Children's home run by Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited in Hertsmere

Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 1 SC433923 Registered provider: Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is located in a rural environment and is operated by a large national company .

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff.  Young people actively engage in education and thrive academically.  Staff have good working relationships with professionals and parents.  Staff give young people plenty of encouragement to stay in contact with their family.  Staff help young people to take an interest in looking after their health and developing healthy ways to live.  Staff encourage young people to take part in leisure activities that enable them to develop new interests and hobbies.  Managers ensure that staff complete all necessary training to help them to develop their skills in and knowledge of keeping young people safe.  Young people’s previous risk-taking behaviour, such as going missing from care and gang-related crime, has decreased since they have lived at the home.  Staff are carefully selected and vetted. The children’s home’s areas for development

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Managers have not ensured that the home is decorated and furnished to a high standard.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/06/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(i)) 15/09/2017

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in all aspects of their lives. Young people quickly form trusting relationships with staff. This has helped young people to re-engage in education early in their placement. For example, one young person had been out of education for 12 months. The young person accepted the staff’s support, and this meant that he was able to overcome the barriers that have affected his learning in the past.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff quickly form good working relationships with other professionals and parents. This allows staff to access all the required information to help them to understand and support young people’s aspirations and wishes. For example, one young person had always wanted to try boxing. Staff enabled the young person to try the sport. Although the young person decided that boxing was not for him, he was pleased to have had the opportunity to try it.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to supporting young people to maintain contact with their family. Key-working sessions are used to help young people to understand how their behaviour can affect their relationship with their family. This has helped young people to have better awareness of how to manage different family situations. This has enabled family relationships to be strengthened.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have helped young people to overcome fears that have previously affected their physical health. For example, one young person was afraid of the dentist. Staff provided individualised support that enabled the young person to accept the required treatment, which has improved his overall dental care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s views are central to the running of the home. One young person told the inspector that he felt listened to, and that he understood how to make a complaint. When complaints are made, the manager carefully follows the complaints procedure and Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 4 keeps the young person updated. This enables young people to exercise their rights and be confident that staff take any concern seriously.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are involved in a range of activities, such as fishing, bike riding and boxing. This helps them to try different experiences and to develop new skills.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that staff put in place care plans that explicitly address any issues that arise out of the young person’s ethnicity, race, faith or belief. These measures help young people to grow in confidence and to celebrate their culture.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Superficial damage caused to the premises is quickly repaired. However, the home is in need of substantial redecoration and new soft furnishings to make it more homely for young people.

p.4

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

Staff quickly identify risks and carefully consider what action is required to keep young people safe. These measures help to keep young people protected from harm. Staff ensure that behaviour management plans help young people to improve their behaviour. To achieve this, staff set personalised incentives that help young people to manage their behaviours more safely. Young people’s previous risk-taking behaviour, such as going missing from care or gang- related crime, decreases quickly. Although there have been some episodes of young people going missing from the home, staff have worked in partnership with the police and the placing authority to protect young people from potential harm. The manager ensures that young people are welcomed back home and receive a return to care interview. The swift action by staff helps to ensure that young people have the right help to make safe decisions for the future.

p.4

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

Young people are not currently at risk of child sexual exploration, radicalisation or self- harm. However, staff remain vigilant to the potential risks, including receiving training that helps them to recognise any early triggers that could indicate an emerging risk. Staff use physical restraint only as the last resort to safeguard young people, and use their positive relationships to de-escalate incidents instead. All incidents are recorded with evidence of good management oversight and monitoring. This helps to identify patterns and trends that inform future practice. Staff are trained in fire safety procedures. Young people take part in fire evacuation drills to help them to understand what to do in the event of a fire.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been at the home for a number of years. The registered manager holds a level 4 diploma in leadership and management.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are carefully selected and vetted. This helps to make sure that only suitable adults care for young people. Staff complete a full induction, including all mandatory training, Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 5 prior to working with young people. This means that staff quickly gain the knowledge that they need to keep young people safe and healthy.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that monitoring visits by someone independent of the home take place every month. The registered manager finds these visits highly beneficial. All staff have obtained their level 3 in residential childcare or are working towards the qualification within the required timescale. The manager has formed positive relationships with a range of agencies, including the police and education. A social worker told the inspector: ‘The placement has been very accommodating. Staff have done everything we’ve asked of them and more.’ The manager has made sure that the statement of purpose clearly demonstrates the aims and objectives of the home. This helps parents or placing authorities to have a clear understanding of the service’s aims. The staff team has worked hard to develop an independence programme. Young people are using this to develop their life skills. Consequently, young people are developing

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

essential cooking skills, can use the washing machine and are learning to save money. As a result, young people have essential skills that help to prepare them independently.

p.5

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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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 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: SC433923 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Greenfields Adolescent Development Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Nicholas Faulkner-Elliott

p.6

Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC433923 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7