Children's home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC424348 1 SC424348 Registered provider: Nottingham City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people.

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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 outstanding

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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: 11 October 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: SC424348 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2017 Full Good 03/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/10/2016 Full Good 09/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC424348 3

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes staff should seek to ensure each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include consultation with relevant persons to identify risks and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people progress and develop in this home. Admissions and transitions from the home are planned. The experienced and stable staff team members have excellent skills to ensure that young people settle and feel secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well within the multi-disciplinary teams. This effectively promotes the welfare of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled in working with young people who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect and loss. They understand the underlying reasons for some challenging behaviours. This means that they work well with young people to develop positive ways of coping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational outcomes are very good. Young people attend tailored education and training programmes. When education performance or attendance dips, staff work with young people to overcome obstacles. This promotes improved outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some young people come into care with unknown health needs. Staff are proactive to support young people with medical examinations and interventions. They nurture and reassure young people. This means that young people benefit from improved health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote recreational and social activities for young people. But, opportunities to Inspection report children’s home: SC424348 4 develop young people’s interests are not always identified in a timely manner.

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

Staff show excellent safeguarding practice. They recognise indicators of potential risk and intervene to reduce the risk of potential harm.

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

Young people have risk assessments before admission to the home. Risks are well understood by staff. Risk assessments are clear and up to date. Staff take appropriate action when young people display risk-taking behaviours. Over time, risks reduce for young people, which means that they enjoy more independence.

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

All staff have had a wide range of safeguarding training. This includes child-specific training, including training around sexual exploitation, mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention. This training equips staff with methods to manage safeguarding risks.

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

The manager ensures that the environment is safe. The locality risk assessment is detailed, up to date and describes local risks, but this report needs to seek the views of relevant agencies and include child-specific risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager for this home is an inspirational role model. She has high expectations of her staff team. She has extensive skills and training within the residential sector. She has been registered for this home since 2016. She is also the registered manager for one other small children’s home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management and staffing arrangements are excellent. The skilled and knowledgeable team is cohesive and provides high standards of care very effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring arrangements are systematic and rigorous. This means that the manager has a clear oversight of the effectiveness of the home. Where shortfalls occur, she can put plans in place to promote improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is firmly embedded in the community. The manager’s knowledge of the locality means that young people enjoy access to a wide range of specialist resources. Stakeholders unanimously commend the work of this home. They confirm improved outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has a thorough understanding of the needs of children in residential care. She demonstrates an ability to promote improvement over a sustained period of time. This means that she is influential in promoting positive outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC424348 5

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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: SC424348 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottingham City Council, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG

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Inspector(s)

Amanda Ellis: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424348 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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