Children's home run by Horizon Care Limited in Cannock Chase

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home required improvement 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

At the last inspection, the manager of the home received eight requirements relating to breaches of regulation and ten recommendations with regard to further enhancing practice in the home. The manager has developed an action plan and has made considerable progress in rectifying the shortfalls. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are more comprehensive and have been sufficiently tailored to individual young people. They outline strategies for staff to manage behaviour and are followed in practice, which provides a consistent approach. Plans to ensure that staff take appropriate action if young people are missing from the home need to be further enhanced to ensure that they take account of any local multi-agency protocols and procedures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people now have care plans that outline day-to-day care arrangements and include information about healthcare and emotional well-being. They are reviewed monthly and revised accordingly. On occasions, plans lack clarity due to missing dates and it is not clear that staff have read and understood them. Young people are aware of how to make a complaint and have exercised this right three times in recent months. Complaints are recorded and responded to appropriately.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection there have been two admissions. One young person was cared for by staff on a short-term respite basis. Another young person was admitted and unfortunately the home was unable to meet his escalating needs. The manager did risk assess the impact of these placements on other young people and, on the basis of information that was supplied, she appropriately considered whether staff were equipped to meet their needs. When the young person’s patterns of risk-taking behaviour escalated, the manager notified the appropriate authorities and took action to ensure that his safety needs were prioritised. Another young person who had been at the home for some time had a planned move after continued incidents of bullying towards another young person and non- engagement with staff, although staff provided considerable opportunities for him to address this behaviour. This move has had a positive impact on him and the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are settled and staff are responding to any challenging behaviour in a coordinated and consistent manner, which is proving to be effective. There have been no serious incidents that have required notification to other agencies. The two young people currently living at the home appear happy and well cared for. Both young people say they feel safe, enjoy good relationships with staff and are engaging in education and suitable activities outside of the home. One young person has not been provided with the educational opportunities outlined in the placing authority’s plans. The registered manager has challenged this, but has not asserted herself beyond the initial challenge. A lack of education could impact on the young person’s future attainment and ultimately his ability to achieve economic well-being. One young person has moved from another home within the same organisation. The placing authority’s plans have not been transferred with him and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the manager has not successfully obtained these plans. Requirements are made to address these matters.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have been making good progress from their starting points. Staff have worked hard to assist one young person to improve their self-care and hygiene routines; this has had a positive impact on their self-esteem and emotional health. One young person was not engaging in education and is now making progress through tutoring in core subjects. The manager has made a referral to a voluntary agency that provides a quiet classroom environment and a progressive plan to help young people back into full-time education. Healthcare is also an area of improvement. Young people have attended appointments and one young person is accessing a private consultation with an orthodontist, which is being funded by the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no incidents of challenging behaviour that have required physical intervention. There have been some appropriate restorative sanctions imposed on young people that have resulted in improved behaviour. On occasions, restraint record-keeping does not wholly comply with regulations and a requirement is made to address this matter.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has made significant progress in developing a strong staff team that is equipped to provide a higher quality of care. She is realistic about her own development areas and she and the team have recently accessed training on record-keeping. Staff are awaiting the introduction of a new electronic system which the manager feels will assist the whole team in ensuring full compliance with all regulatory requirements. She also feels that this, coupled with the delegation of more tasks to senior members of staff, will help her to monitor and evaluate the service provided to young people more effectively, which will result in further improved outcomes for the young people in her care.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is part of a private organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2015 Full Good 13/02/2015 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) meet(s) 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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)) 12/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate and within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 12/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which include the information and documents listed in schedule 3 in relation to each child, with particular regard to plans or reports relating to the child prepared by the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 12/05/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The home’s procedures must take into account the views of appropriate local services and have regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to missing person’s incidents in the area where the home is located. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.29)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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

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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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