Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Calderdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 1 SC064530 Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Home Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

Supported by the organisation’s therapy department, the home’s purpose is to provide therapeutic treatment programmes for up to two children or young people who have experienced early childhood disruptive attachments. If required, children and young people can access the organisation’s school.

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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: 4 September 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: SC064530 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2017 Full Good 25/10/2016 Full Good 17/05/2016 Interim Not judged 09/03/2016 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) Specifically, implement effectively the existing auditing arrangements and ensure that unused medication is returned or disposed of in a timely manner. 03/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated. (Regulation 40(4)(d)(i)) 03/09/2018

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on the individual child’s needs and developmental stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7) Specifically, encourage and support the young people to reduce their over-dependency on staff and have increased independence time within the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit from living in a calm, nurturing and comfortable home. They have formed strong attachments with the staff who act as positive role models and provide a parent-like approach to the young people’s care. This has helped the young people to develop a genuine sense of belonging and stability that has provided a platform for them to move forward with their lives. Staff are ambitious for the young people and make every effort to support them to recognise and achieve their potential. They provide the young people with a high standard of personalised care that is making a positive difference. Young people are increasingly happier, safer, healthier, taking part in education, managing their feelings Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 4 and making positive choices about their lives. Care planning and care practice are highly influenced by the therapeutic input provided by the organisation’s therapy team. The team’s input enables staff to deliver individually

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

tailored strategies of support for the young people. This is helping young people to reflect on their past and develop a resilient ability to overcome the complexities of their lives. Staff are good at providing the young people with opportunities to be children, enjoy life and have fun. There are lots of photographs and videos of the young people enjoying fun and purposeful activities with staff, many being new experiences for the young people, for example volunteering with a local homeless project, dog walking, horse riding and their first holiday abroad. A professional said, ‘Staff have allowed them to become teenage girls, an opportunity that was not available before they arrived here. New experiences such as pamper nights have helped the girls to develop a pride in themselves and their appearance. Both girls have come a long way and they are in a better place now because of staff.’ The manager recognises the need for staff to be more proactive in their efforts to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

provide young people with opportunities to become more independent. They have worked hard to increase the young people’s confidence and have provided some opportunities for them to spend time away from staff, such as walking to the shops and going to a local youth club. However, this continues to be a major challenge that staff face, having made very limited progress since the last inspection. This is particularly concerning for one young person who is about to transition to semi-independent living.

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

Young people live in a safe home, are protected from harm and know how to keep themselves safe. Staff use carefully planned key-work sessions and ad hoc conversations to help young people to understand risk. This, combined with high levels of one-to-one supervision, means that incidents of risk-taking behaviour are exceptionally rare. Thorough and professionally informed risk assessments are in place for each young person. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of these documents and ensure that risk management strategies are implemented consistently. This means that the right action is taken when young people choose to engage in risk-taking behaviours such as self-harm and sharing images on social media. Staff are trained in and understand their safeguarding responsibilities, and keeping young people safe is integral to care planning and day-to-day practice. Links with external safeguarding agencies are used effectively to share information and promote a

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

coordinated and proportionate response to safeguarding concerns. However, on one occasion the manager has failed to notify Ofsted, despite this being a shortfall that was identified by the independent visitor on three separate visits. Young people are aware of and respond positively to family-like boundaries and expectations. Staff act as positive role models and reinforce positive behaviour through affirmation, praise and encouragement. Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 5 Negative and challenging behaviour is an infrequent occurrence. When it does occur, it is managed in a respectful way that encourages the young people to reflect and moderate their own behaviour. Consequently, sanctions are rare and low level physical restraint has only been necessary on one occasion since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager successfully divides her time between this and a second home that she is registered for. She provides effective leadership for a competent and committed staff team, some members of which work across her two homes. The manager makes good use of this arrangement and ensures that the skills and personalities of staff are matched to the individual needs of each young person. The manager ensures that each young person’s individual needs are prioritised. She is visible in the home and is fully involved in ensuring that high standards of care are maintained. A professional said, ‘The manager and the staff are very supportive and want what is best for both girls. They strike a good balance between treating them as sisters and as individuals.’ New staff undertake a purposeful induction that equips them well to carry out their role. Ongoing support is provided through professional supervision, with each member of staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

having their performance appraised every four months. Mandatory training is up to date and is supplemented by a range of needs-related training. Collectively, this ensures that all staff have the necessary skills to meet each young person’s known and emerging needs. Managers and staff have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and are constantly seeking ways to improve young people’s experiences and outcomes. Forums such as handovers and team meetings are used to reflect on each young person’s needs, evaluate staff practice and plan for the future. Two recommendations were made at the previous inspection. Suitable training has been delivered to staff who are now better equipped to manage issues arising during family contact. The storage of medication is better organised. This reduces the potential for errors to be made. However, unused medication is not being returned to the pharmacy in a timely manner. The manager’s auditing has failed to pick this issue up.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC064530 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Time-Out Children’s Homes Ltd, Unit 2, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Paul Scott, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC064530 8 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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