Children's Home run by Buckinghamshire Council in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 1 Registered provider: Buckinghamshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to five children who experience social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties. There were five children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 7 September 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2023

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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: 1277453 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2023 Full Good 28/07/2021 Full Good 05/11/2019 Full Good 19/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 3

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outstanding

The quality of care and support provided to children in this home is outstanding. All the children are making at least good progress in this home. Some of the progress the children have made is exceptional. This progress is underpinned by the staff team going above and beyond. This ensures the outcomes and experiences for children in this home are excellent.

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outstanding

All children are enrolled in education. Children who had not previously attended and engaged in education are now doing so. Staff work closely with the virtual school to support the children to achieve. As a result, all the children are progressing in their education to the best of their ability.

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outstanding

Staff understand the health needs of children. They go above and beyond to respond to children’s concerns around their own health. For example, staff have developed a tool for children and staff to work through together to explore healthy living. The staff have built on this work, which has proved very successful. As a result, the children are now making healthier choices and have improved health outcomes.

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outstanding

From the time they move in, all the children have automatic access to therapeutic services. The therapist works closely with the children and the staff team. This ensures that staff understand children’s therapeutic needs and that this specialised oversight is embedded in practice. As a result, children receive care from a staff who are knowledgeable and therapeutic in their practice. This has further supported positive relationships between staff and children. Due to the embedded therapeutic approach, the staff meet each child’s individual needs particularly well.

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outstanding

One staff is a trained and dedicated life-story worker. He has undertaken a particularly impressive piece of work with one child over an extended period. This work means the child has a much better understanding of their identity and history. The child said that the work has been influential in their progress and sense of self.

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outstanding

The managers and staff ensure that each child’s voice is heard in this home. They support the children to develop their skills and confidence to share their views in other areas of their lives. Two children are ambassadors for the local authority and attend regular meetings to promote the voice of children looked after. The children know how to make a complaint. However, the positive approach to communication means that no complaints have been raised by children.

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outstanding

Children are involved in various activities, depending on their interests. These include going to the cinema, bowling and the gym, taking part in sports and visiting theme parks. One child is an animal care volunteer at local farm. The children enjoy Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 4 interacting with the staff team and taking part in activities. This gives children a variety of positive experiences in their day-to-day lives.

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outstanding

Work to prepare children for their futures is extremely well planned and detailed. Staff actively support children to consider options for their futures. With this support, one child now has a job and is volunteering and attending college. The high-quality support from staff gives children confidence to achieve their goals.

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outstanding

The staff team is proactive in supporting relationships between children and their families. One parent said the staff team ‘are trying their hardest to keep me involved’. Another parent said, ‘The staff have done brilliant’ with their child, who is ‘so much more confident now’.

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outstanding

Staff carry out detailed pre- and post-placement risk assessments. Consequently, they really understand the individual risks to the children in their care. The collaborative team-based approach to considering referrals means that everyone is involved in the decision about whether the staff team can meet the needs of the child. This strong shared commitment across the team comes from a collaborative management, therapeutic and social work management approach.

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outstanding

The staff really welcome the children into the home and the children build close and trusting relationships with them. Children trust the staff and talk to them about their concerns or worries. Staff respond with a proactive and skilled approach, stemming from good-quality training. One child referred to the staff team as like ‘family’. Children say that they feel safe in this home.

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outstanding

Children do not normally go missing from this home. There has only been one episode of a child going missing since the last inspection. The response by the staff team was caring, efficient and in accordance with the child’s plan.

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outstanding

When there are concerns around self-harm, risk assessments are detailed and dynamic, reflecting changing needs. Input from therapeutic professionals is evident. The staff work very effectively and closely with these other professionals. This collaborative working is highly effective in supporting children and ensuring they quickly receive the help they need. Plans are regularly updated and shared immediately with the staff team. Actions taken are recorded well to reflect the proactive approach taken by staff to safeguard children.

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outstanding

Assessments of children are clear in terms of individual behaviour management. Staff respond effectively to children based on their needs and the home’s model of practice. As a result, there has been no use of consequences or physical restraint. The staff provide incentives for positive behaviour. They inspire the children to do well and develop socially respectable behaviours. Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 5 Risky situations are very well managed. Staff act quickly and decisively at all times in the best interests of the children. This is to ensure their ongoing safety. Management oversight of incidents is consistently effective, evident and clear. The manager ensures that children and staff are debriefed following each incident. Information from these debriefs is used to better understand and mitigate risk. All incidents are recorded to a high standard.

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outstanding

No complaints, allegations or concerns against staff members have been received. Children receive high-quality care from safe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The suitably qualified and experienced registered manager has been in post for over a year. He is supported by a very experienced team of competent assistant managers, who offer a wealth of experience and knowledge. The manager has high ambitions for children, which are shared by all the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff consistently describe the manager in terms such as ‘approachable’ and ‘supportive’. The staff team is stable with no vacancies. Most staff have worked at the home for around five years. They attribute their length of time at the home to ‘good management’ and a ‘supportive team’. This consistency in staff underpins the exceptionally strong and collaborative team approach to ensuring children have the best outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the individual progress all the children are making. Each child’s needs are discussed and kept constantly under review. Achievements and emerging areas for further support are quickly identified. The staff all strive to do their best for each child. The manager and staff team are very proud of all the children’s achievements and are constantly supporting them all to do their best. Staff maintain records to a consistently high standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of the regular and reflective staff supervision is exceptional. Records of staff supervision demonstrate a consistently child-focused approach. There is a consistent learning culture in this home. All staff have opportunities to develop and enhance their practice. Research-informed practice is embedded throughout the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and leaders know the strengths and areas for development of the home well. There is regular effective oversight and monitoring of the home. They are quick to implement plans to strengthen, the service. The therapeutic model of practice Adaptive Mentalization Based Integrative Treatment (AMBIT) has been introduced over a two-year period. It is a thread through all practice and is now starting to have a clear positive impact on the outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers challenge and advocate to achieve the best outcomes for children in their care. The staff work very well in partnership with children, professionals and family members. All who were spoken to talked positively about Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 6 the home. When suggestions for further improvement have been made, these have been responded to efficiently by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is diverse and the staff are comfortable having difficult discussions. As a result, equality, diversity and inclusion are discussed and celebrated in day-to- day practice. All children have participated in diversity awareness sessions. When issues are raised, the staff are quick to respond to support a child’s understanding.

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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: 1277453 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Buckinghamshire 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

Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1277453 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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