Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Middlesbrough

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Newly admitted young people settle quickly. Staff recognise the importance of relationship building at this solo-bedded home. This ensures that young people, including those placed on a short-term basis, get the best experience during their time at the home. Staff spend a significant amount of one-to-one time with young people within the home and out on activities. Young people begin to trust adults and open up about their lives, including feeling able to talk about sensitive issues. Long drives to the coast allow young people to share any concerns during these journeys. Informal chats and excellent, targeted key-working sessions promote discussion. Young people are educated about topics such as sexual health and explore their risk-taking behaviours. They learn to keep themselves safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective care planning takes place prior to young people moving to the home. Staff obtain extensive information from different sources, which is considered in young people’s care plans and risk assessments. New staff develop their skills in care planning, which offers professional development. One staff member said, ‘We learn how to complete paperwork properly, which helps us understand procedures.’ Staff are fully aware of the expectations of the placement, with robust and coherent strategies in place. They receive specific training to meet young people’s complex needs. Working closely with the in-house psychologist provides them with in-depth, individualised knowledge about young people’s complex needs and how staff should respond to them. Such therapeutic care helps to keep young people safe and meets their individual care needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Progressive education programmes help young people to manage the transition back to school or into training. Young people’s engagement with education improves. One young person returned to school and another successfully obtained an apprenticeship with a local college. Staff use their knowledge of local businesses to assist young people in obtaining work experience alongside their education placements. They also give young people opportunities to develop their practical skills within the home, with one young person demonstrating her skills in hair styling. Staff attend meetings to discuss young people’s educational needs; however, there is no personal education plan (PEP) on file for one young person to ensure that their educational progress is tracked. Young people, including those who are at risk of child sexual exploitation, are kept safe and protected. This is due to the high level of supervision as well as a strong

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

safeguarding culture at the home. Young people make significant progress in changing their attitudes and beliefs. They begin to understand the dangers associated with child sexual exploitation and gang culture. Missing from home episodes have reduced and there are very few incidents of negative behaviour. The home’s risk management strategies are excellent and young people have carefully planned freedom and independence. Staff can safely test young people’s ability to keep themselves safe outside the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are proactive in obtaining information about young people’s cultural backgrounds to ensure that they provide highly personalised care. Young people play an active part in educating staff about their heritage. Young people’s family members visit the home for contact and engage in activities such as cooking with the young people. Staff use these opportunities of getting to know family members and obtain information about young people’s culture. This enables them to ensure that specific cultural practices are followed, such as food preparation and storage. This extends to supporting young people to celebrate key festivals and religious observance such as fasting during Ramadan. The home is personalised by the young people, taking their cultural preferences such as music and decoration into consideration. A staff member said, ‘It is their home. [Name of young person] has changed and personalised it. They had clear views about what they wanted when

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are involved in their care planning and regularly look at their care documents. Staff advocate on their behalf, for example with immigration services. Young people know how to complain and provide ongoing feedback about their care. The manager spends time on a weekly basis listening to young people’s grievances and complaints. However, this is not reflected in young people’s records and is therefore not open to scrutiny or learning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is currently no registered manager in post. The experienced and committed deputy manager has been successfully running the home for the past few months. The team consists of a mix of new and established staff members. Young people benefit from the eclectic team’s varied skills and experience. A recent situation at the home demonstrated how staff used their working relationships with the police to deal with incidents of damage by local youths quickly and effectively. The installation of closed-circuit television equipment at the home has provided extra security and has led to improved relationships with neighbours. This assists with young people’s involvement in the local community.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for one child or young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/05/2016 Full Outstanding 08/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/07/2015 Full Good 17/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. Specifically, in respect of recording the outcome of action taken when young people express their views about the running of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. Specifically, in respect of obtaining the PEP from the placing authority in a timely fashion. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 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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