Children's Home run by Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC394478 1 SC394478 Registered provider: Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to accommodate three children who may 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children's home: SC394478 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make consistent progress in all aspects of their lives.  High levels of risk pertaining to going missing from home and child sexual exploitation are managed effectively. As a result, young people are kept safe, and risks are reducing.  Staff place the well-being of individual young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the significant challenges they sometimes present.  Effective collaborative working between the home and other professionals is ensuring that young people continue to develop and benefit from improved outcomes in education and health.  Staff listen to young people and work hard to nurture warm trusting relationships within the home. As a result, young people feel valued, respected and safe.  Safeguarding practice is a strength of this home. Young people’s risk-taking behaviour decreases as they settle into their home and accept staff’s consistent support and guidance.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people enjoy a wide range of activities and hobbies, which is wholly supporting their social and personal development.  A caring and competent registered manager leads the home effectively. Young people are her priority and she is ambitious about their futures. This is reflected in young people’s measurable progress.

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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

 Individual risk assessments and risk management plans should identify the specific steps the staff will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis.  The premises need to be decorated and furnished to a good standard and provide young people with a comfortable and pleasant home environment.  Records need to be signed and dated by the author of the record.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC394478 3

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child, which: (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date; and (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 04/08/2017

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Recommendations

 Provide an environment that is welcoming, confirming that the staff care for the young person and values them. In particular, repair and/or replace damaged carpets and sofas. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  Ensure that children’s risk reduction and risk management plans include clear and comprehensive details of the specific steps the staff will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.6)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from individualised care, provided by a keen staff team and knowledgeable manager. Through warm relationships, young people have grown in confidence and developed a positive self-image. One young person said, ‘It’s good here and I like the manager and some of the staff. I’m doing OK.’ Social workers and other safeguarding professionals were positive about the home and the quality of care provided. They all confirmed that the home is good and that they all receive regular and detailed updates. One social worker said, ‘I am pleased with the progress [name of young person] has made. He is clearly happy and settled and appears a lot calmer.’ Inspection report children's home: SC394478 4 Since the last inspection, one new young person has moved into the home. The registered manager compiled a detailed transition plan and a comprehensive compatibility risk assessment. This considered the individual needs of the young person

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and others living at the home. Prior to the young person moving into the home, all relevant information was provided to staff to enable them to have an understanding of the young person’s needs. The young person and his family had the opportunity to visit and staff supported him throughout the planned move. This helped to alleviate his fears and supported the move into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although there have been several changes to the staff team, young people have been fully informed and updated. Throughout this period of change, staff who know young people well have worked alongside new staff members to ensure that young people have staff to care for them with whom they have already established positive relationships. This has enabled young people to remain settled and well cared for, throughout a time of change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote education. The registered manager has continued to challenge the placing authority about delays in school placements for some young people. She has worked directly with the virtual head and schools admissions team to ensure that concerns regarding delays are rectified. When there has been a lack of response from the placing authority, she has challenged this and continued to advocate for young people. Within the home, staff maintain daily routines to ensure that young people are ready to return to a school environment. Internal education plans ensure that young people continue to learn throughout the school day. This includes trips to a museum or other places of interest and developing independence skills, including budgeting and shopping. The tailored education plans have worked well for individual young people, taking into account their learning needs and abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed detailed health plans to ensure that young people’s individual health needs are met effectively. Staff successfully promote healthier lifestyles in young people’s individual key-work sessions. These sessions address important issues, such as sexual health, diet and nutrition, keeping fit and the impact of smoking. Additionally, the home has forged strong links with specialist health services, including drug and alcohol services and the in-house therapy service. Consequently, young people are fully encouraged and supported to make healthier choices that improve their physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff fully understand the importance and benefits of young people maintaining positive contact with their family and friends, particularly when they live a distance from their family home. Staff work collaboratively with young people’s social workers and parents to arrange safe contact for young people, which they organise and, when necessary, supervise. Young people benefit from sustaining attachments with people who are important to them and this supports their individual identity. A social worker said, ‘Staff are good at making sure young people keep in touch with their families. They arrange and attend contact and make sure it is fun for all involved.’ Inspection report children's home: SC394478 5 Young people enjoy a range of activities, which helps them to develop life skills and greater confidence. Their hobbies and activities include pool, cinema and youth clubs, and they look forward to trips out for the day during weekends and school holidays that

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

are fun and exciting. This has enabled young people to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the home’s placement plans reflect young people’s journeys and experiences, some records do not include the date they were prepared, or the name of the person making the record. Although this does not directly affect young people’s care and safety, it weakens how progress is demonstrated and monitored.

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

An enthusiastic team works carefully to support young people and protect them from harm. Staff are good at engaging young people in discussions about their feelings, and consequently young people are learning how to manage their difficult emotions safely. Young people’s individual records demonstrate the direct work completed around safety and protection. This includes discussions regarding going missing from care, substance misuse and exploitation. Both young people and staff confirmed that discussions take place on a regular basis. Furthermore, young people can identify adults they can trust about things that concern them, such as threats from school peers. When such concerns arise, staff work collaboratively with the school to assess the situation and put effective safeguards in place.

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

Young people say that they feel safe, and are safe living in this home. They can identify a trusted adult they can talk to should they have any concerns. Young people know how to complain, and are confident that when they do this will be taken seriously. When young people have made complaints, records demonstrate that managers take appropriate action to address issues. The registered manager takes the time to provide both verbal and written feedback to young people, who in turn record that they are happy with action taken. Young people have a voice in this home, and they feel listened to.

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

Staff regularly review and update all risk assessments for young people. However, despite risks being clearly identified including going missing from care and substance misuse, staff have not consistently recorded the strategies that are in place to minimise harm. So far, this has not had any impact on young people’s safety because the staff know the young people well and update each other verbally at daily handovers. However, this would not support safe practice if the home had to use agency staff, who are not familiar with the young people or the home’s safeguarding practices. In discussion with the registered manager, she recognised the missing information and took immediate action to rectify the records.

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

Safeguarding training for staff is a priority for the home. Most members of the staff team receive regular training and development opportunities to increase their knowledge and skills in safeguarding the young people they care for. The registered manager ensures that as part of their induction process, safeguarding is discussed with all new staff as a precursor to their mandatory training in this area. This includes the roles and Inspection report children's home: SC394478 6 responsibilities of staff in safeguarding young people. Staff say that this has been helpful and ensures that they are clear on what action to take if there is a safeguarding incident. Consequently, all staff will have the relevant knowledge and skills to protect young people.

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

Managers in the home have taken appropriate action when young people have raised concerns about staff practices. They have immediately contacted all safeguarding professionals, including the local authority designated officer and the placing social workers. Professionals involved confirmed that managers and staff keep them updated throughout the process. They also commented on the detailed records provided, which clearly outline the actions taken and outcome. Consequently, this demonstrates that young people are listened to and their concerns are taken seriously. Furthermore, it demonstrates collaborative working with relevant safeguarding professionals to ensure the safety and well-being of young people.

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

Young people are supported to improve their behaviours with positive rewards. Consequences for negative behaviour are effective and demonstrate a restorative approach. Consequences are fair and discussed directly with young people. The registered manager oversees consequences and records her evaluation of the consequences on the records. Young people also have the opportunity to add their own comments and views about the consequence imposed. This demonstrates that rewards and consequences are fair and reasonable and staff promote positive behaviour.

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

There have been a number of incidents when young people have been missing from the home. However, records demonstrate a robust response to these. The staff make every effort to try to locate young people when they are missing. They inform relevant professionals and keep family members updated throughout. Furthermore, when young people return home they receive a warm welcome home. Staff spend time talking to young people and arrange an independent return interview to establish the reasons why they were missing, the risks they faced when they were missing and how further missing from home episodes can be avoided. The robust procedures in place ensure that staff take appropriate action when missing incidents occur.

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

The recruitment procedures for new staff working in the home are robust. This ensures that new staff are suitably vetted to make sure that young people are safeguarded. New staff receive a high level of support during their induction to the home and complete shadow shifts prior to starting work on shift in the home. This ensures that they understand how the home operates and enables them to start to build positive relationships with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed and organised in young people’s best interests, and the registered manager demonstrates strong and effective leadership. Professionals describe her as a ‘good manager who advocates on behalf of all the young people in her care’. Most staff report that the manager is ‘readily available’, ‘supportive’ and ‘available to listen and help’. As a result, there is a clear ethos in the home, which is warm, safe, Inspection report children's home: SC394478 7 consistent, and based on high expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings and individual supervision sessions. These provide an opportunity to reflect on practice and focus on key aspects of their development. Staff report that the manager is approachable and they feel comfortable in raising any concerns, development or training opportunities to improve their practice. On occasions, the in-house therapist attends the team meetings to ensure that all staff fully understand the individual needs of each young person and uses the opportunity to explain how earlier childhood experiences can affect behaviour and development. This provides staff with a clear insight into behaviour, support and strategies that are effective in managing behaviours. In addition, a comprehensive training plan is in place. Developmental opportunities are available to those who have completed mandatory courses, ensuring that experienced staff keep up to date with their learning, and broaden their knowledge

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has an excellent understanding of the individual needs of each young person and continues to keep all placement plans under regular review. As a result, young people receive highly individualised care. Where there are concerns about progress or significant events occur, the manager liaises effectively with placing authorities to ensure that young people’s needs are prioritised and their individual needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal and external quality monitoring takes place regularly. The registered manager is taking account of recommendations made by the independent visitor, and this is helping to continuously improve the service. In addition, the statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and revised as necessary to ensure that it always accurately reflects the current aims, policies, practices and staffing of the home. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and needs of the service, and can verbally outline her plans for the future development of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Appropriate systems are in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons of significant events that occur. The quality of information provided is good, enabling the recipient to analyse risk and understand all actions taken to safeguard young people. Consequently, people are well informed and this means that young people’s welfare and safety are promoted.

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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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. Inspection report children's home: SC394478 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: SC394478 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornerstone Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 53 King Street, Manchester M2 4LQ

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Inspector

Michelle Edge, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: SC394478 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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