Children's home run by Atlas Healthcare Ltd in Cheshire East

Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 1 SC429778 Registered provider: Atlas Healthcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

An independent provider runs this home and offers residential and short-break care and accommodation. They can accommodate up to 15 children and young people aged between 5 and 18 who may have learning disabilities and/or 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: 28 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and young people make good progress in building social and life skills.  Children’s and young people’s behaviour and emotional well-being improve as a result of the structured and consistent care that they receive.  Good and supportive contact arrangements with family members enable children and young people to maintain cultural and community links.  An experienced and skilled management team motivates an enthusiastic and nurturing staff team.

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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

 The manager is not sufficiently challenging with placing authorities to ensure that transition plans are implemented early enough to prepare young people for a move to adult provision.  Internal review reports do not demonstrate how the views of children and young people, parents, professionals and staff have an impact on care, and have not been sent to the regulator.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2016 Full Good 14/10/2015 Full Requires improvement 18/08/2015 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. This is in particular reference to identifying a suitable placement for young people to transition to in a timely manner. (Regulation 5 (c)) 05/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed and the system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (4) (a) (5)) 10/10/2017

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Recommendations

 As the home will have day-to-day understanding of young people’s capabilities and needs, children’s homes staff will have a valuable contribution to make to the pathway planning process. They should actively seek to make the fullest contribution, working with other relevant persons. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.28)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, with particular reference to staff understanding the ‘Prevent’ agenda. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are happy, fulfilled and animated. The spacious home is fully equipped to meet their needs. They are able to decorate their en suite bedrooms to their taste, enhancing their feelings of security. For some young people, this contributes towards them learning self-care and toileting skills, which increase their independence levels. Children’s and young people’s enhanced feelings of well-being and belonging allow them to grow in confidence and embrace new skills and experiences. A young person said, ‘If I need to go to the toilet I can just go whenever I want to. I don’t have to ask, I can just open my door and I can go during the night whenever I want. Isn’t this the best thing ever?’ Detailed and comprehensive care planning assures the holistic identification of children’s and young people’s individual needs and how they are to be met. As a result, children and young people make good progress in all aspects of their lives, but particularly in the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

development of social and life skills. A member of staff said, ‘Like [name], he’s been encouraged about cleanliness and taking care of his room. He takes pride in his appearance now.’ Children’s and young people’s experiences promote their burgeoning independence. However, pathway plans are not commenced early enough to prepare them to move on, either to semi-independence or another residential provision. Some local authorities’ lack of proactivity in identifying suitable adult provision for young people when they reach the age of 18, exacerbates this. Consequently, the preparation work that the staff could be doing with young people to prepare them for their next placement is inhibited. An enthusiastic and caring staff team works diligently to provide children and young people with the opportunity to progress in all aspects of their lives. The staff team knows each individual’s communication methods well, which allows them to ensure that

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

children’s and young people’s views are heard. An independent reviewing officer (IRO) said, ‘I am very, very happy at the care she receives. She is growing in confidence and choosing things because of it.’ The proactive deputy manager has introduced a new pictorial method of informing children and young people how to express their wishes and feelings. This empowers the children and young people without verbal communication skills to participate in making day-to-day choices in their lives. They also have the support of independent advocates to ensure that their views are known. The support that family members receive to maintain contact with their children empowers them to enjoy quality time together. As a result, children’s and young people’s feelings of belonging and security are enhanced, enabling them to maintain vital familial links, which support them now and in their future adult lives. A social worker

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

said, ‘He is able to get out and about and have contact with his mum. She is scared of him but the way they support him with her means they can see each other safely and that means a lot.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 5 All of the children and young people, whether they be on short breaks or living permanently in the home, attend suitable education provisions. The staff team’s commitment to supporting young people with their learning has empowered more able young people to sit for, and pass, nationally recognised qualifications. Two young people have secured places in further education colleges and one young person is able to make his own way there on public transport. This is a major achievement. The deputy manager said, ‘In the past, [name] hadn’t managed transitions very well, but actually he soars and he has soared. It’s down to the stability that he has with us.’ The enthusiastic cook spends time with children and young people to encourage them to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

try new foods and provides them with choices every day. As a result, children’s and young people’s physical health improves as they enjoy healthy eating and being involved in regular physical exercise. Close collaborative working with both generic and specialist health providers ensures that children and young people make recognisable progress in their emotional and psychological development. This gives them the self-confidence to make friends with their peers, sometimes for the first time in their lives. The deputy manager said, ‘Seeing [name] and his first friendship with [name], that is something quite big.’ Children and young people enjoy participating in a range of inclusive activities within the community. At their request, children and young people have also been fully supported to go on chosen breaks away from the home, for example a rock music festival and a coach trip. Children’s and young people’s horizons are broadened as a result. A young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

person said, ‘It is fantastic here. I’ve got friends and I’m going out doing lots of things.’

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

Detailed risk assessments cover each child’s and young person’s individual vulnerabilities. These include whether or not a child or young person is vulnerable to being subject to child sexual exploitation. Staff effectively contribute towards promoting children’s and young people’s safety and well-being. However, although a new policy raising staff awareness of the risks posed by radicalisation has been introduced, staff have insufficient knowledge around the subject and would benefit from training. Staff knowledge of the potential for bullying behaviours and high staffing levels protect children and young people in the home. The proactive steps taken by staff when a young person, new to the home, was being bullied on a school bus not only safeguarded him, but also boosted his confidence in staff and going to school. High staffing levels and appropriate security measures reduce the likelihood of children

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

and young people absenting themselves from the home. As a result, there has only been one episode of a young person going missing. The sensitive discussion between staff and the young person following this incident enabled him to understand why adults were concerned at his actions and prevented a recurrence. A young person said, ‘I am so happy this is my home. I am happy in my life here and I don’t ever want to leave.’ The patient and enthusiastic management and staff teams are good role models for children and young people. Clear behaviour management strategies are consistently applied, enabling children and young people to learn more appropriate and socially acceptable ways of behaving. This enhances their social and life chances. A parent said, Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 6 ‘She’s doing really well there. She’s always happy when I go up and see her. There’s someone with her all the time so she couldn’t put herself into danger and so she’s safe.’

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

Where children and young people are able to comprehend consequences, staff use sanctions effectively to enable them to make reparation for their actions. Young people take pride in taking control of their behaviours and learning how to express themselves positively. A social worker said, ‘The boundaries in place work for him. The management systems are consistent and everyone benefits from that. From my point of view, [name] has made significant progress and that’s really nice to see.’ Children’s and young people’s special needs can contribute to them displaying aggressive and negative behaviours. As a result, physical interventions are necessary to safeguard the individual, other children and young people and staff. A well-trained staff team ensures that this takes place safely and sensitively. Good monitoring processes provide staff and young people, who are able, the opportunity to reflect upon the incident and

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

learn from the experience. A young person said, ‘I know I have to get better in not losing my temper and hitting people and I think I am. I know it’s my fault if staff ever have to hold me but I think it is getting better.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The skilled and enthusiastic manager had over 14 years’ experience in residential care within the home before she obtained registered manager status in February 2017. An equally well-qualified and experienced deputy manager ably supports her. Together they provide staff with clear and consistent leadership and are committed to motivating staff and providing a high standard of care for children and young people. This dedication allows children and young people to thrive. A young person said, ‘I have favourite staff I can talk to when I want and I like different staff for different things. That makes me smile.’ The requirement and recommendation raised at the last inspection relating to staff understanding their individual roles and responsibilities and of attending supervision sessions have been met. This demonstrates a capacity to improve and the management and staff teams’ dedication to their roles. However, although there has been a positive

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

increase in joint supervision sessions there have not been enough individual appointments where staff could reflect on practice in private if they wish. Much improved external monitoring reports from an independent visitor provide a comprehensive picture of the care provided and any shortfalls. These contribute towards the protection and the well-being of children and young people. However, although the manager’s internal auditing processes are thorough, the review report is not sufficiently detailed and has not been supplied to the regulator as it should. Good collaborative working with all partner agencies ensures that children and young people receive consistent care and support. This promotes the positive outcomes and progress that children and young people are achieving. A social worker said, ‘They [the staff team] attend meetings, keep me fully informed and I couldn’t ask for more or better.’ However, the manager is not consistent in challenging placing authorities when there is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

a delay in starting the transition process to identify a suitable adult provision for young Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 7 people to move on to. The management team’s knowledge of the children’s and young people’s abilities and the progress that they are making enable them to take proactive steps to improve outcomes if necessary. Children and young people benefit from this attention to detail and are blossoming. The deputy manager said, ‘With our children, progress can be small but significant. [Name] had been in incontinence pads all of her life and we decided as a care team that it would be good for her to stop using them. We worked on that with her and she then chose to take them off at night. That has been a huge thing for her and given her dignity.’ Effective recruitment processes mean that only people who do not pose a risk to them care for children and young people. Specialist subjects, which enhance a core training

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

programme, ensure that full-time and bank staff are equally well-trained. Children and young people are protected and their identified needs are met as a result. A staff member said, ‘Children are safe here because of the staff numbers and they are never left on their own. This means that they [children and young people] learn how to do things safely as well.’ The proactive management team ensures that each child’s and young person’s diverse needs are celebrated. The encouragement of good, supportive relationships with family members ensure cultural and community links are maintained. Parents and family members are encouraged to visit the home and spend time with their child, if agreed with social workers. An IRO said, ‘Day-to-day care is good. He gets lots of different experiences and I’m impressed at how they try to promote his cultural identity.’ The home’s informative statement of purpose states: ‘We aim to give our residents

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

maximum freedom to make their own decisions within reasonable limits and support. We help them to learn from any mistakes.’ The fact that children and young people are learning ways of managing their behaviours and growing in self-esteem and confidence demonstrate that this aim is met. Where possible, children and young people actively participate in decision making in the home. The deputy manager is working hard to enable those less able to share their views through the new pictorial system. This will allow all children and young people to be included in the consultations about changes that will affect all of them, for example, in the planned refurbishment of shared play areas. This inclusivity allows children and young people to have an impact and a voice.

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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 differences 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 8 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Atlas Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Norcliffe House, Station Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1BU

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Inspector(s)

Ann-Marie Born: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC429778 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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