Children's home run by Pear Tree Projects Limited in County Durham

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are safe and continue to make good progress, supported by a knowledgeable staff team. The home is small and has successfully developed a ‘family’ ethos as a starting point for addressing challenges. This enables young people to grow and develop in a planned and paced way. This will improve the chances of young people making a successful transition into the community in the future. A young person said he is happy living at the home and feels safe. Care planning and risk assessments that identify needs and offer strategies to mitigate against risk are well established. Recording is clear, but issues are not always consistently documented across the two sets of records. It is vital that they link in order to ensure that the full journeys of young people and the accounts of individual incidents are clear. In addition, the records of incidents that involve young people from this and other homes within the provider group do not always

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

include all of the details in each individual’s file. It is essential that all information relevant to young people is recorded in their own files as well as those of other young people. Education attendance is seen as important. Young people continue to achieve within education, either at the provider’s own school or within the mainstream system. The staff team works well in partnership with schools and agencies to ensure that such opportunities for good education continue to improve. Since the last inspection, there have been no transitions to or from the home. The resulting stability has helped young people to develop a sense of trust in each other and the staff team in the home. A social worker said: ‘The move into this home has been a good one for [young person]; I have seen real improvements in behaviour.’ Contact between young people and their families is minimal, due to individual circumstances. However, both young people have developed their own groups of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

friends and this is recognised as important by the manager and staff. Such relationships are nurtured and supported where appropriate, with friends being welcomed when they visit. The use of sanctions to manage behaviour is minimal, with a restorative approach being used successfully. Since the last inspection, no physical interventions have taken place and there has only been one episode of absence. This was reported and dealt with appropriately. There has been one complaint from a young person in relation to the provider’s school; this was fully investigated. However, the record indicated that the young person was not happy with the outcome. There was no indication of staff advocating on behalf of the young person to have the matter reviewed and this is a recommendation of this inspection. Leadership and management of the home is good. The day-to-day manager is an experienced practitioner who fully understands the complex needs of the young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people and provides a positive role model for his team. This, along with team meetings that are used as group supervisions for this small team, enables consistent messages to be given to young people and allows trusting relationships to develop. There has been no changes in staffing since the last inspection, which reinforces the stability and consistency of practice. Supervision that offers reflective opportunities is a new process for all team members. However, it now forms a regular part of the supervision that addresses individual issues or practice and development. Updating of training has improved, with staff accessing relevant courses to enable them to address the needs of the young people who are resident in the home. This will be further strengthened by the training courses due to take place in the near future, as these will address specific needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered with Ofsted to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/12/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/11/2015 Full Good 24/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education or training matters including, but not limited to, attainment, admissions, attendance or behaviour, as a good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.12)

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Recommendations

 Staff skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. Staff should encourage children to express their views about whether they feel safe both within and outside the home. Staff should support children to understand how to ask for help to stay safe and that the home is an environment which supports this. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. In particular, risk assessments and care plans should clearly link. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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, 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 Text phone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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