Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

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

The home has seen a busy period since the last full inspection, with two children leaving and four being admitted. Both children who left have successfully transitioned into foster care with a good level of support and planning by staff at the home. Staff take time to visit prospective foster carers and share information prior to the child meeting them. Some placing authorities have allowed the home to control the pace of the transitions, which has worked well for one child as it has allowed for progression at his pace. Newly admitted children have been welcomed and have settled quickly into the home’s routines. Detailed pre-placement matching ensures that the home only admits those children whose needs can be met within the home. The home gathers and considers a great deal of information about each child prior to placement and is well informed of the child’s history, and issues affecting them, when they arrive at the home. Where children have been reluctant

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to attend pre-placement visits, staff from the home have visited them in their placement to start to form relationships and reduce the child’s fears.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children are making very good progress. One social worker commented upon how his child had come on in ‘leaps and bounds’, changing from a child who was unregulated and violent to a child who is affectionate and has insight into his feelings and much better self-regulation. Some children are not settled at present. The manager has good insight into the reasons for their unsettled behaviour and supports staff to nurture them and offer patience and understanding when their behaviour is challenging. Unsettled behaviours link to factors such as medication issues and anxiety about moving on, or traumatic personal histories, and staff have a good understanding of these factors. Almost all children engage in therapy to help them to process their experiences and to begin to heal.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children generally have positive relationships with each other as well as with staff. They show kindness and consideration. When they behave in negative ways they are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and make reparations, for example by sending an apology letter when they have been unkind. One child commented that she liked living in the home because there was always someone to play with.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Many children attend a range of off-site activities, which allow them to develop social skills and to integrate into the community.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home works closely with a number of external agencies to ensure that children’s needs are met. Staff are in close liaison with the teachers at the on-site school and also communicate regularly with placing authorities and the children’s therapists to ensure that information is shared and that care is coordinated. Staff support and supervise family contact at high levels for some children, which allows them to maintain links with people who are important to them while ensuring their safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers at the home have met with the host authority’s designated officer (LADO) following some confusion about the threshold for LADO notifications. The home is clear about the outcome of this meeting and feels that working relationships have been strengthened as a result. The home has notified all significant events, as set out in regulation, to HMCI, and has therefore met the requirement made at the previous inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are of an age at which their main risks are in relation to challenging, aggressive and violent behaviour. They are not at risk of going missing from home, child sexual exploitation, drugs or alcohol because they are constantly supervised. Some children display some inappropriate sexual behaviours and these are managed through increased supervision and education using a charity’s resource material pack.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Levels of physical intervention are closely monitored by the manager. Where the numbers of interventions has risen sharply, the manager has considered this and understands the reasons. The manager collates information to identify patterns or trends in physical intervention. Recording of physical intervention was noted to be an issue at the previous inspection. The home has improved in this area and details of incidents are now typed instead of handwritten, which improves clarity. Records sampled gave clear evidence as to what led up to the intervention and why it was necessary.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Internal and external monitoring are both effective. The manager has systems in place to collate information on a monthly basis in order to review the quality of care provided to young people. This information includes feedback from the children themselves, staff and parents. Social workers and independent reviewing officers provide feedback about the child’s experience of the placement at their six- monthly reviews, which are usually held at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 12 children, who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. This company also runs a school registered with the Department for Education. It is within the same grounds as the children’s home. Currently all the children attend the school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/08/2016 Full Good 05/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/10/2015 Full Good 26/02/2015 Interim Improved 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 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

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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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