Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 1 SC386003 Registered provider: Appletree Treatment Centre Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation that also runs an independent school for children living at the home. The home provides care for up to five children, between the ages of six and 12 years, who have emotional, social, mental health and associated/specific learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has led the home since April 2019.

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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 outstanding

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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: SC386003 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2019 Full Good 12/09/2018 Full Good 04/10/2017 Full Good 13/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children find considerable stability at this home and make good progress from their starting points. Staff are nurturing in their approach and show children considerable emotional warmth and care. As such, children enjoy meaningful and trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living at the home have all experienced some childhood trauma or difficulties in their attachments with adults. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of their needs and respond with patience, acceptance and genuine care and concern for children’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy attending a local independent school, also run by the organisation, and are making good progress. Staff maintain regular communication with the school to ensure consistent support and shared understanding of children’s progress. Although the children are not required to complete homework from the school, children do not have access to a computer or the internet to support their education and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and well-being is a clear priority. Staff work in good co- operation with a local team of therapists. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, face-to-face therapy sessions were not always possible. However, staff were supportive in encouraging children to use video-calling technology to ensure they had dedicated time with their therapists. This technology was also used to ensure that children could see and speak to their family members when visits were not possible due to government restrictions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child therapist commented, ‘What is most impressive is that these children haven’t missed a session, online or face-to-face. Staff have really done a sterling job. It is my experience that we have very collaborative working. Staff believe and trust in the therapist, and this helps children invest in our therapy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have healthy appetites and enjoy a good varied and healthy diet. Despite restrictions, children have been able to maintain regular exercise, walking and cycling. Children have managed the government restrictions well and have been supported by staff to adhere to the government guidance of ‘hands, face, space’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a voice in this home and staff ensure that they are regularly consulted, individually and as a group, in regular house meetings. Children indicate that they are comfortable talking to any member of staff, but they especially like their child champion (formerly key worker) who knows them well and spends more time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals speak highly of the care and support that children receive and how comfortable and homely their environment is. Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 4 One parent commented, ‘He’s very happy at this home and I am very happy with the way he’s looked after there. He’s got a good bond with [name of staff member], his child champion. All the staff are doing an amazing job.’

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outstanding

Safeguarding practice is highly effective. Staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs, vulnerabilities, and the potential risks they may be exposed to. Staff ensure that children understand these risks and provide them with the information they need to stay safe. A social worker commented, ‘He [child] did previously have a lot of suicidal idealisation and his behaviour was very unregulated. Much of that anxiety has dissipated and he is more settled in [name of home].’

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outstanding

Staff are sensitive and skilled in building strong, trusting relationships with children. They understand the importance of positive attachments and building trust so that children feel safe and able to explore their feelings and emotions. Consequently, children are highly trusting of staff and able to communicate their fears and worries. Staff create such a safe environment for children that they do not feel the need to run away or go missing from the home.

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outstanding

Children fully understand the boundaries and expectations that staff have concerning their behaviour. Children are encouraged to be able to name the feelings that they experience when they’re angry or upset and agree on alternative ways to manage this. Because of this, children have successfully learned better ways to manage their emotions and learned new strategies, such as walking away from certain situations that are likely to becoming challenging.

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outstanding

Children say they feel happy and love spending time with staff. Physical intervention is only used when necessary to keep a child safe. The incidence of physical intervention in this home has reduced significantly since the last inspection. One child commented, ‘I like staff hugs, they are really good. [Staff name] makes me laugh loads.’

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outstanding

Sanctions are no longer used in this home. Instead, children are encouraged to take part in reflective discussions. These discussions take account of not only the child’s feelings, but encourage them to consider the feelings of others that may have been affected by their behaviour. This is a less punitive approach and teaches children to have empathy for others.

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outstanding

Medication is safely stored, managed and regularly audited. Since the recent diagnosis of a child with diabetes, staff have undertaken additional training to support the child concerned to learn about his condition, how to test himself and to self-administer medication as required. Although this is highly supervised by staff, the child has achieved incredible confidence in managing this. Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the staff team are committed to providing a high quality of care and support to ensure that children make the progress needed to return to parents or to a more permanent family setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported in their roles, and particularly during this pandemic staff welfare has been prioritised by managers. One member of staff is the chairperson for a wellness committee, and takes responsibility to ensure that staff are feeling supported and receiving appropriate help and support from their employer. This has been viewed positively and makes staff feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, staff have valued and successfully maintained their professional development, attending regular team meetings, professional supervision and undertaking training as required. This has been successfully managed by a combination of online meetings as well as meetings in person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Several staff have recently received training from nursing professionals and clinicians following a child’s recent diagnosis of diabetes. This has been essential in managing the child’s condition. The child’s parent commented, ‘The way staff are dealing with his diabetes is just brilliant.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s internal monitoring is effective and demonstrates his understanding of the children, his staff team and how the home is operating. The progress of staff and the good outcomes achieved by children are evident. Morale within the staff team is good. One staff member stated, ‘Everything we do is all about the children. I really enjoy working here. The children and staff are great.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, it has been difficult to assess the benefits of the home’s external monitoring arrangements. Reports received by Ofsted have tended to have an overreliance of information provided from the manager. Evaluations made of the service fail to demonstrate regular contributions from children, staff and other professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s development plan includes an extension to the home to provide additional office space and the development of a dedicated area for staff to use when sleeping in the home. Despite the current arrangement not having any immediate effect on the children, it is inappropriate for staff to use the children’s lounge long term.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirement from the last inspection has been met; the content of children’s records has greatly improved and tracks their journey and time in this home. One requirement and two recommendations are made because of this inspection to promote further improvements. Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 6

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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 independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that reports provide rigorous scrutiny of the home and evaluate the care that children receive; demonstrating how children and others, such as parents and professionals, contribute to those evaluations. 30 June 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the design of the home provides staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.26)  The registered person should ensure that children have safe access to a computer and the internet at the home to support children’s learning and education. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.19)

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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: SC386003 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Appletree Treatment Centre Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Meathop Park, Meathop, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 6RF

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Inspector

Gillian Walters, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC386003 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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