Children's home run by Arnfield Care Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 1 SC020171 Registered provider: Arnfield Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to seven children and young people with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home and the registered school on site are owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/07/2019 Full Good 02/05/2018 Full Good 27/06/2017 Full Good 12/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from trusting relationships with the staff team. They experience nurturing care. Positive behaviours are reinforced, achievements are celebrated and aspiration is encouraged.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in their education since moving to the home. Children, some of whom have previously struggled to engage in education, feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in their achievements. The home benefits from an on-site school. Children can begin attending lessons from their first day at the home. This means that they can get back into the routine and rhythm of school life quickly. In addition, through independence work, children are supported to learn essential, practical life skills, such as travelling long distances on a train, that prepare them for moving on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A strength of this home is how well staff and managers know the children and understand their backgrounds. Children are listened to. Staff value and respect their feedback. Particular attention is given to ensuring that children’s views are heard during their annual reviews or meetings with social workers. Staff understand how important family is to children, especially as some children are living a significant distance away from their family home. Children’s families regularly visit the home. Children are also supported to make regular trips to their home areas to see loved ones.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have improving health because of proactive care by staff. In particular, there is effective partnership working with the local GP surgery. This ensures that children’s health needs are prioritised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to see themselves as part of the wider community. Some children have part-time jobs, and others attend a local youth club or a gym. Children and staff’s heritage and diversity are celebrated. There are regular discussions on current affairs. Recently, International Women’s Day was celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Currently, access to the lounge is not allowed during education hours. This blanket approach is not subject to review and means that children do not always have access to communal areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All family members and professionals consulted gave positive feedback about the care children receive. One social worker stated: ‘The home has been phenomenal. [The child] has really taken to the environment and the boundaries that are put in place in the home. Staff are very good at communicating. I can’t fault them.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 4

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

Children who were vulnerable to going missing, to sexual and criminal exploitation, and to drug and alcohol misuse have become more settled and safer since moving into the home. Vulnerabilities are well understood because staff work closely with the child and people significant to them. Staff know the triggers for risky behaviour and put plans in place to promote children’s safety. Over time, risks reduce for children. This means that children gain more independence. For example, they are trusted to spend free time away from the home.

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

Missing-from-home incidents reduce over time. Staff are familiar with the home’s missing-from-home procedures. Children have the opportunity to speak to someone independent of the home on their return. The local safeguarding police officer said that staff ‘are absolutely fantastic’, noting that ‘Their concern for safeguarding is very high.’

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

The home is subject to comprehensive health, safety and maintenance checks to ensure that it is a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s previous registered manager has moved to a different role within the organisation. There have also been some other changes within the staff team. However, a core group of staff have stayed the same, which helps to promote consistency and stability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Consistency of care has also been promoted because the new manager was the home’s previous assistant manager. Both the previous manager and current manager are highly effective in providing good standards of care. All requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed and changes are embedded in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager holds regular team meetings where children’s needs and risks are discussed and evaluated. Supervision arrangements enable managers to support staff, identify training needs and monitor the quality of care provided to children. Staff confirm that they are given high levels of support and professional development. They feel valued and share the management team’s approach to improving children’s experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of the staff team are qualified. Others are studying towards the relevant qualification in residential childcare. Staff receive a wide range of training. However, the home’s statement of purpose does not give a clear description of staff experience and training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints are investigated thoroughly. Complainants are kept updated during the process. The senior management team uses complaints and feedback as opportunities to improve practice and the quality of care. Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 5

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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

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and 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–iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the lounge. 1 June 2021

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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: SC020171 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Arnfield Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arnfield Tower Activity Centre, Manchester Road, Tintwistle, Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 1NE

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Inspector

Catherine Honey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC020171 7 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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