Children's Home run by Paramount Children’s Services Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 1 Registered provider: Paramount Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 18 January 2023

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2023 Full Outstanding 05/01/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 3

p.2

outstanding

Staff provide children with exceptionally well-planned, highly individualised care. Children benefit from effective, high-quality support from staff that contributes to sustained change and, in some cases, significant improvement in their lives. Children benefit from a caring and nurturing environment that enables them to feel safe and secure. A child said, ‘Staff actually have love for you. They are like family, and genuinely care.’

p.3

outstanding

Staff support children to discuss their feelings, worries and anxieties in a non- judgemental and safe space on a one-to-one basis. Staff stand by children and they do not give up on them easily. The organisation’s psychologist supports the staff team in developing strategies to work with children effectively in a way that is trauma informed.

p.3

outstanding

Staff are trained in therapeutic parenting and work with children in a therapeutic way. This helps children to develop a real sense of permanence and belonging. Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with children’s families, social workers, schools and all other professionals to ensure that children benefit from the best possible all- round support. A social worker said, ‘The placement is amazing and staff are very therapeutic and knowledgeable.’

p.3

outstanding

Most children have experienced a disrupted education before coming to live at the home. However, all children are now attending school and making sustained progress in relation to their individual starting points. Staff consistently have high aspirations for all children. A head of year said, ‘In my experience they [staff] provide a highly effective service that consistently focuses on the needs of the young people they are there to serve.’

p.3

outstanding

Children are registered with the health services they need to be healthy. Staff support children to attend their health appointments, including therapy to promote their emotional well-being.

p.3

outstanding

Staff provide children with continuity of care. This ensures that children build and sustain their positive attachments. Children enjoy high-quality relationships with staff and benefit from stability and consistency in their lives. Staff also support children to spend time with their families and friends so that children sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them.

p.3

outstanding

Staff provide children with exciting and stimulating activities to promote the children’s interests, talents and hobbies. Children have enjoyed a wide range of activities, such as holidays abroad, going to theme parks, on city breaks and going to army cadets. Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 4 Staff recently celebrated a child’s 16th birthday by holding a party for them at a private venue and inviting their friends and family. Staff hired a luxury car to provide the child with transport to the venue. The child said, ‘That was the best day ever.’

p.3

outstanding

Staff provide children with their own, professionally produced photo albums, so that they have a personalised keepsake of their most memorable moments at the home.

p.4

outstanding

Before children move in, the manager visits them and carries out a comprehensive assessment to ensure that staff are able to meet their specific needs safely and effectively. The manager’s assessment carefully considers the needs of existing children living in the home to promote a harmonious, safe and stable environment for all children. A parent said, ‘I am extremely happy with the staff and the amazing work they are doing. My child has settled in very well and seems happy.’

p.4

outstanding

Staff consistently prioritise the safety of children, irrespective of the challenges that this presents. Effective safeguarding practice protects children and reduces the risk of harm. Children become increasingly safer as result of the effective actions that staff take to support and protect them. A teacher said, ‘They demonstrate good- quality risk management and sharing of relevant information.’

p.4

outstanding

Staff take action when children go missing from the home. They are proactive in their efforts to search for children and work closely with the police and other professionals to ensure that there is a well-coordinated and planned response to secure their safe return. This has proved to be successful, with a significant reduction in the frequency of children going missing from the home. A child said, ‘I was running away with my problems. I don’t do that anymore. This home has become my safe space.’

p.4

outstanding

One child came to the home with a history of self-injurious behaviours and was subject to a deprivation of liberty order to protect them. Staff worked tirelessly and extensively with the child and a team of professionals to support the child’s progress and recovery. This led to a significant reduction in self-harm incidents and other forms of risk-taking behaviour, so much so that the deprivation of liberty order was removed.

p.4

outstanding

Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities, to promote effective teamwork in keeping children safe from harm. Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with the police, social workers and all other safeguarding agencies to promote the safety and well-being of children.

p.4

outstanding

Staff are trained in child protection and take their safeguarding roles and responsibilities very seriously. There have been no complaints or allegations of abuse since the last inspection. Staff demonstrate professional curiosity when working with children and are always alert to the risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 5 Staff use de-escalation effectively and support children to regulate their feelings and behaviours safely and promote and reinforce positive behaviour. A social worker said in relation to one child, ‘They [staff] know how to manage her emotions and behaviour in a way that keeps her calm and regulated.’

p.4

outstanding

Restraint is only used to protect children from harm. Following restraints, the manager ensures that staff and children are spoken to so they can reflect on and learn from incidents, to reduce the chance of incidents occurring in the future.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is an extremely experienced and well-qualified registered manager in post, who demonstrates efficient and effective leadership of the day-to-day operations of the home. The manager is supported by the head of care and responsible individual, who visit the home on a regular basis. As a collective, there is a positive and shared purpose to provide effective, child-centred services that make a positive difference to children’s lives.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads staff by example and provides staff with a clear sense of purpose and direction. The manager has consistently high expectations of staff and high aspirations for children. A headteacher said, ‘Managers and staff are passionate about the work they do. They are positive and committed in their work, with children at the centre of practice and decision-making.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes excellent use of the internal and external monitoring activities to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the care provided. They tackle any shortfalls thoroughly to secure continuing improvement. A child who recently left the home said, ‘It really has been the best two and a half years of my life.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from child-focused team meetings and receive regular practice-related supervision that helps them to reflect on their performance and is used to monitor the children’s progress and experiences. Staff are extremely well supported in their roles and benefit from high-quality training that enables them to meet the specific needs of children comprehensively.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff provide children with a physically safe, appropriately secure, warm, comfortable and cosy living environment. Children’s bedrooms are individually personalised in line with their needs and wishes. Health and safety matters are addressed effectively by staff to promote a safe environment for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff comprehensively meet the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They provide an outstanding service that improves the outcomes, progress and experiences of children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has completed a comprehensive review of the quality of care that demonstrates the positive difference that staff have made to the lives of children. They use feedback from children, parents, social workers and other stakeholders to review and improve the quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 6

p.5

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: 2606062 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Paramount Children’s Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 89 Briony Avenue, Hale, Altrincham WA15 8PZ

p.7

Inspector

Anthony Kyem, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2606062 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8