Children's home run by Cherry Cottage Limited in Wigan

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Young people continue to make progress in many areas of their development due to receiving well-planned care from a consistent staff team. The staff team is stable and staff often go beyond their role to help young people achieve positive outcomes. The home continues to provide care in line with the statement of purpose and this care is underpinned by well-coordinated support by the home’s in- house therapist. A strength of the home continues to be the staff’s ability to create a nurturing home environment which replicates family life. All young people attend school regularly and are making good progress. One young person has been accepted onto a college course and another has had improved attendance since living in the home. This means that young people are meaningfully engaged during the day and have the opportunity to meet their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

educational potential. One social worker commented that, ’X is making good headway in terms of his attendance at school; he appears relaxed at the moment, and is communicating concerns.’ Young people continue to engage in a range of activities based on their individual interests, such as free running or football. Staff place a high priority on young people developing interests and friendships outside the home and are sensitive to young people’s needs within this. For example, the manager has ensured that the same staff member is on shift the same day each week in order to take a young person to a football club, as the young person is concerned about other young people knowing he is looked after. This approach ensures that young people have the best opportunities to develop interests and social relationships out of the home. Two young people have left the home since the last inspection. These have been

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

positive transitions to family, or to independent living. Staff work effectively with professionals, such as social workers, to ensure that transitions are well planned and managed in a way that meets young people’s needs. Young people are well supported in transitions by staff, who offer continued emotional and practical support to young people during transitions and after they have left the home, showing a commitment to helping young people progress. There has been one new admission, who has already started to make progress in the placement in terms of his education and behaviour due to the stable home environment and consistency from staff. The manager completes thorough impact assessments of potential new admissions, which identify individual risks, but they lack detail about how decisions have been made about peer matching. The manager acknowledged this and will address this in future admissions. This has not impacted on the well-being of the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people in the home. Young people are settled living in the home and staff provide support, which helps young people become increasingly safe. There have been no incidents that have required restraint since the last inspection. Staff promote positive behaviour by using a reward-based approach; however, records do not always identify what alternative rewards should be adopted once it has been identified that the current reward is ineffective. There is a very low level of missing from home incidents; however, when young people do go missing from home, staff are proactive by searching for the young person and following missing from home protocols. Staff work effectively with professionals, such as the police and school, to try to reduce the risk for young people. For example, staff have communicated effectively with one young person’s school to put in place arrangements for picking him up to limit the opportunity for

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

further missing from home incidents. One social worker commented that the manager, ‘is extremely good at communicating and staff are managing X’s risks effectively’. The manager has ensured that there are written risk management plans in place, which identify how staff will support young people and manage any areas of individual risk such as self-harm. Not all staff, however, have had ligature training, despite the admission of a young person into the home who is at high risk of ligature use. Staff are booked on to this training which is due to begin in a month’s time. However, the manager should ensure that any additional staff training needs are identified prior to the admission of young people, and addressed promptly to ensure that staff have the skills to meet young people’s needs and keep them safe from the point of admission. The home is run by a child-focused manager who is committed to developing her

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff team to achieve the best outcomes for young people. She makes good use of internal and external monitoring systems and has good oversight of staff practice via clear care. The manager is proactive at seeking feedback from professionals and young people to improve the quality of care. Staff say that they are well supported in their role and like working in the home, which is demonstrated by the consistency of the staff team. The manager has ensured that the requirement made at the last inspection is met, showing an ability to learn and improve practice.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of two homes operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have physical and/or learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

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) 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

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that the registered person: (c) ensures that the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with particular reference to ligature training and ensuring that any staff training needs specific to the needs of young people being admitted to the home are identified and addressed promptly. 30/04/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must only accept placements for children where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Staff should understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognise where young people have managed well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.39.) This is specifically in respect of staff reviewing the effectiveness of the reward system in place.

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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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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