Children's home run by Physis Quantum Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 1 SC443708 Registered provider: Physis Quantum Limited Full inspection

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned by a small limited company and provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Education is provided on site in the organisation’s separately registered school.

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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 outstanding

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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: 20 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: SC443708 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people receive consistently high-quality care from skilled, motivated and creative staff.  Young people’s complex individual needs are understood and met seamlessly by staff who work very effectively as a team.  Young people like staff and enjoy living here.  Care, therapy, teaching and advisory staff support young people very effectively, using a programme they have designed for young people who have experienced abuse and exploitation.  Young people make significant emotional progress because staff work therapeutically with them and nurture them.  Young people experience a wealth of healthy social activities that broaden their horizons and develop their confidence.  Young people have a strong sense of safety and well-being because staff are always available to them and are sensitive to their needs and feelings.  Young people value helpful, supportive relationships with staff that continue

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Key findings from this inspection

when they move on from their placement.  The registered manager, deputy and responsible individual provide confident and inspirational leadership.

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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

 Staff and managers’ safeguarding practices are not always innovative enough.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/09/2016 Full Good 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/06/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that decisions about overnight stays with friends are delegated to children’s home staff by the placing authority for children looked after. The level of delegated authority should be recorded in the placement plan. When children wish to stay overnight with friends, staff should carry out the same kind of checks that responsible parents and carers might make in similar circumstances to seek reassurance that the child will be well cared for and safe. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.9)  Ensure that approaches to restraint recognise that children are continuing to develop, both physically and emotionally. Any use of restraint should be suitable for the needs of the individual child. The context in which restraint is used should also recognise that, as a result of past experiences, children will have a unique understanding of their circumstances which will affect their response to restraint

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Recommendations

by adults responsible for their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.54)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Six young people have lived here since the home was last inspected. All young people have deep, trusting and lasting relationships with staff and the manager. During 2017, two young people experienced well-planned, gradual moves into adult services. Staff provided tailored training and advice to their next carers. The two young people enjoyed individualised parties when they left. They have both continued to receive support from their key carers and the manager. Two new young people have moved into the home since the last inspection. Both young people were able to visit the home before moving in. One of the young people said, ‘I feel that they care for me and show this in their nagging towards me to engage. This is a lot better than [previous placement], where I felt that no one cared.’ The other young person’s social worker said, ‘I feel that her placement is being run to a really high standard.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A consistent, skilled and long-standing staff team provides young people with highly effective and creative care. Key workers are highly nurturing and loving. The programme coordinator delivers an individualised training and support package to young people that is adapted to their evolving needs. One young person described her work on the programme as ‘nicely annoying’. Each young person has a weekly ‘space’ to spend time with the organisation’s therapist. They can use the ‘space’ in whatever way helps them at the time. This means that young people get the help they need to make real progress. A child sexual exploitation (CSE) professional from one young person’s local authority said, ‘[Young person] is safe, secure and happy. She is healthier: skin glowing, less tired and smiling. She has recognised that she can think more clearly being sober. She can Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 4 focus and communicate on a stable clear platform.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All staff work seamlessly together, creating a calm, spacious, yet cosy living environment. The kitchen is a well-organised room where young people and staff talk, cook and eat together. Young people frequently cook for the whole group and usually eat their evening meal together in the dining room. Staff and young people often plan special meals, celebrations and parties. Every day, staff make sure that the well- decorated bathrooms and lounges are kept pristinely clean and well maintained. Each young person has a lovely personalised bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a variety of creative media to give young people daily positive messages of care, support and praise. For example, the staff write, draw and put photos on display boards in young people’s bedrooms and in the kitchen to give young people daily positive messages. Staff write a positive, illustrated daily diary for each young person throughout their stay. For Valentine’s Day, staff have prepared for each young person a loving individual message on a heart ornament, saying what it is that makes the young person so loveable. These demonstrations of unconditional care and support mean young people feel really secure and develop a great deal more self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people make excellent progress. For example, after a number of years living with a number of the same staff, one young person has done well in her GCSEs and is working hard at college. She is holding down a part-time job, and enjoying safe friendships and a good social life. Staff have skilfully helped her progress to a point where she is almost ready, emotionally and practically, for independent living. Another young person is working hard in the organisation’s school and is undertaking voluntary work at a cat rescue centre and a day centre for older people. Staff have helped her develop a real interest in gardening. She describes her life here as ‘way better’ than anything that she has experienced before. A third young person is also working hard in education and aims to work with children. Staff support her to try new hobbies and activities.

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

Young people are extremely well protected from the sexual exploitation they previously experienced. Staff and the manager provide skilled help geared towards helping young people choose and maintain a safe, successful future where exploitation risk is minimised. Young people all say they feel safe and all improve their sense of self-worth. For example, they take care of their appearance without dressing provocatively. They talk to staff openly about their feelings and about personal relationships and friendships. Young people receive skilled help, support and advice about being safe, and having age- appropriate, respectful relationships, including using the internet and social media safely. One young person’s social worker said, ‘[Young person] has overcome so much in a short space of time thanks to all staff that have supported her on this journey.’ However, staff have not obtained delegated authority from young people’s placing authorities to

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

make decisions about overnight stays. This prevents young people from being able to stay with friends that staff deem suitable. Young people very rarely go missing. If they do, it is to see their families. Staff respond Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 5 with understanding and practical support, advocating and enabling young people to see their families in a planned and safe way. One young person said, ‘It is not because of the adults around me [that I ran away]’.

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

Staff and the manager manage young people’s behaviour well. Their enormously positive, nurturing and consistent approaches mean that young people have few meltdowns. Staff help them talk about their difficulties and frustrations. As a result, bullying, self-harm, damage and harm to others are successfully minimised. One young person said, ‘Situations do occur but staff often defuse them quickly.’ However, staff have not sufficiently recognised how one young person’s unique understanding of her circumstances affects her response to restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has stepped up in confidence, insight and ambition for each young person. She has forged excellent relationships with each of them and makes herself available to them. One young person wrote after an incident, ‘I seemed to calm down when [name] was holding me – I felt like I had someone.’ Another young person said, ‘Since coming here I have overcome my bad memories, understood my self-harm and understand that I can be okay on my own.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager creates and sustains a culture where all staff pull together confidently, creatively and positively to provide the best care. Most staff are qualified and experienced, and the manager gives all staff outstanding support. The manager’s practice, and that of all the team, is rooted in attachment theory and therapeutic care practice. The manager and staff meet together with the therapist and the CSE programme teacher on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Their ‘team around the child’ approach means that all staff are consistent, up to date and ‘on message’ about each young person’s needs and plans. The manager’s organised and communicative style ensures that staff feel highly valued. Some of them have worked here for a number of years.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that local authorities provide, and are provided with, all the information, records, plans and reports that are necessary to secure young people’s welfare. Young people’s social workers and advocates appreciate the excellent contribution that the manager makes to each young person’s care plan. For example, the manager suggests ways to resolve young people’s frustrations with contact arrangements. She also pushes for dates and agreements so that young people know where they are moving to and when. One young person’s social worker said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

‘The support here has taken [young person] a long way – she is involved in a lot of things with staff help, and is much more independent. This is really reassuring in terms of giving future consideration to seeking placements for other young people.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows her own strengths and weaknesses very well. She also benefits from a strong and insightful committed senior team. She has particular strengths in complaints investigation, debriefing and behaviour management. Young people and staff Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 6 alike are completely confident that she will listen, understand and help them with any issues that they bring to her. The manager’s monitoring skills have improved enormously too. This means that she more confidently plans young people’s care, based on patterns and trends that she identifies.

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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: SC443708 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Physis Quantum Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Church Meadows, Alport Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1PY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Laurence O’Dwyer

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Inspector

Rachel Britten, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC443708 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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