Children's home run by Warrington Borough Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 1 SC442777 Registered provider: Warrington Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides short breaks for a maximum of three children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/07/2021 Full Outstanding 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding 30/01/2019 Full Outstanding 03/10/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 3

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outstanding

Children thoroughly enjoy their short breaks at this home and receive exceptional care from a stable, skilled and experienced staff team.

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outstanding

Children experience their short breaks in small compatible groups, which means that they have opportunities to make new friends and enjoy the time that they spend at the home.

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outstanding

The home is maintained to an excellent standard. Children have access to a wide range of toys and play equipment. Bedroom furnishings and decoration are carefully planned around children’s individual needs. This includes bespoke beds that minimise the need for staff to move children unnecessarily. As a result, the home environment is nurturing and safe. This helps children to feel comfortable when they stay at the home.

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outstanding

Staff sensitively support children to engage in their local community. Children recently spent time with adults at a local care home. They made cakes and shared gifts with the adults living at this home. This helped children to feel valued and part of their community. Staff skilfully use a variety of communication tools to ascertain children’s wishes and feelings. This ensures that children with complex needs can share their thoughts and feelings.

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outstanding

Staff frequently monitor and review children’s individual plans. Staff monitor children’s individual goals. This ensures that staff support children to make progress and keep children’s individual goals under regular review. Staff celebrate children’s progress and achievements with their parents and other professionals. A member of staff said, ‘This way of working helps children transfer the skills to a different setting and promotes their self-esteem and independence.’

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outstanding

Staff support children to engage in activities. These activities enrich children’s experiences and strengthen their relationships with staff. Additionally, activities help children to make developmental progress and promote positive self-esteem. For example, one child has been supported to overcome their fear of dogs. This included visits from a specialist who used practical supportive techniques to help the child overcome their fears.

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outstanding

Children’s emotional well-being is prioritised by the vast number of opportunities on offer to them. Staff have used research to identify bespoke support packages to help children with complex needs to understand about grief and loss.

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outstanding

Staff are highly creative and flexible in the way they work with children. They use several theoretical approaches which they embed in their day-to-day care of the children. This, combined with well-established and strong relationships with children, Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 4 ensures that staff continue to have an in-depth understanding of children’s individual needs.

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outstanding

Staff manage children’s behaviour extremely well. They demonstrate a commitment to finding different and innovative ways to manage situations that children may find difficult to cope with. This approach reduces children’s anxieties and helps to minimise incidents.

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outstanding

Children have emotional well-being support plans. These plans help to guide staff in how to care for children when they feel upset, worried or anxious. Staff quickly identify when something is not right for a child, and children’s plans provide clear guidance for staff to follow in practice. This supports children’s emotional well-being.

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outstanding

Staff work collaboratively with other professionals, parents and family members to understand children’s complex needs. Managers and staff are strong advocates for children. Staff communicate well with relevant professionals to provide an all-round approach to children’s care.

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outstanding

Staff are trained in safeguarding. Managers discuss with staff their understanding of safeguarding in supervision sessions and team meetings. This promotes an effective safeguarding approach. Staff understand safeguarding procedures and their responsibilities in keeping children safe.

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outstanding

Staff are competent and understand the importance of meeting children’s health needs. There is an effective system for safely administering children’s medication. Staff quickly get to know children’s individual needs. For example, when one child required additional support to address a complex health need, the action taken by staff was excellent. The team adapted quickly to revise the child’s plans so that her dietary needs could be fully supported. This included effective consultation with specialist health services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is inspirational, confident and very competent. She has created a culture of high aspiration for children, and she has high expectations of the staff team. Staff and managers have advocated exceptionally well for children. Staff meet children’s complex individual needs, including children who stay at the home on an emergency basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an exceptionally strong and experienced manager. She uses her knowledge, skills and experience to promote positive outcomes for children. She leads a strong and dedicated staff team. The manager and staff consistently reflect on the strengths and areas for further development of their practice. The manager strives to achieve more for children and the staff team. As a result, she is a highly valued manager. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 5 Staff have frequent supervision sessions. Reflective practice and peer discussions support staff to develop the quality of care that they provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Effective relationships with families are firmly in place. Comments and feedback are welcomed and very much encouraged. There are extensive feedback forms, so the manager has a comprehensive understanding of the views of children, parents and other agencies. This supports the development and review of children’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is high. Staff say that they are well supported by their manager. The manager ensures that staff feel valued, and she encourages them to develop their skills through additional learning. As a result, staff are skilled and knowledgeable. Staff told inspectors that they receive training that helps them to meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are exceptionally strong advocates for the children in their care. A parent said, ‘Staff know my child very well, and they are passionate about the care of all the children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She actively uses monitoring tools and action plans to demonstrate how she is listening to ideas to continually improve the quality of care that staff provide for children. She supports staff to use research in practice. For example, one member of staff has received training in Braille. This training is used to translate the children’s guide for those children who need it. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 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: SC442777 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Time Square, Warrington WA1 2NT

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Inspectors

Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC442777 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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