Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 1 SC367802 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire 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

The local authority-owned home offers medium- to long-term care and accommodation for up to two children and young people. The care of children and young people is individually assessed and tailored to provide achievable objectives. Staff give children and young people stability in a sensitive and structured environment. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care and accommodation for children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and those who have learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities. There is a permanent, registered manager in post. He has a proven track record of providing children and young people with good and outstanding outcomes. He has managed this home since April 2017.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2018 Full Outstanding 09/05/2017 Full Good 03/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children are gaining positive experiences and sustaining progress in many areas of their lives. They enjoy a range of social and recreational opportunities, for example playing football for a team, having swimming lessons, going camping and going on holidays abroad. The staff routinely capture the children’s wonderful experiences and achievements in a pictorial memory book.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff consistently provide an excellent standard of care and encouragement to ensure that the children achieve positive outcomes. As a result, the children acknowledge that they have made significant improvements in managing their emotional and physical health. This leads to improved confidence and self-esteem. As a result, one child has now been discharged from specialist health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children are engaging in full-time education. The staff routinely help the children to improve their skills and understanding in education. The staff support the children to complete their homework and encourage them to read each day, including reading aloud. This is helping children to achieve well in their education outcomes and is developing their confidence in class. The children’s behaviour in school is improving and this is enabling one particular child to explore a return to mainstream education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have developed significantly strong and trusting relationships with the staff and this forms the foundation for the children’s sustained progress. The primary focus is for the staff to spend time with the children. Because of this, the staff know the children well, and the children trust the staff. One child understands that if they cannot live with their family, then this home is the ‘best place to live’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is comfortable and welcoming. Ongoing decoration and maintenance ensure that the home is well maintained, safe and comfortable. The children’s bedrooms are beautifully presented and personalised based on their wishes and preferences.

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

The children receive exceptional care in line with their individual needs and age. The staff are not risk-adverse; they listen to the children’s wishes about spending time with their friends. The staff work together with the children and professionals to implement plans to safely enable the children to have as much normality as possible in their lives. This means that the children are developing friendships and learning to manage their personal safety. As a direct result of the staff practices, the risk of incidents of going missing from home and exploitation of the children is minimised.

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

The manager ensures the children are well-matched and the staff team are able to meet their needs. The staff management of the children’s behaviours is extremely effective. If incidents occur, the staff listen to the children’s individual accounts before implementing a restorative resolution. Given the difference in the children’s ages, the group dynamic is Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 4 particularly well managed. The children’s safety is maintained as they are helped by the staff to develop a better understanding of how to manage their behaviours and be tolerant of others.

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

The staff have an excellent understanding of the children’s needs and their individualised plans. The written plans provide the staff with clear strategies and a powerful insight into how the children’s past traumas may present in their behaviours. The staff are resolute and determined to support the children through periods of crisis. They are able to identify the need behind the children’s presenting behaviour and create responses that de-escalate situations effectively. As a result, physical intervention has not been used.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The inspirational manager is passionate about improving the children’s lives and experiences. This ethos is embraced by the staff, and as a team they strive together to help the children make positive changes in their lives. The staff encourage the children to engage in hobbies and pastimes that they enjoy. This is providing the children the opportunity to form friendships. These interests and friendships are transferable should the children move out from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and the areas where improvements can be made. He has developed rigorous auditing procedures, which analyse the children’s progress, and which are linked to the quality standards. Targets are created that are shared with the staff to ensure that the home is ever-evolving and brings the best standard of care and outcomes for the children. The manager regularly shares good practice tools with others to further improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working is highly effective as the staff have built positive relationships with professionals and families. The staff communicate frequently with all those involved to support the children’s continuity of care, good health, education and safety. The manager has developed his consultation processes with professionals, family members and the children. This ensures that the views and opinions of others are considered regularly. Allegations and complaints are quickly and robustly investigated and referred for independent scrutiny to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and children. However, not all complaints are recorded transparently in line with the home’s policy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager advocates strongly for the children and this has enabled, for example, a child’s contact plan with their family to progress. The manager also promotes the participation and consultation between the staff and specialist mental health services. This enables the staff to follow strategies to help the children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The proactive manager is focused on developing the knowledge and skills of the staff. Staff feel valued and supported in their roles. Staff retention and progression are valued, as this provides the children with stability. The staff are autonomous and understand their roles and responsibilities. This enables the staff to respond to the needs of and requests from the children in a timely way. Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 5

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Recommendation

 Staff should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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Recommendation

This is with particular reference to ensuring that all complaints are formally recorded in line with the home’s policy and procedure.

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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: SC367802 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC367802 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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