Children's home run by Buckinghamshire Council

Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 1 Registered provider: Buckinghamshire County Council 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 five children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by the local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 17 March 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/10/2021 Full Good 25/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 3

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outstanding

Children flourish because of the sincere and nurturing relationships that they have with staff. Interactions are genuine, caring and consistent across the staff team. The staff have created a culture that feels like that of an extended family. Children make significant progress because of the support that they receive. Other professionals also told the inspector about this and highlighted the extremely positive relationship that they (the professionals) have with the staff and the registered manager.

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outstanding

Staff support children to be active members of the community that they live in. Children are involved in local cheerleading squads, Scouts and amateur dramatics. Staff increase the time that children spend without their direct supervision and support children to travel independently at a rate they can cope with and in line with children’s plans. The staff also support the children to develop their independence skills by being actively involved in the day-to-day running of the home. For example, assisting them to complete their own laundry, doing household chores and cooking for one another. This helps children to develop self-reliance and perseverance.

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outstanding

Staff encourage children to like themselves and take time to understand what is meaningful to them. Staff help children to explore their feelings and interests and support them in achieving their ambitions and goals. Staff recently supported one child to audition for a musical and brought tickets to watch their performance. The child told the inspector that they were happy that staff had also come to watch them. This helps children to feel a sense of belonging and permanency.

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outstanding

Staff have positive relationships with children and encourage them to attend school daily. They support children to understand the benefits of a good education and celebrate their successes with them. Children have gained qualifications and skills in employability, tiling and functional skills. They have also gained certificates recognising their educational progress since living in the home. Further to this, the registered manager has worked tirelessly to stabilise educational placements for children. In one example, the home’s linked child and adolescent mental health worker provided additional trauma-informed support to a school. This way of working means that children are supported to maintain stable and consistent educational placements.

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outstanding

Children’s healthcare needs are met to an exceptional standard. Staff support children to attend medical appointments. The emotional and psychological support given to children is of a particularly high standard. This helps children to reflect on their behaviours and experiences. This, in turn, helps them to develop more positive coping strategies, improving their longer-term life chances and opportunities. Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 4

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outstanding

Through exceptional support and consistent care, children have developed trusting relationships with staff who care about them. These relationships help to keep children safer because they can communicate their worries and fears to staff, who respond appropriately and with children’s best interests at heart.

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outstanding

Staff understand and manage the safeguarding issues relating to the children’s behaviours extremely effectively. Strategies used by staff to support children are clear and are reviewed robustly after every incident. Risks are triangulated throughout children’s plans, and the registered manager keeps excellent audit trails of contact with safeguarding professionals and the subsequent outcomes. This means that staff are well equipped about how best to protect children.

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outstanding

Staff have written exceptional behaviour support plans in collaboration with children. It is clearly recorded what preferred support and intervention strategies children respond well to and prefer. These are followed and help children to feel in control of situations when they are at their most vulnerable.

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outstanding

Staff support children to safely enjoy time with their families. Staff work in partnership with parents, allocated social workers and independent reviewing officers to ensure that this time is positive and in the interests of children. In one example, detailed and caring support allowed a child to meet their siblings for the first time. This helps children to develop relationships with the people who are most important to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager expertly demonstrates excellent practice. This creates a culture of high expectations and aspirations for children and staff. As a result, high standards are achieved. Children benefit immensely from living in a well-organised home that is strongly led.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is acutely aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She is passionate about delivering excellent care to children and helping them to achieve their goals. She promotes a culture of positivity and transparency, with a clear emphasis on the importance of development and learning from events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak fondly of the support that they receive from managers, both professionally and personally. They undertake excellent training and are regularly supervised by qualified line managers. Staff are also supported by a clinical psychologist every month. This allows them to reflect on their working practices with children. Consequently, staff are reflective and skilled in meeting children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has researched and reviewed the way in which staff use consequences with children to help improve their behaviours. There is now a direct focus on restorative approaches, underpinned by the home’s model of care. This Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 5 fantastic piece of work has been disseminated to other children’s homes and fostering services managed by this local authority. Consequently, children learn about the impact of their choices on others, helping them to develop empathy and to take responsibility.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and allocated key workers work closely and effectively with external professionals and agencies. A social worker said, ‘Staff recognise the value of multi-disciplinary working. Outcomes for the child have improved massively because of this.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has streamlined recruitment checks for staff. Documentation is clear, well signposted and easy to find. Through these records, the registered manager demonstrates that new staff are safely and thoroughly recruited. As a result, the previous requirement has been met. Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 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 for children's home: 2517299 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Buckinghamshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Buckinghamshire Council, Chief Executive, Walton Street Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury HP20 1UA

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2517299 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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