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

Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 1 SC008486 Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s 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 is run and managed by a partnership. It provides care for up to six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a qualified registered manager in post. The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 September 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 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: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Good 01/11/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that relevant plans are obtained from the placing authority. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1) This relates specifically to obtaining updated personal education plans (PEPs) for young people who require them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make considerable progress in relation to their individual starting points. They benefit from effective, high-quality support from staff that contributes to change and improvement in their lives. Young people enjoy excellent relationships with staff and form positive attachments with the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A young person reported, ‘I think it’s a good home. The staff treat you nice. They treat you how you want to be treated. The best thing is the staff.’ A social worker reported, ‘I have been impressed with the team’s inclusive and nurturing culture. They have shown care and compassion for the young person.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people benefit from well-planned, highly individualised care that promotes their needs effectively. Staff address the issues experienced by young people. They help them to work through their problems, fears and any anxieties. Staff stand by young people and they don’t give up on them easily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work in partnership with the families of young people, their schools, social workers and other professional agencies to ensure that young people benefit from effective help, and the best possible all-round support. A social worker reported, ‘I am grateful for the connections they have made with this hard-to-reach young person. The manager has been keen to actively consider risk management in a dynamic way. He has responded both quickly and comprehensively when issues have been highlighted.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people who come to live at the home have often experienced poor school attendance and disruption to their education. However, the young people now attend school or alternative educational provision regularly, with support and encouragement from staff. Young people are learning and make good educational progress in relation to their starting points. Staff ensure that young people have personal educational plans to promote their progress, achievements and learning. However, some young people’s plans require updating. Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 4 There are highly effective arrangements in place that promote the young people’s good health. Young people are registered with the health services they need and have access to these services when they need them. Medical consent is in place and staff are familiar with the types of health decisions and responsibilities that are charged and delegated to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have regular contact with their friends and families. This ensures that young people enjoy family time and sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them. Staff engage young people in a diverse range of positive activities. As a result, young people develop their social skills, talents, interests and hobbies. A young person reported, ‘I went on a zip wire. It was well scary,’ and, ‘Staff encourage me to go to school. They’ve helped me see my family. Best thing is the staff; they’re funny.’

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

Young people are kept safe and feel safe. Staff have an excellent understanding of the specific needs and emerging vulnerabilities of young people and take appropriate action to address them. Young people’s safety is managed effectively. Young people benefit from effective support, help and protection from staff. A social worker reported, ‘Staff put measures in place to safeguard the young person. I have noticed a positive change in the young person’s behaviour and attitude whilst I have been working with him.’

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

Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with the police and all other safeguarding agencies to promote the safety of young people. Young people are protected from abuse and staff are always alert to the risk of harm. Staff are trained in child protection, child sexual exploitation, county lines, radicalisation and human trafficking. Staff are well informed and familiar with their safeguarding roles. Staff consistently prioritise the safety of young people, irrespective of the challenges this presents.

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

Young people know how to make a complaint and their complaints are addressed effectively. Allegations of abuse are handled professionally, and these are reported to the appropriate authorities to ensure that young people are safeguarded and protected from harm. There have been no referrals to children and young people’s services since the last inspection.

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

Staff consistently have high expectations of behaviour and maintain a safe environment for young people. Positive behaviour is actively encouraged and unacceptable behaviours are addressed effectively. Young people are encouraged to self-regulate their feelings and behaviours safely. As a result, the use of restraint is rare, and if used at all, such interventions are a last resort to protect young people from harm. There has been one restraint since the last inspection. This was low level and of short duration.

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

Young people with a history of going missing from care show a reduction in this type of risk-taking behaviour. The use of clear risk assessment and highly effective safe working practices contribute to the safety and well-being of young people. Young people are protected if they are absent or go missing from care. Staff actively look for them and Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 5 work closely with the police to locate young people quickly and secure their safe return. Young people become increasingly safer because of the actions staff take to support and protect them.

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

A commissioning officer reported, ‘The registered manager is very careful with matching the young people. The registered manager and the staff team are clearly invested in achieving the best outcomes for the young people. Missing-from-home episodes are low… this is reflective of a settled home.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and holds the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The post-holder has been in place since May 2017. He has high expectations of staff and consistently high aspirations for all young people. The registered manager ensures that the home is managed efficiently and effectively. He demonstrates strong and effective leadership of the day-to-day operations of the home. The registered manager is an ambitious, enthusiastic and experienced leader. He leads staff by example, and ensures that staff have a clear sense of purpose and direction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The service meets and exceeds the aims and objectives as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose, as young people receive consistently high-quality care that contributes to change and improvement in their lives. Staff share and implement the home’s ethos, approach and philosophy in caring for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from good-quality training that enables them to meet young people’s needs. The staff team’s training and developmental needs are met effectively. Staff are managed professionally and they are well supported and led. Staff receive regular practice-related supervision, in which they are encouraged to reflect on their performance and the registered manager ensures that they are kept up to date with practice developments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager escalates concerns and challenges professional decisions when he believes this is in the best interests of young people. He champions the needs of young people and advocates effectively on their behalf. The registered manager and staff aspire to make a positive difference to the lives of young people. A social worker reported, ‘I have been impressed with the team’s attitude, led by a caring and enthusiastic manager to achieve positive outcomes for the young person.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The performance of the home is scrutinised highly effectively. The home is visited by an independent person each month to review the quality of young people’s care and the home’s arrangements to safeguard young people and promote their well-being. The manager consults with the families of young people, social workers and independent reviewing officers to review how stakeholders feel about the service and how the needs of young people are being met. The registered manager makes effective use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities to understand the strengths and weaknesses associated with the home. As a result, weaknesses are tackled effectively to secure the home’s continuing improvement. Inspection report children’s home: SC008486 6 The home has been completely redecorated since the last inspection. The home provides young people with a comfortable and homely living environment. Health and safety

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

matters are addressed effectively. This ensures that a safe environment is reliably maintained for young people, visitors and staff.

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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: SC008486 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : The Partnership of Care Today Children’s 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: SC008486 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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