Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 1 SC369840 Registered provider: Stoke on Trent City Council

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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 supports young people aged between 10 and 17 years. The home offers care and accommodation for up to two young people. A local authority operates the home. The home only supports young people from the local authority’s area. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2017.

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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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/08/2017 Full Good 06/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make significant progress socially, emotionally and physically. Each young person’s outcomes are improved because of the high level of care they receive from the staff. Young people are happy and proud of the progress that they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The relationship between the manager, staff and the young people is excellent. One young person told the inspector, ‘I am really happy here. I like the staff and I would describe my home as absolutely perfect.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff make sure that young people have detailed care plans. These plans clearly show that the staff have an in-depth knowledge about the young people, their previous experiences and their current needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff frequently conduct individual key-work sessions with young people. Staff use these sessions to celebrate young people’s achievements, no matter how small. A recent example is that one young person had done so well with developing his independence skills he was given his own front door key. A celebration was held to mark this achievement. Managers from other homes and the responsible individual all attended to help celebrate his milestone of success. The young person told the inspector this story with pride.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people benefit from having detailed individual healthcare plans. These provide clear information about their individual health needs and how they are met. All young people can access a full range of health services available to them and are supported to attend all relevant health and development checks, including statutory health assessments. Young people also have access to the local authority’s therapists and attend regular sessions with them. As a result, young people are developing better emotional awareness, are learning to understand their emotions and can now express them more positively. This has led to improvements in their behaviour and social interactions with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people’s prescribed medication is administered safely by staff. Staff ensure that clear records are maintained, and medication is securely stored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Partnership working with colleges and alternative education providers means that young people make excellent progress in education. One teacher told the inspector, ‘In terms of progression, [young person’s name] is on track to pass his maths and English.’ Staff ensure that there are excellent routines that support young people to attend school regularly. This enables each young person to participate fully in their education and to make the desired progress and success. Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 4

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

The home’s safeguarding measures protect young people. Staff have a clear understanding of the individual risks that young people face and how these should be managed. Regular safeguarding training helps to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to protect young people from harm. The risks associated with young people’s behavior and history quickly reduce when they move into the home. One parent told the inspector, ‘I know my son is safe at the home. Before he was there, he used to be always missing and getting into fights. That doesn’t happen now.’

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

Comprehensive risk assessments and risk management plans are in place. Staff ensure that these plans are regularly reviewed and closely followed in practice. These records demonstrate that the staff have a clear understanding of the individual risks to young people and have implemented effective strategies to reduce and manage the risks that they face.

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

Staff ensure that individual behaviour management strategies are consistently applied to allow young people to develop an understanding between positive and unacceptable behaviour. Staff respond to young people’s behaviour in an extremely positive way, and the use of restraints and sanctions is kept to a minimum. When young people do make mistakes, staff work closely with them to help them make sense of their errors and poor judgements. One young person told the inspector, ‘I like the way the staff support me when I am having bad day.’

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

The health and safety practices in the home ensure that young people’s safety and well- being are paramount. Staff carry out regular health and safety checks, including fire drills, to ensure that the premises are safe and young people can respond in an emergency.

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

The safety and well-being of young people are enhanced by the selection and recruitment process. This ensures that only staff who are suitable to work with young people are appointed. Visitors to the home are checked and supervised when necessary to safeguard young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has been in post since December 2016 and holds a level 4 national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care. He is supported by an enthusiastic and qualified assistant care manager. The management team is strong and provides effective leadership, guidance and support to staff. The responsible individual regularly visits the home to provide additional support and oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are highly motivated and dedicated to delivering tailored care to support young people’s individual needs. Staff have access to a wide range of training, which is centered on young people’s specific needs and vulnerabilities. All the staff have the required level 3 diploma in residential childcare. The manager encourages all members of staff to have developmental goals. Consequently, staff have the confidence and Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 5 knowledge to provide the specialist care that young people need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff supervision is regular and is reflective in nature. Staff described their supervision as being of good quality and supporting and challenging practice to improve the care they give to young people. Staff receive guidance and direction from the manager and benefit from monthly reflective practice meetings with a clinical psychologist. Staff recognise that this helps them to have a better understanding of children’s behaviour and emotional needs. This is further supported by reflective team meetings, with young people being central to the discussions and agreed actions. The manager and staff also share good practice, learning and research information during team meetings to ensure that there is a consistent approach to caring for the young people in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and his staff have developed excellent relationships with a variety of partner agencies, including parents, social workers, police and education services. These relationships ensure that agencies consistently meet young people’s social, emotional, educational and health needs. The manager has had to make appropriate challenge due to services not being of a standard that the manager or staff expect. This demonstrates that the manager is an excellent advocate for young people. An education professional told the inspector, ‘Communication from the home is excellent, constant updates with regards to [name], and they always inform me if there was an incident at the home, which may impact [on] [young person’s name] performance at college.’

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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: SC369840 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City of Stoke-on-Trent, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 1HH

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC369840 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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