Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 1 SC020602 Registered provider: New Horizons Childcare Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who have social and emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2017

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2017 Full Good 17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/06/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress because their day-to-day experiences are consistently positive. They receive personalised care and support from a committed, knowledgeable, skilled and motivated staff team. Listening to young people is an overarching principle in the day-to-day running of the home. This ethos ensures that young people are fully involved in the care planning process.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Living in this home significantly enhances young people’s life chances. Young people enjoy a nurturing and safe environment and get on well with each other. As a result, the home is settled and provides a relaxed family atmosphere where young people blossom. The registered manager has made some recent improvements to the house, including new flooring, a new bathroom suite, new electrical equipment and new balustrade fencing in the garden. Young people’s photos and certificates are proudly displayed around the home. Consequently, they have a sense of pride in their home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff invest time in young people, listen to them and know them well. This helps young people to form excellent relationships with staff and to develop a sense of belonging. This caring ethos supports young people to make outstanding progress in many areas of their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support young people to achieve in their education. One young person who had not been in education for a long time is now supported to attend school and his attendance has improved. Another young person aspired to attend mainstream school. Staff worked collaboratively with the virtual school to help him to achieve this. The headteacher from the virtual school told the inspector, ‘In Year 7, [name of child] was virtually excluded from a special school because of his behaviour. The fact that he transitioned last year from special school to mainstream is incredible progress. I only have praise for what the staff do and what they achieve for the young people in their care.’ The registered manager uses research to inform and improve staff practice. This makes a real difference to the lives of the young people living in the home. Staff are well trained in different models of care. They have a thorough understanding of attachment

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

theory and are regularly supported by a therapist who offers guidance about how to work with young people and reduce risk.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help young people to express their views and contribute to the running of the home. For example, one young person who wanted to grow vegetables and herbs has been provided with gardening equipment and space in the garden. Another young person suggested that the home should introduce a monthly care award for staff. This has been a huge success. Young people are encouraged to access advocacy services when they want to challenge decisions about their care. As a result of active consultation, young people feel valued and their self-esteem improves.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Some young people have successfully moved out of the home. For example, one young Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 4 person who had lived at the home for over three years has been able to return to the care of his birth family. Staff have supported another young person to live independently. This move was well coordinated and took place only when the young person had developed effective support networks in the community and had acquired the self-care skills that he needed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are responsive to young people’s individual needs. Young people’s cultural needs are sensitively considered and incorporated into their care plans. Extensive efforts are made to make sure that young people from a range of different backgrounds are appropriately supported. Staff research young people’s culture, religion and language. One young person who was seeking asylum in the United Kingdom was supported to make links with other young people who share his culture. He was encouraged to invite his friends to the home and they cooked and enjoyed food together.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure that young people’s health needs are well met. For example, staff supported one young person who has diabetes. Through specialist support and training, staff enabled the young person to manage his condition well. Staff have meaningful discussions with young people about how they can improve their health. The registered manager has developed valuable links with a local service that provides support to young people who have experienced loss and bereavement. They offer individual work with young people and provide training to staff.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager identifies and engages with other professionals who are able to meet young people’s individual needs. For example, when young people require specialist therapy to support their emotional and psychological development, the registered manager makes sure that this is available and easily accessible. As a result, young people are able to reflect on their past experiences and start to move forward in their lives.

p.4

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

Staff keep young people safe. They understand that when young people display challenging behaviours it is because of their frustrations, anxieties and previous experiences. Staff are extremely skilled at identifying risks and triggers that may result in young people harming themselves or others. This knowledge helps staff to devise highly effective risk assessments and behaviour management plans. These highlight young people’s individual risks and provide staff with detailed strategies about how to reduce them. Consequently, staff manage risks exceptionally well and offer young people the right support. This promotes young people’s safety and protects them from harm.

p.4

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

All staff complete training in the use of physical restraint and de-escalation techniques. They only use physical restraint to prevent young people from hurting themselves or others. Records of these incidents are extremely detailed. Staff make sure that they consistently seek young people’s comments and use them to inform their behaviour management plans and risk assessments. The registered manager takes responsibility for monitoring all incidents of restraints. She analyses the records to identify any patterns or trends that may indicate a change in young people’s emotional stability, Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 5 anxieties or frustrations. Consequently, the use of physical restraint is extremely rare.

p.4

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

Young people make exceptional and sustained progress in reducing their risk-taking behaviours. They no longer behave aggressively. Incidents when young people go missing have significantly reduced. For some young people, this is particularly significant progress. Young people are provided with structure and routine, and staff strike a good balance between enforcing boundaries and rewarding positive behaviour.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A suitably qualified and experienced registered manager leads the staff team. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager. The registered manager keeps young people at the heart of all that she does. She is inspirational and ambitious for young people and ensures that this ethos permeates throughout the staff team. One young person who has successfully returned to the care of his birth family stated, ‘The manager made the home better. She actually asked us what we wanted rather than just doing it. She is the reason I am where I am. I can’t thank her and the staff enough for everything that they have done to support me.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is creative and forward-thinking. She has recently invited a local charity into the home to talk to young people about homelessness. As a result of this work, one young person is now playing his guitar in an annual concert which raises awareness and money for homeless people in the local community. This opportunity has increased the young person’s self-confidence and his awareness of important local issues.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s motivation and enthusiasm are infectious. She receives praise from young people, staff and other professionals. She talks with pride about her staff and young people’s achievements. The registered manager’s influence extends beyond this home. She is influential in the development of new systems and new ways of working throughout the company. She is also open to sharing her successes with people outside of the organisation. Consequently, many young people benefit from her expertise and creativity. The registered manager understands the home’s strengths and is extremely competent in identifying areas for improvement. Internal monitoring systems focus on outcomes for young people. When shortfalls are highlighted, the registered manager acts quickly to resolve these.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager provides staff with excellent support. Supervision sessions are regular and of high quality. They help staff to generate ideas and reflect on their practice. New staff are robustly vetted and are supported through a clear, effective induction process. The registered manager has undertaken research into the reflective styles of each member of staff and uses this information to tailor the support that she offers. Consequently, staff practice improves.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are provided with a wide range of training that informs their practice and meets young people’s individual and diverse needs. For example, when one young person Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 6 expressed suicidal thoughts, the registered manager sourced bespoke training for staff. As a result, staff were able to create effective safety plans and keep the young person safe.

p.5

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.

p.6

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: SC020602 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons Childcare Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, 2nd Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

p.7

Inspectors

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Patrick McIntosh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8