Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1249264 1 Registered provider: Radical Services Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private company. It is currently registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people. The home cares for young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 9 and 10 May 2017

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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.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The company made interim arrangements when the former registered manager suddenly resigned her post shortly after the home opened. A new manager was successfully appointed and made her application to Ofsted to become the home’s registered manager. However, this application was withdrawn. This caused further delay in appointing another manager, which proved unsettling for both staff and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s current manager has recently registered with Ofsted to become the home’s registered manager. She is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification and has good experience of working with children and young people in residential care. She has previous experience of working in a much larger residential home as a senior care officer. She is thorough and well organised in her approach and has brought greater stability back to the home. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1249264 2 Three requirements were made at the last full inspection of the home in May 2017. These have all been met. Young people’s risk assessments are routinely updated when incidents occur, providing staff with essential information and guidance to promote young people’s safety. Record-keeping has also improved, specifically the quality of detail describing incidents and day-to-day activity in the home. A recently implemented

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

handover meeting means that all essential information is passed on to the next shift and that records are signed and dated before staff leave.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition, two recommendations resulted from the last inspection. Again, these have been met. Practice in the home has changed to relinquish the somewhat institutional impression created by the locking of doors to communal areas. Work has taken place to change the living room door to open outwards, preventing young people’s ability to barricade themselves in the room. This had been of concern to staff, who were unable to supervise young people’s safety and well-being.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have improved opportunities to express their views and wishes. They are making a more significant contribution to their placement planning and review process. They are now using opportunities such as young people’s meetings and individual sessions with key workers to make their views known. Consequently, young people feel included in the day-to-day running of the home and know that their ideas and opinions are important and valued by staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make good progress. All young people regularly attend school and are well engaged with learning. For one young person, his attendance has improved significantly from 56% when he was at home to currently 95%. Staff maintain a positive working partnership with teaching staff to support young people in school and promote their learning at home. Young people can see the progress they are making and take pride in this. For another young person, progress meant that she hadn’t self-harmed for nearly an eight-week period, when previously she had been harming herself on a daily basis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Arrangements for monitoring the home are effective. The registered manager has established good systems for monitoring the home’s activity and young people’s progress. The registered manager also responds promptly when action is recommended. Ofsted receives regular reports from the home’s independent person that demonstrate appropriate rigour in scrutinising the home’s practice to ensure that young people are safe and well cared for.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the home has notified Ofsted on a number of occasions of incidents that were of sufficient concern to the manager. Some included police involvement to assist with antisocial behaviour and damage occurring to the home. This notification process has promoted transparency and provided Ofsted with a good overview of events that have occurred in the home and the local community. Since the registered manager’s appointment, notifications have declined. This accurately reflects a more settled period since she joined the home. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1249264 3

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Radical Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rouse House, 2 Wyther Lane, LEEDS, LS5 3BT

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Danielle Ireland

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Inspector(s)

Gillian Walters, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1249264 4 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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