Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 1 SC060332 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for four young people who have a learning disability and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager is recently appointed and is in the process of applying to Ofsted for registration.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/10/2016 Full Good 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (2)(d)(f)) 22/06/2018

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Recommendations

 The policy for the protection of children from abuse or neglect should be available and explained to children and their families as well as to all staff, whatever their role. The registered person must make sure that all staff are familiar with this policy and act in accordance with it, in particular how to use it to report a concern. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is bright and welcoming. It provides them with stable routines and fun activities to develop their social skills. Staff have made improvements to the home since the last inspection. The lounge is brightly decorated with new furnishings and modern bathrooms have been fitted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in improving their behaviour and developing their independence skills, as well as making choices about their activities. For example, during this inspection, children were observed changing their clothes in readiness for the local disco. Children prepare their own breakfast and are supported by staff to manage their own personal care as much as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school daily and generally enjoy their education. Staff have good relationships with school teachers and hold regular meetings to discuss children’s Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 4 progress. Children attend all routine and specialist health appointments in line with their care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care from a highly experienced and consistent staff team. Staff follow well-written and clear behaviour management plans. This means that children feel reassured by the stable and nurturing care provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home and one young person has moved into the home. Staff provide very well-planned and individualised support to children when they move into and out of the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff make sure that young people are safe and young people say that they like living at this home. Staff have a basic understanding of safeguarding processes. However, some staff shared during this inspection that they did not feel confident about some safeguarding referral processes.

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improvement to be good

During this inspection, it was found that the previous registered manager had not recorded well enough concerns relating to children. This includes important details such as decision making and clarifying exactly what actions were taken. Safeguarding processes have not been followed in line with the local authority’s procedures. The social worker was informed and there seems to be no impact on children as a result. However, this could mean that children are at risk if this is not improved.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to understand their behaviours and how to develop their social skills in a protected environment. Staff believe in positive risk taking and encourage young people to access a variety of community activities to help them grow and develop safely.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide the children with a safe place to live with clear guidance and boundaries. Staff have a very thorough understanding of children’s needs, informed by positive behaviour management plans and well-evaluated risk assessments.

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improvement to be good

There have been no complaints since the last inspection and children do not go missing from the home. Improvements have been made to the way in which incidents of physical restraint are recorded. These are now completed within the necessary timescales. The new manager ensures that the incidents are thoroughly evaluated by her to monitor triggers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has the necessary qualifications and experience for the role. She was previously the deputy manager and is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted. She is exceptionally organised and is passionate about the care provided to children at the home. She leads a dedicated staff team whose members are creative in their approach to working with children. Staff are exceptionally knowledgeable about the Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 5 needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates well for children. She ensures that the children’s voice is at the heart of the care provided. Key-work sessions are focused on the needs of each child and include their wishes and feelings. The manager provides well-written reports for local authority meetings that highlight progress and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with a range of professionals involved with each child. Social workers, a teacher and an independent reviewing officer spoke highly of the manager’s and staff team’s communication. As a result, all parties are kept informed of children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff mandatory training is up to date. In addition, other specialist training is provided in subjects including autism, signing and equality and diversity. This means that staff have the necessary skills and understanding for their roles.

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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: SC060332 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire County Council, County Hall, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC060332 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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