Children's Home run by Friends Therapeutic Community Trust in Cambridgeshire

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

The children make excellent progress during their placements because they develop strong relationships with the staff who know their needs and vulnerabilities. The social worker for one child said, ‘Everything is done through the community. He is included and feels part of something. It fits him like a glove.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some new children have recently joined the home following a comprehensive admission process. This includes a six-week assessment stay at the home. However, the staff and managers are aware that this is only the beginning. They place an absolute emphasis on the safety of the group and continue to monitor individual behaviour and group dynamics meticulously. If necessary, they confront poor behaviour to re-establish a positive working relationship, which both the staff and the child commit to.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Even so, on rare occasions, the staff and the managers have concluded that they cannot continue to ensure the safety of individual children. As a result, some of the children’s placements have been ended early. This is never an easy decision. The staff and the management team have used the experience to review how they measure the progress and engagement of individual children in the life of the community. Consequently, the children are safeguarded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For the vast majority of the children, there is meticulous planning prior to them leaving the home. Both the staff and the managers recognise that the move into adult life in the community is particularly difficult for these children and have developed the transition service significantly. A dedicated team now sets up tailor- made programmes to provide practical and emotional support for the children, and this is monitored over an 18-month period. The management team is mindful that this is a costly option and wants to be clear that it is effective. As a result, it has commissioned a pilot research project which is studying the results. This is a highly purposeful approach to this issue.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the children attend school and are making progress in the core subjects, such as English and mathematics. The children are entered for exams in both academic subjects and practical skills. Both the teaching and the care staff are alert to the link between enabling and encouraging a child to express their emotions, improve behaviour and progress in education. The records of a statutory review for one child note, ‘Significant change in his presentation,’ and, ‘Wanted to share his views openly. A good start in education.’ The children are aware of this progress, and it greatly enhances their self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Daily life in the home is calm and stable. Incidents of physical restraint are rare, and no child has gone missing since the last inspection. Individual case files contain detailed information about the complex work that the children are completing with the staff. However, information is held in different forms. For instance, written reports do not always reflect more up-to-date records held electronically. Also, the files do not include an ongoing record of the individual child’s achievements or rewards. Consequently, it is not possible to fully track a child’s total progress in the home from the case files.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership team acknowledges that the children have complex and challenging behaviour which will have an impact on the staff who are looking after them. Supervision arrangements are now scrutinised monthly by the senior team so that the staff are guaranteed the opportunity to reflect on their practice and have access to management support. The leadership team is assisted by extremely robust external monitoring reports which support a persistent drive for improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Feedback from both the parents and the external professionals is extremely positive. They feel treated with respect and more hopeful about the future.

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Information about this children's home

The service is run by a charitable community trust and provides a therapeutic programme and treatment for up to 17 young men who have emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The service caters for a specific range of needs and ages as detailed in the statement of purpose. There is a bungalow on the premises which provides semi-independent accommodation. The wide range of facilities includes education on-site in a school which is independently registered and vocational workshops to support accredited work-based learning courses. The community is now jointly registered with the Care Quality Commission in view of the fact that some of the young people are over the age of 18 years old.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/09/2016 Full Outstanding 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/09/2015 Full Outstanding 10/03/2015 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 recommendation:  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with particular reference to compiling a complete record for each child which clearly tracks their progress and achievements.

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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

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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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