Lower Roach End Farm

Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 1 SC005048 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to eight children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. There is also a school on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2014. She is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/05/2016 Full Good 27/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional, sustained progress in all areas of their lives. This is due to the close relationships that they have with staff and the consistent, individualised support that they receive from them. Many children successfully move on to foster care because of the progress that they make in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are happy and content in their home. They benefit from spontaneous, affectionate care from staff who genuinely care about them. Children seek out different members of staff to enjoy a range of experiences. Children and staff also enjoy going on holidays together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are overwhelmingly positive about the care that they receive. Professionals also highlight the excellent relationships between staff and young people. One social worker stated, ‘The staff are committed and motivated; the manager is just amazing. [Member of staff] is [child’s] key worker. They have a fantastic relationship.’ Another explained, ‘She [the child] has great relationships with all of the staff. I know that she will miss them if and when she does move on. It is because of the great work that they have done with her that we are able to consider a move to foster care.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Most children at the home have 100% school attendance. For some children, this is a highly significant accomplishment. As a result, children make excellent progress academically. A headteacher explained that one child has made such progress that she was given the pupil of the year award. The headteacher stated, ‘We work closely with the staff in the home. We have handovers twice a day about each child. This ensures that we are aware of any issues and provide a seamless approach for the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Despite facing significant challenges, children’s self-belief and confidence improve significantly. Consequently, they make excellent progress socially and emotionally. Research and a clear understanding of attachment theory underpin staff practice. Regular consultations with a psychotherapist are well used and are effective in improving staff practice in the home. The therapist provides support to staff to undertake excellent, enhanced key-work sessions with children. Sessions focus on a range of issues, including topics such as self-esteem and moving on. Key-work sessions are supported with tailored tools such as a booklet called ‘My Most Marvellous Me’ which helps children to think about themselves in a positive light. A social worker confirmed how children’s confidence improves, adding, ‘It’s a lovely home, warm and welcoming. [Child] loves it and has made progress in all areas while she has been there. She has grown in confidence in

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

every aspect.’ Increasing self-confidence has enabled children to take part in a range of activities outside of the home, such as joining football clubs. These activities further enhance children’s self-belief and the quality of their day-to-day experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s views are central to the running of the home. Staff consult children in all aspects of their care and support them to take increasing control of the decisions that affect them. Children’s wishes influence how often they see their families. This ensures Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 4 that children feel that their views are valued and provides them with a degree of control. It also ensures that they stay in touch with the people who are most important to them.

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

Children receive outstanding, high-quality care from an experienced and consistent staff team. Staff follow clear, well-written behaviour management plans and risk assessments. This means that children feel reassured and receive sensitive, supportive care from staff. As a result, staff help children to understand their behaviours and how to develop their social skills in a safe environment.

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

Staff practice is consistently underpinned by the home’s therapeutic approach. This is the cornerstone of children’s exceptional progress. Staff acknowledge that children will experience uncertainty, resulting in difficult thoughts and emotions. In response, they work together with children to find solutions and help them to develop new strategies to manage their anxieties. For example, one child now has a ‘worry shaker’ which he has made with staff. He uses this to calm down when he is feeling anxious.

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

Children make exceptional and sustained progress in reducing their risk-taking behaviour. They do not go missing from the home or behave aggressively. For some children, this is particularly significant progress. Staff provide children with structure and routine, and staff practice strikes a good balance between enforcing boundaries and rewarding positive behaviour.

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

Staff are skilled in using de-escalation techniques and strategies which meet the individual needs of children living in the home. Consequently, the use of physical intervention is extremely rare and only used in exceptional circumstances. There has only been one incident in the last two years when staff needed to hold a child to ensure that she did not harm herself. This means that children benefit from an environment where they learn about safe behaviour and unacceptable behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the staff team. She was registered in May 2014.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager keeps children at the heart of all that she does. She is inspirational and ambitious for young people and ensures that this personal and professional ethos is cascaded throughout the entire staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager understands children’s needs exceptionally well and constantly scrutinises their progress. Her actions have a significant, positive impact on the progress that children make and the support that they receive. A social worker told the inspector, ‘I met the manager before [child] moved in and I was impressed with her, but she has surpassed expectations. She leads a staff team who provide a therapeutic approach and clear boundaries.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 5 The registered manager is aspirational, has high standards for staff, and is committed to making improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are very positive about the support that they receive from the registered manager. Supervision sessions are regular and of high quality. They help staff to generate ideas and reflect on their practice. New staff are robustly vetted and are supported through a clear, effective induction process. This ensures that children receive high-quality care. All new staff are provided with therapeutic training as part of their induction. This ensures that they can provide a therapeutic environment for children. The staff team is diverse and has an excellent mix of experience and skills. Staff are excellent role models for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have strong working relationships with partner agencies. This coordinated approach helps children to make exceptional progress. School staff and social workers are very positive about the care that children receive. They receive regular updates on children’s progress and feel confident that staff will address any issues. A social worker stated, ‘The staff are not afraid to give him [the child] consequences if he has done something wrong and I am pleased that they see this through. He feels safe and knows that he won’t be hurt here. There are no more destructive behaviours and that is enormous progress.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses exceptionally well. She quickly addresses shortfalls and ensures that improvements are sustained. The statement of purpose accurately reflects the services offered by the home and is clear about the support offered to children.

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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: SC005048 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC005048 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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