Children's home run by YMCA

Inspection report children’s home: 2588599 1 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned and run by a charity. It provides care for up to four children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2588599 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all areas of their lives from when they move into this home. A social worker said, ‘Since this placement started, I have seen this child thrive in their [staff’s] care.’ Children say that they are happy in the home. Relationships between staff and children are positive. Children say that they feel safe and valued. As a result, they make good progress.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff enjoy spending time with children, both inside and outside of the home. Staff have been committed and resilient throughout the pandemic and have been creative in keeping children occupied. This has enabled children to enjoy a range of different activities, which has helped to strengthen the already positive relationships between staff and children.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team provides children with structure and consistent boundaries. Children enjoy stability and consistency of routines. This is the basis for children being able to thrive and make good, sustained progress. This promotes their overall development.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have education placements suited to their needs, interests and talents. One teacher said, ‘The support from staff means this child is able to engage in education. He now has aspirations for his future.’ This home supports children to achieve their potential.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are rewarded with high levels of praise and encouragement. Staff offer incentives which mean children are rewarded with praise and gifts. This shapes children’s positive behaviour and helps them to develop greater confidence and self- esteem.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the social and identity needs of each child. They are keen to support children to grow and develop through adolescence. Staff support the emotional, psychological and physical needs of children.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Day-to-day care is in line with care and placement plans. When children are new to the home, they are welcomed sensitively and integrated at their own pace. Children’s wishes and feelings are fully considered. However, in one case, staff need to be more proactive to support a child to engage and develop their own opinions and views.

p.2

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

Children say that they feel safe at the home and that the staff are adults they can trust. Inspection report children’s home: 2588599 3 Safeguarding arrangements are strong. There have been very few safeguarding incidents since the home was registered. When incidents occur, staff’s effective interventions ensure children’s safety. Over time, safeguarding incidents have reduced.

p.2

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

Behaviour management is very effective. There have been no physical interventions. Sanctions are rarely used in this home to manage behaviour. Staff are consistent in their care practice and in managing behaviour and ensuring consistent behavioural boundaries are applied. This promotes a stable and secure environment.

p.3

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this has occurred, staff have taken the correct actions. They follow protocols, locate children and report to the police and social care immediately. Staff can identify the reasons and triggers for why children go missing from the home. This means that they are effective in preventing incidents.

p.3

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

The experienced and knowledgeable staff team ensures good safeguarding practice. Staff are effective in teaching children how to keep safe and in raising children’s awareness of how certain behaviours might place them at risk.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management arrangements are strong and have secured improvement. Since registration, there have been changes in management arrangements. The current manager has returned to manage the home after a short absence. His application for registration has been submitted to Ofsted.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is qualified and experienced to manage a children’s residential home. He is child focused and passionate about improving outcomes for children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager supports staff in their professional development. He encourages them to develop their knowledge to provide effective, high-quality care. Staff say they feel fully supported. They are an enthusiastic and cohesive team.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership work is strong. Professionals confirm that children develop and progress because of the quality of care.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal and external quality assurance provides detailed analysis of care provision. This shows a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The manager has plans in place to drive continual improvement.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case records are good. However, children do not routinely read or contribute to their case records. This limits children’s ability to understand and contribute to their care. Inspection report children’s home: 2588599 4

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child expresses wishes that are not in their best interests, the responsible adults balance the wishes of the child against what they judge to be in the best interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.9)  The registered person should ensure that children are actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’,

p.4

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: 2588599 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: YMCA, 4 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FG

p.5

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Gallaher

p.5

Inspector

Amanda Ellis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2588599 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.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6