Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Senad Group Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 1 SC404596 Registered provider: The Senad Group 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

This privately owned service forms part of a residential school. It is registered to provide accommodation for up to 24 young people who have communication difficulties or are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Young people are aged 15 years and older.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2018 Full Outstanding 30/10/2017 Full Outstanding 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/07/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 3

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Recommendations

 Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. Where the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a general medical practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for looked-after children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make significant progress from their starting points, particularly in relation to their education, emotional well-being and independence skills. Young people successfully move on to further education when they leave this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are happy and settled at this home. They support each other and make good friendships. A young person said: ‘It’s like another family here.’ Young people feel very well supported. They have warm and nurturing relationships with staff. They appreciate the opportunities that the home provides to study and become more independent. Young people are encouraged to be ambitious. One young person is hoping to become a psychiatrist, and another wants to study veterinary science at university. Staff give young people the support they need to be able to achieve their ambitions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s independent living skills are greatly improved. Creative strategies are used by staff to help young people learn to cook, shop, budget and travel by themselves. Staff are highly skilled in managing young people’s anxieties and responding to task avoidance behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy a range of activities in the home and in the community. They enjoy structured activities such as attending a local boxing club, but also enjoy going shopping and to the cinema. They have access to excellent facilities at the attached college, such as a swimming pool and a gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are confident and comfortable in the home. They are fully consulted about any changes and empowered to make decisions. They know who to talk to if they are unhappy. An independent visitor who is experienced in helping young people with autism also visits regularly. Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 4 Each young person is allocated an occupational health therapist and speech and language therapist. Therapists work closely with care and education to improve young people’s emotional health and well-being. Self-harming behaviours stop or reduce as young people learn to manage their anxieties. This enables young people to improve education attendance and achievement. This is a particularly good outcome because some young people have not been in education for some years prior to moving to this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported, as they become more independent, to manage their own medication. In general, this works well and young people learn to take responsibility for their own health needs. However, one young person’s medication was not prescribed by her UK doctor. Staff have not confirmed with her doctor that she should continue to take it.

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

There are good processes in place to safeguard young people. Staff have a good understanding of how to protect young people from abuse or exploitation. Safeguarding concerns are managed well and closely monitored.

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

Good safety systems enable young people to take well-managed risks as they become more independent and grow in confidence. The staff have achieved a good balance between protecting young people and giving young people the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

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

Young people rarely go missing because they feel happy, safe and secure. Appropriate procedures were followed when a young person went missing for a short period of time. This ensured that risks were minimised and all relevant agencies were engaged.

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

The behaviour of young people is generally exemplary. Incidents are very rare. When incidents have occurred, they have been managed well. Caring, nurturing relationships between young people and staff underpin behaviour management strategies.

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

Young people who become homesick are supported by both staff and other young people very well. This helps them to settle into the home and college life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. She has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There are good plans in place to address shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is well established, experienced and qualified. Staff have access to a wealth of appropriate training opportunities and, therefore, have the skills and knowledge they need to promote the well-being of young people. Staff are very well supported by the leadership team. Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 5 Excellent joint working with staff from the home’s education and therapy teams is a key factor in the progress that young people make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents are very happy with the care and support that their children receive. Staff are open to their suggestions, which means that they feel fully involved in decisions about their child’s care. A parent said: ‘People listen and listen well.’

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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: SC404596 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Senad Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 St. Georges House, Vernon Gate, Derby DE1 1UQ

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Inspector(s)

Joanne Vyas, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC404596 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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