Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St. Helens

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 sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no admissions or discharges since the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both young people remain extremely happy, safe and settled at this home and have expressed their wish to stay until they feel ready for independence. They were brought up in the local area, which significantly strengthens their sense of belonging. It also enables them to benefit from frequent family contact which positively promotes their unique identities. One young person was thrilled to be able to spend Christmas Day with his granddad and his two sisters.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Recent comments from young people include, ‘It’s a good place to live here and staff are always there for me. The meals are good and the choice of activities is really good. The staff listen to me and give me very good support,’ and, ‘I feel safe here. The care staff are really important to me and I like the neighbours who always ask how I am. I am happy with everything in the house.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The well-presented participation files that young people are given on discharge provide photographic memories of all the positive experiences that they have enjoyed while living at this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people contribute to annual staff appraisals and their positive feedback shows the trusting relationships established. Examples include, ‘She makes me feel safe. We do fun things together and she helps me when I’m upset,’ ‘He is always there for me and when I’m sad he always makes me laugh,’ and, ‘It’s good fun when he’s on shift. He takes me out and we have a laugh.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the required external health and safety certificates are in place and internal checks undertaken at the required frequencies. This ensures a safe environment. Incidents of going missing are extremely rare. However, on two occasions in the last 15 months, young people left via the same downstairs window, yet there has been no consideration given to the use of a window restrictor to try to prevent a reoccurrence. An ongoing process of redecoration and refurbishment means that the home is always maintained to a good standard. Young people’s bedrooms have been redecorated and refurnished since the last inspection in their choice of decor so they are highly personalised, and they ‘love’ them. Young people said, ‘My new wallpaper is boss and I’ve got a bigger bed and new cupboards,’ and, ‘My new carpet makes my bedroom feel warmer and cosier and the television on the wall gives me more space.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A continued key strength of this home is the frequent opportunities afforded young people to engage in a wide range of constructive leisure activities. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported, which demonstrably increases their self-esteem and competencies. For example, one young person is a very talented skater and is now strengthening these skills by joining a hockey club. This is good physical exercise and has enabled him to build up friendships with peers outside of the care system, which has demonstrably improved his social skills and self-confidence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

With staff support, young people are also continuing to develop their practical independence skills. One young person proudly announced, ‘I built my new double bed.’ They both enjoy cooking and baking together and recently took part in a shared session to look at the sugar content in foods. In response young people said, ‘I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to cut down on fizzy drinks,’ and, ‘I was really surprised at how much sugar was in biscuits so I’m not going to have as many.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person is now confident in arranging his own health appointments. Another young person has gained the confidence to attend and fully participate in his reviews. He told the group of professionals, ‘I am enjoying school and I am making good progress. I really like maths, PE and food tech which I practise in the home. I make at least one meal every week for everyone. I enjoy football, trampolining and athletics. My roller skating helps me to calm if I am feeling stressed.’ However, there are no entries in one young person’s independence file since the last inspection to show this good practice and the progress made, so a recommendation has been made to address this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s wishes and feelings remain central to the day-to-day running of the home and to the development of the company as a whole. All reasonable requests are positively responded to, if they are in the young people’s best interests, which makes them feel loved and valued. For example, one young person is now enjoying more free time in the local community with his friends, which he is very pleased about. This is in recognition of the outstanding progress made in this home in respect to recognising and managing his risks. Most significantly, there has been no reoffending since moving to this home and one young person has recently successfully completed his court order. Another young person was recently given a non-custodial sentence in court for serious offences committed prior to admission two years ago. The judge commented that this was due to the progress made in this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good collaborative working is firmly established with relevant agencies to safeguard and promote young people’s welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The appropriate use of reparation and restorative justice prevents the need for formal police intervention, yet still ensures that young people take responsibility for their actions. For example, one young person wrote a letter of apology to his peer and offered to do and then did his washing up rota for a week. This was for upsetting him to the extent that he caused some criminal damage in the home. That said, in general, the young people are noticeably no longer getting embroiled in the negative behaviours of others. This demonstrates an increased level of maturity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The few sanctions imposed are fair and relevant to the particular misdemeanour, and timely key worker sessions explore ways of preventing a reoccurrence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Restraint has not been used at this home for over nine months. Previous self- injurious behaviours have ceased in this placement. One young person was malnourished on admission. He is now a healthy weight. However, it is recognised that another young person is overweight, which has an impact on long-term health and self-esteem. In response, regular physical exercise is clearly encouraged and supported. However, menu records do not demonstrate that he benefits from an appropriate balance between homemade nutritious meals and convenience foods with high sugar and fat content. He also frequently does not have breakfast.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home continues to be very well managed by a suitably qualified, experienced and child-focused individual who leads by example. She provides very clear direction, regular supervision and continual support to her staff. She also ensures that they all receive timely training opportunities to meet organisational needs and individual young people’s needs, and to further their own personal development. In turn, she benefits from strong deputising arrangements and very good support from her line manager. This company has substantially invested in her continued development and retention.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team ensures excellent school attendance and consequently young people continue to make good educational progress. On admission, one young person was at risk of exclusion due to significant challenging behaviours and one young person was not in school due to the risks that he presented.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In sharp contrast, one young person is now sitting seven GCSEs and is on target to gain his predicted grades. To his credit, he is also choosing to take extra history lessons once a week after school to improve his grade. Furthermore, his emotional and behavioural needs have decreased to the point that staff have not needed to support him in school since the last inspection. Another young person progressed to being on the student council before starting paid work experience, which he is thoroughly enjoying. He is rightly very proud of his most recent certificate for passing his health and safety assessment. Moreover, they both now have positive future ambitions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Regular feedback is obtained from a wide range of stakeholders on the quality of care provided in this home. It is consistently very positive and they all recognise the progress that young people have made, especially given the risks that they initially presented and the complexity of their needs. Notably, they also all highlight particularly good partnership working. Recent examples include, ‘This is the right placement for my son. They keep him safe, look after him well and meet all his needs;’ ‘My young person has good relationships with the staff, who communicate effectively with me. The home is very well presented and young people engage in positive activities.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the independent monthly monitoring visits to this home since the last inspection have been announced. This has the potential to compromise a rigorous process, so a recommendation has been made to address this imbalance.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 23/11/2016 Full Outstanding 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/05/2015 Full Good

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each young person and the arrangements in place to protect them, with particular reference to going missing via a downstairs window. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Demonstrate that staff help all young people to prepare for independence, including supporting them to develop emotional and mental resilience and practical skills. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 Staff should encourage all the young people to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being and in particular, ensuring that they benefit from homemade nutritious meals at regular intervals. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)

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Recommendations

 The ethos of the home should support each young person to learn independently by helping them with their home studies so they can reach their individual educational targets. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.8)

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Recommendations

 The independent person appointed to carry out monthly visits to the home should undertake unannounced visits to avoid compromising a rigorous judgement about the safeguarding arrangements in place and the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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

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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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