Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 1 SC005050 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The privately owned service is both a children’s home and a school that provides care and education for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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: 21 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff build trusting relationships with young people, which helps to provide good care and support, and clear and consistent boundaries.  Young people are safe and protected by well-trained staff.  The manager ensures that there are good working relationships with partner agencies so that young people stay safe.  Staff encourage young people to participate in a variety of activities that help to increase their social and recreational opportunities.  The manager and staff make sure that all young people are fully supported to attend school.  The manager ensures that all staff receive regular supervision and training.  Young people are encouraged to have their say in the running of the home through being able to participate in regular house meetings and key-work sessions.

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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

 The manager has not made sure that the home’s impact risk assessment acknowledges the needs of the young people already resident at the home against the needs of new young people arriving.  The manager has not benefited from the full range of support and guidance provided by other professionals.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/11/2016 Full Outstanding 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 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 care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(2)(a)) 15/02/2018

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Recommendations

 Beyond local authorities, there are other people, bodies and organisations that have responsibilities towards children in children’s homes. Many of these are referenced specifically in the Regulations and Guide. They might include health and education services, Local Safeguarding Children Boards, leaving care services, IROs, voluntary agencies, the police and youth offending teams. This list is not exhaustive. The important thing is that homes take the initiative in identifying others who must play a part for their children and engage with those relevant people proactively, advocating for the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s placement plans take account of their assessed and individual needs. Staff ensure that plans are prepared with the involvement of the young people and their social workers. This means that staff have a clear understanding of their roles in regard to promoting young people’s well-being. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Overall I am very pleased with the progress [young person] has made since moving to [home], this is the most settled he has been in over 12 months.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager appreciates the significance of careful matching of young people’s needs. However, a generic impact risk assessment is used which does not acknowledge the needs of the young people already resident at the home and the new young people Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 4 being admitted. This has the potential to impact negatively on the continuity of care provided and the opportunity for new young people to form positive attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people living at the home receive on-site education that is tailored to meet their individual learning needs. Care staff understand goals and targets, and work with teaching staff to make sure that progress continues outside of the education day. A social worker told the inspector, ‘He has done brilliantly in going to education every day since he arrived this was not happening before and has told me he likes the small classroom environment.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have access to healthcare in order that their health is promoted and they can receive treatement when necessary. Staff regularly consult the organisation’s therapists so that they can receive the professional guidance necessary to meet young people’s emotional health. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of young people’s medication are safe and effective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that young people are able to maintain contact with their families and friends. Staff will facilitate contact by providing transport, so that these important family connections are maintained. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff have supported [young person] on several sibling contacts and a phone call with his mum recently.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are fully involved in day-to-day decisions at the home. They contribute their views through regular meetings and constant communication with staff. This helps to make sure that young people have ownership of decisions made at the home, and that they can start to take personal responsibility. Young people take part in activities in the wider community, socialising with other young people of a similar age. This enables them to have new experiences and develop hobbies, skills and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in developing independence skills which are appropriate to their ages and understanding. Young people have support to learn basic tasks, such as tidying their bedrooms, basic cooking skills and self-care. This helps young people to develop practical skills, and enables them to complete daily tasks safely and independently.

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

Young people say that they feel safe. A social worker validated this, by saying. ‘They have done a good job safeguarding him, I have been quite impressed with the calm attitude of the staff; they do not seem overwhelmed by him at all.’

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in regard to promoting young people’s welfare, and are aware of the importance of receiving safeguarding training. The manager ensures that incidents of a potential safeguarding nature are promptly referred to external agencies, in line with locally agreed multi-agency protocols. However, on one occasion, guidance from the designated officer was not taken into account regarding a safeguarding matter. This meant that the service was not benefiting from the full range Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 5 of support and guidance provided by other professionals.

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

Young people have made good progress in changing their challenging behaviours. This is because staff understand their needs and frustrations, and are able to discuss issues with them and de-escalate situations. Because of this, the number of physical interventions has significantly reduced. A placing social worker said, ‘They have provided stability and consistency for [young person], which can be seen in the improvement in his behaviours. They have given him a routine and boundaries which are followed each day, with appropriate consequences that are followed through.’

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

There has been an increase in the number of missing-from-care episodes since the last inspection. Managers work closely with placing authorities, the police and other agencies to make sure that clear risk assessments and plans are in place, so that such concerning behaviours can be addressed. The manager has also been proactive in making sure that protocols and procedures are followed, and that multi-agency meetings take place in order to review young people’s plans and the progress they have made.

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

Young people live in a physically safe environment. There are measures in place for making sure that the home is free from hazards. Regular fire drills are carried out to make sure that young people know what they need to do in the event of an emergency.

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

Managers ensure that the organisation’s recruitment and selection process for all staff is thorough. These checks make sure that only suitable people are employed to care for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager. The manager has been in post since January 2009, 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 confirm they are well supported by the manager. They benefit from regular supervision and annual appraisal, which enable them to reflect on their practice and to identify developmental needs. All staff are qualified to work in their roles, and benefit from a range of training opportunities that enable them to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. This makes sure that staff have the right skills to meet the needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose clearly demonstrates the aims and objectives of the service. This helps parents or placing authorities to have a clear understanding of the services available. Young people are provided with a pictorial children’s guide that gives them important information. This helps young people to be informed about their rights and what they can expect from the staff and the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent visitor provides good oversight of the running of the home. The independent visitor makes sure that they routinely consult young people and social Inspection report children’s home: SC005050 6 workers, so that their views and opinions matter in the development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team works with parents, professionals and other agencies effectively. This provides a consistent approach to young people’s care. Professionals speak positively about the care and support young people receive. A placing social worker said, ‘I have found the manager and other staff very helpful in my communications with them. I receive weekly updates, which have been on time, and I am notified of anything significant.’

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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: SC005050 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: SC005050 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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