Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: SC033808 1 SC033808 Registered provider: Wakefield Metropolitan District 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 local authority service provides short-breaks care for up to seven children and young people who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities including sensory impairment. The service currently supports 43 children and young people. The manager has been registered since 2007.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 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: 20 February 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: SC033808 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2018 Full Outstanding 22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/12/2016 Full Outstanding 29/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC033808 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A high number of children and young people use this exceptional residential short-breaks service. The manager and staff team have worked at the home for a considerable time so have an excellent understanding of the children’s and young people’s individual and complex needs. This stability of carers provides the opportunity for the children and young people to make strong and trusting relationships. This helps them to feel safe and promotes dignity for those needing help with their personal care needs. Parents and carers reported that this is like their children’s second family. They have complete trust in the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people receive high-quality care and support from staff who have extensive experience of caring for disabled children and young people. Staff are enthusiastic and creative and work hard, investing time and effort in making sure that the children and young people have a highly enjoyable experience. Staff provide exceptional, warm and nurturing care. They are also intuitive and notice small changes in the children’s and young people’s presentation or a loss of already acquired skills. They work closely with the occupational therapist, who visits the home once a week, to try to work out the cause. This close attention to detail means that the children and young people receive early help and support. Changes can be made to equipment to make them more comfortable, and their quality of life is improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There are numerous examples of the children and young people making significant and sustained progress in respect of their development and self-management skills, as well as having fun. The children and young people all have individualised targets set for them. Their achievements include improvements in respect of their self-care, social skills, independence and toileting skills. Some children and young people really surpass expectations, such as those who achieve the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. This involves them in undertaking tasks such as volunteering over a sustained period. It culminates in a six-mile walk with overnight camping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people have access to a whole range of stimulating facilities and activities. Staff carefully match children and young people with each other to provide them with the best possible short-break experience. The children and young people have a strong voice in planning how they spend their time. This includes them having one-to- one time with staff or group activities with their peers. They can try new experiences and challenges, such as being part of the photography group or going camping. This promotes confidence and positive self-esteem, and they develop improved social skills through spending time with friends. One parent said, ‘It gives [Name of child] a break. She develops independence skills, and she can socialise with children of her own age with the same needs and abilities. She absolutely loves going.’

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

The children and young people are closely observed and supervised and have high levels Inspection report children’s home: SC033808 4 of support to keep them safe at all times. The staff know and have an extensive understanding of every child’s and young person’s vulnerabilities, risks and behavioural needs. These are recorded in the highly individualised risk assessments. The children and young people do not go missing. However, the staff know how to respond in an emergency due to the protocols in place, such as the personalised missing procedure.

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

As the children and young people enjoy coming to the home and have excellent relationships with staff, there are only a few behavioural issues. The staff team uses effective de-escalation and distraction techniques to manage any negative or self- injurious behaviours. There has only been one occasion in two years when staff had to hold a child to keep them and others safe. This was only a very brief, low-level physical intervention, which was appropriately managed to support the child.

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

When needed, the manager responds to emergency requests for a new child or young person to start coming to the home. This could also be for an existing child or young person to have an extended short-breaks stay. The staff team provides a flexible service and goes over and above to make sure that children and young people are kept safe or to support parents and carers during a crisis.

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

The staff team has excellent working relationships with safeguarding professionals. This provides an important multi-disciplinary approach. The staff attend child protection conferences and core group meetings. This helps them to keep up to date about what is happening in the child’s or young person’s home life. Staff remain vigilant and feed back relevant information to social care professionals.

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

Staff benefit from comprehensive training, which includes safeguarding refresher training. Managers have created a specially designed and detailed workbook, which updates and tests staff’s knowledge in this area. This is enhanced further through a staff member attending children’s safeguarding board meetings. The staff are provided with information about current issues affecting the locality such as county lines.

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

The staff know how the vulnerabilities of the children and young people could allow them to be exploited by others. Consequently, they provide the children and young people with extra learning experiences, speaking to them individually about topics such as bullying and sexual health. The children and young people have tailor-made sessions in line with their age and understanding. These help to teach the children and young people about dangers, to empower them to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has worked at the home for many years. She has extensive experience working with children and young people who have complex health needs including learning disabilities, physical disabilities, communication and behavioural needs. The manager leads by example and is child focused and aspirational for children and young people to reach their full potential. The manager is supported by skilled and committed assistant managers. This provides excellent leadership of the home. Staff also enjoy having delegated responsibilities. Inspection report children’s home: SC033808 5 The home has a team of experienced, extremely dedicated staff, many of whom have worked at the home for many years. They talked with passion about the enjoyment their job gives them. The children and young people respond positively to the staff’s enthusiasm and encouragement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff enjoy the open-door policy and talked about being highly supported by managers. They feel able to discuss any issues they are facing, which promotes transparency. The staff team has regular supervision and team meetings. Detailed reflective practice discussions take place, and staff share ideas with each other. This contributes to the workplace being a learning environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager considers that staff development and training are essential to ensure that the home continues to deliver the exceptionally high standard of care to children and young people. This includes staff attending management training, so they have the chance to progress to higher positions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very proactive in seeking the views of others, such as children and young people, parents and professionals. These opinions are listened to, and the forward-thinking manager and staff team are constantly making improvements. These include changes to recording systems to help managers monitor the service more effectively. The staff team has also been creative in re-designing the children’s guide and information booklet. This has made them even more child friendly and accessible for children and young people referred for short breaks. The new parents’ guide also provides information in an easy-to-read format.

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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: SC033808 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033808 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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