Children's home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Monmouthshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC447768 1 SC447768 Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited

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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 service is a children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. The home is one of several children’s homes in the surrounding area that are run by the company.

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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 outstanding

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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: 5 February 2018

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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

05/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC447768 2 06/09/2017 Full Good 01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC447768 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a home that is very homely, and that provides them with space to socialise, play and relax. The staff and young people take a pride in the home and work together to keep it safe and well maintained. Since the last inspection, the staff and young people have spent time decorating, and have paid attention to detail in respect of furnishings and design. This means that each young person has personalised space that they are proud of and that very much reflects their individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the young people have lived in the home for more than two years. Except for a few changes, the staff team has remained consistent and stable throughout this period. As a result, positive and caring relationships have developed. Young people are looked after by adults who they trust and who understand and know them exceptionally well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the young people are above the age of compulsory education and some are currently not attending further education. However, staff understand that education comes in many guises and they ensure that there is learning from each planned activity. Extensive evidence was seen during the inspection of the range of activities young people have access to and engage in. As a result, the young people have significantly grown in confidence and self-esteem, and have developed age-appropriate independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of the documents that are kept for each young person. These records are detailed, comprehensive and underpinned by current research and practice developments. They help the experienced staff team to skilfully and lovingly look after the young people, especially when they are worried or upset.

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

Risk assessment and risk management processes are of the highest quality. Since the last inspection, the registered manager has thoroughly overhauled the safeguarding processes used within the company. By producing a detailed and comprehensive safeguarding audit, the registered manager has achieved complete compliance.

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

Staff have well-developed knowledge of the risks for the young people, which enables them to pre-empt, plan for, review and ultimately reduce these risks and enable the young people to develop their independence. Young people are encouraged to build their independence skills through spending time away from the home, travelling independently and their use of the internet and mobile phones.

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

Due to the exceptional diligence of the staff, young people do not go missing, there is no use of physical intervention and the use of sanctions is not common practice. This shows that there has been a highly significant improvement in the behaviour of young people, given the behaviours that they would have displayed before they moved into the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC447768 4 Staff have an excellent understanding of how the young people’s previous experiences of trauma and loss affect their behaviours. Their deep understanding of such circumstances, supported by clear safeguarding policies and procedures, helps to keep the young people safe.

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

Safeguarding of young people remains central to the home’s ethos. There have been few serious incidents since the last inspection. However, the registered manager knows when to escalate concerns, and demonstrates swift and rigorous action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager maintains an exceptionally high standard of practice, which is built around a culture of continuous improvement. This is achieved by consulting regularly with external professionals to obtain critical and reflective supervision and training. Extremely good use is made of these sessions by all staff, so that they can learn and improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Through several projects the registered manager has led improvement across this and other homes within the company. For example, the team’s practice and knowledge have been improved through: a quality standards project that provided staff with opportunities to present findings from research into internet safety; the use of apps to gather feedback from the young people; and the creation of an educational outcomes tracker.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and all staff attend a wide range of training courses to further enhance their professional development. Most of the training is bespoke to ensure that the staff are better equipped to support the changing needs of the young people. As a direct result of the levels of skill, qualification and experience of the staff, all practice is current, and all of the work done with young people is informed by research and completed to a notable standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been instrumental in introducing a range of tools to better monitor the home. Some remain in their infancy, but early indicators are impressive. They make excellent use of feedback from several independent professionals, and the participation of the young people.

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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: SC447768 5 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: SC447768 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Masonic Hall Offices, School Hill, Chepstow, Gwent NP16 5BZ

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Inspector

Linda Bond: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC447768 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 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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