Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 1 SC426318 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2018. She holds a suitable management qualification. Inspection dates: 22 to 23 January 2019

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2018 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/11/2016 Full Good 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide children with highly personalised care and have an in-depth knowledge of their backgrounds and current needs. This support enables children to make significant progress in important areas, including their behaviour and education. One child told the inspector, ‘When I came here, I was always in a bad mood. I used to swear all the time. I don’t do this now.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Promoting education is central to the ethos of the home. Staff work exceptionally well with teachers and other education staff. This collaborative approach ensures that children receive the support that they need in school to enable them to succeed. All children have suitable school and college placements which reflect their individual needs. Children have achieved 100% attendance and are proud of this. One child’s reading age has improved by six years in the 18 months that she has lived at the home. She now enjoys reading and this is part of her daily routine. This progress is because of the excellent support that staff have provided. A headteacher said, ‘This year we have seen massive progress, I would say it’s the most settled [name of child] has been. She listens to others’ opinions and has generally matured. In my opinion, this is as a result of the joined-up working [with the staff].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Regardless of children’s starting points, staff successfully help them to develop the skills that they will need for the future. One child has learned how to tie her own shoelaces and keep her bedroom tidy. Another child has started to learn how to wash and iron her clothes. Staff have developed excellent, individual independence plans which are linked to well-planned key-work sessions. A social worker stated, ‘Her independence skills are really improving. I have seen her preparing vegetables, baking and learning to iron... The progress is great.’ Children’s achievements are celebrated. This helps to improve their self-esteem and confidence. Photographs capture happy memories and memory books are created for children to keep. In addition, children are supported to build memory boxes which are filled with souvenirs and other keepsakes. Staff also write a reflective diary for each child and this is filled with personalised entries. These tools are a valuable way for children to

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

The tailored support provided by staff ensures that children feel safe. Staff work expertly with children to help reduce their anxieties. For example, staff identified that one child was worrying about things, so they created a ‘worry monster’ which eats the child’s worries. This has had a significant, positive impact on the child, improving both her emotional health and her behaviour.

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

Children do not go missing. They feel safe in the home and are given space when they need it. Children seek help from staff rather than run away. Nonetheless, staff remain vigilant to the potential for such behaviour. Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 4 Children set their own goals and targets during one-to-one sessions with staff. This means that staff involve children in decisions about their care. A social worker told the inspector, ‘I like the fact that plans are done with the children, not to the children. Everything staff do, they do well, there are no half measures. The quality of the key work undertaken with [name of child] is amazing, they really do link this to her needs and ensure that she is supported with whatever her targets are.’

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

Staff are dynamic and flexible in their approach to behaviour management. Staff know children extremely well and understand what approach works best for them. Staff are quick to recognise the signs that a child is struggling. They undertake research and commission bespoke training to further their knowledge. Consequently, staff defuse situations quickly and there have been no incidents that have required physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

The respect that children have for staff means that their behaviour is generally good. Staff place a strong emphasis on promoting positive behaviour. Staff praise children continually and give them small rewards. For example, if one child achieves all of her targets, she is able to choose a small gift from a box of wrapped-up ‘goodies’. This approach helps children to develop a sense of achievement. Children know how to complain and have done so when they are unhappy about something. The registered manager takes time to provide children with detailed and personalised responses. Through this process, children learn that their views are respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s motivation and enthusiasm are infectious. She receives praise from children, staff and other professionals. She talks with pride about her staff and children’s achievements. The registered manager uses a range of excellent monitoring systems. These ensure that she has a detailed understanding of the care that children receive. As a result, the registered manager successfully identifies patterns and trends. She uses this information to inform the development of the service and to continually improve it. The registered manager’s influence extends beyond this home. She is influential in the development of new systems and new ways of working. She is open to sharing her successes with people outside of the organisation so that many children benefit from her expertise and creativity. This openness is inspiring. The standards set by the registered manager provide a high benchmark which her staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

strive to achieve. Staff believe in the registered manager. They want their home to be the best, and they all have high aspirations for children. Children make excellent and sustainable progress because the registered manager prioritises their needs. She makes sure that children’s needs are central to the routines in the home, and continually promotes this ethos with staff. The registered manager and staff place considerable emphasis on the importance of listening to children and take Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 5 serious account of their views and opinions. Children’s comments are used to review and appraise the quality of care provided by the home. Consequently, children feel valued.

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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: SC426318 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unity Residential Care Services Ltd, 98 Lancaster Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 1DS

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC426318 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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