Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 1 SC466993 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who 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: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are confident in sharing their wishes and feelings.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff protect young people from harm. Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 2  Young people receive personalised care that reflects their needs and vulnerabilities. This means that young people make good progress.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have warm and established relationships with young people. This means that young people develop their relationships with others.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff motivate young people to take part in new activities, to develop their hobbies and to spend time with friends. This means that young people improve their social skills and have fun.

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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

 There are some areas for development. These include making sure that young people are prepared for adulthood effectively, that young people improve their attendance in education, training and employment. The manager needs to ensure that mandatory training updates are completed.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/10/2016 Full Good 07/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 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

The registered person must ensure that staff help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (2) (b) (i)) 29/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure- that staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) and 2 (a) (i) (iii) (ix)) 27/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (2) (a) and (3) (b)) 30/11/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a large detached house in a quiet, rural area. It is decorated to a very good standard and has a warm and homely feel. Since the last inspection, improvements have been made to the home. A new sofa has been purchased, the kitchen has been recently decorated and walls have been painted. There are further plans in place to redecorate the downstairs bathroom. Another sofa has been ordered for the main lounge area. Young people’s bedrooms are well maintained and have been individually personalised. Young people take pride in their home and look after it well. This means that the home Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 4 environment is well respected by young people and enables them to feel that they belong. For example, one young person told the inspector, ‘I love it here, this is my safe haven.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection there have been no young people arriving at or leaving the home. Young people are settled and feel secure in their home. Young people make good progress from their starting points in all areas of their development because of the trusting and open relationships that they have with staff. Young people receive good- quality care from experienced staff. Staff work in close partnership with social workers and education professionals. These strong working relationships mean that staff are able to manage young people’s behaviours and their complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s files are well organised and placement plans clearly identify the aims and objectives set to enable progress. This helps staff and young people to work towards longer-term placement aims. The registered manager has considerable focus on the achievements of young people as well as their positive attributes. This helps young people to develop their self-esteem and social skills. There are a range of rewards and much praise offered to celebrate progress and successes. This allows young people to feel proud of their development and encourages more positive behaviours. However, the manager does not make sure that young people have thorough independence plans. This shortfall means that young people’s abilities are not being properly recorded. As a consequence, young people may not have the necessary skills needed to enter adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have individual books to record their memories and experiences. This provides young people with a sense of belonging and helps in building their relationships with staff. The manager has introduced young people’s booklets to record daily events, issues and progress. The booklets include outcomes and actions for staff to identify areas for improvement. Young people are able to read these books and have been part of their implementation with staff. This resourceful practice helps staff to talk openly with young people about their behaviours. Young people also feel able to read what is written about them. This means that young people have a say in the care that is provided to them. This helps to reduce anxiety and improves relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have very good relationships with young people’s families and friends. Staff keep regular communication with them. Young people receive emotional and practical support to stay in contact with the people who matter to them. For example, staff will regularly transport young people to and from contact with their family members who live out of the local area. Staff are flexible and prioritise contact arrangements to help young people. This means that young people maintain family links. As a result, this adds to young people’s sense of emotional stability and sense of identity. One young person told the inspector, ‘Yeah I like it here, I want to stay and there is nothing that worries me.’ Another young person told the inspector, ‘I like it here and I am fine. There is nothing I want to complain about.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people who have previously been out of education for some time are now attending on a reduced timetable. Staff encourage young people’s education attendance Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 5 and ensure that young people attend meetings about their education. This helps young people to understand the importance of education and assists them in improving their confidence. However, staff are not making sure that young people attend education as stated in their personal education plans. In addition, not all young people are attending education all of the time. This shortfall means that young people’s achievements and attainment could be affected in the future. As a result, young people are not benefiting from a consistent routine and are missing out on the social opportunities of education. One young person who is above statutory school age is not in further education, training or employment after losing their job. Staff have not made sure that other opportunities

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and practical assistance with securing employment are provided regularly enough. This shortfall means that the young person is not developing the necessary skills and experience to enter adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are provided with a range of activities that promote their social development and enable them to have fun. The manager is skilled at making sure that young people’s individual hobbies and interests are promoted. For example, one young person has a lawnmower that he has been doing up. This means that young people develop their confidence and interest in hobbies.

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. However, managers ensure that staff understand safeguarding processes. During this inspection, staff members shared knowledge about dealing with safeguarding concerns promptly and professionally. This means that staff are able to prioritise the safety of young people.

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

There have been no incidents involving physical restraint since the last inspection. This is because staff are highly skilled and experienced at de-escalating episodes of challenging behaviour. Staff use distraction techniques and humour to ensure that situations do not increase to aggression. This means that young people’s episodes of emotional distress and physical aggression are minimised. This promotes their sense of well-being and safety. This approach also demonstrates appropriate responses to behaviour and helps young people to learn suitable responses to others.

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

Young people who were previously at risk of child sexual exploitation and were regularly missing from home continue to remain settled at their home. This is because of the secure and caring relationships that have been built with staff. Staff make sure that they talk with young people about their whereabouts. Staff facilitate transport arrangements and encourage visits from friends. This helps to prevent young people from going missing. Young people remain happy at this home and return on time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has extensive experience and the necessary qualifications for the role. He is passionate about and dedicated to providing a high quality of individualised care to young people. The manager makes sure that he has the appropriate number of staff to meet the needs of the young people. The manager has Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 6 high aspirations for young people and promotes as many positive opportunities as possible for them. Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision from managers that enables them to reflect on and develop their practice. This allows them to make sure that a safe and consistent level of care is provided to young people. Staff receive the necessary appraisals to develop their practice. The manager makes sure that a wide range of training is offered to continue their professional development. However, a small number of staff require updates to mandatory training in fire safety, medication and food

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

hygiene. This shortfall could have an impact on the quality of care provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recruitment processes are robust. Managers verify references and ensure that all necessary paperwork and disclosure and barring checks are in place. This means that young people receive care from appropriately vetted adults. New staff receive a well- planned and thorough induction. New staff are supported by colleagues. The staff team respects and spoke positively about their managers and the responsible individual. This means that young people are cared for by appropriately qualified and well-supported staff. For example, one staff member told the inspector: ‘He [the manager] is really good, he has a good ethos, and he is very knowledgeable. I have really good supervisions… it is all about relationships. He listens, it is all about the relationships that we build with young people for him. He considers options, advocates for young people and will challenge where challenge is needed.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes sure that internal and external monitoring systems are in place to analyse effectively the quality of care provided to young people. The registered manager is able to clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has a suitable development plan to support continuous improvements. The registered manager provides effective challenge to professionals when needed. This maintains the high quality of care provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works collaboratively with education, social work professionals and the local community, including neighbours, to promote a sense of belonging and well-being for young people. For example, a social worker told the inspector, ‘I have no concerns regarding the standard of care my young person receives. He has established very good relationships with staff who advocate and support him very well, particularly in his education.’ The statement of purpose is kept under regular review and sets out the ethos and objectives of the home. The manager provides close scrutiny and oversight of the staff to make sure that safe, high-quality care continues. Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 7

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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 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: SC466993 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire County Council, County Hall, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC466993 9 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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