Children's home run by Harmony Children’s Services

Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 1 SC461450 Registered provider: Harmony Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is a privately operated children’s home. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 21 to 22 November 2017

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 The young people experience effectively planned transitions into the home. Their individual risks and vulnerabilities are clearly understood through proactive engagement with the placing authority during this process. The compatibility and timing of additional placements are given high priority.  The young people living at the home benefit from stable care that is provided by a dedicated and committed staff team. The young people feel respected, valued and listened to; their views and opinions are considered.  The staff give high priority to safeguarding and protecting the young people who are in their care. The young people’s complex behaviours are clearly understood. Staff are increasingly adept at identifying the triggers for negative behaviours. This has helped young people to understand the impact of their behaviour on themselves and on others.  Staff facilitate a range of activities that are tailored to each young person’s

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

individual needs and interests. The promotion of a healthy lifestyle has seen a significant improvement in both the emotional and physical well-being of one young person.  Individual risks assessments are in place and are regularly updated. These inform current practice. Placement planning is undertaken in collaboration with the young people. This child-centred approach has led to greater participation and engagement from the young people, which has resulted in positive outcomes.  The registered manager is enthusiastic and motivated. He utilises systems that ensure that there are effective monitoring and auditing processes. This underpins good practice and promotes a shared responsibility for improving the lives of the young people in his care.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The home has been through a period during which no young people were residing at the home. During this period, staff were deployed to cover shifts in another home. This impacted on the frequency of team meetings. The registered manager needs to address this shortfall and ensure that team meetings are prioritised and comprehensively recorded. Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Good 24/08/2015 Full Requires improvement 21/07/2015 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 4

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11).

p.4

Recommendations

In particular, the registered manager needs to ensure that regular team meetings take place and are recorded.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people living at the home are making sustained and steady progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff have been proactive in developing warm and trusting relationships with the young people past and present. For one young person, who has since moved to another home, the key worker remained involved as part of the ongoing therapeutic process. This resulted in a smooth and minimally disruptive transition, which provided a degree of continuity in this young person’s life that promoted a more positive ending.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people feel listened to and are encouraged to share their anxieties and worries, knowing that staff will be responsive and sensitive regardless of how insignificant these worries may be. This has increasingly helped the young people to develop emotional resilience, which has resulted in a significant reduction in incidents of self-harm. A young person said: ‘I would like to thank all the staff, especially my key worker, for helping me get through this stressful time. I know I put on a brave face, but this week was extra hard and you all helped me through. So thank you for your support and making me finally get settled. I look forward to the rest of our time together.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s physical and mental health and well-being are being promoted. The young people’s physical health needs are addressed by facilitating regular exercise alongside a diet of healthy food. Consultation with one young person on meal planning, combined with them going to the gym and boxing lessons, has seen a promising start to their weight reduction and a considerable improvement in their emotional regulation. A social worker said: ‘Staff and the manager have a good understanding of [Name’s] needs and complexities. Staff managed to engage [Name] in addressing her health issues, which has involved [Name] engaging in a weight-loss programme. I have seen such a positive improvement in her overall health and well-being.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 5 The young people living at the home are engaging in education and one young person’s attendance and attainment are extremely promising. In conversation, she said: ‘I really

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

want to go to university in America and study forensic science.’ Staff maintain close working relationships with the local schools and any issues are addressed through multi- agency meetings and regular communication. Staff have shared their approach to managing negative behaviours. For one young person, this has resulted in a more consistent and coordinated response. A school teacher commented: ‘Staff have advised on behaviour management and effective strategies. We are now singing from the same hymn sheet. [Name] is responding very well. I have the highest regard for the staff and manager in their knowledge and commitment of care.’

p.5

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

Effective care planning and strong partnership working are undertaken by the registered manager and staff from the point of young people’s admission to the home, thus ensuring that young people’s risks and vulnerabilities are clearly understood. Each introduction to the home is highly individualised and arranged flexibly. The manager and staff place a high priority on safeguarding and young people continue to be protected through good staffing ratios.

p.5

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

The staff are aware of the range of complex behaviours associated with the young people and how this impacts on behaviour. For one young person, her life experiences continued to have an impact on her behaviour. Missing-from-care episodes became a significant concern. Staff maintained a well-coordinated response and took proactive action to minimise further risk. Every opportunity was utilised to engage the young person in understanding the dangers associated with her behaviour and measures were put in place in an attempt to curtail this behaviour. The manager escalated concerns to the local authority and attended all strategy meetings. Notice was given on the placement and the staff were able to facilitate a safe transition from the home.

p.5

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

Staff have demonstrated a deep understanding of the impact that childhood traumas have on young people’s current behaviours. For one young person, the ability of the staff to identify triggers and mood patterns has informed the strategy and approach used when they have gone into crisis. A senior member of staff said: ‘The young person has been given the permission to regress and effectively let the tantrum run its course. When [Name] calms down, she benefits from a nurturing and comforting approach.’ The young person has benefited from improved mental health and a greater understanding and acceptance of past traumas. This is testament to the effectiveness of the home’s collaborative working with specialist services.

p.5

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

The young people feel respected, valued and listened to. Their views and opinions are considered. Contact with carers and family members is developed and nurtured. It is notable that for one young person, the repairing of disrupted relationships and attachments has been very important in their recovery. Robust contact plans are completed and reviewed regularly, ensuring the safety and well-being of the young people. Staff have been proactive in closely supervising contact for one young person, who has now progressed to overnight stays. During a discussion with one young person, Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 6 she said: ‘I am really pleased that contact is happening on a regular basis and I speak to my mum a lot.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a range of skills and experience. This ensures that he is suitably qualified for his role. He is currently consolidating his skills by completing his level 5 qualification in leadership and management. He is ambitious and dedicated, and leads a diverse staff team that offers consistent and innovative care, which promotes the health and well-being of the young people.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very hands-on and child centred. He has a clear understanding of the plans for the children. He monitors their progress and demonstrates the positive impact that the home has on individual young people with regard to improving their outcomes. Placement plans are highly individualised and comprehensive, and are written in consultation with the young people.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s sound monitoring systems and auditing processes ensure that young people are safeguarded, that their health and well-being are being maintained and that they are regularly consulted. Comprehensive reports prepared by the home’s external visitor inform best practice and ensure that the delivery of care is regularly monitored and scrutinised. Any areas for development are immediately addressed. External feedback is regularly sought and utilised to evaluate all aspects of care as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and focuses on young people’s progress, achievements and areas of continued need. Robust recruitment practices ensure that staff are appointed using safe recruitment processes. The well-being of the staff is seen as a priority to ensure that a healthy staff team promotes good practice. A member of staff said: ‘I have been really happy working for the company, completed lots of training and my professional development has been promoted.’

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 meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 7 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: SC461450 8

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Harmony Children’s Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Grants, 11 Park Place, Leeds LS1 2RX

p.8

Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 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