Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 1 SC059801 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by the local authority. It is registered for up to five young people, aged eight to 18, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2015. He has the necessary skills and qualifications for the role.

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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: SC059801 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2017 Full Good 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good 11/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 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 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 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to making sure that risk assessments for children are regularly reviewed, with clear risk management actions. 18/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a large building set in a residential area close to local amenities. The home is well cared for and very clean, and it has a homely atmosphere. Managers and staff make sure that they sit and have breakfast, tea breaks and regular meals with the young people. This provides opportunities for discussion and helps young people to build their relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager works hard to make sure that young people who have not been in education for a considerable period are enabled to access new opportunities. Young people develop their confidence and social skills because of living at this home. This is because of the commitment and perseverance of staff on behalf of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people access a range of activities inside and outside of the home, including ice skating, hill walking, shopping, crazy golf, cinema trips and stock car racing. As a result, young people have fun and enjoy new opportunities that develop their sense of self-worth and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Internal placement plans are well written, with clear aims and focus on the achievements of young people. This means that young people’s progress is well monitored. Staff make sure that young people’s risk-taking behaviour is managed through detailed risk assessments. However, some risk assessments sampled during this inspection did not have clear dates of review, and the risk management actions could be stronger. This would ensure that staff take a consistent and clear approach when managing risk-taking behaviours to reduce harm to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health improves because of living at this home. For example, staff ensure that young people visit the dentist, doctor and optician when they move into the home. This has resulted in two young people receiving glasses and one young person receiving medication. Consequently, young people’s health improves because of the persistence and oversight of managers and staff.

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

The managers and staff team have a thorough knowledge of safeguarding. They prioritise the welfare of young people and make sure that young people understand potential risks from others as well as to themselves. Staff follow safeguarding processes professionally and promptly. This means that young people feel safe and cared for.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been six incidents of physical restraint. This is because physical restraint is used as a last resort. These are largely well documented, and there is good management oversight. Young people talk with staff after each incident, and their wishes and feelings are clearly recorded.

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

Since the last inspection, there have not been any complaints from young people, Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 5 professionals, parents or carers. The staff team puts in place clear and consistent boundaries, with a focus on nurture, humour and warmth, rather than using sanctions. This approach helps to reduce risk-taking behaviours.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff keep in close communication with them, follow them, contact friends and family and prioritise their swift return home. Procedures are clear and return home interviews are carried out consistently. This means that young feel cared for and episodes of going missing are reduced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This home is no longer providing a short-breaks service. Due to a restructure of residential services within the local authority, the manager was instructed to care for young people in crisis and in need of short-term care. The manager took swift and effective action, and Ofsted agreed to change and vary the conditions of registration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the change in service, the managers and staff have provided a consistent and remarkably high level of care to young people. They work closely as a team and hold regular team meetings to share their concerns and to plan areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff at this home speak exceptionally positively about the support and leadership of the registered manager. They describe him as very knowledgeable and ‘wonderful to work with’. Staff say that ‘his door is always open’. The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision, with clear outcomes for progress. Staff benefit from annual appraisals to monitor their progress and enhance their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment processes are highly effective and well managed to maintain a competent staff team that safeguards young people. The manager has a robust location risk assessment in place and has worked in collaboration with the police, education and children’s services to ensure that risks in the community are well evaluated to maintain young people’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has thorough monitoring and review systems in place and has completed a detailed report about the quality of care provided to children over the past six months. This is likely to improve the quality of care provided to young people in line with the aims and objectives within the statement of purpose. Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 6

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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 difference 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: SC059801 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire County Council, County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059801 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 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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