Children's Home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: 2510199 1 Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a registered charity. It is a newly registered home and can accommodate up to four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is appropriately experienced. The registered manager is currently completing the level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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: 2510199 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed trusted and secure relationships with staff. Staff know the children well, listen to them and invest in them. One child told the inspector, ‘Staff are like family and they really go out of their way to help me.’ This kind of respect and nurturing gives children a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to ensure that children feel involved in making decisions about the home and day-to-day decisions about their care. Children are offered a range of opportunities to talk to staff to share their views through key working and children’s meetings. One child has expressed her ambition to become a residential support worker and to encourage her ambition she gives a daily handover to staff. This was lovely to observe during the inspection. Such opportunities make children feel valued and build their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points. For one child, his level of engagement with staff and other professionals is excellent. Children are supported by staff to develop their independence in accordance with their needs. Staff help children to develop essential life skills, which they incorporate into their day in a natural way, for example encouraging children to cook, go to the shops and get the bus.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although not all the children are attending school, staff work with children to undertake school work at home daily. One child who prior to coming to the home had not engaged in any kind of education for three years is working with staff and a tutor. In addition, staff ensure that children complete any online work. The registered manager is advocating on behalf of children to ensure that the right kind of school will be offered to them.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s backgrounds and needs. They work closely with children to help them to understand their behaviours and vulnerabilities that are a cause for concern. For example, staff have worked with children to help them to understand risks around child exploitation, e-safety and what constitutes a safe and healthy relationship. Risk assessments and plans are updated regularly by staff. Staff implement the strategies outlined in these documents to keep children safe from harm.

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

There are no concerns about bullying at the home. However, the registered manager and staff recognise that at times children fall out and that this can have a negative impact on the children. Staff support children to get along with each other and work through any difficulties that they may have. This helps to create a positive and safe living environment for children. Inspection report children’s home: 2510199 3 Children are supported to work with specialist agencies to address concerns around substance misuse. Staff work well with partnership working with external agencies to facilitate this work and as a result children develop a better understanding of related concerns and risks.

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

When children go missing from care, staff work hard to try and locate children. They work very closely with the police and social workers to understand why children go missing and how they can work better together to reduce this. Staff undertake individual work with children and have ensured that children get support from external agencies when they return. This helps children to understand the risks associated with going missing from home and helps to equip them with the skills they need to make more informed choices.

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

The use of physical intervention to manage children’s behaviours is rare. Detailed records show that staff view the use of physical intervention as a last resort to keep children and others safe.

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

Staff who are recruited to work at the home are subject to thorough recruitment checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the staff team have come together very well in a relatively short space of time. They work well as a team and create a supportive and nurturing home environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She has high expectations of staff and the children in her care. She has a clear plan in place to further develop the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff care for children and are very child-centered in their approach. Children receive consistent care and boundaries, which supports their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. The manager uses supervision to talk with staff about their development and performance. She also uses these opportunities to listen to staff’s views and to have reflective discussions with them about children’s needs. As a result, staff said that they feel supported and valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals talk positively about staff. They told the inspector that staff and the registered manager have a good understanding of children’s needs and work with them to achieve the best outcomes for children. Inspection report children’s home: 2510199 4

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 2510199 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Christopher’s Fellowship, 1 Putney High Street, Wandsworth, London SW15 1SZ

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Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2510199 6 to 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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