Children's home run by Chartwell Care Services Ltd in Islington

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness . Young people are making good progress from their starting points. Although progress is often slow due to complex needs, young people make steady progress and continue to learn new skills. Such relatively small steps are significant progress for young people. For example, staff members are supporting one young person to go back to school after a long period of receiving education outside of a school setting. Other examples of progress are improved contact with families, young people gaining confidence, learning to cope with changes, learning independence skills and to control themselves better during their periods of unsettled behaviour. The registered manager and staff ensure that young people understand the routines and boundaries within the home. Excellent communication methods are in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

use to help young people understand what is happening on a day-to-day basis. Photographs on the noticeboard show young people which staff are working and which staff are due at the home on the next shift. Individual charts show young people what tasks they must undertake during their daily routines. Colourful wall charts document their progress and record rewards given for positive behaviours. Staff use interesting displays and picture exchange communication system cards to ensure that young people know what the menu choices and activities for the day are. These communication tools combine to help young people understand their day ahead and prepare them for what to expect. Two young people at the home have been living there for the past year. They have obvious, close and warm relationships with the staff, who know them well. Both young people are settled and in stable long-term placements. They understand and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

follow consistent routines within the home. Young people attend after school clubs, which helps them to integrate within the local community. No young people have left the home since the last inspection and one young person has moved in. This was a well-planned transition with an introductory visit for the young person at the home and a staff visit at the young person’s school. The registered manager plans transitions well. They ensure that relevant professionals are spoken to and staff familiar to the young person concerned help them to move and settle them in. Staff ensure that young people’s individual needs are met. For example, taking young people to routine healthcare appointments and attending promptly when medical attention is needed. When more specialist services are required, the registered manager and staff advocate for young people to ensure that services are resourced. For example, a referral to child and adolescent mental health services to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

give support in managing complex behaviours. Young people have the opportunity to make choices about how they are cared for. For example, menu and activity choices. Regular residents’ meetings are used as a forum to educate and support young people as well as information sharing and choices. Young people are encouraged to complete fun work sheets with educational themes, such as respect, feelings and emotions. Leaders and managers provide strong leadership to an enthusiastic staff team. Staff say that they feel supported and receive regular supervision, yearly appraisal and training that enables them to do their jobs effectively. Leaders and managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the service and have an action plan to develop and improve the quality of care. An independent person visits the home every month and writes a report. This report takes into consideration the feedback from young people, their parents and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

other professionals working with the service. The registered manager acts on recommendations made from this report, which helps to improve the service. The registered manager does her own appropriate monitoring of the service. This is evident in audits on files and counter signatures on incident recording, risk assessments and care plans. Young people receive high levels of staff supervision, which helps to keep them safe and protect them from harm. The staff team receives regular update training in safeguarding, including risks from exploitation. This helps them to understand how vulnerable young people with high-level complex needs can be better protected. Young people’s complex needs often lead to many low level incidents, which require staff to guide, hold and use physical interventions to keep everyone safe. These incidents are clearly recorded and regularly monitored by the registered manager. Staff receive physical intervention training during their induction and are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

required to attend refresher training annually. Two refresher trainings were cancelled at short notice, which means that some staff are overdue this training. The managers and staff work well with other professionals in the community to ensure the best interests of the young people. For example, the community police officer visits the home and spends time talking with the young people. The registered manager has met the recommendations made at the last full inspection and is continually seeking to improve practice and services at the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and registered to provide care to four young people with a learning disability.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Good 13/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/07/2014 Full Good

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered manager should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role that they play in training and development of staff in the home. This is in specific relation to ensuring physical intervention refresher training for those staff who are overdue. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.10)

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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 who 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 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. 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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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