Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children's home: SC008269 1 SC008269 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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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 three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The service is owned by a private company.

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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: 7 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: SC008269 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have good relationships with staff.  Young people feel safe in the home.  Young people are supported to manage their behaviours well, and physical intervention has not been required.  Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are central to their care planning.  The manager ensures that all young people are engaged in education, training or employment that is appropriate to each young person’s needs.  The staff team members work well together and receive good support and guidance from the management team.  Staff work collaboratively with other professionals to ensure that young people receive the best support and guidance.

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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

 Not all staff supervisions are completed at regular intervals, and the supervision record does not hold sufficient detail to show how staff reflect on their practice.  Staff do not ensure that risk assessments consider known risks or set out suitable risk management strategies.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/09/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC008269 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure, that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) 24/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees including the manager receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 24/01/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from a committed and supportive staff team that knows them well, listens to them and promotes their safety and well-being. As a result, young people develop good relationships with staff, and young people appreciate this support. For example, one young person told the inspector, ‘The staff here are really supportive and are always there to help you.’ A professional validated this by telling the inspector, ‘The quality of care is really good. It is very homely. The kids make it feel like home not a children’s home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have detailed health plans and are registered with the relevant primary healthcare services. Young people attend their routine health appointments with good support and encouragement from staff. Young people have access to the services they need to promote their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Trained staff store and safely administer young people’s medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are either engaged in full-time education, employment or college placements appropriate to their abilities. Staff work in partnership with education departments and other relevant professionals to make sure that young people have Inspection report children's home: SC008269 4 every opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy regular and positive contact with their families and significant people. This sustains their important relationships and keeps them connected to the people that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from making a positive contribution to their home through a variety of forums such as regular house meetings and through informal discussion. Young people are offered a good range of leisure activities in the local community, which strengthens their sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported, which increases young people’s self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager makes sure that young people living in the home are learning independence skills that will support them for their transition to adulthood. The skills used include budgeting for their weekly shopping, preparation of meals and processing their own laundry. A social worker said, ‘The staff are really good at being an advocate and promoting his independence.’

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

Young people told the inspector that they feel safe at the home and are confident that they live in a safe environment. One young person said, ‘I feel safe living here. The staff are always checking that you are all right, even if you have gone out.’ A social worker validated this, saying, ‘[Name] has settled really well. Massive improvements in him, in terms of his own behaviour. Strategies the home have put in place have really helped.’ However, staff do not ensure that risk assessments consider known risks or set out suitable risk management strategies. For example, one young person who has misused illegal substances in the past does not have a risk assessment that reflects this known risk. This means that staff do not have a clear understanding of actions to take if the young person were to place himself at risk again.

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

Staff manage challenging behaviour effectively, by helping young people to learn how to deal with difficulties and conflict in their lives. There have been no incidents of restraint since the last inspection. This represents good progress for some young people who presented challenging behaviour before they came to live in the home.

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

Young people rarely go missing from this home. Staff know how to implement and follow the local authority’s joint protocol and procedures for reporting young people missing from care. This includes keeping in touch with the young person and liaising closely with the police and other agencies. There is a process in place for young people to be seen by an independent person on their return home.

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

Young people live in a safe environment. There are effective health and safety systems in place. Regular practice evacuations ensure that young people know how to exit the building safely and quickly, in case of an emergency. Inspection report children's home: SC008269 5 When appointing staff, managers follow safer recruitment practice guidelines. This means that only those deemed suitable to work with vulnerable individuals look after young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since July 2015 and holds a diploma in leadership (health and social care) at level 5.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular training to make sure that they have the skills and competencies necessary to meet the diverse needs of the young people whom they look after. There are systems in place to make sure that important training is regularly updated or refreshed. New staff undergo a thorough induction programme, and most staff are qualified or are working towards the required level 3 diploma qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The frequency of staff supervision and the details captured in their supervision records does not allow allow staff the opportunity to review their practice on a regular basis, and to recognise their own strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has made sure that the home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose. This document is available to placing authorities, families and other stakeholders and accurately reflects the current staffing arrangements and the services provided by the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly independent monitoring reports review the home’s performance and identify areas for improvement. The independent visitor consults with young people, parents and other professionals to capture their views to contribute to the report.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established effective working relationships with a variety of professionals, such as the local police, education professionals and placing authorities. The manager works in partnership and offers challenge as appropriate. A professional told the inspector, ‘Communication is really good. We have regular contact either through phone calls or I may pop in and chat to the kids and staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken action to address the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. The manager now submits notifications of serious events to HMCI without delay.

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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 Inspection report children's home: SC008269 6 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: SC008269 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC008269 8 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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