Children's home run by Pear Tree Projects Limited in County Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 1 SC000803 Registered provider: Pear Tree Projects Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered since 2014 and is appropriately qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2018 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/12/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to achieve their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(i)) In particular, to mend the leaking flat roof at the front of the house and to make good the interior walls. 09/11/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(ii)) In particular, to ensure that children are able to speak to an appropriate counsellor when they wish to or need to discuss their feelings and emotions about safeguarding issues. 09/11/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard if that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 09/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 4 registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to— plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14(2)(b)(iii)) In particular, to ensure that all children have a pathway plan in place and that appropriate moving on arrangements are in place prior to any move taking place.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a settled place to live with no young people leaving or arriving during the inspection period. The young people who are resident have mostly been settled and their experience of living in the home has been very good. They have good relationships with the staff and the home is a relaxed and comfortable environment in which to live.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff offer good levels of support and personalised work to the young people and they mostly engage well with this. External specialist workers also support the young people to deal with difficulties and issues. This includes specialist assessments where appropriate.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide the young people with a structured environment where daily routine is seen as important and where the young people are encouraged to keep occupied and busy. The young people are closely supervised until they no longer require this. This approach works well and is appropriate for the setting.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person is ready to leave as his 18 th birthday approaches. He is well prepared for independence and has clear plans in place for a career and living arrangements. His progress has been excellent over the past year. He has matured into an able, confident and resilient young person.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Other young people are making good progress in most areas of their lives. They have all done well in their education and have built active social lives and interests. The home is part of a larger organisation which has an impressive range of resources, including a working farm and workshops, and the young people actively enjoy spending time on these activities.

p.4

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

The staff understand and make good assessments of risk. They put controls in Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 5 place to help minimise these risks and mostly this works well, with the young people being safeguarded appropriately.

p.4

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

The home is a safe and settled place to live. All of the young people confirmed this. There are no reports of any bullying. The staff rarely use any sanctions and have used no physical interventions during this inspection period. Levels of going missing from home are very low and staff react appropriately on the odd occasion when this has happened. Usually, this has been the older young people returning later than agreed rather than being missing.

p.5

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

One young person, who has been given a great deal of advice and guidance by staff, has struggled with their behaviour outside of the home. There are ongoing safeguarding investigations looking at situations and incidents involving this young person which have happened recently. This young person has asked for additional in-depth counselling, but staff have been unable to provide this so far. There are plans in place for this to happen and a requirement has been made to ensure that this important work is completed appropriately.

p.5

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

The staff are good at providing appropriate boundaries and expectations to the young people. The young people are very clear about what is right and wrong and education around relationships and keeping safe is provided for all the young people. These are very clear strengths of the work carried out at this home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is highly experienced and is a skilled, knowledgeable and confident individual. He leads the staff team well by setting high standards of care and a clear ethos and way of working in the home. He is a strong ambassador for the organisation and ensures that the aims and objectives of the home are carried out at all times.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

He supports his staff well and offers them good supervision and training. The staff look up to him and he is an excellent role model. He has built a strong staff team and the staff team members are settled and work well together.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A previous requirement and two recommendations asking him to improve recording and communication have been met well and these areas of work are now of a good standard. The registered manager has a clear development plan in place and is keen to continually improve the service.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One young person who is in their final year at the placement is currently a little unsettled and needs continued support. There is currently no pathway plan in place for them, although one has been requested, and this needs to be addressed. A requirement has been made to ensure that clear plans are in place and to ensure that they are able to move on in the most positive way possible.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The premises are mostly very well kept, but there is a leaky roof at the front of the Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 6 house and a requirement has been made to address this.

p.5

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.

p.6

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: SC000803 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pear Tree Projects Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pear Tree House, Bolam, Darlington, County Durham DL2 2UP

p.7

Inspector

Colin Imrie: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC000803 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8