Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 1 SC008607 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Services

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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 home provides care for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home is maintained by a partnership arrangement.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2007.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2018 Full Good 04/10/2017 Full Good 09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all relevant plans are in place for young people (‘Guide to the children homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1). This relates specifically to obtaining a pathway plan and education, health and care (EHC) plan from a child’s placing authority.  The Government has raised the participation in education age so that all young people from summer 2015 will be required to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. Young people can choose how to participate. This can be through full time education, an apprenticeship or traineeship, or by combining full-time employment with part-time education or training. Whilst the duty is on the young person themselves, it is important that children’s homes’ staff encourage the young person to continue their education or training and support them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the option they choose.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.16)  Homes have a key role in organising and ensuring each child’s attendance at the necessary primary and secondary health services. Most health services that a child needs to access will be provided by other organisations. If these services are not accessible, or are withdrawn, staff should inform and engage with those who also hold a responsibility for the child’s health to ensure their health needs are met under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met) (‘Guide to the children homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.11). This relates specifically to ensuring that young people attend all their routine health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has been admitted to the home since the last inspection, and another young person has left the home having made their planned transition to an alternative care provision. Young people make sustainable progress, in relation to their starting points, across aspects of their social, emotional and behavioural development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker reported, ‘I’m so happy with the placement. I would happily place another child there again. They’re fantastic and so supportive of the young person.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from well-planned, personalised care that promotes their needs effectively. However, some plans from the placing authority, which would ensure that young people’s specific needs are met effectively, remain outstanding. That said, all Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 4 outstanding plans have been requested by staff. Young people benefit from good relationships with staff and they sustain their positive attachments. They benefit from continuity of care and have consistency and stability in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are involved in decisions, so they can contribute to and influence the running of the home. Young people feel listened too because staff act on their views and reasonable requests. Young people are made aware of the home’s complaints procedure, so they know how to make a complaint. There have been no complaints since the last inspection, and young people raised no complaints with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s good health is well promoted, because staff work closely with various health professionals. Young people have access to the health services they need to facilitate their emotional and physical well-being. However, one young person consistently refuses to attend their routine health appointments despite continuous support and encouragement from staff. Medical consent is in place, and staff are clear about the types of health decisions that are charged and delegated to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are accommodating and supportive of family time taking place regardless of the distances involved. They ensure that young people have contact with their families to help sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have completed their exams and are now school leavers and eligible care leavers. One young person attends work experience, and another is in the process of exploring his options for progressing his learning, which need confirming, with staff support and advice.

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

Young people’s safety is consistently at the centre of staff’s practice irrespective of the challenges this presents. Young people become increasingly safer because of the actions staff take to support and protect them. Risks associated with young people are well known and managed by staff.

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

A social worker reported: Communication is excellent. [The home] demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding, keeping this as a priority and showing evidence of working with other agencies to ensure safety. [Young person] has made fantastic progress. This is a result of staff’s commitment and dedication, showing they understand his needs and have worked to meet them. I believe that he wouldn’t have made this progress anywhere else.

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

Staff have high expectations of behaviour and use consequences appropriately to help young people to reflect on their wrong-doings. Staff enable young people to manage their emotions and frustrations safely, so young people learn to self-regulate their own behaviour. Robust risk assessments are in place and, combined with effective behaviour management practice, they promote the safety and well-being of young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 5 The use of restraint is rare and, if used at all, it is always a last resort to protect young people from harm. There have been no restraints since the last inspection. Staff are trained and skilled in de-escalation. They anticipate issues and take decisive action to prevent behaviours and incidents from escalating.

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

Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities, and staff maintain effective partnerships with the police and all other safeguarding agencies to keep young people safe from harm. Staff are suitably trained in child protection, human trafficking and county lines and in understanding child sexual exploitation. They are knowledgeable about and familiar with their safeguarding roles. Young people are protected from abuse and other forms of significant harm.

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

Staff actively look for young people if they are missing. However, the majority of missing from home incidents involve the same young person and are usually late returns. Staff work closely with the police to locate young people quickly if they are missing, to promote their safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home employs a suitably qualified and very experienced registered manager and deputy manager, who together exercise strong and effective leadership of the operation of the home. The registered manager ensures that the home is managed efficiently and effectively, in a way that meets the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has met all but one of the recommendations from the last inspection. Therefore, the recommendation previously made concerning obtaining any outstanding plans from the placing authority is repeated, as a young person requires a pathway plan and an updated EHC Plan. Both documents have already been requested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Medical consent has now been obtained for young people, and risk impact assessments are completed by the registered manager prior to any new admissions to the home. This ensures that young people living at the home are appropriately matched. Potentially dangerous sharp cooking utensils are now stored safely and securely by staff. This promotes the safety of young people and protects them from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are looked after by well-trained, qualified and experienced staff, who show a real commitment and dedication to improving the lives of young people. Staff are supported by the registered manager effectively and feel well managed, supervised and led. The registered manager has high expectations of staff and channels their efforts effectively. He leads staff by example and prioritises the needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home provides a safe environment for young people, visitors and staff. Health and safety matters are addressed effectively, and all appliance checks are kept up to date by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home employs an independent person to visit each month to scrutinise the Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 6 performance of the home and its arrangements to safeguard young people and promote their well-being. The registered manager makes positive use of the home’s monitoring activities, so he can understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This enables the registered manager to act on any shortfalls to secure the home’s continuing improvement.

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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: SC008607 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008607 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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