Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today Children's Services in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 1 SC008486 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run and managed by a private company. It provides care for six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home has a qualified registered manager.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 2

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make good progress in relation to their individual starting points. They benefit from continuity of care and have consistency and stability in their lives. Care planning is well planned, and practice is highly individualised to meet the specific needs of the young people living at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from effective, high-quality support from skilled and experienced staff that contributes to change and improvement in their lives. Young people enjoy good relationships with staff, with whom they develop strong and positive attachments. Young people reported, ‘It’s alright you know. The staff are nice and caring. They do anything that I ask them to do. They’re trying to get me in foster care. I miss a member of staff that has left. They were the best person you will ever know.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Group dynamics have changed since the last inspection. There is a different group of young people now living at the home, one of whom was only recently admitted. The young person is settling in and confirms that he has been made to feel welcome by staff. He reported, ‘The house seems pretty good. The staff have been really nice to me. They gave me a warm welcome and my first impressions are good.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk impact assessments are completed by the registered manager prior to a young person’s admission. This is done to ensure that young people placed are appropriately matched. However, one young person recently admitted has emerging needs and specific vulnerabilities that were not included in their referral information on which the registered manager based his risk assessment and compatibility decision. New information has come to light about the young person’s specific needs which could jeopardise their placement. As a result, the registered manager has escalated this issue with the placing authority and is now in the process of obtaining more detailed information to review the suitability of the young person’s placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The safety of young people is consistently at the centre of staff’s practice. The home maintains highly effective partnerships with the police, placing authorities and all other safeguarding agencies to promote the well-being and safety of young people. The frequency with which young people go missing has reduced significantly in relation to their individual starting points.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff reward positive behaviour and ensure that the use of sanctions is kept to a minimum. Positive behaviour is consistently praised, acknowledged and re-enforced by staff. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort to protect young people from harm. Staff are trained to manage young people’s behaviours safely and effectively. Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 3 Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities to ensure that young people are protected and kept safe from harm. Staff are trained in child protection and consequently, they have a good understanding of their safeguarding roles. Young people are protected from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. Staff maintain effective partnerships with all professional agencies to ensure that young people benefit from the best possible help, protection and all-round support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no complaints since the last inspection and no complaints were raised by young people during this inspection. The home provides young people with a physically safe, appropriately secure, warm, comfortable and homely environment. Health and safety arrangements are managed effectively and this ensures that a safe environment is provided for young people and staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s education is promoted. The home supports young people’s learning and promotes their regular school attendance. However, some young people are temporarily excluded, and others are refusing to attend school despite support and encouragement from staff. Staff are working closely with the providers of young people’s education to help young people to resume their education as quickly as possible. One young person is currently home tutored. He reported, ‘I have a tutor at the home and that’s fine, but I’d rather go back to my own school.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are registered with appropriate health services and there are good arrangements made to promote their positive health. However, one young person requires medical consent, so staff are clear about the types of health decisions that are delegated to them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from a home that is managed efficiently and effectively. The registered manager prioritises the needs of young people and ensures that their needs are consistently met. There is effective monitoring of the home, both internally and externally. The registered manager uses these monitoring activities to understand the home’s strengths and to tackle any identified weaknesses to secure the home’s improvement.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/04/2018 Full Good 01/11/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 4

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Recommendations

 Ensure children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 5.14, page 28)

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Recommendations

 Ensure each child should have permission for staff to administer first aid and non- prescription medication from a person with parental responsibility for them recorded in their relevant plan. For looked after children, this permission should be sought and arranged by the child’s social worker. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 7.14, page 35)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must challenge (under Regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 11.5, page 56)

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC008486 5 children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 6 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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