Children's home run by Harmony Children’s Services

Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 1 SC461450 Registered provider: Harmony Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and run. It can provide accommodation for up to three children or young people who have emotional, social and behavioural difficulties and learning difficulties, including those who may have an autistic spectrum disorder. The two groups would not be accommodated together in the home. The home offers medium- to long-term, respite and short-break placements, but does not consider emergency placements. Specific consideration will be given with respect to compatibility factors, for example age range and gender and the health needs of existing residents and those of any potential admissions. Flexibility of services to meet individual needs would be sought if deemed appropriate. The manager has recently been registered and has a range of skills and experience.

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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: 21 November 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2017 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Good 24/08/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 3

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Recommendations

 Under Regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people who live at the home receive individualised and consistent care from a dedicated group of staff. The home exudes warmth and nurture, which have enabled one young person to form trusting relationships and to make steady and sustained progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person benefits from the consistent guidance and boundaries in place. She is very much involved in the decisions affecting her life. Her contribution and participation in the day-to-day management of her care have helped staff to be highly responsive to her needs and vulnerabilities. This has seen an improvement in her emotional well-being and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact with family, carers and friends is encouraged and supported. Key-work sessions have focused on healthy relationships that have helped the young person to make better friendship choices. This has resulted in increased independence and free time in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Engagement and commitment to formal education can fluctuate. Staff are very much attuned to situations that impede learning and attendance. Regular communication with schools has seen some success, alongside staff making every effort to re-engage the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy a range of experiences and extra-curricular activities. One young person plays for a netball team and attends boxing and singing lessons. In conversation she said: ‘I hope to one day gain a netball scholarship and attend university in America.’ Such aspirations are very much encouraged. Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 4

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

Young people who live at the home are protected by one-to-one staffing levels alongside well-documented safeguarding procedures that underpin all aspects of staff practice. Free time is realistic and balanced by the young person’s need to develop independence, while maintaining appropriate levels of supervision. One young person now takes ownership of her safety and well-being and very rarely goes missing.

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

The use of social media and the internet is sensitively managed so that young people are protected from being exposed to all forms of exploitation and grooming. Staff utilise a range of toolkits that help young people to understand the potential risks associated with such behaviours.

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

Staff are skilled and adept at understanding the triggers facing young people that can result in heightened anxieties and emotional distress. Close, collaborative working with therapeutic services has seen a marked decline in self-harming behaviours for one young person.

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

A key strength is that the manager and staff work effectively with partner agencies and specialist agencies. Risk assessments are regularly updated to mirror current behaviours and to manage risks, both in the home environment and in the community. One young person responds well to the boundaries imposed because she understands the rationale behind them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly qualified. She has recently been registered and comes with a range of skills and experience. She manages a small staff team of permanent and established bank staff. She is well respected by staff and other professionals. A professional said: ‘The staff and the manager have done an amazing job with [name of young person]. She is as stable as she can be, especially over the last nine months and since [name of manager] became manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work closely as a team. The manager has an open-door policy with staff and is very hands on with young people in her care. As one young person stated: ‘I have no complaints. I get on well with the staff and the manager. They look out for me and I am happy living here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has improved the systems for monitoring staff performance and in evaluating young people’s progress. Regulation 45 reports are of good quality and the manager uses independent scrutiny and stakeholder feedback to improve practice and outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recent guidance on county lines and gang-related activity has been disseminated to staff and discussed in a team meeting. The manager needs to ensure that any intelligence connected to these activities is included in the location risk assessment. A Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 5 recommendation has been made at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is mindful of the importance of robust impact and compatibility assessments when considering new admissions to the home. This has ensured that potential risks can be managed and has ensured the ongoing stability of the young people already in placement.

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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: SC461450 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Harmony Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Grants, 11 Park Place, Leeds, Yorkshire LS1 2RX

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC461450 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 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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