Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire YMCA in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 1 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local charity. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who display behavioural difficulties and may have mild learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since April 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: this is the first inspection since the home was registered in April 2018.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 2

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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 all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically to ensure that all staff complete mandatory training in a timely manner. 28/02/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that recording of recruitment checks for new employees is consistent and includes all necessary information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress in all areas of their lives. They feel respected and listened to by staff and managers. They feel able to express their feelings and report being happy living in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have education provision in place. Staff support them to re-engage, particularly when this has been an area of concern for them. Young people begin to see the value of education and develop higher aspirations for their futures. Staff work well with schools to ensure that the complex needs of young people are understood and that achievable targets and goals are set for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people do not always see the value in addressing their emotional and physical health needs. However, staff diligently support them to make and attend all relevant health appointments. Young people are offered specialist support and advice to consider their needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 3 Young people get to stay in touch with their families, friends and significant others. Staff understand the importance of maintaining such relationships and act as very positive advocates for them. Young people feel integrated into the local and wider community and able to make friendships. This further increases their sense of worth and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people learn the necessary skills to be able to make a successful transition to adult life. Staff support them to learn how to make their own meals, budget and meet their own personal care needs. Clear and detailed work is undertaken with them regularly to prepare them well for their eventual move from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know how to make a complaint or report any concerns that they may have. They report confidence in being able to resolve any issues with staff or managers.

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

Detailed risk assessments and risk management plans support the young people to be safe. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of concerning or risky behaviours. They treat each young person as an individual and tailor their assessments and plans accordingly. Young people report feeling safe and well supported by staff.

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

Staff follow missing from care protocols and procedures well. Parents report high levels of satisfaction at how well staff support their children to be safe and protected from harm. As one parent said: ‘The staff are fantastic. They communicate any issues or concerns to me promptly. They work closely with me to find solutions. I never worry about my child’s safety.’

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

Young people understand the expectations placed on them by staff. They have clear boundaries and behaviour management plans are in place. Staff reward positive behaviours and use imaginative practices to address concerning behaviours. Young people learn to manage their own risky or concerning behaviours in a safer manner.

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

Staff regularly meet with young people to discuss any actual or potential concerns they may have. This includes discussions about bullying. Prompt action is taken to address any such concerns, with clear and detailed plans put in place.

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

Staff understand the potential for young people to become involved in criminal activities. They work closely with the Youth Offending Service (YOS). A YOS worker commented: ‘The staff work really well with me to support young people involved with our services. They communicate extremely well and share all relevant information. They ensure the attendance of young people at all relevant appointments.’

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

Young people are supported to address any concerns in relation to drug and substance misuse. Staff have recently asked the local police to visit the home to discuss the impact of such behaviours with young people. This reflects the commitment of the staff team to ensuring that young people are well informed and educated in such areas.

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

The recruitment files for new staff do not consistently reflect all checks undertaken prior Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 4 to them coming into post. Information is held centrally by the human resources team, but is not always clearly recorded or held within the home. There are clear and detailed procedures in place for safer recruitment, but records need to better reflect compliance with regulatory requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has extensive experience of working within residential settings. He values his staff and they respond positively to the management support they receive. He is supported by a very competent management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the complex needs of young people and sets clear goals for them. There is regular management monitoring of all aspects of the care and support provided to young people. Placement plans are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the changing needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a detailed and comprehensive development plan in place. This reflects the goals and aspirations of the manager and staff team. It is regularly reviewed and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work closely with both parents/carers and involved agencies to support young people. This is seen as a key strength of the staff team. Excellent communication skills are evident and praised by all involved with young people. Managers and staff routinely challenge involved agencies when deficits in support from external agencies are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and well supported. They receive regular, practice-based supervision and feel able to discuss their own professional development needs. Not all staff have completed mandatory training in a timely manner. There is a comprehensive range of training available to staff, but a need for managers to oversee this more closely to ensure that all staff have the necessary skills to perform their roles.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 5 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: 1271383 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FG

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1271383 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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