Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 1 SC483958 Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The service provides individually tailored packages of care for children with complex needs. Staff aim to help children achieve positive outcomes. The manager has an appropriate qualification and achieved registration in 2015.

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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: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/05/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 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 registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 25/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) 25/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 25/06/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress overall. They benefit from an attractive house that is located in a busy, urban area. Senior managers match children well to each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children pursue their own interests and staff help them to try new activities. One child has gained confidence in the community, which contributes to his independence. Another child has a tiny dog, which brings much excitement to the home. Staff show a caring and insightful manner that children appreciate. One child said, ‘Everyone is friendly here. It’s a nice place to be.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a major part of the week whatever provision children use. Staff support new Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 4 children to continue attending the same school, wherever possible. In addition, staff challenge teachers to provide the services that children require.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children play an active role in decisions about every aspect of their lives. Consequently, children show progress in key areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff liaise well with children’s families and social workers. Consequently, children’s relationships with their families improve. This benefits them practically and emotionally. Several professionals have praised the service recently. Comments have included, ‘Lovely home and staff’, ‘staff have the needs of all the children at heart’ and ‘staff clearly have good relationships with [the children].’

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improvement to be good

The service protects children well in most regards. Serious incidents are rare, which allows children to make the most of the extensive opportunities.

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improvement to be good

Children feel safe and say that they would approach any member of staff if they were concerned about something. They understand the house rules and consider them reasonable. One child said, ‘The rules are not harsh.’

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improvement to be good

However, the recruitment of new staff is not sufficiently robust. One member of staff does not have a current clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service. This shortfall increases the risk of inappropriate adults working with children.

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improvement to be good

Staff routinely explain risks to children. Staff anticipate difficulties and record them well. For example, children use the internet and their mobile telephones in a controlled and safe way. This helps children to protect themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service reflects its objectives. However, the manager has not reviewed the statement of purpose for over a year. It contains minor inaccuracies and omissions that may mislead a reader.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is leaving imminently to develop her career. Appropriate arrangements are in place to manage the home and find a successor. The responsible individual is reviewing the deputising arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a thorough understanding of her service. As a result, the home runs smoothly and staff address children’s needs well. The manager is building the skills of her senior staff. For example, she is ensuring that shift leaders check that all staff read new records before they resume work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Following a recent recruitment campaign, there is now a full staff team. Staff display passion for the work and offer children a variety of positive role models. Children rarely Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 5 experience care from adults who they do not know. One member of staff has care and administrative responsibilities within the company. There has been a lack of regular and effective supervision of either role. As a result, some shortfalls in performance have gone unnoticed. These have had no impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive routine training opportunities that help them to understand the individual needs of the children. The vast majority of staff are qualified.

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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: SC483958 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited, 3 Churchill House Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

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Inspector

David Morgan: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC483958 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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