Children's home run by Nottinghamshire YMCA in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1216657 1 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local charitable organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children or young people who display behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been registered since July 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: 1216657 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2017 Full Good 09/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1216657 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that clear systems are in place to respond to bullying, to include direct work with children to resolve and eradicate such behaviours. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff set clear and achievable targets for young people. Young people feel fully involved in all aspects of their care. One young person told their social worker that they feel loved and well supported by staff. From their starting points, young people make noticeable progress and sustain this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely and positively with all involved agencies and professionals. Staff support family members and significant others to visit the home. One placing social worker said: ‘This is a very nurturing home. It is the first time I have worked with this home but would definitely recommend colleagues to use it.’ A key strength of the staff team is their excellent communication and information sharing skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health needs are well met. Staff ensure that they attend routine appointments, as well as specialist mental health services. Young people get to try out new activities and hobbies. This helps them to increase in confidence and self-worth. It also enables them to make friends in the local area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have education provisions in place. The attendance of one young person has significantly improved since moving to this home. When young people refuse to attend and engage in education, staff work closely with schools to develop packages of support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people can share their concerns and views openly with staff and the manager. Young people feel listened to and are confident that action will be taken if they raise a concern. They have access to an independent advocate each month. They have devised a development plan for the home, focusing on their specific wishes and views. This reflects how engaged they feel in the running of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prepare young people well for their eventual move to adulthood. They support young people to learn the necessary skills to make a successful move from the home. Young people learn how to budget, shop, prepare meals and meet their personal care needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1216657 4 Young people’s files include up-to-date care and pathway plans. The manager now has good systems in place to ensure that staff chase placing authorities for any missing documentation. As a result, the requirement set following the last inspection has been fully met.

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

Staff understand the risks posed to and from young people. Risk assessments identify the actions that staff should take to reduce risks. Involved agencies report confidence in the staff team’s ability to keep young people safe at all times. The manager has good oversight and supports staff to ensure that young people become increasingly safe.

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

Staff work closely with other agencies when young people go missing from care. They follow agreed protocols to ensure the safe return of young people. Staff support young people to reduce going missing incidents and unauthorised absence. There is a clear focus on using incentives to encourage young people to reduce such behaviours.

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

One young person states: ‘I like the manager. He is firm but fair.’ This demonstrates that young people know, understand and accept the boundaries put in place for them. Young people understand what is expected of them. They are confident that the staff team wants to protect them from harm at all times. Safeguarding agencies praise the staff and manager for their approach to behaviour management.

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

Young people feel enabled to take age-appropriate risks. Staff work with placing authorities to increase the ability of young people to make their own decisions. This prepares them well for moving on. Young people develop trusting relationships with staff and respect the rules and boundaries in place.

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

Young people feel confident to speak with staff about bullying. However, following a recent incident, there is not a clear record of what action staff took to eradicate bullying. There is no evidence of direct work being done with all involved parties. A recommendation has been set to address this shortfall.

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

A requirement was set at the last inspection about staff recruitment procedures. Managers have made changes to ensure that full employment histories for new staff are sought. Any gaps in employment are now fully explored. This provides a more robust and safe recruitment process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has clear ambition for young people. He sets high expectations for them and motivates his staff well. Young people feel well supported and receive highly personalised care. Over time, they make noticeable improvements in all areas of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the needs of young people. He carefully considers referrals before agreeing new placements. One placing social worker also praised the manager for Inspection report children’s home: 1216657 5 the way that he reviewed a potential new placement. This confirms the manager’s commitment to ensuring that he and his staff team can meet the complex needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported in their roles. They receive high-quality supervision, training and annual appraisals. They work very much as a team, with the needs of young people central to all that they do.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers, independent reviewing officers and youth offending services all praise staff and managers. Close partnership working assists young people to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are regularly sought and acted upon. Young people meet regularly with staff to discuss a variety of topics. The manager responds to their requests promptly and clearly. Young people feel valued and included in their care.

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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: 1216657 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FG

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Inspector(s)

Tracy Murty social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1216657 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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