Children's Home run by Brookfield House in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 1 SC008484 Brookfield House

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home offering care and accommodation for six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people develop in confidence and self-esteem while living in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 2  Educational attendance and attainment are consistently improved. Most young people have a vision for their future and feel that they can achieve.  Young people engage well with staff and have formed trusting relationships.  Young people’s primary health care needs are suitably addressed.  Placement plans highlight clear goals and targets for each young person.  Consultation with young people is well planned. Young people engage and voice valuable views and opinions.  Contact with important people, such as family and friends, is well maintained and supported.  Staff support young people to try out a range of activities. This enables young people to develop new skills and build confidence.  Young people enjoy holidays including camping trips and visits to the coast.  The children’s home is exceptionally well maintained and provides comfortable and

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

modern living accommodation for young people.  Young people, with a history of disruptive behaviour, settle in the home. On the whole, disruption is significantly reduced.  Young people benefit from a small, consistent staff team. Strong relationships are formed between young people and staff.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Notifications in accordance with regulation 40 must be forwarded to Ofsted without delay where there is a serious concern for a child, specifically if a child requires immediate hospital treatment.  Behaviour management plans should be consistently adhered to by staff.  Incidents of physical intervention should be scrutinised regularly in order that alternative measures of control can be implemented.  Where a young person has absented themselves from the home or is missing, staff must ensure that they clearly record the actions they have taken to secure their safe return.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/10/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/10/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an incident relating to the child which the registered person considers serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) Specifically, if the child is admitted to hospital or requires emergency treatment. 22/12/2017

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny specifically in order to reduce the episodes of physical intervention taking place within the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that the behaviour management strategy, including individual behaviour management plans, is consistently applied and understood by all staff, kept under review and revised where appropriate (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents of young people going missing from home, including a chronology of actions taken by staff to ensure the safe return of the young person. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.31)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last interim inspection in February 2017, one young person has left the home. At the time of this inspection, five young people are accommodated in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people build positive and trusting relationships with staff. One young person said, ‘The staff are great. They are funny and they look after me. They worry about me and always want me to be safe.’ A social worker said, ‘My young person is doing well. The Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 4 staff work very well in managing his complexities. He is making good progress.’ Young people are cared for in a nurturing and calm environment. Their individual needs are consistently assessed and addressed by a consistent staff team.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning is consistently good. The registered manager and staff ensure that young people’s individual needs are suitably addressed through key-work sessions, group sessions and individual consultation time. Young people are encouraged to review their care and make comments and suggestions. This ensures that young people have a sense of control about decisions being made about them and their future. From their initial starting points, young people make progress in the home. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘I have the utmost respect for the work the staff do and I think the home offers one of the best examples, if not the best, of how appropriate, positive and beneficial a residential setting can be for some young people.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Appropriate contact with family and friends is prioritised in the home. Staff provide additional support and supervision where necessary to ensure that young people have positive and happy experiences during contact sessions. Updated contact plans ensure that young people only have contact where it is formally agreed. Prompt action is taken by staff where any concerns arise and this serves to minimise any disruption to family relationships.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people come to the home with a history of educational disruption which may include non-attendance or disruption in school. Staff work well with educational providers to ensure that young people receive the right support and guidance in order to sustain an educational placement. As a result, all young people have full-time educational placements. Attendance is consistently improved and ranges from 95% to 99%. Attainment is extremely good. School reports highlight that young people are excelling in English, mathematics and science and are within the expected range for their educational year. A teacher said, ‘This young person is well mannered, kind and very helpful. He comes to school well prepared and, should there be any difficulty, the staff are always on hand to offer support.’ The deputy headteacher said, ‘The staff at this home are positive advocates of education. They continue to play an active role in the

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recreational activities are encouraged and supported in the home. Young people are encouraged to take part in new activities and, on the whole, they are excited to do so. In addition, staff provide group activities which include day trips to the coast and camping trips. A social worker said, ‘The staff work hard to help my young person try new things. He is slowly gaining in confidence and has completed a set of swimming lessons.’ The home is well equipped with camping equipment, bikes, scooters, a pool table, a music room and a gaming/computer room. Young people regularly access these facilities either with external friends or as a group.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with young people is part and parcel of the day-to-day routines in the home. Young people engage in one-to-one consultation sessions, key-work sessions and group discussions. They are encouraged to complete in-house questionnaires and provide feedback on how the home operates and the work undertaken with them. A Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 5 young person said, ‘It is good here because staff talk to us about everything. We are asked our opinions and they count. It’s good.’

p.4

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

From their initial starting points, risk-taking behaviour reduces while living in this home. Some young people have a previous history of being missing from home or taking part in criminal activities. Overall, since living in this home, there has been a significant reduction in this type of behaviour. However, during a time of crisis for one young person, missing-from-home episodes increased. Staff took prompt and effective action to locate and return the young person swiftly. Key-work sessions and updated risk assessments enable young people to understand their individual risks and work with staff to manage and reduce further missing-from-home episodes. However, records do not reflect the level of work undertaken to secure the young person’s return when missing from home. For example, staff fail to record a chronology of people they have contacted or visited in order to secure the young person’s safe return.

p.5

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

During a recent unsettled period within the home, there has been an increase in the use of physical intervention. While interventions are brief and suitably recorded, there is little evidence of how behaviours requiring a physical intervention are reviewed. This means that alternative behaviour management methods are not routinely assessed in order to reduce the use of physical intervention. The manager said, ‘We discuss each young person within the team meetings and make decisions about behaviour management. These are not always reflected in the behaviour management plans and this will be addressed.’ A recommendation is made to address this matter.

p.5

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

Clear behaviour management measures are in place in the home. On the whole, young people understand their plan. One said, ‘Sometimes I am not allowed to play on my game or tablet. Other times I might not be allowed free time. It depends on the staff.’ After reviewing the records of sanctions, it is evident that there are some inconsistencies in how sanctions are applied. For example, the length of time a young person may not be allowed access to an electronic device is dependent on which staff member issues the sanction. As a result, some sanctions differ, which is inconsistent and confusing for the young person.

p.5

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

Young people know how to complain. One young person said, ‘We can talk to staff, our social worker or use the numbers in the back of our information booklet.’ There are no recorded complaints since the last inspection. One young person said, ‘This is the best place I have lived. I don’t always like the rules, but I understand why we have them.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since February 2015. She is qualified at NVQ level 4 and holds a number of years’ experience within children’s and young people’s residential services.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 6 the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support that the home provides.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good internal monitoring systems provide the home with a clear approach to the overall monitoring of care. Records highlight areas for development and are a reflection of some of the matters identified within this inspection.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s home is maintained to a high standard. Young people have large bedrooms which are personalised to suit their interests and personality. There is ample space for young people to spend time with staff, as a group or spend time alone.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home employs a committed and enthusiastic staff team, with the majority of staff suitably qualified at NVQ level 3. A well-qualified staff team means that carers are suitably competent in the care and support of young people. In addition, staff receive training relevant to the needs of the young people living in the home. A staff member said, ‘Training is good. We have face-to-face and online training and this is always relevant to the work we do.’

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good support from the manager. A staff member said, ‘I have worked in other children’s homes but this home is very different. It is more like a family and we get time to do lots of positive things with the young people.’ The strong and committed staff team works consistently well to provide positive outcomes for young people. The manager and staff demonstrate commitment to developing and improving practice. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the progress young people make from their initial starting point.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under regulation 40. On the whole, the home has a good record of submitting notifications accordingly. However, there are two incidents where a young person has required hospital treatment that have not been reported to Ofsted. Sharing information with the regulatory body ensures that a transparent review is undertaken of any serious matters that occur within the home. A requirement is made to address this matter.

p.6

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.

p.6

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 Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 7 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: SC008484 8

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 139 Bramhall Moor Lane, Stockport SK7 5AQ

p.8

Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008484 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9