Children's Home run by Arnfield Care Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC020133 1 SC020133 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 eight children. It provides short- to medium-term placements. The provider states in their statement of purpose that it can provide care for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties who may be experiencing crisis in their lives.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. Education is provided at an on-site school and through camps and outdoor education. The registered manager has been in post for a number of years.

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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. We visited this setting on 27 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit and on 3 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The reports are published on the Ofsted website.

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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 outstanding

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC020133 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2018 Full Outstanding 14/11/2017 Full Good 02/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC020133 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children come to the home in crisis and at risk of significant harm. As a result of the care they receive, children leave the home with better life chances and a brighter future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress in their engagement and attendance in education. The home has the benefit of an on-site school. Close working relationships between residential and education members of staff mean that children experience an integrated approach to education. As well as classroom-based education, children have opportunities to take part in outdoor education and work- experience placements. Outdoor education activities such as surfing, open-water swimming, caving and canoeing give children opportunities to build their resilience, raise their self-esteem and experience team-working. Children described the education they receive as ‘great’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive and trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff know the children well and understand their needs. Children have stable and consistent routines. Rules and boundaries are firmly but fairly enforced. This supports children to feel safe and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. For example, there are firm rules about access to cigarettes. Smoking cessation is encouraged and, as a result, children decrease the amount they smoke or cease all together. There is close, effective working with external health professionals such as the looked-after-child nurse and local GP surgery. The looked-after-child nurse stated: ‘There is really good communication. Staff really listen to me and take my advice. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about them.’

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

When children first arrive at the home, many have been exposed to extremely unsafe and risky environments. The management team carefully considers risk as part of the pre-admission process. Risks are identified in a timely way and, due to the substantial experience of managers and staff, are well understood. Risks to children start to reduce very soon after admission. Children become significantly safer over time. For example, children who were frequently missing from their previous placements, or from their family homes, rarely go missing from the home. No children have gone missing from the home since the last Ofsted visit.

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

The management team and staff compile detailed risk assessments and placement care plans. The assessments and plans are regularly updated. They enable staff to understand each child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Good behaviour support guidance ensures that staff know how to keep children safe, de-escalate behaviours and respond to risk. When incidents arise, there is a thorough debrief with the child and Inspection report children’s home: SC020133 4 the member of staff involved after the event. This reflective process ensures that any areas for improved practice are identified.

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

Individual one-to-one sessions between staff and children provide a safe space to talk about and explore risk. Areas of identified concern, such as prior involvement with gangs, are revisited regularly to ensure that children continue to understand these risks. This work is also reinforced in education. This holistic approach has a positive impact because children learn about how they can be safer.

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

Children know how to make a complaint and they can identify a trusted adult whom they would speak to if they had any concerns. They have regular opportunities to express their views. Staff listen to these views and act on them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home benefits from a well-established and consistent management team. The manager is ambitious for the children in her care. She believes that the model of care provided at the home helps children to broaden their horizons and discover what they are good at. When children leave the home, they have aspirations for their future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows and understands the home and the children’s needs very well. She maintains close oversight of the running of the home. She has high standards and expectations in relation to the care children receive. In particular, the children have consistent routines, and rules and boundaries are enforced. This is achieved in an atmosphere of nurturing care and support that the children flourish in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring and review systems help drive the home’s continued development and ensure that children receive high-quality care. A clear development plan is in place. Most recently, the focus has been on improvements and refurbishment to the inside and outside of the home. As a result, children live in a beautiful, homely and well- decorated environment that they take pride in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Although there has been some turnover of staff, there is a core, qualified staff team that has worked at the home for several years. This promotes consistency and good- quality care for children. Training and supervision are of good quality, and training is regularly updated to ensure that staff are equipped with up-to-date knowledge. Staff said that they enjoy coming to work and that they feel valued. The management team listens to their ideas and suggestions. The staff are motivated and want to do their best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Multi-agency working is a priority, and the manager and staff regularly advocate for the children. All stakeholders consulted with were extremely positive about the care children receive. A social worker said, ‘They know [the child]. They made him welcome. They go the extra mile for him. You can tell he’s really happy. He’s future orientated now. He’s a different person now. It’s a remarkable transformation. He’s a success story.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC020133 5

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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: SC020133 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: SC020133 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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