Children's Home run by Shropshire Council in Shropshire

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

The home was last inspected in September 2016. Five requirements were raised. All of the requirements have been met. The home is judged to have improved in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All bedrooms now have suitable window blinds to protect the privacy of children and young people. Additionally, the bedroom is now safe because a new window has been fitted. The manager has changed the furniture arrangements in the dining room and removed hazards. The home’s risk assessments have now been updated, and all electrical equipment has now been checked to ensure that it is safe to use. As a result, the home is safe. The independent monitoring visits to the home are now completed monthly. This ensures that the manager is kept up to date about the quality of the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to have positive experiences during their short-break stay. They have excellent relationships with staff. A young person said: ‘I love it here. I will be leaving soon. I don’t want to leave. It feels like a proper home here. Staff are lovely; you can tell them your problems.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

After each stay, children and young people are encouraged to provide feedback about their experience. Feedback is generally very positive. Sometimes comments are provided about what could be better. However, it is not always clear if staff have responded to the comments raised by the children and young people. This does not guarantee that action has been taken to improve children’s and young people’s short-break experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people are safe and protected from harm. Since the last full inspection, staff have not used physical intervention to manage behaviour, because children and young people are respectful to staff and each other. However, staff used physical intervention on two occasions to support a family when they came on site to have a planning meeting. A young person not using the service became challenging, hitting staff and their mother. Staff intervened for the safety of all to restrain a child physically who does not access the service. The staff recorded the incident in the home’s records in error. The manager has not identified the error through the monitoring process. This means that the data collected is inaccurate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide yoga techniques to help the children and young people to relax. Although staff are resourceful in their approach, there is no activity risk assessment in place to ensure that children and young people participate safely or that staff are suitably trained.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are proactive in helping children and young people to keep fit. Gym equipment is in place to support young people’s fitness. However, the equipment has not been serviced to ensure that it is maintained to a safe standard. The home has some chickens that provide plenty of enjoyment for the children and young people. A staff member said: ‘The chickens have seemed to calm the young people. We give them the responsibility of making the morning meal for them and collecting the eggs.’ However, there is no risk assessment to demonstrate how the staff will care for and manage them safely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff continue to work in good partnership with external professionals and parents. This ensures that children and young people continue to get the best out of their short break. A social worker said, ‘The manager and staff are child centred in their approach. The home offers somewhere safe to be a child again and escape the difficulties at home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager regularly updates the statement of purpose. Although recent changes have been made, a new revised document has not been shared with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short-break care and accommodation services for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/09/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/12/2015 Full Requires improvement 12/02/2015 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) 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(d) that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 01/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and, notify HMCI of any revision and send a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b) 01/06/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that children and young people should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure the registered person should make best use of the information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 Ensure 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 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 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 looked after children 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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