Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 1 SC408369 Registered provider: Stoke On Trent City 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

The home supports young people aged between 10 and 17 years. The home offers care and accommodation for up to two young people. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2018.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/05/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 26/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 26/06/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive a good level of support from a committed and experienced staff team. Staff understand young people’s individual needs and are skilful in supporting young people to develop their self-confidence, emotional resilience and self-esteem. This contributes to young people feeling safe and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people access healthcare services as identified within their individual healthcare plans. Staff have regular meetings with psychologists to facilitate consistent implementation of agreed strategies and support. This provides continuity for young people and supports their emotional well-being. Appropriate arrangements are in place for the safe administration and recording of medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s school attendance is good. Staff attend meetings and visit schools regularly to ensure that information is shared. As a result, a consistent approach is implemented about communication methods and behaviour management strategies. Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 4 Young people’s views, feelings and wishes are central to all aspects of how their home operates and develops its practice. Because of this, young people feel involved in all aspects of their care and can contribute to key decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy regular and positive contact with their families and friends.

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

Young people say that they feel safe in this home. Staff complete safeguarding training that is refreshed, and have a good understanding of their duties in promoting young people’s welfare. This reinforces the safety and protection of young people living in the home.

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

Staff do not ensure that all risk assessments are brought up to date. This means that staff do not have a clear view of actions to take, or an up-to-date evaluation of risks that can be faced by young people.

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

Staff are trained in behaviour management. This helps them to develop their skills and competence in managing young people’s behaviour effectively. Staff work with young people to support them to make positive choices and different ways to control their emotions, therefore avoiding the need for any physical interventions.

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

Staff know what action to take to promote young people’s safety if they go missing from home. Staff make sure that the incident is reported in line with the locally agreed procedures and protocols, so that all agencies are informed and can work together to try to ensure that the young person is returned home promptly and safely.

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

Young people benefit from living in a safe environment. Staff make sure that the home is safe by completing regular health and safety checks and making sure that equipment is serviced. Staff also practise the home’s fire evacuation procedure and test the system on a regular basis. This ensures that young people have awareness of what to do in the event of an emergency.

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

Young people are protected by the organisation’s robust recruitment practice. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since February 2018 and holds a national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care at level 4.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff undertake mandatory and additional training to equip them to meet the individual needs of all the young people living in the home. The majority of staff have completed the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. The remaining staff are enrolled on the Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 5 course and are on track to complete it within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular staff meetings and informative handovers between shifts promote effective communication within the staff team. This keeps staff updated with young people’s changing needs and situations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has formed positive relationships with a range of agencies, including the police, youth offending service, social workers and other professionals. The local police officer visits the home to meet young people on a regular basis. This collaborative approach promotes young people’s welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not ensured that the home’s location risk assessment reviews the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises. This means that any risks presented by the home’s location are not being identified along with the strategies for managing them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Suitable action has been taken to address some shortfalls from the previous inspection. The manager has updated the children’s guide so that it now contains information for young people on how to make a complaint. Regulation 44 reports are now an effective tool for managers to identify shortfalls and sustain good practice. However, the manager has not reviewed and updated the location risk assessment. This requirement has been repeated.

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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: SC408369 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Of Stoke On Trent, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke On Trent ST4 1HH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Hammersley

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 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 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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