Children's home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 1 SC428084 Registered provider: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This local authority service provides short breaks care for up to seven children and young people who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities and associated complex healthcare needs. In addition to meeting the children’s and young people’s social care needs, the service also provides nursing input and is registered with the Care Quality Commission. The home currently supports 35 children and young people.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since May 2019.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 November 2019

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

Outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected Outstanding

p.1

Outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

p.1

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.

p.1

Outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Full Outstanding 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/10/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The Statement of Purpose is of particular importance to this Standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a “Statement of Purpose” (regulation 16 and schedule 1). The home’s s Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in their care. ( ‘Guide to the children’s s homes regulations including the quality standards’, , page 14, paragraph 3.5)  As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the ch ildren’s s homes regulations including the quality standards’, , page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people who visit the short breaks home receive consistently high standards of care. Their individualised care and health plans are understood clearly and are followed by the highly experienced staff team.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people have developed exceptionally good relationships with the staff, who know them all well. Children and young people use a variety of communication methods to express their wishes and feelings and to make their needs known to staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people are making significant progress from their starting points in relation to their individual needs and abilities. The dedicated staff are committed to supporting children and young people in developing their individual skills with their self- care, socialising and independence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people enjoy their time spent at the short breaks home, where the staff provide a safe, warm and welcoming environment. Children and young people are offered a variety of activities, both within the home and within the community, giving them new experiences and opportunities that many of them would not be afforded at home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home’s s thorough matching process for new children and young people ensures that they receive a warm, welcoming and friendly introduction to the home. Their interests are carefully matched to the other children to promote new friendships and involvement in group activities. A variety of introductory visits reassure parents and children before Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 4 they progress to overnight stays.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people moving on from the home are supported by the dedicated staff, who prepare them for leaving and moving into adult services. Staff work closely with all professionals to ensure that this is a smooth transition and a positive experience for the children and young people.

p.4

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

Children and young people are safe. Their individual needs and vulnerabilities are fully understood by the staff team. These are documented clearly in the individualised care, health and risk management plans, enabling the staff to minimise and reduce any risks or concerns through agreed strategies and interventions.

p.4

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

Staff receive extensive training to meet the complex and individual needs of the children and young people. They work in partnership with parents and health professionals to ensure that the care provided is individualised and of a high standard.

p.4

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

Children and young people receive high-quality care in a safe and secure environment. Staffing levels are appropriately high to support the children and young people, keeping them safe and closely monitored, in line with their needs.

p.4

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

Parents, carers, and professionals are confident in the management and staff team. There is an open and honest safeguarding culture within the home. A parent said, ‘I I had massive trust issues. I haven’t had any here. A ll the staff are consistent.’

p.4

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

Staff are trained and skilled in communicating with all the children and young people, including those who are non-verbal. Their use of a variety of tools assists them to respond promptly to children and young people’s s face and body language and changes in behaviour.

p.4

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

Physical intervention is minimal, and is only applied for the safety of children and young people. A member of staff is qualified in therapeutic crisis intervention and trains the rest of the staff team in this model. This is also offered to parents and carers to help them better understand how to intervene and respond to their children’s s behaviours. The children and young people benefit from a consistent response both from their family members and staff while on their short break stay.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has extensive experience in supporting children and young people with complex health and medical needs. She provides strong leadership, a visible presence and an extensive knowledge of the children and young people.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have excellent partnership working with parents, as well as with health, education, and social care professionals, which helps to ensure a consistent approach when caring for children and young people. A parent said, ‘Th This is a fantastic Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 5 service. My son has always been well cared for. What a lovely place. Phenomenal.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is creative and ambitious in offering the children and young people every- day opportunities and experiences that others may take for granted. Children and young people take part in a broad range of activities in the home and in the community with their friends. The smiles on their faces confirm that they have fun times and precious memories from their stays.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Research and training are at the forefront in the development of the staff team’s skills. This provides the highest levels of care to meet the individual complex needs of the children and young people.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision and annual appraisals to enhance their personal and professional development. Staff feel well supported by the manager, who is readily available to offer guidance.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A detailed and evaluative quality of care review demonstrates the manager’s s overview of the home. She has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development. Any concerns or errors are investigated, and lessons learned help the manager to improve practice and reduce risks. The manager uses the findings and evaluation from the report to implement changes in practice to continuously improve the outcomes for children and young people.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe recruitment processes ensure that staff are vetted before they start working with the children and young people. Not all the references have been verified, although the risk are minimal of inappropriate adults working at the home through the thorough and detailed checks that take place. Parents are fully involved in the recruitment process.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The Statement of Purpose clearly outlines the ethos of the home and the staff’s s aim to give children and young people an exciting, safe and enjoyable time during their stay. The document is reviewed regularly as part of the manager’s s auditing. However, the last copy sent to Ofsted was June 2017. This does not impact on the service provided to the children and young people.

p.5

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 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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, , this inspection was carried out Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 6 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 s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Gu Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality st andards’.. Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 7

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wakefield Council, County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield, Yorkshire WF1 2QW

p.7

Inspector

Sue Hatton, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC428084 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, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8