Children's home run by Warrington Borough Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 1 SC442777 Registered provider: Warrington Borough Council

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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 children’s home is run by a local authority. It offers short breaks to a maximum of three young people who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2017 Full Outstanding 13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Outstanding 17/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) In particular, noticeboards in children’s communal areas are not used for staff matters and reminders.  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. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) The review should incorporate new and emerging risks that may affect children with specific needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional care during their short breaks. The home has now introduced an outreach service for children to enjoy opportunities and activities at the home, without staying overnight. This has broadened the reach of the service to additional children and was initiated following the responses received from a short breaks survey. Children fully participate in making decisions about their activities, via children’s meetings and individual consultations with key workers. The staff listen to children’s views and are creative in trying to meet children’s requests. For example, children asked for a specific vacuum cleaner for the home that they could use. Although this could not be facilitated, toy versions were bought for the children to play with. Careful planning considers children’s often complex needs and health conditions. Some children have enjoyed new experiences, such as going to sports events, that they may

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

not have the opportunity to do within their families, due to their complex needs. Children requested a sensory room at the home. Although this could not be facilitated in the building, children regularly access a play and sensory resource locally and chose themselves to hold a fun day to raise money for a sensory garden there. This helps children to recognise their worth, ability to contribute, and integrates them into the wider community. The home has developed some excellent local partnerships. Children regularly enjoy creative activities with an artist, both at the home and in the artist’s studio. Creative approaches ensure that all children can participate and overcome any barriers. Children’s Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 4 work was exhibited as part of a wider community exhibition. The artist spoke of how children’s skills have developed, and noted how the team ‘looks at ability, rather than

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

disability’. She said, ‘I can’t praise the home enough, not just for its insight, but support. Absolutely amazing.’ Guest speakers are invited to team meetings, and there is regular liaison with other health, education and social care professionals. This promotes close working relationships so that best practice is shared. Regular communication, attendance at meetings and high-quality reports promote holistic care and understanding of children’s progress. External practitioners spoke very highly of the quality of care and the positive effect that short breaks have on children’s lives. Children thrive from the regular and plentiful praise and celebration of their achievements. Their experiences are carefully recorded and are shared with their families. One parent spoke of how she and her child read through the diary of his stay, and how he is now more willing to do the same with school books. He enjoys talking

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

about the staff and other children. He is more sociable and is developing greater independence because of the support he gets from staff. She said, ‘It’s been a life changer for us and [name of child], and he loves it.’ Another parent spoke of how well staff understand her child’s needs and carefully balance between encouraging him to achieve more and allowing him to relax during his visits. Daily records, and photographs of children’s achievements, are concise, evaluative and provide a clear sense of how short breaks improve children’s lives. Plentiful use of visual communication systems caters for individual needs throughout records and essential documents, such as the children’s guide. An informal newsletter shares information with families, including forthcoming events and profiles of staff that they might not normally meet. The home has recently received a Makaton-friendly award, and Makaton champions in

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

the home share their knowledge with the team and maintain up-to-date information. All staff learn new signs and symbols so that they can communicate with children and enjoy fun interactions. The team constantly strives to provide children with the highest-quality experiences to enhance their lives and develop their independence skills. Children are truly valued and are at the centre of practice in the home.

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

Thorough understanding and planning ensures that children can enjoy stays at the home because they feel safe. Appropriately high levels of supervision and comprehensive, thoughtful risk assessments, behaviour management and daily plans mean that incidents are extremely rare. Parents are confident in the team’s ability to keep their children safe. They know that staff will respond to any incidents and keep them well informed. Some children have complex health needs that require regular medication. Robust audit procedures are in place that swiftly identify any errors in administration of medicines. Full investigations take place, and staff receive further training and are observed during Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 5 administration until the manager is satisfied that the risk of further errors is minimised. Records demonstrate extremely thorough analysis and reflection on any incidents. For

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

example, there have been two incidents requiring staff to use physical intervention to keep children and others safe. The behaviour exhibited by the children involved was uncharacteristic, and staff communicated with parents and other professionals to examine potential causes of the children’s distress. Staff were then able to work with the children to help them to reduce their anxieties. Adults around them were able to consider and modify their behaviour which may have contributed to children’s behaviours. This level of reflective practice demonstrates the ethos of the home in understanding behaviour as a child’s communication of their underlying emotional state. By working closely with parents and other professionals, children’s experiences are improved. Children regularly receive praise and rewards for their accomplishments. Sanctions are infrequent and are used to safeguard children when they become emotionally

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

heightened. For example, a short ‘time out’ might be given to allow a child to calm and self-regulate, or an activity may be shortened in the community if a child tries to run from staff in a busy place. These help children to reduce unwanted or harmful behaviours and keep them safe. Children’s views are carefully considered and responded to promptly. One child complained that Sky film and sports channels are not available at the home. The manager spoke with and wrote to the child to explain that, although the home could not facilitate his request, alternatives could be offered, including buying DVDs and attending live matches of his favourite rugby team. The child was happy with how his complaint was resolved. Young people’s meetings are used effectively to promote children’s awareness of how adults should behave appropriately and keep them safe from abuse, without causing children anxiety. Simple, child-friendly approaches that consider specific needs are used,

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

such as the ‘PANTS rule’. The home’s excellent practice of ensuring that a member of staff always carries an emergency bag was highly effective after the home’s car was involved in a road traffic accident. Emergency workers were able to forward essential information about children to hospitals in advance, so that they received sensitive treatment on arrival. The manager has shared the home’s expertise with other safeguarding agencies to take account of the additional vulnerabilities of children who have disabilities and/or complex needs. This has contributed to improvements in specific screening tools used across a range of services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate and inspirational. She is supported in her role by a very experienced deputy manager. Both are conscientious in evaluating the quality of care provided to ensure that every child is making progress that makes a positive difference. Their enthusiasm influences the staff, who share their passion and drive for achieving Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 6 the best possible outcomes for children. Detailed external monitoring processes comply with regulations and contribute towards the children’s safety and well-being. The manager’s internal auditing procedures are thorough and ensure that care of the highest standard is maintained. The views of the children and parents are carefully gathered and used positively to inform care outcomes. Staff supervision arrangements are well established and provide good opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice. Managers also use this time creatively to monitor staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

competence and progress in their development. The registered manager has high expectations of the staff team and motivates staff to be imaginative in their work. Staff morale is high, and the team is highly motivated in its work. A psychologist commented, ‘It’s refreshing to see their stoic curiosity in trying to find what works for individual children.’ The management team has a detailed and aspirational plan to further develop the home. The team constantly strives to implement new practices that further enhance the children’s opportunities. Staff make excellent use of research-based practice, including looking at the impact of challenging behaviour, working as a team to define the word challenging, and how different professionals’ definition of this affects children. The manager is also keen to share her practice with other homes and professionals working within childcare so that other children can also benefit from the creative practice her

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

staff deliver. The homely environment carefully considers children’s individual needs and the manager makes good use of specialist advice in its planning and layout. However, a kitchen noticeboard contained reminders for staff matters, which detracts from the overall child- focused atmosphere. The locality risk assessment requires some improvement to highlight new and emerging risks in the local area, specifically when considering the complex needs of the children accessing the short-break service. The manager acknowledged this and has made a commitment to improve the assessment.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 7 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: SC442777 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children’s Services Directorate, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 2NJ

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Inspectors

Karen Willson, social care inspector Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC442777 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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