Children's home run by Wakefield Council

Inspection report children’s home: 2544274 1 Registered provider: Wakefield Metropolitan District 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

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children and young people whose plan is to live in a medium- or long-term residential setting. The home was registered in September 2019 and the manager was also registered with Ofsted at the same time.

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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

Date of last inspection: This is the home’s first inspection.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2544274 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have lived at the home since its registration and are making good progress. This is particularly in respect of their emotional well-being, which is having a positive impact on the other areas of their lives. The children have a carefully planned introduction to the home. The manager’s effective matching of the children has resulted in them making friends, and on the whole, they live harmoniously together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children personalise their home and take pride in the warm, comfortable environment that they have created. Additionally, this sense of belonging has extended to the community. The children go to the youth club, take part in charity fundraising events and host activities at the local community centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team gives the children their full attention, providing them with warm and nurturing care. There are ample opportunities for the children to speak to staff. This has helped the children to make positive relationships with the staff team. The children learn to trust their carers and one child said that staff were like their family. The children begin to open up and discuss their thoughts and feelings. This has led to those children who were previously reluctant to engage in external therapy now receiving this support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have mixed educational experiences. The staff offer the children daily encouragement and motivation to do well. One child has excellent attendance at school and is engaging well. The system of daily reporting between the home’s staff and school staff makes sure that extra support is available if the transition from one setting to another has been difficult. The other child has an individual education programme. Although not in school, their engagement with the home tutor is providing the opportunity for an assessment of their educational ability. The staff take the children out on educational trips. One child was commended for his commitment and excellent work hosting a local charity radio station. These all provide informal learning opportunities and help to improve self-esteem, confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has been proactive and meets with the children’s family members. This has resulted in good working relationships between them. The staff are involved with the children’s family members and are invited to attend family events, such as a child’s christening. These positive relationships have enabled one child to settle because of the positive links made.

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

The children have the support and supervision of staff, which helps to protect them from harm. The staff know each child’s vulnerabilities, which are outlined in the individual crisis management plans and risk assessments. The children do not go missing from home and are not known to be at risk of exploitation. Staff have a good understanding of the risks and strategies to take to help to keep children safe. Inspection report children’s home: 2544274 3 The children experience stability and begin to talk about how they are feeling rather than using negative behaviours as a coping strategy. The use of journals and key- working materials encourages the children to express themselves. The children learn to regulate their emotions and as staff know the children well, they use the most effective strategies to stop negative behaviours from escalating further. There have only been three occasions when one child has had to be guided or held to keep them and the staff

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

safe. One child is now receiving a clinical assessment of their needs as a result of the manager’s persistence. This will help provide information about how staff can meet the child’s sensory needs.

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

The children begin to reflect on their own responses to situations and staff help to teach them ways to keep calm. This has resulted in less aggressive outbursts towards staff. During these times, the staff members are resilient and provide clear and consistent messages to the children about their behaviour. When children have made complaints about an individual staff member’s practice, the management team investigates these. The manager takes appropriate action and the children feel listened to and know that their complaints are taken seriously.

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

The manager is creative when looking at educating children about their risk-taking behaviours. For one child, this involved fire marshal training to take on the role of the home’s fire safety officer. This gives the child a strong sense of responsibility and has reduced the number of fire alarms being set off inappropriately. Instead, the child takes pride in their detailed recording of the regular planned fire drills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is also registered for another one of the local authority’s children’s homes. She manages her time between both the homes effectively. Together with the assistant manager, they present as a strong management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is meticulous and has developed new recording and monitoring systems, such as weekly reports and a training matrix. This helps with her auditing and makes sure that she can have a good oversight of the practice at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager encourages child-focused practice from her staff team. Child-friendly language in their recordings helps the children to understand what is written about them. The children are involved in their planning and feel listened to. However, some of the records do not consistently use one child’s new name.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager challenges the placing authority and other agencies effectively. This has resulted in the progression of a clinical assessment for one child and an education and healthcare plan for the other. More importantly, the children take part and engage in the therapy and assessment sessions due to the trusting relationships developed with the manager. Inspection report children’s home: 2544274 4 The staff have regular reflective discussions during their supervision and team meetings. The children are the focus of these sessions and staff are keen to learn new ideas. The staff feel supported by the manager and each other. As the managers have a visible presence in the home, they lead by example. The staff mirror the manager’s approach to create a warm, nurturing and empowering environment for the children as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, ensure that children’s names are recorded accurately to reflect their identity.

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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: 2544274 5

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2544274 6 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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