Children's home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 1 SC034162 Registered provider: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority service is registered to provide care and accommodation for a maximum of seven children and young people aged between eight and 17 years. The children and young people have a range of learning disabilities, complex healthcare needs and associated physical disabilities. Children and young people attend on a shared-care or full-time basis. The registered manager is suitability qualified and experienced and has been registered with Ofsted for 10 years.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 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: 16 January 2018

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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: SC034162 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2018 Full Outstanding 20/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/11/2016 Full Outstanding 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 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 home regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All of the children and young people who live at this home or are staying for a short break are making excellent progress. Children and young people receive individualised packages of care and support. Staff work with families and carers to help to gain a thorough understanding of the children and young people and to support them and their carers in their own homes. Care packages are informed by a wide range of professionals, ensuring that children and young people receive the best-quality advice and support possible. The quality of the relationships between staff and children and young people is excellent. Staff know the children and young people extremely well, and this enables staff to change care plans or daily routines to support individual needs and development, enabling progression.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s and young people’s educational, emotional and behavioural needs are addressed on a daily basis. Their complex health needs are well managed their long- term health outcomes are enhanced through the ongoing management of health-related issues. Educational outcomes are prioritised, and staff ensure that there is a seamless line of communication with schools and the school escorts, which supports children on a daily basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people access a wide variety of activities at specialist provisions and in the community. They have regular opportunities to interact with their peers and try new experiences. Their views and preferences are listened to. Activities are then tailored to individual need so that all children and young people can access a wide range of opportunities. Independent advocates regularly seek the children’s and young people’s views on issues such as menus, bedrooms and likes and dislikes. Staff make the day fun and enjoyable for children and young people, and this is at the heart of their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions and independence training are a key feature of all the children’s and young people’s care planning. Children and young people make progress in self-help skills, such as making a sandwich or clearing the dinner plates. All progress is celebrated, and some children and young people receive individual certificates, some a Children in Care Council award and all of them regular, positive comments from staff. Staff actively encourage all children and young people in their daily lives, and this supports their behaviour plans. Children and young people are treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 4 Communication between staff supports children’s and young people’s right to expression but also, at the same time, helps to keep children and young people and others safe.

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

Children and young people feel safe in this home. They demonstrate this through ‘feelings’ work, behaviour, feedback and the progress that they are making. They are well understood and cared for. Staff communicate to other professionals any changes in behaviour or presentation to ensure that the care package is working and supporting children and young people.

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

Children and young people receive a very consistent approach from the experienced staff team. Positive behaviour is encouraged constantly and gently. Staff give praise and show positive regard for children and young people at all times.

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

When children and young people need to be guided or held, this is done with the least possible intervention. All staff are trained in the same behaviour management technique, supporting the consistency of care. All incidents are well recorded, and staff reflect on the situation and make changes to their practice to try to ensure that further incidents are avoided. When behaviour incidents increase, other professionals are consulted to ensure that expert opinions inform care practice and offer the very best support for children and young people.

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

Children and young people benefit from staff knowing their home situations well. Staff work in partnership with families and carers, where appropriate. Staff members’ knowledge informs children’s and young people’s care plans when families are experiencing difficult times. Evidence-based tools support practice and enable thorough reports to be compiled and shared to inform professionals’ understanding of children’s and young people’s experiences.

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

All the professionals and families reported that children and young people are safe and well looked after. Children and young people who are new to the home have a bespoke time of transition, information and support before moving in. Equally, children and young people moving on have individualised plans to help them to make the transition smoothly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager, assistant managers and staff are highly ambitious for children and young people. They ‘go the extra mile’ so that they are the best that they can be. The stable team of staff work together closely and pull together to ensure that children and young people receive a consistency of care so that they can thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff are strong advocates for the children and young people. They challenge professionals and families to make sure that children and young people receive the very best service to meet their needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 5 The home shares its expertise within the staff group and offers training to other professionals. This enables professionals to communicate better with the children and young people and, in turn, facilitates children and young people to express their views.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff and managers have the relevant qualifications, and mandatory training is up to date. However, staff would benefit from a wider range of training and development opportunities. Although this is in the workforce development plan, how it is to be achieved could be clearer and further defined.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager utilises any opportunities for staff learning and changing practice. This is evident in staff members’ ability to make suggestions and give ideas on how to improve the experiences for children and young people. A recent example is a medication review and a refresher on the importance of following the robust procedures that are in place. The manager ensures that the recommendations from the regulation 44 visitor are always actioned, and she welcomes the independent scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular supervision and appraisals. They also benefit from working alongside the management team. This ensures that management knows the care practice and also supports staff and promotes consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Overall feedback from every professional, carer, staff member and, most importantly, child and young person, themselves, is overwhelmingly positive. Children and young people are safe, well cared for and enjoy their time spent at this home. Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 6

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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 difference 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: SC034162 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2QW

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Inspector

Rachel Holden, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034162 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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