Children's home run by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 1 SC063815 Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager registered with Ofsted in March 2007 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 29 January 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2019 Full Outstanding 09/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/09/2017 Full Outstanding 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 3

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outstanding

Staff know the children living in this home exceptionally well. Staff provide effective personal and individual care for the children. Staff and children reflect on children’s behaviour, using the support of other agencies. This helps staff to develop their understanding of children and they share this learning with others. This means that children are supported by well-informed, thoughtful professional networks.

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outstanding

Staff are well trained in restorative approaches, which they use effectively with children. They have embraced this, and it is part of their day-to-day practice. Staff use reflective conversations with children to help everyone think about any incidents that happen. Staff also use these conversations with each other in their interactions. This means that staff support children and each other in a thoughtful way. Children also develop their own reflective ability to help them improve their understanding of themselves.

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outstanding

Children and staff have strong relationships. Staff remain committed to children at all times and children respect staff and value these relationships. As a result, children feel safe.

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress in all areas of their lives. Staff monitor their progress well and ensure that support is put in place where it is needed. Where appropriate, children are able to move on to foster care and the staff support detailed and successful transition arrangements. It is clear to children that staff believe their future is important.

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outstanding

Staff offer children opportunities every day to enrich their lives. This ranges from playing games at home to larger trips and activities. Children are helped to develop their independence skills, such as travelling to school unaccompanied, as soon as they are ready. Staff make sure that children have timely assessments of their independence skills. This means that children are well prepared for their future lives.

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outstanding

Staff make sure that the home is warm, well-maintained and personalised. Children’s rooms are highly individualised, and children know that staff support them to achieve this. This enables them to invest in the home and their relationships.

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outstanding

Staff in the home work with children to help them understand risks and to manage these well. Over time children become better able to regulate themselves emotionally. This helps them to reduce risks and to be safer.

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outstanding

Risk assessments in the home are comprehensive and help to keep children safe. Staff use their extensive knowledge of the children to review and amend these Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 4 regularly. Updated risk assessments are shared and discussed with all staff members. Team meetings have a regular key-working slot which means that there are frequent opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect together on the effectiveness of their practice. This approach helps staff to keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff in the home are not risk averse; they manage risk to help children retain independence. For example, for children who may leave the home when they are emotionally overwhelmed, staff have well-embedded strategies to make this safe, rather than simply preventing them from leaving. Clear strategies mean that children can take manageable risks and learn to manage their emotions.

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outstanding

Staff make sure that where children push boundaries, they reflect with them to put fair sanctions in place that can be reduced with positive behaviour. This helps children to feel that they can make things better, reducing any sense of failure and shame. Children understand sanctions and believe they are fair. This is because the children are included in conversations about them and decisions that are made about their lives.

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outstanding

There are times when staff have to physically intervene with children. Staff are trained to do this safely and they intervene proportionately and in line with children’s plans. The registered manager completes debriefs with staff and has oversight of these incidents. This means that staff are able to understand the children’s patterns of behaviour, and children know that staff are able to help them in difficult times.

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outstanding

Staff are clear on safeguarding procedures and know how to keep children safe. There are few allegations made about staff, but where these happen they are taken seriously. Staff make sure that appropriate professionals, such as the designated officer within the local authority, are contacted, to ensure that there is external oversight and challenge. Once investigations are concluded, managers seek to support staff to repair relationships using a restorative approach. This is effective and makes it clear to staff and children that relationships are at the centre of the home’s approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is an inspiration to the staff in the home as they respect and trust her. The registered manager uses a reflective approach to help staff to find solutions that are child led and in children’s best interests. Professionals outside of the home similarly have trust in and respect for the registered manager. Her authoritative approach empowers others, and helps to develop their confidence and their understanding of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and senior staff use their extensive knowledge of children to strongly advocate for them until the right support is put in place. The registered manager is not afraid to challenge others as needed – for example ensuring that care plans take children’s views into account. These assertive conversations mean Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 5 that children have someone who leads their care, making sure they are front and centre of their own plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and senior staff support the other staff members well. Structures offering support are clear. Supervisions, appraisals and team meetings are regular, and are used as opportunities to develop knowledge and roles. Apart from discussing the children, the team has recently had conversations about gender roles in the house, after staff noted a gendered approach. This led to change in the home and is good role-modelling for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Recruitment in this home is safe. The registered manager also supports existing staff to understand their own impetus for working in the home. Where there are weaknesses in staff performance, these are raised and, where needed, decisive action is taken in children’s best interests. This is commendable, child-focused leadership and emphasises the registered manager’s commitment to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff listen to children’s views and take these seriously. One child has been confident enough to lead the introductions in their review. Professionals in his network were proud of him and attributed this confidence to the work that the staff have done with him. Senior staff in the home ask children to comment on the adult dynamics in the home so that managers can make sure that combinations of staff meet all of the children’s needs. This is excellent inclusion and good practice, and emphasises to children that they are central to all decisions made in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 6

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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: SC063815 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, Walsall WS1 1TP

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC063815 8 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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