Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC008575 1 SC008575 Registered provider: The Together Trust

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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 a charitable organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. The home provides short-term breaks.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2016.

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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: SC008575 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2019 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC008575 3

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, find a solution to the limited parking facilities at the front of the home. In addition, the provider should ensure that an appropriate bath is installed that is suitable for all the children’s needs.  The registered person should seek to establish a diverse staff team with a range of interests, skills and experiences. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.6) In particular, ensure that staff training is up to date.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record

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Recommendations

information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people in receipt of a short-break service receive a good level of individualised care and support. One young person currently lives at the home and has made good progress from his initial starting point. Young people enjoy many positive experiences and opportunities during their stays at the home. A parent said, ‘ I can’t fault them, it’s an amazing place, I don’t know what we’d do without them. She loves coming here, she gets to experience things that I can’t do with her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health needs are managed effectively. Staff have worked very hard to help a young person overcome their fears and resistance to engage with medical professionals. Consequently, staff have seen improvements in the young person’s mobility and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the therapists to help them understand young people’s needs and ensure that they provide good-quality care. A clinical psychologist said, ‘The staff have adapted to his unique needs. They are implementing the training and changed their style of working to suit [X]. He has developed trust in his core team.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions are managed well. Staff speak to parents prior to their child’s stay to discuss any changes to their child’s care needs. This ensures continuity of care for young people during their stay. During the inspection, one young person was being well supported for Inspection report children’s home: SC008575 4 their move on to their adult placement. Staff are working in partnership with the new carers to ensure a positive and successful transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of young people’s individual communication methods. This means that the young people are involved and able to make choices during their stay. One young person uses a Dynavox communicator, and staff have had training in operating this device to support the young person effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a nurturing and stimulating environment for young people who have a range of disabilities. The back garden has undergone a major refurbishment so that it is accessible to all young people. There are photographs around the home of the young people enjoying a variety of activities during their stays. However, it would be beneficial to look at a resolution to the limited parking spaces at the front of the home. In addition, young people would benefit from the installation of a bath that they can all access.

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

Young people receive a high level of support and supervision. There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home. Detailed care plans and risk assessments clearly identify the risks associated with young people’s complex needs and vulnerabilities. Personal care needs are managed with sensitivity to ensure that young people’s privacy and dignity are respected.

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

Any complaints or allegations about staff are dealt with appropriately. However, the provider could not provide records of a recent internal investigation to inform relevant personnel of any learning outcomes to help improve practice in the home.

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

The need for the use of physical intervention to manage young people’s behaviour is infrequent. Staff are well trained in a nationally recognised programme that enables them to understand and support young people’s behaviour. Staff are adept at using redirection or reassurance to help young people stay calm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively and efficiently. The manager and her deputy are qualified and experienced. Managers and staff are fully committed to providing young people with new experiences that help them to take part in the wider community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported by the management team. Regular supervision and team meetings help to drive improvements within the home. However, currently less than half the staff team hold the required level 3 qualification. In addition, the training matrix shows that some staff are overdue their refresher training in key areas, such as emergency first aid and safeguarding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The trust is committed to delivering training that improves the skills of the staff team, so they can meet the needs of young people effectively. Staff have recently undertaken training in attachment and Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy (PACE). This Inspection report children’s home: SC008575 5 is supporting staff to work more therapeutically with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has addressed the recommendations raised at the last inspection. Both parents and professionals are very complimentary about the quality of care provided by the home. However, the manager’s monitoring of records is not fully effective. For example, a physical intervention record does not make it clear why a member of staff had switched off a young person’s electric wheelchair. Furthermore, the managers have not challenged this action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is operating in accordance with its statement of purpose. Managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home.

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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: SC008575 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1JE

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Inspector

Michelle Bacon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC008575 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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