Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 1 SC020545 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Ltd

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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 home is part of a large private organisation. It offers care for up to five young people, primarily those who have had a breakdown at home or another placement and have had poor life experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a newly appointed and experienced registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 November 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

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 2 31/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 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 registered person must ensure that, within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)) 30/12/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

This relates to ensuring that there is more specific training including, but not limited to, child exploitation, county lines and radicalisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make steady progress while living in this home. Three young people are in education and the registered manager has advocated for another young person in order to secure a school placement following her move to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are more settled here than they have been in other placements. Some young people have been in placement for a significant period, and are now being supported well with their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff know and understand the young people well. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people‟s past experiences and are able to empathise with young people‟s needs. Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 4 Young people were observed to be relaxed in their home and spoke about a range of different activities that they enjoy, for example swimming, horse riding, dog walking and driving experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager has been instrumental in developing a reward-based system that encourages positive behaviour. Staff now focus on providing young people with positive reinforcement. This has been effective in managing behaviour and encouraging one young person to invest in the placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff carry out fantastic key-work sessions with young people. They are visual and engaging. Each session is individualised to the young person and their care plan. One young person spoke about how interesting the sessions were, and how much she had learned. Staff are starting to develop monthly workshops which will positively contribute to the work that is already undertaken with young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is pleasant and young people‟s bedrooms are personalised to their own taste and style.

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

Young people who previously had a history of going missing do not routinely go missing when living in this home. On several occasions, staff have prevented young people from going missing by encouraging them to remain in the home. When young people go missing, staff act quickly to ensure that they are safely returned to the home.

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

Staff only restrain young people as a last resort and there is close oversight from the registered manager and the responsible individual following any intervention. This allows for reflection and continually improving practice. Debriefs with staff who have restrained a young person are not always completed in a timely manner. However, when debriefs are completed, they are done to a high standard.

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

Staff are good at managing young people‟s risk-taking behaviours and putting strategies in place to reduce risks. Risk assessments provide clear guidance on managing risks, with consideration given to effective and ineffective strategies. Each risk assessment is personalised to the young person‟s needs. Staff focus on restorative work to address negative behaviour. This is effective and avoids the criminalisation of young people.

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

Key-work sessions are effective and teach young people how to keep safe and explore risk-taking behaviour in an open and transparent way. This builds trusting relationships, allowing young people to share their thoughts and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has had some significant changes since the last inspection. A new registered manager and new senior staff have been appointed. The registered manager is Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 5 passionate and enthusiastic, and is supported by an equally experienced and motivated deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has maintained stability for the young people and the staff team during these times of change. She has made positive changes to the home. These have led to improvements and have had a positive impact on the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is proactive in developing the staff team through reflective supervision,. New staff within the home are well supported. They complete an induction process and receive regular mentoring sessions to support and aid their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is up to date. However, there is a reliance on in-house and e-learning training. The staff‟s knowledge and skills could be improved if a wider choice of training was available, for example training that covers child exploitation, county lines, radicalisation and mental health awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff communicate well with professionals and share young people‟s progress with the relevant individuals. Professionals told the inspector that they were pleased with the level of communication that they experience. This promotes partnership working, ensuring that the young person remains central to the care they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager advocates well for young people, and makes sure that they are not „set up to fail‟ by ensuring that they have achievable goals. This helps young people to make progress and positive changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the strengths and areas for development in the home. She is passionate about the young people and has a clear vision for further improvements in the home.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 6 children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Lisa O‟Donovan: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC020545 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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