Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

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

Young people continue to make good progress in all areas of their development in this large and busy home. Despite the high number of young people living in the home, their care is well planned by staff who have an excellent understanding of each child’s individual needs. Relationships between staff and young people are a key strength in this home, and positive, nurturing relationships were observed during the inspection. These relationships are used as a supportive base to work from on individual areas of need. One parent reported that since living in the home, ‘X has come on leaps and bounds, he is more confident, the home have been fantastic and have been instrumental in what you see of X today.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people attend school regularly and staff have a good understanding of each young person’s educational ability and needs. Young people acquire new skills and opportunities through living in the home. Staff are quick to identify individual interests and source activities to nurture these. For example, some young people attend a boat club and another young person loans a pony. This provides an opportunity for young people to develop their interests, as well as increasing their confidence and developing social relationships with other young people. Some young people have developed lasting friendships outside the home, which will increase their resilience and self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff promote young people’s health and well-being by ensuring that young people are registered with doctors and dentists and have a healthy diet. Staff ensure that medication regimes are followed. For some young people this has resulted in visible progress, for example, in weight loss, or improved skin for one young person with a skin condition. Staff are proactive in trying to address difficulties which are having an impact on young people’s health and well-being. For example, for one young person who was having difficulty sleeping, staff have put a nightlight and clock in his room, which means he is now settling well at night.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff promote positive behaviour by using reward systems. For example, staff hold a rewards ceremony each month where young people are rewarded with prizes if they have had no behavioural incidents, or if they win the child or bedroom of the month award. One young person told me that she had won a trip to the cat café as a reward for having no incidents. Another young person said that, ‘It is really good fun living here, staff have one to one time with you, if you’ve had a good month you get a Chinese buffet and incentives.’ Young people are making progress in their emotional and behavioural development due to staff’s consistent approach to behaviour management. Consequently, there has been a significant reduction in behavioural incidents since the last inspection, demonstrating that young people are learning to manage their behaviours better.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one admission and one discharge since the last inspection, and both have been well planned and child-focused. Staff undertake robust impact assessments, which ensures that matching is effective and that the home remains stable for young people. One young person who has recently moved into the home commented that he has made ‘good friends’ there. For another young person who has moved on after living in the home for a significant period of time, staff have put a 12-week transition plan in place, which includes staff making telephone calls and visits to him in his new placement. This provides support and consistency for the young person, which will help him settle into his new home. Another young person reported that staff are, ’Helping me with transitions, they talk to me lots about it and sort things out and make sure I am okay. I love (key-worker). She will come with me and visit my new school with me and I will speak to her if I am

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people do not go missing in this home, largely due to a high staffing ratio, and the level of restraint used in the home has reduced since the last inspection. Staff are trained in behaviour management, including restraint, and there is evidence that staff use de-escalation strategies effectively to diffuse situations. When restraint is used, it is used as a last resort to ensure the safety of the young person and/or others. A shortfall was identified in the manager’s evaluation of restraint, which does not always include a full written evaluation. This means that opportunities to evaluate and amend practice are missed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a serious incident prior to the inspection where the actions of staff members placed young people at risk. The investigation into this incident is ongoing but the manager has acted promptly to ensure that the correct processes were followed, and the staff involved have been suspended to ensure the safety of the young people in the home. This incident highlighted shortfalls in staff’s ability to raise concern about the practice of other staff members, and the manager is addressing this with them through team meetings and individual supervision sessions to ensure that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities. The manager understands what to do if allegations are made and refers promptly to the local authority designated officer. The local authority designated officer reported that, ‘(Manager) is very good, she is clear on what she needs to do.’ This ensures the safety of the young people in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work effectively with professionals such as social workers and health professionals to support young people’s progress. Feedback from professionals is consistently positive. One social worker reported that,’ Senior staff are often quick to reply to emails and respond to telephone calls, and are happy to share information in regards to X. Weekly reports have been received consistently from the staff and all meetings have been well attended, with useful information shared throughout.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the home. She and the management team are very child-focused and committed to achieving good progress for the young people they work with. The manager has ensured that the requirements made at the last inspection have been addressed, showing an ability to learn and make changes to practice.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide time limited medium- to long-term placements for up to 10 children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home forms part of an independent social care company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/11/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/07/2015 Full Good 25/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

2(a) (v) staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 01/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequences of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(vii)) 01/04/2017

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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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