Children's home SC416733

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 service continues to provide high-quality care to children and their families. Families highly value the service. One parent stated, ‘The staff are excellent; all of them. They just get on so well with him [child]; they are so good to him. They are just like second parents. It is amazing how much it does for us both having those couple of days.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two recommendations were made at the last inspection. These related to updating care plans and to guidance on certificates of good conduct. Both of these recommendations have been addressed. The manager has ensured that care plans are reviewed and updated, and a new policy has been devised that considers the need to undertake certificate of good conduct checks.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children continue to enjoy a range of personalised activities. The staff reflect on these activities in relation to the children’s individual goals to identify the progress that the children make. Examples of progress include children who are now able to sit briefly at the dining table and children who have begun to socialise with their peers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, there was significant uncertainty regarding the future of the service. This uncertainty has resulted in staff and parental anxiety and has affected the management team’s ability to recruit staff. As a result, there is an increasing reliance on staff to work additional hours. Although this has had no impact on the quality of the care that the children receive, it has had an impact on the capacity of staff and the timeliness of some recording. However, the staff and managers have ensured that key paperwork is up to date and that families receive comprehensive written accounts of their children’s experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have started using the service since the last inspection. They were known to the wider service beforehand and were therefore familiar with the premises and the staff. Their introduction has been smooth. Parents and professionals report that the management team plans carefully for individual children’s stays and gives consideration to the mix of children. There have been no significant incidents since the last inspection. There have been no physical interventions, no sanctions, no missing from care incidents and no complaints.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person undertakes monthly visits to the home. The visitor’s reports provide scrutiny and challenge. The manager’s six-monthly review of care is thorough and provides challenge. This strong monitoring contributes to a culture of improvement and avoids complacency.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service continues to work with schools and placing social workers. Feedback from external professionals remains positive. A social work manager said, ‘They [the children] get the most out of the provision. The families are very happy with the service. The staff work with us to address any issues. They fully explore things and find solutions. They communicate well and provide families with feedback. They raise concerns with us if they need to. The children engage well with the staff and the staff know them very well.’ A headteacher said, ‘The staff are positive and supportive. They give us feedback. The staff come to meetings when we ask them to, and if they cannot, they send reports. They make changes. They are supportive and helpful.’

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Information about this children's home

The home, which is operated by a charity, provides short breaks for up to three young people who may have a learning difficulty and/or physical disability and/or sensory impairment. It operates for a limited number of days each month.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/12/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/09/2015 Full Good 16/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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

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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