Children's home run by Staffordshire County Council in Stafford

Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 1 SC375911 Registered provider: Staffordshire County 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-managed resource centre provides short-break care for up to six young people who have learning and/or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments. The registered manager is currently off work. A suitably experienced and qualified interim manager is providing cover until her return.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 February to 1 March 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 good

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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: 8 February 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/11/2016 Full Outstanding 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 3

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that risk assessments contain clear information and are dated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A highly experienced and passionate staff team offers young people exceptional care. They skilfully use a variety of communication aids to help young people express their wishes and feelings. This helps young people to form strong and trusted relationships with staff. A parent told the inspector, ‘[Name of young person] usually refuses to leave my car but when he arrives at the centre he goes in freely. He loves the activities. The staff are so kind and caring. [My son] held a staff member’s hand recently; he has never done this to anyone before.’ Young people really enjoy their breaks in this exceptionally well-decorated home. They choose themed bedrooms upon arrival and make good use of large lounges, gardens, a sensory room and play area. Young people access a range of enjoyable activities in the home and community. Staff write to each young person prior to their stay and ask them to choose what activities

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

they would like to do. Upon arrival, young people enjoy arts and crafts, watching DVDs, going for walks and trips to a local bowling alley. Staff use their knowledge of young people to plan activities appropriately. For example, they encourage young people to spend time with their peers but also recognise when they need quiet time. The interim manager and staff work hard to ensure that young people’s internal care plans reflect their complex needs. They work closely with partner agencies and families to gather key information. Staff visit young people’s schools and homes to learn about their personalities and behaviours and agree joint targets. This collaborative approach to planning enables young people to settle quickly and make significant social, emotional and physical progress. A parent told the inspector, ‘In the past [Name of young person] wouldn’t try new things. Now he is much more confident, he can dress himself and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

enjoys new activities. It’s great for him to meet other young people. He is more Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 4 independent.’ Staff support young people to participate in the day-to-day running of the home. They rotate membership of the young people’s council, a forum which allows young people to make a range of decisions, so that everyone who wants to can participate. Recently, young people used their budget to purchase new toys and helped to design a new newsletter. Young people also take part in a young people’s ‘university’ and enjoy lavish graduation ceremonies to celebrate their progress and achievements. Pictures of these special occasions take pride of place in the home. This gives young people and their families a sense of pride and helps them to develop aspirations for future successes. Staff meet young people’s complex health needs exceptionally well. They work alongside health professionals to create individualised healthcare plans. Staff also work closely with

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

families, GPs and pharmacies to ensure that the administration of medication is well managed. When necessary, staff work with relevant professionals, such as diabetic nurses, to offer young people specialised care. For many young people, transitions to the home can create high levels of anxiety. Staff offer a well-thought-out and sensitive approach to lessen these anxieties. For example, staff provide families and teachers with pictures of members of the team to show to young people before they meet them to help prepare young people. The staff have also introduced ‘chat books’, to help young people, their families and staff plan and prepare young people for their short breaks. Staff use their understanding of young people to carefully match them with their peers. This means that compatible groups of young people enjoy the time they spend together when they come to the home for their short breaks.

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

Highly trained and vigilant staff help to keep young people safe. Some young people have additional behaviour management plans, which offer staff clear guidance to manage risk. Staff implement the strategies outlined in these plans well, and this well- informed and robust practice helps to reduce levels of risk. For example, some young people no longer require the same level of staff supervision in the home as they once did because they are able to manage their behaviour better. Staff also compile a risk assessment that is individual to each young person. There are some minor shortfalls in the recording of risk assessments. For example, when risk assessments are reviewed, these documents are not dated, and some information contained in them is vague. Staff support young people to understand how to keep themselves safe. They offer fun and creative workshops on issues such as bullying and community safety. In addition,

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

staff use a variety of communication aids to help young people to calm when they are unsettled. They pre-empt challenging situations by reading young people’s body language and developing an awareness of their triggers. As a result, incidents of restraint rarely occur. However, the quality of restraint records is variable. This has the potential to undermine any review of the incident for future learning. The excellent and well-planned home environment offers young people a safe place to Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 5 express themselves. Staff utilise the space to best effect, offering young people quiet lounges and sensory rooms to help them regulate their emotions. High-dependency bedrooms are equipped with specialist equipment to meet young people’s needs. External doors are locked, and large fencing protects young people from a busy road. In addition, high staff ratios and careful matching provide young people with opportunities

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

to enjoy offsite activities in a safe and managed environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is currently off work. However, this has not compromised the effectiveness of the management of the home. Robust interim management arrangements offer staff consistent and seamless support. The interim manager holds a level 5 qualification and has significant experience. She works closely with senior management and managers from other in-house services to oversee and develop the service. Staff feel supported by the interim manager and benefit from good induction and training opportunities. Staff communication is excellent and highly effective. Detailed handovers and day-to-day dialogue ensure that young people are offered consistent care. The interim manager is passionate about young people’s care. This drives her ambition to continually improve the service. For example, she works closely with social workers and their managers to improve partnership working and the quality of care young people

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

receive. Records of staff team meetings and supervisions show that the interim manager offers effective support and challenge. She consults with a range of partner agencies to improve the care young people receive. Young people have access to a qualified, experienced and skilled staff team. Staff also use their interests and specialist knowledge to offer young people a range of experiences. For example, some staff are skilled in dance, music and arts and use this to plan activities accordingly. The interim manager uses a range of internal audits to monitor the quality of care young people receive. She uses this information to identify strengths and areas for development, and acts on these. The interim manager also works closely with parents to plan and review young people’s short breaks. Parents are central to the service. They feel involved and receive regular updates on their young person’s progress. The interim manager regularly consults

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

parents and uses their contributions to improve young people’s care. For example, she recently organised a parent’s information event, which focused on supporting young people into adulthood. In addition, the interim manager has initiated a support group for siblings of young people who use short breaks. These interventions are outstanding, providing excellent support to young people and their families. Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 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 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: SC375911 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Staffordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Staffordshire County Council, Wedgwood Buildings, Tipping Street, Stafford, Staffordshire ST16 2DH

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Inspectors

Gareth Leckey, social care inspector Patrick McIntosh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC375911 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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