Children's Home, Residential special school run by Overley Hall Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 1 SC020558 Registered provider: Overley Hall School Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This provision is registered as a children‟s home to accommodate up to 22 young people who have severe learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment, challenging behaviours or autism spectrum disorders. Young adults may stay beyond the age of 18 to complete their education. The children‟s home is situated on the same site as a special school. A separate residential home for young adults, registered with the Care Quality Commission, also operates in the school grounds.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager holds a level 4 diploma in management. She was registered with Ofsted on 14 June 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: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Inadequate 03/10/2017 Full Good 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that ensures that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child and uses monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(e)(h)) 25/10/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people now benefit from a consistent staff team that knows them well. Staff speak passionately about the young people and want the very best for them. Staff have a good understanding of each young person‟s abilities, and the staff strive to help the young people to make ongoing progress. Individual key-work sessions with young people enables staff to understand each young person‟s different needs. As a result, young people are at ease and enjoy spending time with staff, who understand them well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are now making good progress, due to the care that they receive. For example, one parent reported, „(their son) has mastered how to use a swing with great skill and his gross motor skills have become amazing. In addition, all of his eczema has completely gone and his rash that he had on his foot for years has disappeared. He has even had a proper “big boy” haircut at the barbers and he looks so grown up and beautiful.‟ Another parent reported, „We have been very happy with the standard of care and the extra effort the home make to improve independence skills and provide activities on site and off site to broaden experiences. This has made an enormous difference, and they have responded by engaging and my child‟s anxiety has reduced, meaning they have been open to these new experiences‟.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people all have access to the support of advocates. Clear complaints processes are in place for young people. This facility enables young people to make a complaint using a range of visual symbols. Staff are aware of each young person‟s preferred Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 4 method of communication. This has helped to ensure that young people have a voice, and that their wishes and feelings are acted upon. Young people are supported to contribute their thoughts and ideas to their day-to-day care wherever possible. These include ideas for trying new activities and choosing what they want to wear. This helps young people feel like valued members of the household.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are sensitive in striking a balance between favourite activities against new and challenging ones. Consequently, young people enjoy a good range of activities to help them to develop their hobbies. This summer, 19 out of 20 young people went camping, which was a first-time experience for many of the young people. Staff have also recently held an outdoor disco for the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The managers are continuing with their plans to improve the home‟s environment. Since the monitoring visit in July, most of the young people‟s bathrooms have been completely refurbished to a high standard. The home has been painted throughout. Communal areas and most of the young people‟s bedrooms have been redecorated in light and bright colours, with new furniture throughout. The home has been personalised, with beautiful canvas photographs of the young people displayed throughout. Young people are proud to have their photographs displayed and they have been involved in choosing colour schemes. Young people now have full access to communal areas of the home. For example, following appropriate risk assessments kitchen doors are no longer locked. These developments continue to support a more homely environment for young people to live in and to enjoy.

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

Safeguarding concerns are well managed by the registered manager, with prompt monitoring of incidents and quick referral to safeguarding agencies. The manager works in partnership with safeguarding agencies. Concerns about young people‟s welfare are notified to Ofsted and show that appropriate safeguarding action is taken as concerns arise.

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

Young people are safe at the home. Staff have made sure that risk assessments are clear and updated after incidents. On the occasions when restraint is necessary to prevent serious harm, the records made by staff now receive management oversight. This provides opportunity for effective monitoring and review.

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

Due to young people‟s complex needs, they can at times display extremely difficult and challenging behaviour. Staff have a good understanding of these behaviours and know what action to take to address them. Staff are consistent in embedding behaviour management plans and in supporting each other. The manager carefully analyses incidents to help address behaviours. This ensures that young people, including the most vulnerable, benefit from carefully planned support and protection.

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

When young people display self-injurious behaviour, staff are skilled in safely managing these situations. For example, staff will distract young people. The staff will encourage the young person to be calm and to interrupt any negative behaviour that may harm Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 5 themselves or others. Social stories are used to help young people to understand social expectations and to help keep all young people safe.

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

Staff are knowledgeable about the complex needs of young people and work with multi- agencies effectively. This collaborative working ensures that consistent approaches to care are promoted. This in turn, provides certainty for young people and enhances their sense of stability and security.

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

The staff recruitment records have been carefully audited. This has ensured that staff are safe to work with the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are committed to helping young people to make progress in all areas of their lives. However, young people do not appear to make the same level of progress in relating to personal care at night as they do during the day. The manager acknowledges the need to actively review the continuity of approach to the care arrangements at night. Plans are in place for further training to be made available to night staff, alongside specialist input, to focus on this aspect of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recent stability of the staff team has increased staff morale. Staff report that they feel supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff consistently have good quality supervision which focuses on the needs of young people. Some longstanding staff report that they have recently received their first ever appraisal. This means that there are now opportunities to reflect and learn from staff members‟ current practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that all staff are qualified to level 3 in residential childcare within the required period. This qualification enables staff the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills required when working with young people in a residential childcare setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External trainers have been commissioned to provide staff with training specific to the individual needs of the young people. There is a detailed training plan in place to enhance specialist training for staff.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 6 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: SC020558 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Overley Hall School Limited

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Inspectors

Lisa Walsh, social care inspector Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC020558 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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