Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC025409 1 SC025409 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, two young people have moved out of the home. The manager served notice on both placements due to safeguarding concerns. The decisions to end these placements were not made lightly. The needs and safety of all young people living at the home remained the manager’s primary focus.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have remained settled at the home and they continue to make good progress. With staff guidance, encouragement and support, these young people have made notable achievements in their education. One young person’s school attendance has significantly improved, which has enabled her to return to mainstream school successfully. Another young person obtained impressive GCSE results and staff have wholly supported him to obtain a suitable training course at a local company. Young people benefit from the improvements made in the home’s records, in particular young people’s progress plans. These concise and up-to-date records clearly demonstrate young people’s continued progress in all areas of their lives. Furthermore, Interim inspection report children’s home: SC025409 2 young people willingly engage with staff to set attainable goals, which are routinely monitored and celebrated by staff and young people together.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, young people do not always benefit from having comprehensive statutory care plans in place, in particular pathway plans. Although the responsibility for coordinating such plans rests with the placing authority, the manager does not challenge placing authorities to make sure that all young people receive effectively planned care.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Generally, staff are good at managing young people’s risk-taking behaviour. When young people going missing from home, staff report and record their concerns appropriately. Furthermore, most serious safeguarding incidents are now reported to Ofsted, enabling external scrutiny of the home’s safeguarding practice. However, on one occasion, staff failed to report a serious safeguarding concern to the police and the placing authority. Consequently, the relevant safeguarding professionals were prevented from investigating a serious safeguarding matter.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improvements can be made to the home’s independent monitoring. The visitor does not routinely seek young people or other stakeholders’ views to inform the assessment of the quality of care and the protection provided at the home. As a result, opportunities are missed to involve all relevant parties in the development of the service.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be led by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths, as well as the areas that need developing. The manager and team have responded to the majority of the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. Improvements are evident in: young people’s education; the monitoring of young people’s progress; and young people’s engagement with their progress plans. However, the requirement in relation to safeguarding practice is repeated.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 23/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Interim inspection report children’s home: SC025409 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(i))

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must report all safeguarding concerns to the relevant professionals. 16/02/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 The home should play a full part in promoting the best interests of the child, proactively advocating for the child to ensure that others play their role and deliver the high quality support that is needed. Such partnership working should always take place: before a child arrives; while the child lives in the home and where the child prepares to return home, move to another setting or leave care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.4) In particular, challenge placing authorities when they do not provide high-quality care plans.  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

p.3

Recommendations

65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, make sure that the independent person seeks young people and stakeholders’ views to inform the assessment of the quality of care and protection.

p.3

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 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC025409 4 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.3

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.4

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’.

p.4

Children’s home details

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

p.4

Children’s home details

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

p.4

Inspector

Marina Tully, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC025409 5 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.4

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.5

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5