Children's home run by Break Charity

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 sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met two of the three recommendations that were made at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding notifications to Ofsted are clear and timely. This enables Ofsted to have oversight of incidents or any ongoing issues and to understand the action that the home is taking to manage them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff use positive and negative consequences with the children as a part of behaviour management. The records contain sufficient detail to enable the children to understand the reasons for any consequence. This helps them to reflect on their behaviour and to make better choices. However, there is a lack of evidence of management oversight of the consequences. The manager does not systematically sign the records. This does not demonstrate that they are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that the use of consequences is fair.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The records of room searches are made in an amended and more detailed format. However, some of the entries have missing or incorrect information. This does not provide a clear and consistent record and therefore this recommendation is restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff liaise with education professionals to support the children to access education that meets their needs. Clear education plans are in place for each child. Two of the children are attending education and are making progress towards their targets. An education professional said, ‘We have a good working relationship. They [staff] really care about her [the child’s] interests. There is good communication and they absolutely do their best for her.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff use physical intervention when it is needed to keep the children and staff safe. There are debriefs with the children after each intervention and the staff have the opportunity to discuss the incidents with the manager. Detailed incident reports reflect the behaviours leading up to the physical intervention and the type and length of hold. There have been significant concerns in relation to the new children in the home and the change in group dynamics. The manager and the staff are clear about the needs of the children and the concerns. They have tried hard to manage the risky behaviour and to keep the children safe. Some of the behaviours have culminated in damage to the home. Repairs are made as soon as possible. The staff enable the children to explore their feelings in key-working sessions and there is a continuing therapeutic focus to provide emotional support the children. This helps the children who are in crisis to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

understand that they are able to move forward into a new day with new opportunities. New admissions to the home are planned carefully. The manager requests relevant information before agreeing to a new admission and she liaises with appropriate professionals to agree a transition plan. The children benefit from tea visits and overnight stays before they move into the home. This gives them the opportunity to get to know the other children and to start to build relationships with the staff. One of the children said, ‘I like it here and I like the staff.’ One child has moved on from the home successfully and is now cared for within his family. This move was gradual and well planned. The organisation continues to provide outreach work to the family and the staff keep in touch with the child through text messaging and visits. The nurturing relationships that the child had built with the staff continue and he knows that he can access help and advice if he

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

wishes to. There is good communication between the staff and other professionals and family members. A parent said, ‘The staff keep in touch with me and let me know if there is an incident. They also send me reports. She [my child] is getting on good.’ A social worker said of her child, ‘I am always well informed. The incident reports are detailed and they [staff] report everything.’ This ensures that professionals and family members are included in the child’s journey. Internal and external monitoring is comprehensive and includes the views of parents, professionals and children. The monitoring is effective and demonstrates the challenges and the progress of the service during the recent months.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a registered charity. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children aged between 7 and 17 years who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/12/2016 Full Good 21/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/10/2015 Full Good 19/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 all room searches are appropriately recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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Recommendations

In particular, record the reasons for the search, efforts to seek the child’s consent and any risk assessment and management oversight of the decision to undertake the search.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to make sure that their use is fair. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that there is clear management oversight of positive and negative consequences for the children.

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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 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

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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