Children's home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 1 SC470928 Registered provider: Nottingham 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 local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and/or young people who have learning disabilities and associated communication difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 November 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 outstanding

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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: 19 December 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2018 Full Outstanding 12/12/2017 Full Outstanding 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess risks to each child and arrangements in place to protect them. This is particularly in relation to risks from play equipment in the garden. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of the children, they will, in most cases, be homely domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good overall progress, but particularly in their health and well-being. Placing social workers have commented on young people’s achievements since living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are extremely good relationships between staff and young people. Staff are very confident in their practice and have a secure knowledge base. The staff know the young people well, speak very positively about them and genuinely care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know each young person’s individual communication style well. Meetings and records are accessible to young people as their preferred communication methods are accommodated. Social stories and pictures are used to help young people to understand what is happening. Recent developments have ensured that young people have more of a say about the food they eat. Young people have a strong voice and have lots of opportunities to have their say.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people can make complaints. All young people, regardless of communication methods, can make their views known. They can access an online complaints system which uses symbols and pictures. Additionally, advocates visit this home. The staff team learns lessons from complaints, and there is also a very clear and robust management response.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager understands the importance of young people’s relationships with their families. He, and the staff, work in partnership with families, sometimes in challenging circumstances. This is always for the benefit of the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to try new experiences. Recently they have engaged well Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 4 in yoga sessions with staff. The ‘music man’ also comes to the home to perform, and sings songs which are specific to each young person. Young people have good opportunities to develop their interests and have some very enjoyable experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person spoke about their good transition out of the home. This transition went at a pace which was right for them. It is very positive that this young person still maintains contact with staff, often receiving practical and emotional support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The back garden did not present as a pleasant area for young people to play in or enjoy. There was general untidiness in this area and some rubbish bags were present. This area was unsightly and not as well cared for as the inside of the building.

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

Young people are safe. Staff ensure that safeguarding records are clear and concise. Young people have good-quality plans and their risk assessments are effective. This all helps to protect young people.

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

When physical intervention is used, managers analyse the record of the intervention to establish whether the intervention was appropriate and proportionate. All staff involved in the intervention reflect on their actions, and young people’s views are sought. Managers review the records in a timely way and use reflection and the views of staff and young people as an opportunity to learn from incidents.

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

One young person has significant health needs in relation to their epilepsy. Staff know what to do if they have a seizure. Proactive work has been carried out to ensure their safety. This includes advice from an epilepsy nurse about monitoring. Staff are confident in the administration of medication.

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

Staff know how to keep disabled young people safe. They have an extremely good working knowledge of safeguarding issues. They know that disabled young people are particularly vulnerable living in residential care, and they know how to protect them.

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

Young people are involved in selecting new staff to work at the home. The interview panel involves questions from young people. This ensures that staff know how to communicate with disabled young people from the onset so that they can help to protect them.

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

There is has been one example of when staff were not vigilant in managing risk involving play equipment in the garden. This was put right on the day of the inspection and has not had an impact on young people. However, risks need to be better identified so that young people are always protected from danger.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 5 Leaders and managers are inspirational, and they are excellent advocates for young people. They settle for nothing less than outstanding practice from everyone. The manager works very well with other agencies, sometimes holding them to account when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has good links with the local authority and this helps him to plan improvements. He has recently obtained funding to buy adaptive bikes and funds to develop the home, both internally and externally. This will benefit the young people currently living at the home, and those who come to live at this home in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager continues to advocate for young people after they have left. He talked about one young person who has recently left and said: ‘We are his family and we won’t let him down.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff training is tailored to meet the specific needs of the young people they care for. This equips staff with the skills they need to provide good-quality care. Some training records are not fully complete and do not reflect staff learning and development opportunities. This makes it difficult to monitor and see a full picture of each member of staff’s training profile. Leaders have plans in place to improve this system. This shortfall does not detract from the otherwise excellent leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel extremely well supported. They are highly motivated and thoroughly enjoy their work. Staff know their job roles well and are tremendously complimentary about their management team. The consistency of the staff team enables them to know the young people exceptionally well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership is exceptionally strong and makes a considerable difference to young people’s lives. Managers are aware of the barriers that young people face and always have plans in place to address any barriers and optimise young people’s progress. Leaders and staff continually look for better ways of working and any new strategies to improve the care provided. Managers create opportunities for staff to develop the service and innovate.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 6 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: SC470928 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottingham City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG

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Inspectors

Caroline Brailsford, social care inspector Simon Hunter, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC470928 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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