Children's home run by Five Rivers Child Care Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 1 SC001452 Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children or young people whose plan is to live in a medium-term residential setting. The registered manager has been managing the home since November 2017.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 24 January 2018

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2018 Full Outstanding 22/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Good 22/10/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress in this home. The staff work hard at building trusting relationships. This enables children to grow and learn in an environment which is supportive and caring. Staff show through their actions, speech and non-verbal communication that they care about and enjoy the company of the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend the on-site school and make excellent progress from their starting points. Children have individual timetables. When children need extra support in education, care staff provide this, enabling children to learn and to have new experiences. Children access a wide range of activities in the community, such as pioneers, Lego club and drama classes. Friendships and play dates are encouraged and supported. This is helping to build children’s social skills for the future.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff constantly reinforce to children that they are special and that their views and feelings are important. Children influence the care provided in the home in many ways, for example through giving feedback on the staff, the environment and day-to-day life. Children attend and chair daily house meetings. These meetings have recently started to help children plan for the day, be kind to others and think about who could support them if needed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff work creatively with children on issues such as bullying. During anti-bullying week, an activity pack was launched which enabled the children to learn and interact with each other while also having fun. Children’s achievements are celebrated in many ways, such as the monthly newsletter, achievement points and certificates.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children access therapy on a weekly basis. This supports them with past trauma and harm. There is continuous communication between the care staff, professionals, parents and the children. This ensures that everyone is aware of the goals that children are working towards and if they are any issues children are struggling with.

p.3

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

Children feel very safe and well protected in this home. One social worker commented: ‘This is a fun, family environment and my child feels safe.’

p.3

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

Children have up-to-date and thorough risk assessments and plans. These give clear instructions to staff about how to de-escalate behaviours and how to respond if these techniques do not work. Children’s plans are very proactive, and staff spoken to understand children’s risks well. The staff team is very consistent with the children. Over time, the need for physical interventions has dramatically reduced and inappropriate behaviours have also decreased. Using deflection techniques and giving children clear messages and instructions are successful in supporting children to regulate their behaviour and emotions. Recently, the staff have changed their approach in managing situations when physical intervention is needed. The new technique now reduces the time and severity of the intervention. Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 4 Children talk to staff about their concerns, thoughts and ideas to help them understand

p.3

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

risks and the wider world. Children’s key workers carry out, at least weekly, sessions with them. These more focused and individualised conversations are used to support children’s needs. Individualised goals are set for children, such as walking to the shop alone or attending their looked after review. The staff support children in a variety of creative ways to achieve these goals, and successes are celebrated. Staff speak very proudly of children’s achievements.

p.4

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

Children’s health needs are prioritised. One child who has daily health needs has been taught to manage his condition, and he understands the importance of keeping to his health regime. He demonstrated to the inspector his daily routine, with exceptional knowledge for his age. The child’s social worker stated: ‘The support [staff] offered him when he was in hospital and first diagnosed was excellent.’

p.4

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

Children are encouraged and well supported to have contact with their families. The staff support children emotionally as well as being involved with contact time. Children are now better able to enjoy family time following the ongoing work and support of staff.

p.4

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

The practice in the home has a therapeutic underpinning. The manager is able to demonstrate progress in children’s risk-taking behaviours and emotional regulation through a variety of evidence-based assessments. These identify trends, analyse behaviour and inform the realistic and achievable goals set for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager of this home has been in post since 2017 and is suitably qualified. She is a confident manager and is ambitious for the children. She leads by example and is very proud of the children’s achievements. Communication is excellent between the home, professionals and family members involved in the children’s lives. This ensures that everyone is working in partnership to improve children’s outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are highly effective systems in place to monitor children’s progress towards set individualised goals. Effective communication by the management to the staff ensures that there is a consistent approach to children. Staff are highly trained in a wide range of subject areas. This ensures that they are equipped to meet children’s needs, now and in the future.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children are at the very centre of this home. Staff work hard at providing a homely feel that is accepting of everyone and is helpful and supportive when children are struggling to manage their behaviour.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is well maintained. It is a very child-friendly environment and has a family home feel. Children’s bedrooms reflect their individual likes and needs. One child has two bedrooms, one where he plays and one where he sleeps. This arrangement is effective at meeting his needs for a calm space and a space to play with his own toys.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff feel very well supported through regular high-quality supervision. The staff can Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 5 also access a therapist for their own well-being and can take part in peer support sessions. Supporting staff to reflect on their own stressors and behaviours in turn helps them to support the children effectively.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records are clear, analytical and reflective. They demonstrate that children are supported and are held in high positive regard.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development of the home. There has been strong progress since the last inspection. Practice remains of a high quality, and effective and dynamic to meet children’s needs. Above all, it is fun for the children.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC001452 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Five Rivers Child Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 47 Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

p.6

Inspector

Rachel Holden: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC001452 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7