Children's Home run by Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited in Middlesbrough

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC455864 1 SC455864 Registered provider: Holme Farm Residential Village Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and mental disorders, excluding learning disabilities. It is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness. Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left and the former deputy manager has been promoted to the manager’s post. The new manager has been successful in his recent interview with the regulator, and he is now the registered manager. He has quickly adapted to his new role and staff talk of it being a smooth transition and are feeling empowered by him. A staff member said: ‘He is always there to support us. We have a good team. We also have the deputies to go to if we need support.’ The manager is enthusiastic and meticulous, providing good management oversight and consistency in notifying the regulator of any incidents. The requirement and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. A particular improvement is the locality assessment, which now clearly identifies areas of potential risks in the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC455864 2 neighbourhood. This ensures that staff and professionals can effectively safeguard young people from known risks in the community. Planning for young people who move into the home has improved, which includes a detailed matching process. This involves careful consideration of whether the home can meet the young people’s needs and an assessment of the impact on the existing residents to avoid any potential conflict. Young people speak of visiting the home prior to moving in and felt involved in the planning during the introduction stage. This included them choosing their bedroom colour scheme and meeting their key worker. One young person is very settled at the home having lived there for many years. Staff have provided a stable environment for the young person, enabling her to make significant improvements. This is particularly in respect of improved education outcomes

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

and her emotional well-being. Those young people who have moved in since the last inspection have settled well and enjoy living at the home. The current young people benefit from good relationships with each other and with staff. This results in joint activities and harmonious living. Some young people who have left the home have had positive outcomes. However, some young people have had to leave earlier than planned, mainly as a result of their escalating risk-taking behaviours. Despite the interventions from the staff team and the joint efforts with the placing authority, these were not sufficient in keeping the young people or others safe. The manager therefore made the decision to end the placement so that young people could receive more specialist support. Following these episodes, the staff team members meet to reflect upon the issues raised and to look at lessons learned to help avoid future reoccurrences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people feel safe since living at the home. This has resulted in a reduction in the episodes of going missing from the home. Staff follow the young people’s missing from home action plans and know how to respond quickly in the event that a young person tries to abscond. Staff provide high levels of supervision, particularly for those young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff support those young people with self- harming behaviours to complete monitoring forms following any incidents. This provides staff with an insight into their thoughts and feelings, and young people are encouraged to speak about their emotions. As a consequence, staff can identify a change in a young person’s demeanour or mood. Physical intervention is rarely used and only when it is necessary to keep a young person safe. Staff appropriately contact external clinical agencies to provide young people with timely and prompt therapeutic support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour support plans and risk assessments are individualised and in an easy to read working document. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. In the event of a concern about a staff member’s practice, the manager has established links with the local authority designated officer. This makes sure that there is external scrutiny of concerns raised so that staff practice issues are dealt with fairly and efficiently. This ensures that young people have safe and improved standards of care. Contact is well supported by staff. The manager and staff work effectively with parents. For one young person, this has resulted in the re-establishment and an increase in contact. Young people benefit from ongoing relationships with people who are important in their lives. One parent said: ‘Staff go over and beyond. They transport me to contact. I can come in and spend time with [name of young person].’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC455864 3 A redecoration programme has commenced and young people are consulted with about the planned colour scheme. This has made the home look bright and fresh, creating a homely environment.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2017 Full Good 08/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 13/04/2016 Full Inadequate 09/12/2015 Full Good

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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

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.

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC455864 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holme Farm Residential Village Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Fox Street, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE10 0BD

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC455864 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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