Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 1 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 owned by a local authority. It is registered for up to four young people aged 10 to 18 who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2015. The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 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: 15 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2018 Full Outstanding 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Outstanding 29/10/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 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 children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 28/12/2018

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on the individual child’s needs and developmental stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7) This is with reference to playing age 18 rated console games.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there has been considerable change to the structure of residential services within the local authority. Young people and staff are unsure as to whether the home will close. The staff team has managed this period of change professionally and positively, and in the best interests of young people. This means that young people have been emotionally supported by staff and enabled to share their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has opened a new annex since the last inspection and successfully introduced a new young person into the home. One young person has moved on to a secure provision due to her highly challenging and significant self-harming behaviours. Staff kept her safe and cared for her throughout her time at hospital to minimise further Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 4 distress to her during this period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is very modern, warm and is exceptionally well cared for. Young people have personalised all areas of their home and have very comfortable surroundings. This helps them to feel at ease and to care for their home environment. During this inspection, it became apparent that staff have more recently been locking the lounge and kitchen doors at night. The manager was not aware of this and has taken effective action to address this. This approach by staff could be seen as institutional and could affect the emotional well-being of young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people like living at this home and they feel well supported by managers and staff. Staff ensure that young people participate in outdoor activities to promote their health and well-being. Young people visit the cinema, go shopping and visit local restaurants. During the summer, some young people went to Lanzarote and mountain climbing in the Lake District. This means that young people have fun and explore new opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote young people’s relationships with their families. They advocate for and assist in maintaining family time for young people. Young people are enabled to have friends to stay over. Staff work hard to provide the same opportunities as other young people. For example, some young people have lately started playing age 18 certified console games. Staff risk assessed and researched this before giving agreement. They also closely supervise young people. However, it is not best practice to allow young people to play games rated at this level due to the associated risks and potential impact of some of the content.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that internal placement plans are written to a high standard and include important education and health updates. All statutory documentation is available and signed where appropriate. As a result, the aims and objectives for young people are very clear. This enables young people’s progress and achievements to be closely monitored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have warm and trusting relationships with staff and regularly talk about their wishes and feelings through well-recorded key-working sessions. Young people’s meetings are held monthly and capture the wishes and likes of young people. Actions are swiftly addressed and responded to by managers.

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

Young people feel safe because of living at this home. Staff work hard to ensure that the safety and welfare of young people are paramount. Managers and staff are very knowledgeable about safeguarding processes and practice. Managers have strong links with the local authority’s designated officer and demonstrate strong professional curiosity.

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

Young people reduce their risk-taking and violent behaviours because of living at this home. For example, one young person is no longer committing offences or going missing and is engaging with staff. He has made considerable progress with confidence and Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 5 behaviour. This is because of the constantly warm and nurturing care provided by staff. Well-devised risk assessments and behaviour management plans enable staff to consistently manage young people’s behaviours in a safe and least harmful way.

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

Since the last inspection, despite one young person’s risk-taking and significant self- harming behaviours, there has been a low number of physical restraints used. This is because staff are highly skilled and experienced at managing challenging behaviour and can de-escalate situations swiftly. This means that young people’s emotional upset is minimised, and they learn how to control their emotions.

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

The managers and staff provide strong and effective challenge in the best interests of young people. When young people go missing, staff look for them, contact their friends, contact them and encourage their safe return. Staff follow missing from home procedures well and ensure that return home interviews are completed. This approach helps to keep young people safe and reduces their episodes of missing from home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly devoted and passionate about the care provided to young people. She is inspiring and leads by example to ensure that the highest level of care is provided to young people. She is supported by a dedicated and creative assistant manager. The staff team is consistent and very experienced. Staff speak very highly of the registered manager. She is described as ‘exceptionally supportive’ and ‘very knowledgeable’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision that is recorded in considerable detail. As a result, staff improve their practice and reflect upon areas of concern. This means that a consistently high level of care is provided to young people. Staff receive annual appraisals and any performance issues are swiftly addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have completed a well-structured and highly evaluative report about the quality of care provided to young people. This is also heavily focused on the views of young people. The staff team is working to the aims and objectives set within the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are consistently held, and the focus is very much upon the needs of young people. They are well documented and provide an opportunity to develop knowledge and to share practice updates. Managers regularly complete reflection with staff to consider areas for improvement and to encourage learning. This provides a safe and nurturing environment for staff to grow.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes sure that recruitment files are well organised. They include all the necessary identity and safer recruitment measures required. As a result, risks to young people are minimised because of the effective processes that are in place. Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 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 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: 1155768 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1155768 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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