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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC381089 1 SC381089 Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home supports young people aged between 10 and 17 years. The home offers care and accommodation for up to two young people. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2016.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC381089 2 09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children‟s home: SC381089 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(5)) 30/09/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and young people are excellent. This helps create a settled environment where young people can discuss any issues or concerns with staff in confidence. Because of this, young people form strong attachments with staff, which Inspection report children‟s home: SC381089 4 creates trust and respect. This helps young people to develop emotional resilience and to move forward in their lives positively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

From young people‟s starting points, they make good progress in many areas of their lives. For example, one young person on admission preferred not to communicate with other people and was aggressive if challenged by the staff. The young person‟s social worker told the inspector, „The changes from when [young person] was first placed here is amazing, restraints have reduced, she is happy and much more communicative.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people‟s health and well-being are promoted. Staff ensure that healthcare plans identify young people‟s individual health needs. Statutory health assessments have been completed and all young people have attended all required medical appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive support with their education that is based on their individual needs. Consequently, young people‟s school attendance is good, which helps them to increase their chances of reaching their full academic potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are aware of the importance of young people maintaining contact with their families. This support helps young people to sustain important relationships. When there are restrictions in place, staff ensure that these are adhered to.

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

All staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities and demonstrate a good understanding of the individual needs of the young people. Staff ensure that tailored risk management plans help to identify potential dangers and risks associated with young people‟s activities. These are kept under regular review to ensure that the strategies remain effective.

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

The good relationships between staff and young people mean that the young people feel safe and secure in the home. Because of this, there have not been any missing-from- care episodes since the last inspection.

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

Young people have made significant progress in changing their aggressive and challenging behaviour. This is because staff understand the young people‟s needs and frustrations and can discuss issues with them and de-escalate situations. Because of this support, the number of physical interventions for young people has significantly reduced.

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

Staff ensure that the home environment is safe for young people to live in. A range of health and safety checks are completed to assess whether there are any hazards which could pose risks to young people. Young people take part in regular fire drills to ensure that they know how to safely evacuate the home in case of an emergency.

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

Young people are protected by the organisation‟s safe recruitment practice. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them. Inspection report children‟s home: SC381089 5

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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 June 2016, and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership, health and social care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive formal supervision and day-to-day oversight from the manager, which enables them to reflect upon their practice and recognise their own strengths and weaknesses. Staff have training and development opportunities with access to both internal and external training courses. This promotes the knowledge of staff to enable them to work effectively with young people. Most staff have completed the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. The remaining staff are on track to complete their award within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has undertaken regulation 45 reviews on the quality of the care provided by the home. However, the reports fail to capture young people‟s views. This means that young people‟s views do not help to influence decisions on the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have established networks with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in meeting the needs of young people. Staff work closely with teachers, social workers, health professionals and the police. These relationships ensure that young people have the optimum support for developing well in all areas of their lives. One social worker told the inspector, „I have great communication with staff from the home. They will contact me if there has been an incident or around a general query. The staff cannot be faulted for the work they have done with [young person].‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager, when necessary, has challenged external professionals to get the services a young person needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has responded positively to the requirement made at the last full inspection. Staff have had additional training around supporting the young people in building positive relationships. As a result, there has been a reduction in the amount of conflict in the home.

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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: SC381089 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: SC381089 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stoke-on-Trent City Council, 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: SC381089 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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