is a brilliant home. They do everything to keep young people safe and work very well with the police. Young people rarely go missing.’ Young people know how to complain. Information is provided in the young people’s guide and organisational complaints documents. Procedures for managing complaints are in place, and clear evidence demonstrates that they are handled fairly and investigated thoroughly by the manager or external nominated person. A young person said, ‘The staff are fair and they do listen to us. If we want to speak to an external person, they always arrange it.’ Individual behaviour management plans identify triggers for negative behaviour and provide some direction on the management of unacceptable behaviour. Although unacceptable behaviour is infrequent, there are inconsistencies. For example, young people lose a daily financial incentive when they present with unacceptable

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Good

behaviour. However, this is not recorded as a sanction. Consequently, records are not consistently made of the behaviour exhibited, the action taken by staff and the sanction imposed. This means that behaviour management strategies cannot be suitably reviewed for their effectiveness. A good practice recommendation is made to improve practice.

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Good

The manager has been in post since August 2016. He has undertaken a suitability interview with Ofsted, in March 2017, to become the registered manager. The manager is qualified at national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 4 and holds the registered managers award. Young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support that the home provides. Good internal and external monitoring systems provide the home with a clear approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed records highlight areas for development and are a reflection of some of the matters identified in this inspection. However, external monitoring reports are not consistently forwarded to Ofsted for review. This means that the regulatory body is unable to have a consistent overview

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Good

of the practice in the home. As a result, a requirement is made to address this matter. The home employs a committed and enthusiastic staff team, and the majority of team members are suitably qualified at NVQ level 3. The training of staff at this level ensures that they are suitably qualified in the care and management of young people. Likewise, staff receive consistent and relevant training in the home. One member of staff said, ‘Training is good. We have face-to-face and on-line training. We also have external agencies visit the home, such as the looked after children’s nurse and community police, and this provides us with a better insight into how they work.’ Staff receive consistent supervision and support from the manager. A staff member said, ‘Things are great. The new manager has a vision, and we all work together. It is a great team. I like working here.’ The manager said, ‘I am very lucky to have a

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Good

strong and committed team [that] really want[s] the best outcomes for young people.’ The manager and staff demonstrate commitment to developing and improving practice. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the progress that young people make from their initial starting points. The manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under regulation 40. On the whole, the home has a good record of submitting notifications accordingly. However, there are inconsistencies. Two incidents have not been notified to Ofsted in accordance with regulation. Prompt notification ensures that information is shared with the regulatory agency in order that the actions and outcomes for young people can be suitably assessed. As a result, a requirement is made to address this matter.

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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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 0300123 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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection.

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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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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