Children's Home run by Orchard Children Homes Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 1 Registered provider: Orchard Children Homes Limited

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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 provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated 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: This is the home’s first inspection.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people thrive and are nurtured by staff.  Staff have good parenting skills. Their in-depth understanding and celebration of young people’s individuality is reflected in care-planning strategies and their interaction with young people. Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 2  Young people receive good care. Healthcare, education, risk assessment and behaviour management inform the consistent day-to-day care of young people.  Young people make good progress and identify improvements in their behaviour. They say that they are happy at the home and this stability means they no longer wish to go missing.  Young people and staff maintain trusting relationships, and this enables young people to express their emotions and adapt their behaviours.  The registered manager prioritises her safeguarding responsibilities. She works collaboratively with social workers to keep young people safe.  Leadership is strong and staff work as a cohesive 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

 Ensure that all young people receive full-time education.  Ensure that staff receive training in tacking radicalisation and self-injurious behaviours.  Make communal areas more homely. Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) and (2) (a) (ii) (iii) (viii)) 28/02/2018

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is with particular regard to providing more personalisation to communal areas in the home.

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 4 home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) This is with particular regard to the provision of training in managing self- injurious behaviours and concerns about radicalisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress. They have a strong sense of security and stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships with staff are very important to young people. They build trust as staff show commitment and care, and are assertive in delivering difficult messages to young people when this is required. Messages and boundaries are clearly communicated. Young people fully understand how staff will continue to keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people grow in self-confidence and emotional resilience as they engage well with staff. They feel understood because staff show good insight into their communication and sensory needs. Young people are less anxious because staff pre-empt triggers for behaviour and are skilled at diverting potential conflict.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education outcomes for young people are varied. One young person attends regularly and teachers report that the young person’s academic achievement, behaviour, presentation and commitment to learning have improved significantly since living at the home. Another young person has not attended full-time education since arriving at the home several weeks ago. While the registered manager consistently challenges the young person’s placing authority, the young person only receives five hours of formal home tuition per week. Positively, staff have made alternative arrangements for the young person to help out at a local stable for two days a week, but there are no other clear education plans in place to supplement the five hours of home tuition. This young person remains on roll at a school while awaiting a new education placement, but there is little evidence of the registered manager and staff working in partnership to obtain

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

school work during this interim period. While staff have made attempts to engage the young person, they fail to fully understand the young person’s barriers to learning. The young person is losing valuable education time and the opportunity to reach her potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people develop new interests and enjoy a range of activities including horse riding, creating their own board games and trampolining. They develop good self-esteem as they excel in their hobbies. Play helps young people to learn new skills and develop important social skills as they learn the importance of sharing and taking turns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health improves. Staff work in partnership with health agencies to promote young people’s good health. For example, the registered manager liaises with a mental health agency to ensure regular review of one young person’s medication. Young people are supported to maintain healthy diets and undertake regular physical exercise. They take pride in their appearance, enjoy pamper sessions and have good personal Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 5 hygiene because of the support that they receive from staff to build their confidence. Clear daily routines bring improvements to young people’s behaviour and sleep patterns. They thrive with better sleep and reduced anxiety at bedtime.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are no concerns about bullying, and young people are encouraged to develop empathy for each other. The home has two lounge areas, and this is useful when tensions between the young people arise as they can seek out their own individual space. Staff are skilled in identifying potential conflict and they use excellent distraction skills to help young people diffuse their differences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a well-maintained environment. Young people take pride in their bedrooms, enjoy their own personal space and have an array of personal possessions. This level of personalisation does not extend to communal areas. A lack of pictures and ornaments means that the home does not present as homely.

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

Young people feel safe and cared for. Their needs are set out and met via a comprehensive and regularly reviewed care, risk and behaviour planning framework. Staff have excellent insight into young people’s histories. For some young people, this includes risks such as going missing and potential child sexual exploitation.

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

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Sharing of information with the police on each young person’s admission to the home is crucial in drawing up bespoke missing from care protocols. Staff are constantly vigilant and make sure that effective supervision keeps young people safe. The understanding that staff have about young people’s family backgrounds, childhood experiences and identities provides a firm foundation and helps them to keep young people safe. There are now no concerns about young people going missing or being subject to child sexual exploitation. This is because of the support that they receive from staff.

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

Internet safety software and stringent supervision of young people’s access to the internet and use of mobile phones ensure that young people are safe and that they develop a good awareness about the risks of using the internet.

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

Staff insight and communication with social workers and young people’s family members help young people to benefit from and experience safe and appropriate contact with their families.

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

Safeguarding concerns are well managed by the manager, with prompt monitoring of incidents and quick referral to safeguarding agencies. Recording is of a high standard. The registered manager works in partnership safeguarding agencies. Concerns about young people’s welfare are routinely notified to Ofsted and show that appropriate safeguarding action is taken as concerns arise.

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

Effective behaviour management training means physical intervention is only used as a last resort. Staff prioritise a range of de-escalation techniques, as set out in young Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 6 people’s behaviour management plans. Staff practice is extremely child-focused. Physical intervention records are of a very high standard and show that the young people’s welfare and safety are at the centre of staff practice.

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

While there are no concerns about young people’s exposure to radicalisation, staff are yet to complete training to equip them with the knowledge that they need to identify and report concerns should they arise. Staff would also benefit from training around self- injurious behaviours.

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

Staff have good insight into the health and medical needs of young people, and protect young people’s welfare with effective and robust medication procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good managerial experience and a suitable level five qualification in management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership is strong. The registered manager, directors of the company and the responsible individual lead by example and ensure that putting young people first is integral to the running of the home. They access information prior to placements being agreed. Compatibility assessments are carried out in light of the individual young person’s needs and the potential impact on other young people living in the home. This effective matching process, good partnership working and sensitive transition plans for young people bring stability to the home and promote the welfare of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership team has strategically planned the development of this new home. Recruitment and effective staff training provided a firm foundation for the introduction of young people to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing arrangements meet the needs of the young people. They are looked after by experienced and well-trained staff. The manager shows forethought and works in partnership with young people’s placing authorities to canvass for additional staffing and funding to meet the changing needs of young people. Staffing levels are closely monitored and ensure that the staff team are able to meet the aims and objectives of the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people receive consistent care and thrive because staff work as a team and respond well to the leadership of the registered manager. New staff are very positive about their induction and the support that they receive from more experienced staff. All staff value training and the development opportunities that they have access to. Young people experience good quality care because staff performance is regularly reviewed by the registered manager. Supervision is regular and of good quality. Staff meetings provide an additional forum for staff to review their practice and the needs of the young people living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff value young people’s views. Young people are given time and space to express their ideas, worries and concerns. Weekly house meetings give young Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 7 people the opportunity to talk about the running of the home, relationships, behaviour and plans for the week ahead. They can raise concerns and give ideas. Any complaints are addressed effectively. Young people’s concerns are taken seriously, and this is evidenced in the effective referral of safeguarding concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very clear about her responsibilities. Her monitoring and oversight of the operation of the home is robust, and this includes a swift response to independent monitoring reports.

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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: 1257740 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Orchard Children Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Orchard Children Homes Ltd, 222 Branston Road, Burton On Trent DE14 3BT

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Inspector

Elaine Cray, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1257740 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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