Children's Home run by Holistic Approach Limited in Salford

Inspection report children’s home: 1159903 1 Registered provider: Holistic Approach 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home is privately owned. The registered manager has worked in the home since 2002 and is very experienced and well qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 January to 1 February 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

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2017

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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: 1159903 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2017 Full Outstanding 23/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1159903 3

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that the hall and stair carpet is replaced.  Ensure that the workforce development plan is updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are exceptionally well cared for by a very committed staff team. The home provides young people with a safe, stable and highly nurturing environment. This enables young people to make very good progress from their initial starting points. Young people experience care that improves their emotional well-being, self-esteem and prepares them for their future. Feedback from parents and professionals about the quality of care is extremely positive. A professional said, ‘It’s clear that young people’s needs are paramount. Staff are very strong on nurturing. They deliver excellent care.’ Transitions from the home are extremely well planned and supported. Since the last inspection, one young person has successfully moved back to their family home. Staff worked collaboratively with the young person’s family to ensure that they were well prepared for his move back home. Staff helped another young person to develop their

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

independence skills in readiness for their move to more independent living. A professional commented, ‘It’s been a very successful transition. There was a very tight and robust plan in place. I’m really, really pleased with what they’ve done, it’s a good outcome for [X].’ Young people have exceptionally good relationships with staff. Staff sustain positive attachments with young people who have moved on. At the time of the last inspection, staff were supporting a previous resident with her university application. The young person has since gained a place at university and the staff continue to provide both practical and emotional support to her during her studies. This reflects a clear commitment to helping young people achieve their full potential. Education is well promoted, and all young people are in full-time education. Engagement in education has proved challenging for one young person. Staff have worked proactively

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

with professionals to find a positive education setting that is more suited to his needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1159903 4 Staff persevere in helping young people to overcome any barriers to their learning. This helps to improve young people’s future life chances. Young people’s health needs are extremely well supported. The looked after children’s nurse said, ‘Staff know the young people well and strive to meet the health needs of all the young people. They find other ways to get young people to engage. For example, if they won’t go to the dentist, staff will chip away until they get them to attend health appointments. They are absolutely wonderful.’ A social work professional said, ‘They have a good understanding of [X]’s needs and are really good advocates for him working with STARLAC.’ Research-informed practice continues to develop from a strong and confident base, which is making an exceptional difference to the lives and experiences of the young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

people, for example pro-social modelling and attachment and loss theory. Furthermore, staff use evidence-based research to support young people, for example in developing a young person’s reunification plan back home. This ensured that the plan was successful and provided a positive outcome for the young person.

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

Highly effective care planning minimises the risks to young people’s safety and well- being. Risks are clearly identified in young people’s care plans. Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s risks and vulnerabilities and clear strategies guide staff in supporting young people in a safe way. Staff engage young people in direct work relating to their own personal safety, which helps them to become increasingly safe. Since the last inspection, there have been very few occasions where young people have gone missing from the home. In the event of a young person going missing, the staff follow agreed local police protocols to ensure that they return safely. Staff receive training that promotes and protects the welfare and safety of all young people. Records show that there have been no incidents of bullying. There is little evidence of any conflict between the young people living at the home. The use of physical

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

intervention is very rare and only ever used as a last resort. Staff constantly use rewards, praise and recognise all the young people’s successes. Consequently, the number of sanctions used is kept to a minimum. Safeguarding procedures are robust and clearly understood by all the staff. The manager and staff maintain highly effective relationships with the safeguarding agencies. There have been very few safeguarding concerns since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is effectively and efficiently managed. The manager is committed to delivering high-quality childcare, as well as achieving excellent outcomes for young people. She provides strong and effective leadership to a highly motivated staff team. The home can clearly demonstrate the positive impact that living here has had on the lives of young people. The manager and her deputy have created a supportive environment for staff where Inspection report children’s home: 1159903 5 they feel able to constructively challenge each other and debate relevant subjects. Staff confirm that they receive regular and effective supervision. Staff spoken to during the inspection clearly demonstrated that they enjoy their work and share the manager’s high aspirations for improving the lives of young people. Young people continue to benefit from a stable staff team. Staff receive regular training to support their ongoing professional development. The requirement made at the last

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

inspection in relation to the night staff obtaining a level 3 childcare qualification has been addressed. A young person with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autistic spectrum disorder has recently come to live at the home. A recommendation is made to identify some training to enhance staff skills and knowledge in these areas. The home continues to meet the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose. However, a recommendation is made to ensure that the hall and stair carpet is replaced due to wear and tear. Strong partnership relationships ensure the best possible care and experiences for all young people. Effective communication is maintained between the home, parents and professionals. A professional said, ‘For me, it’s been all about the partnership working, if not we could have been looking at a very different outcome.’ Another said, ‘It feels like the young people in placement take priority, they wait for the right match. I don’t think I

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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: 1159903 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holistic Approach Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Parkway Business Centre Ltd, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield S9 4WG

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Inspector:

Michelle Bacon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1159903 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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