Children's home in Cherwell

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people’s emotional and psychological well-being improves significantly. Their self-awareness, self-esteem and confidence have improved and they have achieved far more than had been thought possible.  Young people achieve far better in their education than they have been able to previously.  Young people who had previously lived socially isolated and unfulfilling lives have made friendships with peers. They have developed social skills exceptionally well and are able to maintain these important relationships.  Young people make significant changes in behaviours that were limiting their progress, such as those related to obsessive and compulsive disorders. This has opened up many opportunities for their future lives.  Young people develop interests, skills and become proficient in areas that would not have been considered possible before their admission to the school. They enjoy their lives far more than they have previously.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people’s independence skills increase and this ensures that they are well prepared for moving into more independent living.  Young people’s views are used and seen as key to the development of their individual care and wider practice in the school.  Collaborative work between care, education and health professionals has provided young people with the best possible opportunities to grow and develop and they reach their full potential.  The leaders and managers are knowledgeable, skilled and passionate about improving the lives of the young people; they achieve their aims to a high standard.  Leaders and managers work collaboratively with other organisations, professionals and agencies for the benefit of children nationally.  Staff are committed, child centred and passionate about their work. They consistently provide a very high quality of care to the young people.

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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

The registered person must without delay notify HMCI of all significant events in the home, as defined in the corresponding regulation. (Regulation 40(4)) 02/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and (b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—(a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation

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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

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 55, paragraph 10.24) This is with specific reference to ensuring that reports made under regulation 45 reflect the analysis of information gathered from third parties and detail the planned developments.

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Information about this children’s home

The setting is a residential special school that accommodates young people for up to 52 weeks per year. All of the accommodation is registered as a children’s home. The home provides education and residential care for up to 45 children and young people, aged from 11 to 19 years old, across seven homes. Young people access the organisation’s special school or go to mainstream college. Young people on the autistic spectrum (mainly with Asperger syndrome) are admitted as weekly, term-time or 52-week placements. Currently, it is exclusively boys who live in the home. The provider is a registered charity.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/09/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/03/2016 Full Outstanding 23/09/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/03/2015 Full Outstanding

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people living in the home are

There are excellent relationships between staff and young people. Young people develop trust and confide in staff who know them well, treat them with dignity and respect and hold their needs and well-being at the centre of everything they do. Young people know that staff are reliable and help them when they have a problem.

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people living in the home are

As young people become settled, they develop the social skills needed to make and maintain healthy friendships; this is in the context of the difficulties that some young people have experienced in developing friendships in the past. The relationships that young people make in the school add significant value to their lives. Young people develop a clear understanding about their social responsibilities, learn how to sort out any disagreements effectively and are generally kind and compassionate towards each other. Young people develop a strong sense of belonging within the safe and nurturing school community.

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people living in the home are

Thorough, detailed and highly individualised care plans are developed and kept current as young people’s needs change. Young people’s successes, however small, are celebrated and their self-esteem and confidence grow. Young people develop a more positive self-view and a clearer sense of their own identity. A parent said that her son, ‘has thrived since boarding in the school as he has an individualised programme in every way’.

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people living in the home are

Staff are extremely skilled in supporting young people to reduce their obsessive, repetitive and compulsive behaviours, which have in the past limited their educational and social development. Staff identify the underlying reason for these behaviours and support young people to develop the practical and emotional strategies they need to cope with day-to-day life more effectively. This progress increases their potential for learning significantly, social opportunities are opened up to them and they thrive as a result. A parent commended the staff for the patience and support that they provide to her son and the skilful way in which they challenge him without causing him distress. She said, ‘All of this is helping to decrease his anxiety about transitioning into school each day.’ Another parent said of her son, ‘I cannot believe that he’s the same chap.’

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people living in the home are

Young people’s views are key to developing the care provided to them individually and as a group. They are involved, on a daily basis, in developing their care plans. Their collective views are gathered, listened to and acted upon across the year through a range of means, including the well-established and influential students’ council. All young people also have access to an individual visitor whom they use effectively to communicate their views, wishes and feeling to the staff and management team. Young people understand the complaints policy and procedure, use it, and are confident that their complaints are dealt with effectively.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s progress in their attendance and their achievement in education are impressive. An integrated approach across education and care provides young people with consistency and this predictability benefits the young people significantly. Skilful work is undertaken to make transitions to and from education easier for those young people who find this anxiety-provoking. Care staff liaise effectively with the school staff to ensure that young people get into school, enjoy their learning experiences and achieve. Young people’s educational attainment improves, for some young people significantly, and they develop hopes and aspirations for their futures. A parent said, ‘My son is doing brilliantly when he couldn’t cope in mainstream education... he is thinking about doing GCSEs now.’ Another parent said that for her son, ‘University a real prospect now.’ A third parent said that her son, ‘Hated school, now he loves it. Staff have managed him

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people living in the home are

well through his exams; this was well planned to ensure he had the least amount of anxiety.’ Some young people have participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, an additional learning experience. This participation has led to young people being better equipped to become committed, responsible and fulfilled members of their community.

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people living in the home are

The attention to supporting young people in various work and business enterprises is impressive. Young people have excellent opportunities to learn about the world of work and they develop a good work ethic. For example, The ‘food enterprise group’ hosts events in the café on site for staff, students, governors and older local people. A ‘fix it’ club in a local hall involves young people in mending things for others, ranging from computers to spectacles. Some young people also take part in valuable work experience on a voluntary or paid basis.

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people living in the home are

Young people take part in an extensive range of hobbies, leisure and educational activities. These have a significant impact on young people’s overall development. They develop their social, organisational, physical, problem solving and communication skills, and they learn to work as a team or to act in an individual capacity. They experience success when things go well and learn to deal with disappointments when things have not gone as well. Their confidence and self- esteem increase as does their enjoyment of life. A parent said, ‘Staff could see other things in him and his world that he could do. They are in touch with where he is, it’s phenomenal.’ Activities available are extensive, and include: after-school clubs; involvement in musical and drama performances; fishing; camping; gym membership; membership of various youth organisations; football and rugby team membership; annual field trips and holiday opportunities. One young person

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people living in the home are

presents an online community radio station; other young people qualified for the semi-finals of the Football Association People’s Cup. Some young people went on a ghost hunt in a local city and a young person whose cycling talent was recognised by a national coach is receiving expert coaching to help develop his technique and fitness. The commitment of staff to ensure that each young person is able to enjoy and achieve at their chosen interest or activity is impressive.

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people living in the home are

Each boarding house has a warm and nurturing atmosphere and environment within which young people relax together and enjoy time with each other. Mealtimes are used as social occasions and young people were observed as following their routines without prompting. For example, they poured drinks for each other and laid and cleared tables. They got ready to go on their various activities and interacted with each other and staff in a friendly and respectful way. Some were also noted being supported to manage their anxiety in line with their care plans.

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people living in the home are

Young people are in good physical health. While parents retain overall responsibility for their children’s health needs, the school has a key role in ensuring that young people progress in their health, particularly their emotional and psychological health. There is effective liaison with health professionals, including the in-house therapeutic team, whose members advise on physical, emotional and psychological healthcare. The team encompasses a wide range of health disciplines, including: speech and language, occupational health, clinical psychology, nursing, counselling, and massage therapy. The team works collaboratively with parents and education and care staff to ensure that there is a holistic approach taken to the young people’s healthcare. Specialist external services are also used to support young people’s health needs, such as the local children and adolescent health team. Young people receive highly tailored support to meet their individual health needs.

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people living in the home are

Young people also learn to take responsibility for their own health. They live healthy life styles, eating healthily, taking regular exercise and avoiding harmful pastimes such as smoking and drug use.

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people living in the home are

Young people develop skills in independence exceptionally well as a result of the advice, support and guidance provided to them by staff. This commences from the time they are admitted. For example, some start by mastering effective skills in self-care. They then progress to learning budgeting skills, using public transport safely and to passing their driving test.

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people living in the home are

When young people are approaching an age at which they will need to leave the school and live more independently, the staff provide them with good support. Staff challenge placing authorities that have not planned effectively for young people who are moving on. Staff continue to support young people who do not have the benefit of parental support. Members of staff show a strong commitment to young people long after they have left. This continued engagement with young people demonstrates the strong sense of belonging that young people have towards the school and to the staff who have cared for them. Judgement grade

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people are helped and protected

Young people are only accepted as boarders following extremely careful and considered risk assessment planning. This ensures that only young people whose needs can be met to a high standard are admitted. Any potential areas of incompatibility between new and current boarders are planned for and managed highly effectively. Transitions into the boarding arrangements are tailored to young people’s individual needs.

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people are helped and protected

Young people feel safe and are safe. They are comfortable with and confident in the staff. Young people feel able to confide in staff on a daily basis. A young person wrote that they had found it hard to talk to staff, but as their confidence grew, they found that they were able to talk to their key worker about how to resolve problems that they were facing in school.

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people are helped and protected

Staff are highly alert to young people’s needs and the risks they face, and they plan accordingly for these. Thorough risk assessments that are understood by young people and implemented by staff are in place. When risks are heightened or reduced, risk assessments are updated well. This keeps young people safe and enables them to begin to take more responsibility for their own safety. Young people develop their awareness and ability to consider and plan for risks more independently.

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people are helped and protected

Incidents of young people being missing are rare, and there have been no such incidents since the last inspection. Clear arrangements and procedures are in place to ensure that staff fully understand what to do should a young person go missing.

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people are helped and protected

Young people’s access to the internet is monitored to ensure that they can enjoy the benefits of being online but are kept safe while doing so. The monitoring system is impressive. It is in real time so that any misuse of, or access to, sites that may present a risk to a young person can be immediately curtailed.

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people are helped and protected

Young people present challenges to staff and others through their behaviour. Incidents are managed highly effectively and behaviour is seen in the context of each individual’s needs. The therapy team is fully involved in developing behaviour support plans for each young person. Staff demonstrate excellent awareness of young people’s needs and triggers, and they support young people very effectively to achieve change. The integrated approach to helping young people develop more appropriate coping strategies is impressive.

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people are helped and protected

Firm and consistent boundaries are in place and sanctions are appropriate, fair and understood by young people. Physical interventions are rarely used, and when they are, they are carried out in accordance with legislation. Young people and staff work well together to achieve success in behaviour management. It is clear that as young people’s emotional and psychological well-being increases, disruptive behaviour decreases both in relation to its frequency and severity.

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people are helped and protected

Staff are aware of what they need to do if they have concerns about the safety of a young person. There are very low levels of safeguarding incidents and all matters are promptly referred to the appropriate safeguarding professionals. Due to the excellent relationships that young people develop with each other and the strong ethos of respect for others within the school, there are no current bullying concerns. There are, however, occasions when young people fall out with each other. These incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively through mediation. Young people grow to understand and respect each other’s differences.

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people are helped and protected

Good attention is paid to ensuring that the environment is well maintained, welcoming and safe. Staff working with the young people have been assessed as safe and suitable through thorough staff recruitment procedures.

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leaders and managers

The manager is permanent, suitably experienced and holds the required management and care qualifications. He has been in post since July 2014 and is registered with Ofsted.

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leaders and managers

A clear statement of purpose underpins the work in the boarding houses and sets out the aims and objectives. These are met to a high standard.

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leaders and managers

Leadership and management are strong, child focused and highly ambitious for the young people. Partnership working with other professionals and agencies is effective, and collaborative working with placing agencies, professionals and parents has led to young people progressing exceptionally well, especially when considering their starting points. Leaders and managers demonstrated clearly throughout the inspection the positive impact that boarding in the houses has had on young people.

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leaders and managers

There are sufficient resources that are used wisely to meet the needs of young people and to ensure that they progress well. Considerable thought is given to the facilities for the boys, alongside financial investment. The improvements made since the last inspection visit are impressive and include the addition of a music centre in the grounds and a climbing wall in the therapy room. Leaders and managers are also involved in a number of innovative research and practice projects.

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leaders and managers

A number of effective monitoring systems are in place. Continual improvement is achieved and remains high on the agenda. However, the monitoring report made by the manager specifically under regulation 45 does not reflect the rigour with which this work is undertaken.

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leaders and managers

The external monitoring carried out by an independent visitor has shortfalls. The visitor has limited contact with boys and does not consult with parents. Sections of the reports are repetitive and some dates are incorrect. The reports do not clearly state the visitor’s views about the effectiveness of the home in safeguarding children, and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being .

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leaders and managers

The recommendations from the last inspection have been met. The records of sanctions and complaints have improved and now meet regulatory requirements. A further improvement made is that young people with a history of fire-setting will not be admitted, in order to minimise risks to other young people.

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leaders and managers

The boarding houses are well staffed by highly committed staff teams who provide stability and consistency to the young people. Staff are passionate about their work. They are committed to, and highly successful in, helping young people to reach their full potential.

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leaders and managers

Staff are clear about their roles and their lines of accountability and those of others working in the school. They are well supported through regular, good quality supervision and team meetings. Training and development activities are effective and are focused on the specific needs of the young people that the school caters for. A parent praised the staff, saying, ‘The staff team support him; they believe in him and provide him with the conditions to try anything.’

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leaders and managers

Care plans are highly individualised and of an excellent quality. They identify and address young people’s needs and show that each young person has been instrumental in the development of their plan. Young people and their parents have full access to their care plans electronically and any comments or suggestions made are listened to and acted upon.

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leaders and managers

Significant incidents are referred promptly to local partners and agencies, and appropriate action is taken to review and take action on any known risks. However, on one occasion, the manager omitted to inform Ofsted of a significant incident. While this is a breach of regulations, there was no impact on any young person because appropriate safeguarding action had been taken.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people, and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children’s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children’s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 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

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Information about this inspection

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

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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