Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 1 SC419808 Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home. It is registered to provide care for up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since October 2011.

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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

Date of last inspection: 6 December 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2017 Full Outstanding 28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/11/2016 Full Outstanding 16/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact care is having on outcomes and improvements for children. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weaknesses in the home’s care, which is captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 64 and 65, paragraphs 15.2 and 15.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make and sustain excellent progress from their starting points. They clearly identify their own progress and said this progress is due to the care and support that they receive. Young people were unanimous in their praise of the staff team. They spoke of the team as ‘my family’ and said that all the team does ‘is not for the job, it’s for the kids’. They are proud of their own achievements, as well as their staff team and the well-maintained, comfortable and homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The well-being of each young person is at the centre of staff practice, and young people have a clear voice and role in their own care planning. Young people are encouraged in all aspects of their lives, and their emotional resilience is built through the highly nurturing care approach taken by the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy good health and they attend all of their appointments. Staff clearly understand why young people might refuse procedures or services and are creative and persistent in encouraging them to engage. Emotional well-being is well supported, particularly at difficult times for young people, such as anniversaries of bereavements and other significant dates, or at times of rejection. Staff ensure that external emotional support is available for young people to access if they choose. Young people are included in planning healthy and nutritious meals and take part in activities such as swimming and trampolining, to encourage an enjoyable, healthy lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people attend and engage well in education. A young person at a specialist provision has made notable progress, while another is expected to achieve her GCSEs in a mainstream school. One young person is attending, and thoroughly enjoying, a college course. A young person who has completed education now works full time in catering, where she receives work-based training. She is highly regarded for her work by her manager and takes her role and responsibilities seriously. Good communication is Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 4 maintained between the home and these settings so that any challenges can be readily resolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff ensure that young people see those who are important and significant in their lives. They are sensitive to young people’s emotions when this does not go to plan. Staff make sure that positive alternative activities are available and support young people to make their own decisions about the level of contact they have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have confidence in the staff advocating on their behalf. They know their views will be listened to and taken seriously. They fully participate in their own meetings and consultations with the manager, so that their wishes and feelings are considered and acted on. They are aware that independent advocates are available to them, but do not feel these services are required currently. Young people have not raised any complaints at the home because they feel valued, included and their needs are met well. One young person stated, ‘Honestly, who knew a home could be this amazing? Staff deserve appreciation; they take the time to look after us. We love them all to bits.’

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

Staff have an excellent understanding of individual young people’s risks, and the protocols they need to follow to support young people and keep them safe. They have good working relationships with other safeguarding agencies. Young people are included in planning their risk management so that they know exactly what staff are concerned about. Young people with additional needs are supported in their understanding of their plans in line with their abilities. The warm and extremely caring relationships that develop between staff and young people and between young people, mean that confrontation is highly unlikely and significant incidents and safeguarding concerns are extremely rare.

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

One young person is subject to a deprivation of liberty safeguards order. Staff are trained to understand its implications and know exactly what is expected of them to keep the young person safe in the community, and while using the internet. They oversee her contact with significant people in her life, so that this is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Regular direct work supports young people to understand how to keep themselves as safe as possible.

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

Highly effective positive behaviour management systems are in place. Young people respond well to a range of incentives, and negative consequences are minimal. Young people are helped to understand their mistakes in a supportive way, which means that they accept any consequences and learn how to better manage their own behaviour. Overall, young people behave well and present as polite and very engaging individuals, who are determined to succeed in their lives.

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

It is extremely unusual for young people to go missing. Staff are aware of potential difficulties at certain times of the year which might trigger these events. Key-work sessions, to check young people’s emotional well-being, are evident at these times. Young people know that staff are genuinely worried for their welfare and want the best Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 5 for them. Staff encourage young people to develop their own understanding of personal safety through appropriately managed risk-taking, such as travelling independently. However, they continue to provide the support that any good parent would, such as collecting a young person after her work shift finishes late at night, so that she does not have to walk through the city centre alone.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The very experienced registered manager has high aspirations and is committed to young people experiencing the best quality care that the team can provide. The staff team shares her vision and spoke highly of the manager’s constant support. Rotas are planned so that less experienced staff work with experienced colleagues who can provide peer support and supervision, particularly through their induction and probationary period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that staff are well trained so that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the individual needs of young people. There is an ongoing rolling programme of training which is assessed through supervision. Newer staff are enrolled on a suitable qualification if they have not yet attained one. Team meetings also incorporate training to refresh the team’s knowledge on, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; or to raise awareness of potential risks which may have an impact on young people’s safety and well-being, including child criminal exploitation. Meetings also include detailed discussion of each young person’s needs and progress, as well as supporting the team’s understanding of regulations and quality standards. Staff are very clear in their understanding of attachment theory and how attachment difficulties might have an effect on young people’s behaviour and emotional well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision occurs regularly and offers staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice. The manager has highly organised systems for monitoring the home and the progress of young people. She is delegating some monitoring tasks to the recently appointed deputy manager as part of her leadership development. The input of independent monitoring is valued in supporting the home’s development. Although the manager completes a comprehensive report that reviews the quality of care in the home, she does not include a written plan of the actions she aims to take forward. She does have a clear vision for the home’s development, and therefore this shortfall does not have a negative effect on the quality of care that young people receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Plans for young people are individualised and meet their specific needs. Quarterly reports comprehensively track progress. Young people’s views are included and incorporate, for example, visual elements to support an individual’s level of understanding. Social workers and other professionals highly praised the close working relationships and quality of care. One social worker said, ‘I would absolutely recommend [the home]’; another said, ‘I have nothing but good things to say.’ An independent reviewing officer said she ‘can’t fault [the staff], they meet [the young person’s] needs; they are there for her through her ups and downs, she’s always supported’, and noted how ‘[the young person] moved from alternative provision to mainstream school, and she’s thriving.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 6 The home works proactively with local authority professionals to ensure that transition planning commences well in advance of young people moving on. The provider has its

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

own independent living skills programme to enable young people to make this transition successfully, and with confidence in their abilities. Staff are working closely with a school to identify suitable post-18 educational provision for a young person with additional needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A social worker for a young person has introduced him to a young person who already lives at a semi-independent accommodation project where he will be moving to. They attend the same college and now travel there together, building a relationship that will support a smooth transition. The social worker was impressed that the new friend has been invited to spend Christmas Day at the home, with all of the young people insisting he should not be alone. Young people due to move are clear that they want to remain in contact with each other and the staff, as they see them as extended family. Young people have an active voice within their care planning and their consistent involvement in the process is a strength of 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 children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 1BP

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Inspector

Karen Willson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC419808 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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