Children's home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 1 SC428084 Registered provider: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority service provides short-breaks care for up to seven children and young people who have learning disabilities and complex healthcare needs. In addition to meeting the children’s and young people’s social care needs, the service also provides nursing input and is registered with the Care Quality Commission. This aspect of the service was inspected on 5 and 6 October 2016. The judgement was ‘good’. The service currently supports 44 children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff deliver excellent care, help and protection to children and young people. Staff focus on giving quality experiences during their short breaks.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Thoughtful planning means that all children and young people, regardless of disability, have opportunities to try a wide variety of activities.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Excellent working relationships with parents, carers and professionals mean that children and young people receive consistent care at all times.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff work beyond the short-breaks service to provide support to children and young people and their families in their homes.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Behaviour management training extended to parents and carers ensures that children and young people receive a consistent approach to their behaviour. In addition, parents and carers value the support they receive.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Strong and consistent leadership by both managers ensures that the dedicated staff team receives quality support. As a result, the staff team is resilient, motivated and completely child-focused.

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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

 Improve the use of ‘communication books’ between the service and parents and carers.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/10/2016 Full Outstanding 30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/01/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 3

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Recommendations

 For children who are not looked-after the home should frequently seek the views and involvement of parents/carers and others with a significant relationship to the child as relevant persons in that child’s care. In following regulation 7(2)(e) in this situation, the relevant persons will always include parents/carers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.8) In particular, improve the ‘home to service’ communication book for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is large and purpose-built to accommodate children and young people with a range of needs. Children and young people enjoy the time they spend at this short- breaks provision. On arrival they are greeted warmly by staff and quickly settle in for the evening’s activities. Clear, trusting bonds between staff, children and young people mean that everyone enjoys a positive experience in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. One young person said, ‘I get to do lots of things here, arts and crafts is the best. I love stories. [Name of staff member] is the best at stories. I wish I could spend more time here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff know all the children and young people exceptionally well. As a result of this knowledge, they skilfully match the children and young people. Thoughtful planning ensures that children accessing the service are compatible together. In addition, staff are flexible and respond swiftly to care requests when necessary. In doing this, they ensure that individual needs are met and there is minimum disruption for children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff consistently use research-based models to gain the views or worries of children and young people. Combining different communication methods means that all children and young people have their views heard, regardless of their disability. Daily living plans, written from the child’s perspective, ensure that the reader knows exactly what the child or young person likes and dislikes. There is a clear complaints procedure in place, which parents and children know how to use. There have been no complaints in this inspection period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Health and education needs are primarily the responsibility of parents and carers. However, staff promote strong partnership working. All children and young people have a key worker. The key worker attends all meetings for the child. Staff produce high- quality reports on their progress. In addition, outreach support provided to families extends beyond the short-break service. This includes attending crucial health Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 4 appointments. Staff help parents and carers to understand complex health issues. As a result, children and young people attend important appointments. This means that their health and education needs are promptly assessed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff do not view the complex needs of children and young people as a barrier to participating in activities. There are excellent opportunities for children and young people to explore a wide range of experiences. This includes a Christmas party at a local social club and trips to the coast over the summer months. The home’s two sensory rooms and sensory garden provide space for quiet time. Sensitively planned activities ensure the inclusion of all children and young people, regardless of their ability. This promotes friendships and social opportunities for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people receive support to develop independence. This is sensitively planned in line with their ability, including support with personal care, learning to socialise with peers and helping with cooking. This empowers children and young people to develop new skills and gives them the opportunity to progress as much as possible. No child or young person is excluded from this, regardless of disability.

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

Children and young people receive high-quality care in a safe and secure environment. Their safety is of the highest importance to staff. Strong safeguarding practice is second nature to the staff team. Staff use research-based methods, such as Signs of Safety, to understand and assess risk. As a result, children and young people are kept safe.

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

High staffing ratios ensure that children do not go missing and they are not at risk of child sexual exploitation during their stay. Professionals, parents and carers are confident in staff. A parent said, ‘Staff are fabulous. I have no concerns about their ability to protect [name]. I trust them completely.’ Staff demonstrate excellent knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They record and share concerns swiftly with parents and professionals, such as changes in behaviour of the young person. This ensures that any immediate risk is reduced and managed. In addition, staff offer extra support to families outside of the short-breaks service. A professional said, ‘Joint working is excellent, they [staff] provide great support to us. They go above and beyond what is expected.’

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

Children and young people receive consistent responses to their behaviours, whether at home or in their short-break setting. One staff member is qualified to train other staff in therapeutic crisis intervention. This has been extended to parents and carers. As a result, parents and carers learn de-escalation techniques to apply at home and feel less isolated. A parent said, ‘I feel much calmer and more confident in dealing with [name of child’s] behaviour. I have been able to make changes and avoid meltdowns, or defuse them earlier. I feel so much better about things.’ In turn, this reduces their anxiety. As a result, physical intervention is kept to a minimum and is only used as a last resort.

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

The manager and nursing manager have collectively developed an effective monitoring process for the administration of medication. This has reduced the chance of errors being made. In addition to all medicines being checked and measured on arrival and Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 5 departure, a third-person check provides extra scrutiny. As a result, there have been no medication errors in this inspection period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The enthusiastic manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2011. She has worked at this home since it opened in 2011. The manager has over 30 years’ experience of working with children and young people and is a qualified social worker. The home is managed by the registered manager and nurse manager. The large staff team is a combination of residential care workers and nurses. As a result of this, children and young people receive high-quality social care and nursing care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is well established, with many members having been there since the home opened. This motivated and stable core team has a wide range of expertise and qualifications. Staff are passionate about their job. Everything they do is rooted in giving the best care and experience for children and young people. They receive regular formal and informal supervision. This gives them the opportunity to discuss children and young people at all times. As a result of effective communication, the large staff team provides consistent care and protection. A staff member said, ‘Support from the managers is fantastic, as is the support from the team. Everyone is dedicated to the children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a clear grasp of the service’s strengths and weaknesses. This is demonstrated in her own internal auditing processes. Highly effective use of external monitoring visits means that the service continuously improves. The manager addresses any areas of weakness swiftly and values the input of the external monitoring process. The one recommendation made at the last inspection has been addressed. One parent, who completed an external survey in August 2017, suggested that the ‘home to service’ book could improve. During this inspection, the manager agreed that they could improve this communication method further. As a result, a recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals have a high regard for the manager and staff team. They report that communication is excellent. As a result, effective challenges by the manager to the local authority are well received and any changes needed are made. Strong relationships and links mean that any issues are swiftly dealt with. Children and young people receive a well-rounded approach to their care. A professional said, ‘They [staff] are an extension of our team; we are one team. They understand parents and they know how to support them to get the best for children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staffing shortages are managed well. The manager makes effective use of bank staff. In addition, part-time staff voluntarily increase their hours to meet the service need. Regardless of staffing issues, children and young people continue to receive high-quality, regular care. Consistent use of familiar staff ensures that children and young people do not become anxious. Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 6

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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: SC428084 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wakefield Council, County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2QW

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Inspector

Abigail Maspero, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC428084 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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