Children's home run by City of Wolverhampton Council

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement 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

Managers at the home have responded positively to the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection, and their actions have resulted in improvements to the service offered to young people at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work closely with families, as well as schools, colleges and other education providers to make sure that young people receive continuity in their education, and are able to learn and progress, and therefore maximise their achievements. Close liaison with families and education personnel means that staff quickly identify if young people experience difficulties. Young people benefit as staff are able to appropriately target support. A tutor told the inspector, ’Staff support his education, and they do all they can to help him.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s short breaks are carefully planned, and all information about their needs and challenges, including affiliations with other young people, are considered and summarised in impact risk assessments. Managers ensure that there is a compatible mix of young people attending short breaks together, so that everyone concentrates on enjoying their time at the home. Young people are unanimously positive about their short breaks, and one told the inspector, ‘It is a safe place for me. I am well looked after.’ A social worker confirmed the positive nature of the service: ‘He has a great deal of emotional support and has a high level of direct work, which helps him understand the importance of relationships and how to manage conflict.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to enjoy individual time with staff and complete one-to-one discussions about a variety of issues relevant to their situation, including keeping themselves safe, relationships and family difficulties. Young people value their relationships with staff and the time and attention they receive from staff. One young person told the inspector, ’One of the best things here is the staff. They are always around to talk to. It means a lot.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to develop age-appropriate independence skills, and they all help with the preparation of meals, keeping the home presentable and keeping their rooms tidy. In addition, young people grow in self-confidence. Young people enjoy a range of fun and interesting activities and develop life-long memories of their time at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s safety remains the priority for all members of staff. All staff have completed child sexual exploitation awareness training, and use various resources to help young people increase their understanding of the risks. These include written materials, DVDs and online clips, which educate young people and help them recognise other people’s motives, and what young people can do to remain safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers continue to revise and improve many administrative systems in the home, with the aim of streamlining documentation and ensuring that all information is available to staff. Improvements include clarifying each young person’s contact arrangements with friends and family and ensuring that these are consistently managed. Information is stored on a centralised system, and material from many key professionals is available to staff at the home. This helps staff remain informed about young people’s progress between their short breaks.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff have developed close and constructive working relationships with the police and the missing person’s co-ordinator for the local authority. This has resulted in improved information about vulnerable young people who are missing from home or missing from their short break. The missing persons co- ordinator visits each young person following an incident and offers them advice and support. This also allows the young person to confide in an independent person if there is something troubling them. The missing-from-care co-ordinator told the inspector, ’The staff offer an excellent service. The young people always say that they are happy staying there, and they receive cohesive support. Excellent two-way communication.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour management remains a strength of the staff team. Staff are skilled in de-escalation techniques and there is a calm and peaceful atmosphere in the home. One young person told the inspector, ’People get on, there is no fighting, and arguing. It is good.’ Physical intervention is rarely used, and recording of the incidents has improved, although one record did not specify the duration of the intervention, which may not help the young person involved understand the process of the incident.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager continues to closely monitor all aspects of the home’s running, and strives to improve the service for the benefit of all young people who have a short break at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered for up to six young people who stay at the home for a short break. The home is managed by the local authority and accepts young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 28/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/05/2015 Full Good 11/07/2014 Full Adequate

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s 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/s must comply within the given timescales.

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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 a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv) 14/04/2017

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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. 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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