Children's home run by Cascade (Banks House) Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 1 Registered provider: Cascade (Banks House) 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

The home provides individually tailored care for young people who have autism spectrum conditions and learning disabilities. The home can care for up to six young people aged between 13 and 18.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered at this home since July 2019. This is the first inspection since the home registered.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, include a record of the staff’s qualifications and experience in the statement of purpose. 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This refers in particular to limitations placed on access to the kitchen and to the front door being locked. 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 14/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 4 In particular, obtain the education, health and care plan and pathway plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall experiences of the young people are very positive. The progress that young people have made in a short time is remarkable. Staff have made changes to the young people’s diets, level of activity, engagement in the wider community and independence skills. Young people’s diets prior to admission lacked nutritional balance and were very restricted. The young people are now eating a broad range of foods and enjoy sociable mealtimes at appropriate times of the day. This has led to improved sleeping patterns and improvements in the young people’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Prior to admission, the young people would spend prolonged periods of time in their bedrooms. Now, the young people spend time in the communal area of the home, engage with the staff and make a positive contribution by undertaking household chores. The staff have encouraged the young people to go out of the home, which has now become a regular activity. One young person is attending an external table tennis club, as staff discovered that the young person is a talented player. Taking part in community- based activities gives the young people confidence and broadens their social circles. Professionals and family members recognise the progress that the young people have made. One social worker said, ‘I was stunned by his progress, so much so I could hardly believe it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been designed and furnished to a very high standard. The needs of the young people have been well considered and incorporated into the overall layout and design. The environment of the home is warm and nurturing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and promote the importance of engagement in education. The home is a registered centre to deliver an education package (ASDAN). The young people are completing short education courses that will result in accredited qualifications. From the young people’s starting points, this is significant progress, as some have not engaged with education for some time. Access to education helps the young people to develop personally and socially. The staff encourage informal learning, which improves the young people’s understanding and skill base.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff treat the young people with dignity and respect. Positive relationships have been established between the staff and young people in a relatively short period. The staff know the young people exceptionally well and are attuned to their needs. This has enabled the young people to feel a sense of belonging at the home. Associated professionals consider these relationships to be the main reason that the young people have made such rapid progress since their admission. Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 5

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

Effective and dynamic planning reduces the risks for the young people inside and outside the home. Despite the young people’s vulnerabilities and complexities, the staff expose them to a broad range of experiences. The staff have a shared understanding of the risks associated with the young people. The staff are not risk averse. They regularly offer the young people new opportunities and experiences.

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

Going missing from home and the risks that were associated with the young people prior to their placements have either not been seen since admission or have reduced significantly. The home has had a stabilising effect on the young people. This has increased the young people’s confidence and sense of well-being, leading to more settled behaviours. The staff manage negative behaviour well and use appropriate de-escalation strategies. The staff’s understanding of the young people’s needs has increased over time. This has led staff to being more effectively equipped to support the young people when they are in crisis. No physical restraints have been used at the home.

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns or incidents of the young people going missing. Despite there being no safeguarding concerns, the subject is spoken about frequently in staff meetings and supervision sessions. This ensures that any changes to safeguarding practice are well understood by the staff team.

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

The young people’s movement in the home is restricted, as some doors, such as the kitchen door and the front door, are locked to prevent access. Although there is a clear rationale for the restrictions, this has not been assessed with enough rigour to ensure that young people’s liberty is not unduly restricted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced registered manager holds a relevant level 5 diploma. The manager leads by example and holds great ambition for the young people in his care. He has been influential in changing the lives of the children at the home and is widely respected by the staff and associated professionals. In the short time that he has led the home, the manager has created a strong staff team that works in a highly child-centred way. The culture of the home is characterised by high expectations and aspirations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that transitions into the home are well considered and supported. The manager and staff visited the young people in their placements on a number of occasions prior to their admission to the home. This ensured that the needs of the young people could be met. The manager’s meticulous planning ensures that there is suitable placement matching with the young people who already live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers provide the staff with regular, thorough supervision that covers a broad range of subjects to support the aims of the home and the needs of the young people. Training, development and induction activities are effective. Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 6 The home has excellent support from the wider organisation. This affords the home access to services to support the young people’s health and well-being, education and community engagement. There is a clear desire to improve the young people’s lives, and these support services help to achieve this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has updated the statement of purpose but has not submitted this to Ofsted. The manager has not provided information related to staff experience and qualifications in the statement of purpose. This does not provide Ofsted with a current view of the home’s operational arrangements and the staff who currently work there and their experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One young person does not have their current education, health and care plan held at the home. This could delay providing the young people with the resources and services that they need.

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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: 2532131 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cascade (Banks House) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Therm Road, Hull, Yorkshire HU8 7BF

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Inspector

Lianne Bradford, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2532131 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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