Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 1 SC060590 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company and is registered to accommodate three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 An experienced and dedicated staff team demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of each young person living at the home. This helps the staff team to provide highly personalised care that takes into account each young person’s individual Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 2 learning needs, personality and interests.  Staff support young people to develop important life skills. This is helping young people to become more independent and become better equipped for adulthood.  Young people thoroughly enjoy spending time with the staff team, having regular visits from their relatives, trips out with each other and holidays. These pleasurable experiences are broadening their social and independence skills.  Staff are skilled at communicating with young people, which ensures that all young people are meaningfully involved in planning their care.  Staff are alert to potential dangers. They are skilled at supporting young people

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

to take age-appropriate risks as part of their learning and development.  Staff develop and maintain excellent working relationships with relatives, social workers, schools and colleges. As a result, young people benefit from continuity in all aspects of their lives.  A highly motivated, dedicated and experienced proposed registered manager supports the team well. She prioritises young people’s welfare and has a good understanding of the service’s strengths and areas of development.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Review the use of alarms on young people’s bedroom doors, to assess whether the measure is necessary and proportionate.  Revise and/or amend young people’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans to make sure that practice consistently meets their needs.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/09/2016 Full Outstanding 23/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 3

p.2

Recommendations

 Continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, keep under review the use of alarms on children’s bedroom doors, to assess whether the measure is necessary and proportionate, based on each child’s individual needs and stage of development, with the aim of bringing about the circumstances when its continued use will no longer be required.  Ensure that following the use of control, discipline and restraint, the child’s risk assessment and behaviour management plan is revised and amended to identify effective practice and make sure that practice consistently meets the needs of the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are happy, safe and content. There are positive and warm interactions with staff, and young people enjoy laughing and joking with staff and each other, listening to music and having lots of space to have time on their own. A young person said, ‘I’m very happy here.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff’s comprehensive understanding of each young person’s specific needs, strengths and interests helps them to provide highly personalised care. Staff encourage and support every young person to express their wishes and feelings and make choices in a meaningful way. Staff support young people to choose activities, plan their meals and personalise their home. As a result, young people develop a sense of belonging, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Young people make noticeable progress in all areas of their lives. With staff’s tireless support, young people have made significant progress at school and college. One young person has completed a level 1 art course and others who have previously struggled to attend any form of education have improved engagement. In one case, a young person has followed up their interest in learning sign language and another young person has completed a youth first aid course. This is a positive development for this young person.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Furthermore, young people have developed better social skills, which help them to interact and socialise with others. Staff have enabled young people to participate in enjoyable activities, for example going on holiday. Detailed and effective care planning systems mean that the proposed registered manager and staff have a good understanding of young people’s individual assessed needs and the arrangements for supporting them. Young people’s placement plans and Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 4 records give a detailed and up-to-date picture of their experiences and progress. The manager routinely reviews the plans to ensure that they remain relevant to the young person’s needs. The manager and staff work effectively with each young person’s wider support network to make sure that young people receive the best possible support. Staff are also good at keeping the social worker, independent reviewing officer and parents up

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to date with the progress that young people make. Young people’s physical health and emotional well-being continue to improve. They have a healthy diet and staff encourage them to get plenty of physical exercise. Staff ensure that young people get support from health services to meet their needs and help them to understand about healthy lifestyles. Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s specific health needs and manage young people’s health with sensitivity and confidence, for example supporting a young person to overcome their phobia about attending dental appointments. When young people are ready to move on into adult services, staff support them to get involved in the planning of this significant move. The proposed registered manager makes sure that decision-makers fully consider the young person’s views and that the young person is fully aware of all the options available to them. Therefore, when young

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people move on from the home, it is a positive and successful experience. Whenever possible, staff continue to keep in touch with those young people who have moved on to new placements. This demonstrates the commitment and dedication of the staff team. A social worker said, ‘They do a really good job and always act in (name of young person’s) best interest. They are good at keeping in touch and are very responsive.’ Young people benefit from having their relatives visit them at their home and spend quality time in a familiar and secure environment. Young people’s memory albums include photographs of young people baking, celebrating birthdays and having meals with their relatives and friends at the home. Staff empower parents to remain involved in their child’s care. As a result, parents and relatives develop trusting relationships with staff. These positive relationships are helping young people to have regular contact with

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

those who are important to them and maintain their family identity.

p.4

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

Staff are confident in their roles and they understand each young person’s abilities, strengths and areas of particular vulnerability. Individual risk assessments enable young people to take age-appropriate risks and prevent unnecessary restrictions on their activities. However, the use of alarms on young people’s bedroom doors should be kept under review to assess whether the measure is necessary and proportionate, based on each young person’s individual needs and stage of development, with the aim of bringing about the circumstances when its continued use will no longer be required. Under staff supervision, young people attend music concerts, and go out for meals in local restaurants. Young people also enjoy trips to local venues, where they can meet and interact with other young people of a similar age. Staff expertly balance risk with young people’s rights to socialise and develop. Consequently, young people flourish and

p.4

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

continually develop in a supportive and safe environment. Staff understand and manage young people’s behaviour particularly well. Staff use their Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 5 in-depth knowledge of the young people to recognise triggers to unsafe behaviour. Staff quickly pick up when a young person is distressed or anxious and deter potentially harmful behaviour. Furthermore, young people’s trusting relationships with staff help them to feel emotionally safe and secure. Currently, safeguarding concerns, such as going missing from home, child sexual exploitation, substance misuse and/or radicalisation are much reduced. Nevertheless, staff are alert to such dangers and they undertake regular, well-planned key-worker sessions with young people to discuss the dangers and risks associated with radicalisation, e-safety, sexting and online grooming. Staff have received training on a range of these matters. Therefore, should these concerns ever arise, staff are fully

p.4

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

equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify signs and respond appropriately. Physical intervention is not used at this setting and this reflects the emphasis on positive relationships that makes such measures unnecessary. However, young people’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans should be revised and amended to make sure that practice consistently meets the needs of the young people. All staff have received training on administering medication. Staff ensure that young people take their medication as prescribed and, whenever possible, young people take responsibility for administering their own medication to enhance their independence.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The proposed registered manager has submitted her application to become registered. There had been a delay due to apparent confusion over the receipt of references. However, the proposed registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. Her reflective approach to leadership enables her to develop the service by taking on board the views of others, including staff, other professionals and parents. She has a good understanding of the strengths of the service, which include a stable, experienced and child-centred team. All professionals consulted with spoke highly of staff and the care that they provide to young people. The proposed registered manager knows the young people extremely well and is actively involved in the planning and delivery of their care. She is proud of the progress young people make and ensures that her team is fully equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide personalised, high-quality care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a particular asset of this home. Parents, relatives and other professionals acknowledge and value this. A social worker said, ‘The manager is very helpful and supportive.’ Training is a key strength of the service. Staff benefit from a varied training programme, which also provides them with further opportunities to meet up with other professionals and share their learning and experiences. All staff consulted with said that they feel fully supported by the proposed registered manager and new deputy manager. As a result, young people receive nurturing care from a stable, happy and contented team. Monthly professional supervision and regular team meetings provide the team members with good opportunities to reflect on their practice, share ideas and, thus, continue to learn Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 6 and develop. Effective internal and external monitoring systems ensure that the service continues to

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

provide a good standard of care. The proposed registered manager is totally committed to providing young people with happy experiences and fond memories of their time living at the home.

p.6

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.

p.6

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: SC060590 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

p.7

Inspectors

Paul Gillespie, regulatory inspection manager Chris Scully, Social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC060590 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.

p.7

Inspectors

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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8