Children's home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

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

Children and young people continue to make very good progress. Staff and managers understand the complex needs of the young people, and are committed to providing a safe and comfortable home. The home has an excellent track record and has consistently been judged outstanding by Ofsted over a number of years. The service has provided children and young people with a high level of care and their families or carers with much-needed support and respite. As a result, most children and young people have been able to remain in the care of their family or carers. When children are accommodated, their family or carers are very much involved in their package of care and any decisions made in respect of their children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff’s knowledge of the children and young people’s vulnerabilities as well as their strengths help to inform the high level of support provided. Some children and young people use the home as a short-break service and others live in the home. In each case, a thorough assessment of their needs is carried out. This is completed in partnership with the children’s and young people’s families, carers, social workers and health professionals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home produces a detailed personal needs plan which clearly identifies how the children’s and young people’s holistic needs are to be met. These plans include a behaviour assessment plan, health plan and risk management strategies, and are all effectively reviewed on a regular basis. The introduction process is gradual, allowing the children and young people to become familiar with their environment and with their staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are genuinely enthusiastic about the care of the children and young people, know them well, spend time with them and have very good relationships. There is a clear commitment to providing the children and young people with very good quality care in line with their specific needs. Observations were that interactions between the children and young people and staff were responsive to meeting all of their needs. For example, children and young people were welcomed back to the home from school or college. Individual routines are followed, allowing some children and young people time to relax while others are keen to tell staff how their day has been. All children and young people were happy in the presence of staff and each other. Young people have made progress, given their starting point upon arrival at the home. Staff are proud to report on achievements, and how children and young people continue to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New systems are embedded into practice and enable staff to report back to parents, carers and social workers on the difference that the home has made each week for the children and young people whom they support. This information is collated from the day-to-day information and includes children’s and young people’s wishes and feelings. Children’s and young people’s achievements, no matter how small, are celebrated and reported on, and show the outcomes that they have made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The range of activities that the home provides for the children and young people help them to avoid feeling isolated due to their complex needs. They are active in the community, enjoy new experiences, join local clubs and meet new friends. The staff also encourage the children and young people who have significant challenges with the spoken word to express their views and opinions, so much so that one young person with limited speech is now communicating and able to put words into sentences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are skilled in communication methods, understand children’s and young people’s body language and are able to engage them in choices around all aspects of their care in the home. This helps children and young people to feel empowered as they are able to make progress in their communication, self-care and life skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people approaching adulthood are supported to successfully transition from the home at the time that is right for them. The management team and staff ensure that all eventualities are explored, and work with parents and carers to establish a future placement which will provide both for all of the needs and stability for the young person. This has resulted in one young person’s suitable future placement being agreed and another young person’s appropriate future placement being sought by his family, with the support of the staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are safe in the home and protected when out in the community. Staffing levels are sufficient to ensure appropriate levels of supervision at all times for the children and young people. Risk assessments are current, comprehensive and shared with future placements. This protects and adds value to the overall care planning for individual children and young people. Individual personal plans focus on managing and improving children’s and young people’s behaviour. Staff manage the behavioural needs of the children and young people through well-established de-escalation techniques. As a result, children’s and young people’s challenging behaviour does not escalate, restraints are extremely rare and sanctions are not used. The home continues to be effectively managed. The registered manager ensures that there continues to be regular scrutiny of the service, and she responds effectively to any recommendations made in the independent person’s monthly

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reports. She has completed a detailed review of the quality of care that is provided to the children and young people. The review is informative and evaluative, and identifies the strengths of the home and where improvements can be made. Collectively, staff have contributed to the quality of care review, and the report celebrates the good things that they do with the children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff confirm that they feel very much supported by the management team. They receive regular supervision and are provided with training specific to the children’s and young people’s needs, including epilepsy, medication, peg feeding and stoma care. Their competencies are regularly assessed and observed, and this contributes to the high level of care and support provided to the children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a secure rear garden, and funds have been raised to purchase a purpose-built log cabin complete with electricity and heating for the children and young people to enjoy. The home has its own transport which is adapted to transport wheelchair users safely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Regular verbal and written feedback is sought from children and young people, their family or carers and social workers. There are no negative comments about the home, and some of the many positive comments include:

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 ‘I am very happy with the home and how well the staff help my son.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 ‘Thank you for the care and support, and I am really happy.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 ‘I am more than happy. It is a welcome break; she loves coming to the home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 ‘The young person and family really benefit from the respite provided and the young person seems very happy in the home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 ‘The home responded immediately when a young person’s foster placement broke down. All staff are very understanding of the young person’s and carer’s needs.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No requirements or recommendations are made at the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

 The home is registered for six children to provide care and accommodation for children with physical disabilities and learning disabilities.  The home is managed by a local authority.  Full-time care and shared care arrangements are offered at the home. Dependent on individual assessed needs, specialised equipment is available for children to meet their individual needs, as written in the home’s statement of purpose.  The staff team has expertise through training in specialist areas such as child protection, gastrostomy feeding, administration of emergency seizure medication and hoisting in order to provide the best care for the children, as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/07/2016 Full Outstanding 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2015 Full Outstanding 30/03/2015 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 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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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