Children's home run by Educare Adolescent Services Limited in Cannock Chase

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 enjoy a comfortable, homely and well-maintained environment where they can relax and focus on their own needs. The large garden provides space for them to grow vegetables, play ball games, sit outside and go on the trampoline. Young people have warm, trusting and humorous relationships with dedicated staff, and enjoy a range of stimulating activities, including listening to and playing music, watching films and socialising together. They can also be quiet by themselves if they wish. Young people have personalised their rooms and the home is full of photographs of young people, past and present.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are extremely positive about the care they receive. One young person commented, ‘It’s good because I get peace and quiet – I get calm and my own time. I get on with the other young people OK.’ Another young person said, ‘Since being here I am a lot calmer than I was – everyone would say that. The staff are OK and are supportive. I especially like one staff member who likes sweets and dances. I was asked to contribute to the young person’s guide, which I did and enjoyed. I told my story.’ Staff strongly support young people’s identities and their diverse needs; one young person commented, ‘I use Christianity as my base and they support it by taking me to church. Staff supported me to fast once I had explained that the effects on my health would be good.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the home has been approved to accommodate an additional young person. One young person has been admitted in a carefully planned move that included the registered manager visiting her at her previous placement, followed by a visit to this home. Staff have skilfully supported her to integrate with the young people who were already in placement. After a period of three months without education in her previous placement, she is now attending mainstream school full time. All of the young people are in education. They have made significant and sustained progress in their educational, emotional and social development and plans for the future. They enthusiastically engage with staff to develop their independence skills, including cooking, and to keep physically fit by going to the gym. One young person has recently joined a basketball team. Another young person completed his bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

September. He has also made huge strides in choosing to reduce his medication and in travelling independently by train to see his family.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Highly trained staff keep young people safe and young people say that they feel safe. Consistent staffing and positive relationships enable staff to help young people understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff undertake key-work sessions to address issues such as good and bad relationships. Young people gain insight into the risks of child sexual exploitation and they go missing significantly less than they did in their previous placements. Vigilant staff respond quickly and appropriately when a young person does go missing, and support young people to access ‘return home interviews’. Internet safety has improved with the introduction of a new technical system, which allows young people to have internet access with settings that are specific to their individual safeguarding needs. Staff are able to block social media and monitor how long a young person has been on the internet. Staff work effectively with social workers, safeguarding teams, education

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

professionals, child and adolescent mental health services, the police and the in- house clinical team, in order to ensure that young people’s safeguarding needs are recognised and addressed. The registered manager regularly reviews the detailed and thorough risk assessments.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has focused on the changes required to accommodate four young people and on the development of staff and training. Staff have successfully matched and welcomed an additional young person into the home. The deputy manager demonstrates increased confidence, managerial skills and effectiveness and one staff member has been supported to take on a senior role. The registered manager is working with the team to further explore and embed therapeutic childcare. Staff supervision is up to date and staff undertook training on attachment and trauma in March. The registered manager and deputy have designed training programmes, on attachment and the role of key workers, for all staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The rural location of this home makes it a strong choice for local authorities wanting to place young people who are subject to child sexual exploitation. The registered manager has identified a need for additional staff training, which will enable staff to develop their knowledge, and skills further. This will allow staff to identify the risks of child sexual exploitation and to improve the work they undertake with young people who are, or have been, subject to child sexual exploitation. This is a significant area for improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and deputy do not always fully record the actions they have taken regarding young people, and communication between them could be improved. However, this has not had a negative impact on young people, whose experiences and progress have become even better since the last inspection, due to the skill, drive and dedication of the registered manager and the staff team.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered for four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is currently offering crisis intervention and short-, medium- and long-term care for children and young people aged 10 to 17.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/08/2016 Full Good 01/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/06/2015 Full Good 26/01/2015 Interim Improved 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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to the training needs of staff to meet the needs of children who have been or are being subject to child sexual exploitation, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child

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Requirement Due date

(g)(i) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. 28/04/2017

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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 staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘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

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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