Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 1 SC408369 Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City 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 children’s home is run by the local authority and offers care and accommodation for two young people who have experienced childhood instability leading to trauma and associated complex behaviours. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2019.

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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: SC408369 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2018 Full Good 02/05/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 16/10/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are cared for by staff who offer consistent and stable care that helps them to address their past experiences and manage their present difficulties. Young people develop trusting relationships with staff, and this supports their sense of belonging and feeling cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Well-written placement plans are regularly reviewed in response to changes to young people’s status, which are linked to behaviour support plans and risk assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people attend school or college. Staff take young people to school or college and seek feedback on their progress from their teachers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures that young people have access to a range of health services that promote their physical and emotional well-being. Young people are encouraged and supported to attend routine health-related appointments. A good medication management system ensures that young people receive their prescribed medication in accordance with their doctor’s instruction.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to have time with their families and supervise this when necessary. This helps young people to sustain important relationships with people who are important to them.

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

Young people’s welfare and safety is promoted. Staff understand the risks and potential hazards for each young person and follow risk management strategies to promote their safety and well-being. Staff manage safeguarding concerns effectively and in a timely manner. Staff work directly with young people to help them to understand potential Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 4 risks. This includes supporting them to make positive choices in relation to their personal safety.

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

Staff use physical restraint as a last resort, preferring to use de-escalation techniques. There is good evaluation of incidents, along with reflective work with young people and staff that is overseen by the manager.

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

Staff take appropriate action when young people go missing from care. This is in line with policies and procedures agreed with the local police. Strategy meetings take place when necessary to consider how young people can be best protected. The local police missing from care coordinator visits the home to explore the reasons why a young person has gone missing. This extra support helps to bring in additional strategies to prevent young people going missing again.

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

Young people live in a safe and secure environment. There are effective health and safety systems in place. Regular fire drills help to ensure that young people know how to exit the building safely and quickly in the event of an emergency.

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

When appointing new staff, the manager follows safer recruitment practice guidelines. This means that only those deemed suitable to work with vulnerable individuals get to look after young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since April 2019. She is enrolled on the level 5 diploma in leadership, health and social care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a range of training courses to help to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. New staff receive an induction programme, followed by being enrolled on the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. As a result, staff are trained to meet the needs of the young people in their care and gain the required qualification within timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and are appraised annually. However, records of supervision do not contain any reflection or practice development discussion to support the staff’s ongoing practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have formed positive relationships with a range of agencies, including the police, teachers and the missing from home coordinator. This collaborative approach ensures that the diverse needs of young people are fully met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has acted to address the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. The location risk assessment has been reviewed and is now a live working document and all risk assessments have been reviewed and updated. Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 5

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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: SC408369 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: City of Stoke-on-Trent

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Swann House, Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 4SY

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC408369 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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