Children's Home run by Derby City Council in Derby

Inspection report children's home: SC036019 1 SC036019 Registered provider: Derby City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 8 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people form positive and secure attachments to staff over time and make progress in all areas of their lives. Inspection report children's home: SC036019 2  Staff display a commendable commitment to ensuring that young people receive good care and support, leading to them making positive progress.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff act as positive and strong advocates for young people. They challenge the placing authority and involved agencies when concerns or delays are identified.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people feel listened to, and staff consult with them on all aspects of the care and support provided. Records clearly reflect the involvement of young people in their care. They feel confident in raising any concerns or complaints with staff and managers.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff support young people to develop independence skills, which will greatly assist them as they move into adult life.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There is a clear ethos within the staff team of rewarding positive behaviours and only using sanctions as a last resort. Staff celebrate the achievements of young people, no matter how small. This increases a young person’s sense of being valued.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager has a wealth of experience and skills and provides strong and positive leadership to staff and young people. The three shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been fully met.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children's home's areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 When young people refuse to engage in their formal education provision, there is a need for a clearer plan and structure for each day at the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 When young people report concerns about bullying or relationship difficulties with other young people, clearer recording and accounts of all actions taken by staff is needed.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people agree which social activities they would like to be involved with each week. Records do not clearly reflect whether they actually take part in agreed activities or their reasons for not engaging in them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/04/2016 Full Good 30/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC036019 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that where children placed in the home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, they are supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff understand and help children to understand what makes a healthy, nurturing relationship. Staff should, where possible, prevent damaging relationships. This is with specific reference to any reported concerns about bullying behaviours. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards, page 39’, paragraph 8.10)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three young people were living in this home. Managers and staff spoken with during this inspection demonstrated a clear and detailed awareness and understanding of the young people’s complex needs and plans for their care and support. Staff consistently spoke of wanting the very best for the young people, and of ‘sticking with them through thick and thin’. It is apparent that staff realise the need to take time to form relationships with young people and to lead by example. As one member of staff said: ‘We need to respect the young people and to help them to learn respect for others. This can take time to achieve, but is so worth it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person is making excellent progress in relation to his further education and independence skills. Since the last inspection, he has secured a place with a local training provider and attends every day. He is highly motivated to achieve. Staff have supported this young person to apply for a driving licence, to start driving lessons and to apply for his first passport. With staff support, this young person is learning the necessary skills to assist with the move to adult life. His progress reflects very positive corporate parenting and staff wanting the very best for young people. Clear and detailed independence work is completed with relevant young people. This provides staff and managers with a clear assessment of the skills and needs of those young people who will move to independence in the near future. Such work will assist in securing the most appropriate provisions for young people, once they become adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Inspection report children's home: SC036019 4 All young people living in this home have formal educational provisions in place. Two young people are currently refusing to attend such provisions on a regular basis. Managers and staff work closely with education colleagues to address such concerns and to formulate plans to re-engage them in education. Regular planning meetings take place, and there is an education champion within the staff team to lead and oversee such work. There is a need for young people to have a clearer structure to their day in the home when they refuse to attend their education provisions. This would assist them in realising the value and importance of education and in having educationally focused activities in place as an interim measure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health needs are well met. This not only includes attendance at GP, dentist and optician’s appointments, but with more specialist support. Staff support young people to access specialist child and adolescent mental health and paediatric appointments. Staff work closely with placing social workers to ensure that assessments are undertaken and can inform the care and support needed. Staff understand the need to consider the physical and emotional health needs of young people and, through very positive multi-agency working, can then formulate plans and risk assessments to meet the individual needs of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people get to see and keep in regular contact with family members and significant others. Staff work with social workers to ensure that any agreed contact arrangements are followed. There is also positive evidence of staff and managers understanding how missing from care incidents can often be linked with young people wishing to see family members outside of agreed contact times. They advocate for young people and try to support them with their expressed wishes and feelings. This reflects a positive understanding and monitoring of missing episodes and their desire to reduce any potential risks and promote positive relationships and safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s wishes, views and feelings are routinely sought by staff and managers. Records considered during this inspection reflected positive engagement with young people on a range of issues relevant to their care needs. Staff use formal young people’s meetings to not only elicit their wishes and feelings, but also to discuss topical issues. Recent meetings have considered child sexual exploitation, grooming and world politics. Young people discuss with staff any concerning behaviours and agree sanctions. Positive behaviour is rewarded via incentive systems, which young people respond positively to. One young person was taken shopping during this inspection, to use their incentive monies. He presented as excited and happy to be able to have reward money to buy things that mattered to him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people feel confident in raising any concerns, or issues they may have, with staff and managers. The registered manager responds to any concerns in a timely manner, meeting with young people to discuss their concerns and agreeing a resolution. The manager intends to now introduce a folder with information on the complaints procedure and to ensure that it is considered at young people’s meetings. This will further increase young people’s awareness and understanding of their rights.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with young people to devise a weekly activity planner. This sets out what Inspection report children's home: SC036019 5 social activities they wish to take part in, it also includes reference to their education attendance. The charts do not currently reflect whether young people actually took part in their education or social activities each week. Such information would further assist staff and managers to have a clearer sense of the engagement and enjoyment of young people and to plan for future activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a clear and commendable ethos within the staff team of focusing on positive behaviours and rewarding them. Staff and managers consider the use of sanctions as a last resort and support young people to consider any risky or anti-social behaviours and the impact on themselves and others. Risk assessments and plans receive regular review and updates by staff, to ensure that they reflect the current and changing needs of each young person. Young people clearly respond very positively to the incentive system within the home. They meet with staff and agree those behaviours that they wish to focus and improve on. A clear scoring and points system is used to reflect their progress and achievements each week. Young people comment at the end of each week on their achievements and then formulate a new plan with staff. This assists them to consider those areas most important to them and in being able to see the improvements that

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people receive care and support that is aimed at promoting their welfare and safety. Risk assessments reflect their current and changing needs. Staff and managers regularly monitor any concerning behaviours and make necessary adjustments to plans and assessments. Managers monitor and analyse any concerning behaviours and work closely with the placing authority and involved agencies to try to reduce such concerns.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

One previously placed young person had high levels of missing from care incidents during their time living in this home. Staff and managers demonstrated a clear and detailed understanding of the patterns of such behaviour and were proactive in their responses. A key strength of the home is how well staff work with a wide range of agencies to support young people when they go missing. Risk assessments reflect a very detailed knowledge of potential triggers and areas of specific concern. Staff and managers hold regular meetings with the police, youth offending services and social workers to review and amend plans and to share information.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff support young people to take age-appropriate risks. They understand that young people need to develop skills and confidence in readiness for moving to adult services. They support them to spend time in the local community alone, to visit family and friends and to develop skills in using public transport unaided. This will assist them positively when they move on from this home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people feel able to discuss with staff any concerning behaviours of other young people with staff. When young people have reported feeling bullied, there is a need for more robust recording and systems to be put in place. It is currently not clear as to how any such behaviours have routinely been responded to by staff and managers. A more Inspection report children's home: SC036019 6 streamlined recording procedure would enable staff and managers to ensure that any such concerning behaviours are considered and eradicated as soon as possible.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff use de-escalation and distraction techniques to good effect with young people, when they present challenging or potentially dangerous behaviours. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort and carried out by suitably trained and experienced staff. Records reflect that young people and staff have the opportunity to discuss the incident and use of restraint afterwards and that managers oversee its use and effectiveness.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff and managers have formed very close and positive working relationships with local police teams, placing social workers and other involved agencies. As staff take on lead roles in this regard, this also provides for increased and close partnership working and a good understanding of others’ roles and responsibilities.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The recruitment and selection procedures for new staff are robust and prevent unsuitable adults from being recruited to work with young people in this home. All necessary checks are undertaken and clearly recorded on staff personnel files. Staff spoken with during this inspection demonstrated a clear understanding of safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures and their responsibilities to report any concerns.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home is a new-build, having been completed and opened last year. It provides exceptionally spacious and modern accommodation for young people. Each young person has their own bedroom with en-suite facilities. Communal areas are decorated and furnished to a high standard and well maintained. The location of the home enables young people to access a wide range of resources and has excellent transport links. The manager has a detailed safer areas risk assessment in place, which reflects any potential issues of concern in the locality and how staff will ensure young people’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has many years’ experience of working in and managing children’s homes. She is supported by an equally experienced and skilled deputy manager. A number of the staff team members have worked at this home for several years. This provides consistency and continuity of care for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight and monitoring of the care and support provided to young people are robust and effective. Managers demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs of each young person living in this home and how they intend to meet their assessed needs. Managers ensure that when any concerns are identified, or there is drift in moving on plans, meetings are called with the placing social worker and all involved agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One placing social worker and their manager commented on the tenacity and commitment of managers in this home. They said: ‘The managers and staff chase and challenge us if we have not done something or there is potential drift. They really Inspection report children's home: SC036019 7 advocate well for the young people.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoken with during this inspection reported high levels of satisfaction in their roles and in the support that they receive from managers. One member of staff spoke with real passion of their role as an education champion. They felt that this increased their knowledge and skills and gave them additional responsibilities. Another member of staff stated how well supported they felt by managers and that they all work as a team to ensure the best possible outcomes for the young people. Supervision is provided on a monthly basis and is well recorded, as are annual appraisals. Staff retention is very positive and reflects a team of staff members who enjoy their work and feel supported and valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case records for young people reflect the work done to support them. Regular audits and reviews ensure that plans and assessments reflect the current and changing needs of each young person. Staff clearly have high aspirations for the young people and work collaboratively to ensure that their holistic needs are known and met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a detailed and comprehensive development plan in place for the home, as well as a comprehensive statement of purpose. The manager has ensured that key documents are regularly reviewed and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A number of shortfalls were identified following the last inspection. Staff have now either undertaken or are booked in to attend training on autism. A manager from a specialist local service also attended a team meeting to provide information and support on working with young people who have autism. The workforce plan has been updated to reflect the actual and planned training needs for all staff for the coming year. This will ensure that staff have the necessary skills, confidence and competence to work with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that missing from care incidents include a request for the placing social worker to undertake a return interview with the young person. There is clear evidence that this is now routinely taking place and that information from such interviews is used to inform plans and risk assessments.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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. Inspection report children's home: SC036019 8 Using the 'Social care common inspection framework', this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well

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Information about this inspection

it complies with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards'. Inspection report children's home: SC036019 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Treasurers Department, Council House, Corporation Street, Derby DE1 2FE

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Inspector(s)

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC036019 10 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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