Children's home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 1 SC034012 Registered provider: Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It is run by an experienced and qualified registered manager. The home offers care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/05/2017 Full Good 07/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/10/2016 Full Good 03/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to meet their training needs, specifically with regard to keeping training up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 53 paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that link work sessions and records are consistently recorded in order to represent a significant contribution to young people’s life history. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62 paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to manage cleaning and repair contracts. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 14 paragraph 3.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care planning is exceptional. Plans are detailed, relevant and updated, and work seamlessly with the external agency support. Young people benefit from regular link work sessions with individual keyworkers. On the whole, sessions are target-led and enable young people to review the excellent progress they make in this home. However, there is a small percentage of sessions that do not reflect the high standard of work undertaken with the young person. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationships between young people and their keyworkers are outstanding. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of each young person and work with them in a way that promotes their individual strengths. This means that young people have a continuous sense of achievement, and this strengthens their individual self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the value of including families where possible in the planning for young people’s care. They work extremely hard to develop trusting relationships. Consequently, families and friends are welcomed to this home. They are included in activities, day trips, BBQs and frequently visit for tea. A parent stated that the care of her child is ‘five star’ because her child is making exceptional progress in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All young people have bespoke educational plans. This means that young people attend individual educational provision best suited to meet their needs. Young people, staff and educational providers liaise on a regular basis to ensure that young people are gaining the best opportunities and support. One young person recently completed an apprenticeship at a popular radio station where he created his own podcast and broadcast. Another young person is preparing to undertake formal qualifications and has Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 4 secured a full-time placement in college to study catering. Another young person is completing a planned induction to a popular mainstream provision, where she has already begun to make friendships. These are examples of the young people’s exceptional achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Healthcare planning is extremely well supported. Young people are provided with additional external support from a variety of agencies including counsellors, advocates, youth offending and the looked after children’s nurse. Young people engage and make real progress. Issues around drug and alcohol misuse, weight and fitness and mindfulness are areas where significant improvement is seen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are supported to take on the challenge of new activities, either as a group or with friends and family. They have developed in confidence and enjoy regular activities such as attending the gym, cookery courses, local clubs and variety of day trips to theme parks and beaches. All young people have recently had an individual holiday abroad of their choice. Photographs displayed in the home are a testament to the unique and valuable experiences and memories that young people make at this home.

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

Young people’s safety is prioritised. Detailed impact assessments ensure that all young people placed at the home are assessed against the needs, interests and aspirations of those already resident. Likewise, individual risk assessments are balanced against a full chronology of life events. This means that risk is measured, and appropriate individual strategies are in place to address any concerns.

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

Behaviour management is extremely effective. Young people and staff form excellent relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Therefore, young people work with staff to identify areas for development and a suitable reward for the progress they make. Staff are consistent in their approach, and this enables young people to work within the house boundaries. The registered manager and staff work seamlessly to ensure that young people receive a consistent approach to unwanted behaviour, and praise and reward for progress and development.

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

Young people know how to complain, and receive valuable information from the home and their placing authority to guide them in this area. Since the last inspection, there have been no complaints made within the home.

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

Redirection and de-escalation techniques are a consistent feature within this home. Each young person has a de-escalation plan, which is based on the individual personality and traits of the young person. This method ensures that young people in crisis are managed in a way that supports the best outcomes and enables young people to gain control of their emotions in a supportive and positive environment.

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

Staff confirm physical intervention is only used as a last resort in the home. Since the last full inspection in May 2017, there have been no incidents where this intervention has been deemed necessary. However, the annual staff training required in the use of Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 5 physical intervention is not up to date for all staff. This was rectified during the inspection. However, a recommendation is made to ensure that gaps in training are addressed quickly.

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

Young people come with a history of absenting themselves from their previous placement. Staff work with young people to identify risks and to develop individual missing from home plans. This document is supported by an individual record of incidents, link work sessions and return-home interviews. From young people’s initial starting points, missing from home episodes are significantly reduced.

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

Consequently, although young people present with risks, these risks are managed effectively and have shown to have significantly reduced since the young people became resident in the home.

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

Young people live in a home with consistent routines, boundaries and expectations. Young people thrive. They feel safe, cared for and develop goals and aspirations for their futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since July 2016. She is a qualified social worker and has achieved NVQ level 5 in social care. She is committed to leading a consistent, dedicated and strong team in the delivery of individualised progressive childcare practice. Young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets and exceeds the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support that the home provides. Internal and external monitoring systems provide the home with an exceptional approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development, and the manager’s action plan details the methods used to enhance the service. Staff are provided with a good annual training package. On the whole, mandatory training is regularly refreshed, while additional training in areas such as mindfulness is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

sourced to provide additional support for young people and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The care provided within the home is based on two theoretical frameworks: attachment and emotional intelligence. Staff work exceptionally hard to build positive and trusting relationships in order to strengthen young people’s self-esteem and confidence. Young people develop safe attachments, and this enables them to begin to understand their lives differently. Using the emotional intelligence model, young people are able to understand and begin to forecast action, based on reaction and consequence. Consequently, young people learn to organise and manage their emotions in a way that prevents them from going into regular crisis. The registered manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 6 excellent child-centred practice that is tailored to the individual and personal needs of young people. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the progress that

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

young people make, particularly in education, self-esteem and positive social integration. The home employs a strong and committed staff team. The majority of staff are qualified at NVQ level 3. The training of staff at this level ensures that they are suitably qualified in the care and management of young people. Young people’s records are securely stored and regularly updated in order to accurately capture young people’s life experiences at any given time. Leaders and managers ensure that all referrals to the home are suitably assessed for compatibility. Evidence of impact assessment leading to decisions not to place demonstrates a clear commitment to the young people already placed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff routinely notify Ofsted, placing authorities, parents and community police of any concern or event involving a child in accordance with regulation 40. Immediate action is taken to reduce risks. The home places the needs of the young people at the forefront of its practice and this is evidenced in the excellent progress they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is located in a quiet area and blends in within the local community. The home is close to bus and rail links, local amenities and general health practices. The home is spacious and modern in design. Young people design the style of their bedrooms and this helps them feel that they belong. The authority provides cleaning and maintenance personnel. However, the standard of this work is poor. Despite the registered manager’s challenge, standards have not improved. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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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: SC034012 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, The District Centre, Town Hall, Market Street, Hyde SK14 1AL

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034012 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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