Children's Home run by Progressive Care Limited in Sheffield

Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 1 SC002930 Registered provider: Progressive Care 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 home is privately owned and run. It provides short-, medium- and long-term placements for children aged 12 to 17 years old who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It can accommodate up to eight children or young people. It aims to support children and young people to progress towards independence within a safe and managed environment, offering skills to prepare them for independent living.

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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 outstanding

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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: 12 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/04/2017 Full Good 19/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 30/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraphs 10.8 and 10.11) In particular, staff should receive training in relation to criminal exploitation and county lines.  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. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph

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Recommendations

15.1) In particular, the location risk assessment should include any information or intelligence on county lines and other forms of criminal exploitation. Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people receive individualised care from which their needs and behaviour are clearly understood. Children and young people have developed positive attachments with staff. This has helped them to share their worries and anxieties and make positive progress relative to their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have introduced a range of initiatives that promote participation and engagement. They involve the children and young people in day-to-day decisions about their home and their lives. This demonstrates that children and young people are valued, and they feel a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have a range of opportunities and engage in activities of their choosing. They are supported in all aspects of their lives. Staff encourage and facilitate regular group activities, such as trampolining, cinema trips and day trips to Alton Towers. This has contributed to a very settled home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have promoted and encouraged the importance of maintaining and developing family contact where appropriate. The nurturing of family relationships has resulted in improved family contact and opportunities for reunification. Parents and siblings get involved in the children’s and young person’s life at the home. Parents, professionals and staff attended a cake-bake fundraising event at the home organised by the children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted, and the children and young people are being support and encouraged to attend. Much effort is made to identify the right provision to enable those young people who have completed their statutory education to successfully move on with their lives. One child has been selected to represent his school at an annual conference to talk about his involvement with the Children in Care Council. Staff attend meetings and keep in regular communication with the range of education providers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of the relationships with other professionals is a key strength and facilitates multi-agency decision-making and planning. The independence plan and work undertaken with [Name of young person] is managed in consultation with the leaving care team. Her skills in all aspects are progressing exceptionally well in readiness for her transition to independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Plans for the young people are exceptionally child centred, and the work done with them through key-work sessions is both thematic and responsive to their individual vulnerabilities. The children and young people complete online training that helps them extend their skills and improves further study and work opportunities. Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 5

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

The risk for each child or young person is clearly understood, and well-documented risk assessments underpin staff practice. The manager and staff participate in a ‘team around the child approach’ that enables them to pre-empt, plan, review and hence reduce risk-taking behaviour.

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

The manager and staff understand the triggers to behaviours, which informs their ability to de-escalate situations before they reach crisis. Work with the children and young people is creative, and the timely involvement of specialist services has provided innovative methods to engage them. The children and young people are making better choices, as they are better informed.

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

Staff are diligent in their supervision of the children and young people. Staff discourage them from spending long periods of time in their rooms on social media. Themed work is done with the children and young people on issues such as bullying, racism, drugs and alcohol and self-harm. This has helped the children and young people to understand the impact of behaviours associated with these issues and to consider the risks involved.

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

The boundaries in place are generally adhered to. A young person said: ‘Staff are firm but fair and you know where you stand. My curfew is 10.00pm, but I’m always back by 6.00pm for tea.’ A parent said: ‘Since [Name] has been at this home, he is much better at managing his emotions, and living here has been of benefit to him. Sometimes, when he doesn’t get his own way, he can push boundaries, but that is very rare now.’

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

The manager and staff have good working relationships with partner agencies. There is a well-coordinated approach when children and young people go missing. Where there have been concerns, staff have acted in accordance with statutory processes and procedures, and referrals to relevant services have been made. One young person has engaged in a knife awareness course, and another young person is engaging well with her sexual exploitation worker.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is highly effective in managing and leading a developing and dedicated staff team. Some of the children and young people have experienced the same team, which has given them consistency and stability of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and her deputy are very hands on. They each bring with them a different set of skills, qualities and experience. This continues to ensure that children and young people enjoy high standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Each member of staff has a comprehensive personal training profile that identifies current and future training needs. Continuous professional development is encouraged, and new staff undergo a rigorous induction. The manager disseminates additional learning in areas pertinent to children and young people, such as mental health, well- being and risk assessments. Staff undergo training pertinent to the presenting needs and Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 6 vulnerabilities of the children and young people living at the home. This ensures that the children and young people are cared for by a well-rounded and competent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Consultation with children and young people is an ongoing process. Ascertaining their views and opinions is promoted, and children and young people feel listened to. Recording is child centred, with the voice of the child clearly evident. The manager’s in- house ‘my placement plan’ is worthy of wider dissemination.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Research-led practice and training are an ongoing process that ultimately improves the lives of the children and young people in her care. The manager would benefit from accessing training on county lines and other forms of criminal exploitation. Equally, prevalence of these activities needs to be included in the location risk assessment. A recommendation has been made at this inspection.

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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: SC002930 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AE

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC002930 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 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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