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

Inspection report children’s home: SC369825 1 SC369825 Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers care and accommodation for up to two young people. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2017.

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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: 27 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC369825 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good 01/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/06/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC369825 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 ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 23/07/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a very positive view of the young people who they look after. Despite the challenging behaviour that young people can present, the staff work hard to engage them. This support helps young people to feel confident about their relationships with staff and improves their progress. One social worker told the inspector, ‘I have no concerns with the care that is afforded to [name].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people have access to a range of health services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. Medical consents are in place and staff are clear about the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of young people’s medication are safe and effective. Staff work closely with all health professionals and specialist services to promote young people’s positive health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend a variety of educational settings, according to their needs and abilities. Staff work positively and proactively with schools and colleges to promote young people’s learning and educational achievement. Staff provide direct support to young people in their education setting when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with social workers to promote contact that is positive, safe and enjoyable for young people. Staff support these arrangements, both practically as well as providing emotional support to young people. These arrangements reflect any restrictions that may be in place to safeguard young people and they are understood and followed by staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC369825 4

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

Young people are protected from harm and all staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. Personalised risk assessments help to inform staff about the issues pertinent to each young person and ensure that staff are aware of and understand the most appropriate strategy to deal with them. Effective relationships with the local police and other agencies underpin a service that is committed to keeping young people safe.

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

Staff apply consistent boundaries and structure for each young person. Young people respond well to the care and support that they receive and, for some young people, there has been a significant reduction in incidents of going missing from the home. This is because young people are able to develop skills and take risks in a safe and nurturing environment. Frequent and relevant key-work sessions are held, which help to educate young people on the risks of going missing and other risky behaviours.

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

Staff are trained and skilled in de-escalation techniques that help to reduce the need for using physical intervention. When physical restraint is necessary, staff ensure that the young person understands the reason why it was used, and explore alternative strategies in dealing with similar feelings and behaviours in the future. One placing social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff are aware of possible triggers for behaviours and respond to these in an informed way.’

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

Young people live in a home that is physically safe and secure. Regular environmental safety checks are undertaken, and staff and young people regularly practice evacuating the home in an emergency.

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

Young people are protected by thorough recruitment and selection procedures. This ensures that only the most suitable individuals are caring for young people.

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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 March 2017 and holds a level 4 national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are competent and have a good understanding of their responsibilities. All staff are qualified or working to gain a relevant qualification for their roles. Staff report that they feel well supported. They have regular, formal supervision sessions that enable them to discuss their own training and development needs as well as the care of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training records show that staff benefit from a diverse range of appropriate training to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. However, not all staff training is up to date. For example, some staff have not completed health and safety training. This means that some staff have gaps in their knowledge and skills around health and safety. Inspection report children’s home: SC369825 5 The home has effective links with several other organisations and professionals. The manager and staff maintain constructive relationships with teachers, police officers and young people’s social workers. The manager and staff will challenge other professionals when necessary, to secure appropriate services for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Collaborative working relationships help to promote young people’s welfare. One placing social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff communicate with myself and send me updates on a daily basis which include both positive achievements he has accomplished that day and they also alert me to issues in regard to challenging behaviours or emotional distresses that he may have suffered that day.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has responded positively to the requirements made at the last full inspection. Plans on the refurbishment of the home have been agreed and a date has been agreed for this work to commence.

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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: SC369825 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City of Stoke-on-Trent, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire 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: SC369825 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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