Children's home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 1 SC008608 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run and managed by a private company. The home provides care for one young person who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since March 2007.

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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 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

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2017

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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: SC008608 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/10/2016 Full Good 22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all relevant plans are obtained from the placing authority. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1) This relates specifically to obtaining a copy of the Education, health and care plan and an up-to-date personal education plan.

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Recommendations

 The home should play a full part in promoting the best interests of the child, proactively advocating for the child to ensure that others play their role and deliver the high quality support that is needed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.4) This relates specifically to ensuring that the young person receives therapy in accordance with their plans.

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management policy should set out how staff are trained and supported to meet the child’s needs. Regulations 13(2)(d) and (e) require children’s homes to employ a sufficient number of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced persons in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.37)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person, who was admitted in July 2017, continues to make good progress in placement. Originally admitted on a short-term placement, he settled in so well that the placing authority decided to extend his placement. A social worker reports, ‘This has been [name’s] most stable placement.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person enjoys living at the home, where he feels safe and benefits from good relationships with staff. He benefits from continuity of care and has consistency and stability in his life. He reports, ‘I have nothing but respect for the staff here, although I know I don’t always show it. It’s brilliant here. Just the respect you get from staff. I’m well happy here. The only thing I would change is to take this house and the staff in it and move it to where I’m from.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person makes good progress across most aspects of his physical, social, emotional and behavioural development. He benefits from well-planned, highly individualised care that promotes his needs effectively and contributes to change and improvement in his life. An independent reviewing officer reports, ‘He presents as one of the most challenging young people to work with. In the main I think he has done very well in this placement. They have dealt well with some very challenging behaviour but I think we’re getting there. I have been impressed with the unit.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 4 Staff actively encourage the young person’s talents, interests and hobbies. For example, the young person was attending the marine cadets up until recently. He enjoys a broad range of positive and enjoyable activities, such as football, fishing and attending the local gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person attends school on a regular basis and has made progress, taking into account his starting point. However, some relevant plans are still outstanding from the placing authority. Consequently, the registered manager has requested these from the young person’s social worker. The home works closely with the young person’s school to support his learning, regular school attendance and educational achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Medical consent is in place and staff are clear about what types of health decisions and responsibilities are delegated to them. The young person is registered with a doctor, dentist and optician, and staff ensure that he has access to these services when he needs them. However, the young person does not currently have access to therapy. This is something the registered manager is actively pursuing to ensure that the young person benefits from the best possible help and all-round support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is actively involved in key decisions so he is able to contribute to and influence the running of the home. He enjoys regular contact with his friends and family. As a result, he sustains his positive relationships with the people who are most important to him. The young person is happy at this home and has no complaints about his care.

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

The young person is kept safe and does not go missing from care. He does not engage in any unsafe, risk-taking behaviour. That said, his behaviour can be very challenging. The young person has been assessed as requiring therapeutic care to help address his earlier childhood trauma. The young person has complex needs and would benefit from long-term therapy, which the placing authority confirms it is trying to source.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the young person’s specific needs and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them. They try their utmost to help the young person to self-regulate his own behaviour so that he can deal with his conflicts and feelings more positively. They provide the young person with suitable advice and support when he needs it most. The young person benefits from staff he trusts, respects and can talk to.

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

Positive behaviour is consistently recognised, praised and reinforced. Negative behaviours are appropriately challenged and staff provide the young person with clear rules and boundaries. The use of restraint is exceptionally rare, and if used at all, it is only ever used to protect the young person from actual harm. There has been one low- level restraint since the last inspection.

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

The majority of staff are suitably trained in de-escalation and physical intervention, which enables them to deal with difficult behaviours safely. However, one member of the Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 5 staff team requires training in restraint. This is especially crucial because the young person can display a level of very challenging behaviour.

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

A social worker reports, ‘He’s had his blips, but overall he’s improved. He’s come on leaps and bounds. In terms of the way they manage his behaviour they do that very well. They are very committed to him.’

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

Staff are trained to protect the young person from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. They know how to deal with allegations and report suspected abuse. Staff ensure that significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities to support and protect young people. They maintain highly effective partnerships with the police and all other safeguarding agencies to promote the safety and well-being of young people.

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

Health and safety matters are addressed effectively by staff. The home provides the young person with a physically safe, appropriately secure, warm, comfortable and homely environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from a well-qualified, trained and experienced registered manager who exercises strong and effective leadership of the operations of the home. The registered manager has been in post since March 2007. He ensures that the home is well staffed and appropriately resourced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The young person is cared for by staff of both gender groups. He relates well to the staff and enjoys their company. All but one new member of staff are appropriately qualified. The new staff member has completed his induction and is looking forward to undertaking the training he needs to achieve his diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular, practice-related supervision. Their training needs are identified and met by the provider. Staff work collaboratively as a team and they share and implement the home’s approach and philosophy in caring for young people. Staff demonstrate a can-do attitude and have a sense of shared ownership of their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home meets the aims and objectives as set out in its statement of purpose. The home provides a good quality service for the young person and can demonstrate the positive impact and difference it has made to his life. While the need for therapeutic input remains, the manager ensures that the home builds and maintains effective partnerships with all other professional agencies to meet the specific needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Independent monitoring visits are undertaken at the home each month. These visits demonstrate effective scrutiny of the performance of the home. A report is sent to the home and Ofsted each month. The reports are also available to placing authorities upon request. The independent person consults with the young person, staff and other interested parties in forming an impartial and professional opinion about the Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 6 effectiveness of the home’s arrangements to safeguard the young person and promote his well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes good use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities. He has a clear and positive understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. He takes action when shortfalls are identified and makes use of professional feedback to secure the home’s continuing improvement.

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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: SC008608 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008608 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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