Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today Children‟s Services

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, the home required improvement . At this inspection, the home is judged to have improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is run by a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. He is supported by a stable staff team whose members are enthusiastic and committed to making a difference in young people’s lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, three young people have moved on from the service. One young person has been successfully fostered in his home community while another has returned to live with a family member. One young person was discharged from the home after a decision was made by managers that they could no longer meet his presenting needs. Two young people are currently accommodated in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, the home required improvement. This resulted in 10 requirements and nine recommendations being made to address shortfalls in practice. The manager and staff have worked hard to address these matters. This inspection will focus on the progress made in meeting the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff have made progress in establishing relationships with external agencies to assist young people to address significant behaviours. Evidence of liaison and referral to agencies, such as child and adolescent mental health services, the Phoenix Centre, the nurse responsible for children looked after, and youth offending services, highlights that young people’s individual needs are now more effectively assessed through multi-agency partnerships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both new referrals to the home have a substantial history of non-attendance or disruption within education. Since being accommodated at the home, and taking into account their initial starting points, both attend and engage with a private tutor and make progress. Plans are in place for young people to be reintegrated back to their community schools with the help and support of the staff at the home. Young people take a lead role in planning their day with staff and tutors, and overall this proves to be effective. On occasions when young people refuse to attend education, suitable consequences are now in place and are promoted by regular key work sessions. However, young people do not receive an adequate daily level of professional tutoring in order to progress to a return to full-time education. As a result, a requirement in respect of education is restated at this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are engaged in activities. They regularly attend trampolining, football, biking, cinema, and have taken part in a five-mile fun run at a local park. Young people sustain appropriate friendships from their home community and make new friendships in this community. Staff support this by ensuring that they have contact details for friends and their families in order to keep young people safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The overall planning for young people’s care is improved. Risk assessments, behaviour management plans and healthcare plans now provide suitable detail, including a collective staff response in the management of particular behaviours. Likewise, medication record sheets are clear and well kept. When medication is increased or decreased, a formal letter from a medical practitioner is now held on file outlining the reasons behind each decision. This ensures that young people receive the correct dosage of medication on a consistent basis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager’s monitoring of the home has improved. This takes into account the impact of new residents at the home and is evident in the decision-making process for new referrals to the home. Furthermore, staff receive more direction when planning for care. Placement targets are now regularly addressed through recorded key work sessions, and follow-up sessions are discussed and planned at team meetings. This ensures that all staff are aware of the targets that each young person is working towards and how they can assist the young person to achieve each target.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been two incidents requiring notification in accordance with regulation 40. Both notifications were received by Ofsted within timescale and provided a suitable level of information. The home acted appropriately in order to protect the safety of the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are aware of their personal behaviour management strategy. This means that when sanctions are given for poor behaviour, they know what to expect and on the whole accept the sanction without challenge. Records of sanctions highlight a high quantity of positive praise and reward. Young people respond well to this and now regularly sign their records and include comments.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, young people were regularly reported absent or missing. Important information, such as friends’ names and addresses, was not recorded on file. At this inspection, the level of absences and episodes of going missing have significantly decreased. Records are held of friends’ names and addresses and staff have liaised with them to build positive relationships. Consequently, when young people are late or absent from the home, staff are more able to locate them and ensure their safe return. When young people are reported as missing, staff make frequent formal requests to the local authority for an independent return home interview. However, these visits do not take place consistently. Consequently, young people are not always provided with an opportunity to discuss their time away from the home with a person independent of their care arrangements. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been three episodes in which physical intervention has been required. Records are clear and detailed, including a full chronology, outcome and debrief for both the young person and staff member. Young people now review their record of physical intervention and record their views.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

It is clear that since the last inspection, the registered manager and staff have worked hard to address the matters raised. Evidence from this inspection highlights progress being made, including development in some practice areas. One requirement is restated and one recommendation is made to improve practice further.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to accommodate up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or a learning disability.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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

Ensure that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, helping children of compulsory school age who are not attending school to return as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(viii)) 15/06/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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 whom 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

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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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