Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 1 SC048552 Registered provider: Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

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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 home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 50 children and young people, irrespective of gender. It is a privately owned residential special school which is also registered as a children’s home. The home provides care for children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager took up post in November 2016 and was registered with Ofsted in March 2017. Inspectors were aware during this inspection of a police investigation into serious allegations about the use of restraint at this setting. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2018 Full Good 13/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 3

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Recommendations

 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)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people share excellent relationships with staff and talk positively about the sense of community that they feel living at this home. They know staff care about them and want them to do well while living at the home. Because of this, children and young people are settled and make good progress in all areas of their development. Children and young people work closely with staff to plan the care and support that they require. This helps them to be appropriately included and involved. Children and young people benefit from the support of a multidisciplinary staff team. Additionally, good communication between the home and school ensures that children and young people receive consistency and continuity of care in meeting their needs. Children and young people individually identify many staff and managers to whom they can talk if they have worries or concerns. They feel safe and value the support that they

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

receive. Children and young people have a strong sense of belonging in this home and speak highly of it and the school. One young person commented, ‘It’s amazing here, we have so many opportunities and we are respected. If you are good and you need something, you can work towards it. Everyone understands that showing respect earns you respect.’ Staff work in cooperation with a range of health professionals, including in-house education and clinical psychologists to promote children and young people’s health and well-being. Their healthcare needs are well understood and well supported in the home and wider community. Consequently, children and young people are healthy and positively supported to develop emotional resilience, improve their self-esteem and confidence. Children and young people enjoy a wide range of activities and are also encouraged by staff to develop their interests and talents. These include interests such as horse riding,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

football, gymnastics and boxing. For one young person who is developing her talent for boxing, this has also provided her with greater personal discipline and self-confidence, as well as promoting her opportunities for fun, and socialising with others of her age. Parents and placing authorities speak highly of the care and support that children receive. One social worker said, ‘Staff still keep in touch with other young people that I have placed there. The home has been a massive part of their lives. They have brought Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 4 these children up, they have a massive commitment to them.’

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

Children and young people say that they feel safe and that staff keep them safe. Most can talk about the activities and behaviours that make them vulnerable and can compromise their safety. Children and young people feel increasingly safe, having been involved in and contributed to their personal risk assessments. They can discuss with staff those situations when they feel unhappy and vulnerable and suggest strategies that they think will best help them. Children and young people’s individual risk assessments generally are very comprehensive and provide staff with the necessary guidance to keep them safe. However, one child’s risk assessment observed during inspection did not sufficiently take account of a risk identified following a recent incident. This meant that not all staff were aware of this risk and the actual strategies required to manage the risk. The manager immediately amended this, ensuring that the necessary guidance was available to all

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

staff. Despite good levels of staffing and good supervision arrangements for children and young people, some still go missing from this home. Managers consistently monitor and review incidents to identify any trends and patterns. They have been successful in implementing strategies to understand and effectively reduce the occasions when children and young people go missing. With fewer incidents, children and young people are less likely to compromise their safety. Children and young people do not report bullying as a major concern at this home. They are confident that incidents are dealt with as they occur, so they do not feel a strong need to report concerns. Children and young people know how to complain, including using an independent advocate to support them. Young people are confident that they are listened to and that their voices are heard. Children and young people spoken to during this inspection said that physical

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

intervention is only used as a last resort. One young person said, ‘I always know if there’s been a hold. There haven’t been many recently. Usually, they happen because kids are aggressive to staff. It’s not unreasonable to hold the kid if they are trying to hurt someone.’ Managers regularly monitor and evaluate all incidents of physical intervention that occur to ensure that the use of each physical intervention is reasonable and proportionate. Analysis currently shows that the trend is reducing, with recommendations for future strategies for individual children and young people in order to further reduce the likely need for physical intervention. The home’s recruitment arrangements are robust and effective. Staff make sure that children and young people are only cared for by adults that have been properly checked and vetted as safe and suitable to work with children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 5 The home is led by an experienced and qualified registered manager, who is supported by the school principal and senior management team. Staff and managers are highly committed to ensuring that children and young people enjoy a high standard of care and have a memorable experience of their time at this home. They feel pride in working at this home and know that they make a difference in children’s lives. Staff enjoy working at this home and feel well supported. One staff member commented, ‘I enjoy coming to work. It feels like another family. It’s a home from home.’ Another said, ‘Children have a great relationship with senior managers, particularly [school principal’s name]. He sets the tone. Senior managers come into the house, they spend time with the children, have tea, chat and play games.’ Staff say that senior managers are very accessible and always available on a day-to-day

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

basis to provide advice or more hands-on guidance and support. Staff identify the home’s induction arrangements for new staff and the ongoing support of regular supervision and training as invaluable in supporting them in their role. Managers and staff have a clear understanding of the children and young people and their needs. They have high aspirations for children and young people and work in close partnership with parents, placing authorities and other professionals to ensure that the full range of children and young people’s needs are met. One social worker commented, ‘The communication is brilliant. They have been fabulous with her. She has made progress, she is able to reflect better and can have a conversation showing some maturity. Staff are brilliant. She likes attention and staff are good at managing that.’ The home is working in accordance with its statement of purpose. Managers make sure

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

that Ofsted is kept up to date with the home’s performance and informed of any significant events. Ofsted is regularly provided with the home’s internal and external monitoring reports. These are detailed and comprehensive and, together, they promote transparency between the home and Ofsted.

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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: SC048552 6 Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kedleston (Wings Education) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8 Brook Business Centre, Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2FX

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Inspectors

Gillian Walters, social care inspector Charlie Bamber, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC048552 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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