Children's home run by Radical Services Limited in Leeds

Inspection report children's home: SC459107 1 SC459107 Registered provider: Radical Services Ltd

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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 registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is one of several operated by a private provider.

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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: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection

A restriction of accommodation and four compliance notices were issued following a judgement of inadequate on 16 May 2017. The compliance notices were monitored on 6 June 2017 and found to have been met. The restriction of accommodation notice expired on 6 July 2017 following the home’s judgement of good at this inspection. Inspection report children's home: SC459107 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Managers and staff understand the range of risks that might compromise young people’s safety and manage risks appropriately, supported by comprehensive risk assessment practice.  Young people say they feel safe and are well supported by the staff team to keep them safe.  Staff feel well supported by management to successfully fulfil their roles. They recognise the importance of good quality supervision and regular training opportunities in developing their professional practice and performance.  Staff have established rules and boundaries and communicate these consistently so that young people understand what is expected of them. As such, young people feel confidence and certainty in the care they receive from staff.  Comprehensive planning and good communication with partner agencies and other professionals mean that young people can receive the help and support they need.  The home is being managed effectively in a way that is consistent with its ethos

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Key findings from this inspection

and stated aims and objectives.  Robust monitoring arrangements have been re-established. These arrangements provide greater scrutiny of the home’s practice and performance. Consequently, there is confidence that any significant incidents will be dealt with appropriately and without delay.  Parents and placing authorities identify that young people have stability in this home and are making good progress.  The home demonstrates good partnership arrangements with police and other professionals. This ensures that young people receive a well-coordinated and supportive service to meet their needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2017 Full Inadequate 28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/06/2016 Full Good 02/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC459107 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has experienced a difficult period. This resulted in an inadequate judgement at its last full inspection. Since that time, another young person has moved on from the home, as it was apparent that the home was not suitable to meet his needs. The home has been operating with the restriction on admissions and, as a result, there have been no new admissions to the home. This inspection identified clear improvement in safeguarding practice that restored confidence that the home is able to protect and promote young people’s welfare. In addition, interim management arrangements are ensuring that there is sufficient management oversight and good leadership to ensure that safe practice is being followed and that a good quality of care is being provided. One young person is at times ambivalent about living here. She explains this in terms of wanting to live with ‘family’ rather than be in a residential care home. Her parent

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

confirmed, ‘One minute she wants to stay and then one minute she wants to go.’ However, measurable progress can be seen since the last inspection. For example, the young person is settled within the home and again attending school regularly. Although some behavioural issues exist in school, this is a real achievement as prior to this placement she had been completely disengaged with education for some considerable time. An independent reviewing officer commented: She is really happy here and very settled. Prior to this home she had not been in school for approximately two years. She had been in seven foster placements. The staff here have really supported her. The home works in close partnership with the authority’s children looked after nurse to ensure that young people’s health needs are clearly understood and appropriately addressed. Young people are encouraged to follow a healthy lifestyle, including eating a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

nutritious and balanced diet. They are encouraged to take part in activities that provide fun as well as good exercise. For one young person, this includes regular horse riding lessons that raise her mood and provide her with a great sense of accomplishment. Good opportunities are also provided to ensure that young people learn about good physical, emotional and sexual health. The home provides a relaxed and nurturing environment. Staff show genuine warmth and concern when working directly with young people. This promotes their feelings of safety and well-being as well as positively raising their self-esteem. Staff enjoy spending time with young people in both indoor and outdoor activities. This provides good opportunities for young people and staff to build and develop trusting relationships. Consequently, young people know that there is always someone they can speak to if they are worried or concerned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and placing authorities speak with a renewed confidence about staff and the quality of care the home provides. They say staff communicate regularly and keep them informed of young people’s progress and achievements. A social worker commented: My impression of the home on my first visit was that it was rather chaotic. Inspection report children's home: SC459107 4 However, my second visit was much better. Staff were warm and welcoming and very helpful. There appeared to be a massive change from the first time I visited. Staff appeared more experienced; records were updated; it seemed like a totally different environment. The home is really good, staff send me regular emails and keep me up to date.

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

Young people say they feel safe and well cared for by staff in this home. Young people’s individual risks and vulnerabilities are well understood and comprehensively recorded in highly personalised written risk assessments. Staff are familiar with young people’s individual plans, which provide potential triggers and known strategies to help them minimise risks and ensure young people’s safety is not compromised. Young people are fully involved in their behaviour management planning so that they can help staff understand their stress points and other triggers that may impact on their behaviour. Staff ensure that young people understand the house rules and their expectations of their behaviour. Young people are encouraged to contribute their ideas of what may help and the support that they need from staff if in a negative or low mood. In addition, staff and young people often agree small incentives to add to pocket money

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

when behaviour has been positive. Staff place importance on praising young people’s progress and celebrating their achievements. Although young people’s behaviour can at times be challenging, restraint is rarely used in this home, and only ever as a last resort and in accordance with regulations. Staff receive and have good access to ongoing behaviour management training, including the use of restraint practice. Staff seek to use a range of learned de-escalation and distraction techniques to address challenging behaviour and avoid further conflict. Staff use keyworker sessions with young people effectively to debrief and reflect on challenging or difficult behaviour. This provides young people with a good learning opportunity and time to consider alternative strategies that may be of help to them. Staff possess a good knowledge of child protection issues and safeguarding practice. They have benefited from recent safeguarding practice refresher training. Consequently,

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

they have a firm grasp of good practice, local protocols and procedures. The home has a good track record of safeguarding young people where child sexual exploitation is a concern. This often includes young people who have significant histories of being reported missing. Managers and staff work in close partnership with local police, ensuring that young people are appropriately prioritised and receive a coordinated response should they go missing. This optimises the likelihood of an early return to the safety of the home. The home has not experienced any recent episodes of young people being missing. Bullying is not presented as an immediate issue in this home. However, systems are in place to ensure that young people and staff can appropriately identify any potential incidents of bullying and ensure that these are addressed sensitively and without delay. Managers and staff routinely conduct checks and audits to ensure that the home remains

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

a healthy and safe place for young people. This includes regularly checking of fire- fighting equipment, emergency lighting and alarms. Staff ensure that regular fire Inspection report children's home: SC459107 5 evacuation drills occur to make sure that both young people and staff know what to do in the event of a real emergency. The home is supported by a robust recruitment and selection process for staff. This ensures that all staff are suitably checked and vetted before they work unsupervised in the home. This means that young people are only cared for by adults who are deemed safe and suitable, and are unlikely to compromise their safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In the registered manager’s absence, a temporary interim manager has been appointed, supported by a registered manager from one of the company’s other homes. Both managers are suitably qualified, possessing level 5 qualifications in leadership and management, and proven track records in managing homes assessed as good. They have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to provide the staff team with good support and guidance to ensure that the home’s stated aims and objectives are being met. Staff say they feel well supported and welcome the current management changes. They note that staff morale has significantly improved and feel that senior management has listened to their concerns and need for further support. One member of staff commented, ‘Things have improved considerably. There is now structure, stability and support in this home. I have 100% confidence in the manager.’ Staff are regularly receiving formal supervision and comment positively on the availability

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

of managers to provide guidance and support on a day-to-day basis. Annual appraisals have been scheduled to further appraise staff performance and identify action to promote their development and professional practice. Managers have reinstated effective systems to monitor the home’s activity and performance. The home has strengthened its external monitoring arrangements, increasing the frequency of visits and independent auditing. These measures provide greater scrutiny to ensure that the home is operating effectively and that staff are performing in a way that supports young people and meets their needs. Staff meetings have given staff and managers a good open forum to reflect on and gain insight from the issues raised at the last inspection and monitoring visit. It has provided them with a valuable learning opportunity that has given them a clearer understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has successfully acted on the eight requirements made at the last full inspection in May 2017. Those subject to compliance notices were monitored during an Ofsted visit to the home on 6 June 2017. Ofsted reported on this visit and identified a need to repeat a compliance notice to again promote young people’s safety. Consequently, the home has acted to review its safeguarding and behaviour management policies. Staff have participated in further training to improve their understanding and ability to ensure a good and safe standard of care. The home complied fully with the restriction notice served by Ofsted. No other young people have been accommodated since the last inspection. Young people’s records are kept up-to-date to provide a good and accurate account of their day-to-day activity, current plans and achievements. These are securely stored and Inspection report children's home: SC459107 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

maintained to promote young people’s rights to confidentiality, privacy and data protection. There have been no further complaints since the last full inspection. Complaints and concerns that were raised at the last inspection have been fully investigated and appropriate action taken to address all concerns. One parent spoken to positively commented, ‘She is doing fine. The home has calmed down a lot since the change in management. I have no concerns.’

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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. Whenever 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 and 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.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Radical Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rouse House, 2 Wyther Lane, LEEDS LS5 3BT

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Inspector

Gillian Walters, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC459107 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 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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