Children's Home run by Cheshire West and Chester Council in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 1 SC034849 Registered provider: Cheshire West and Chester LA Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is managed by the local authority. It is registered to provide short-break care for up to three children with physical and cognitive disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2018.

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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: SC034849 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2023 Full Outstanding 13/01/2022 Full Outstanding 02/05/2019 Full Good 19/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 3

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outstanding

The short-break service continues to provide exceptional care.

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outstanding

Children experience their short breaks in small, compatible groups. The manager and staff place emphasis on good-quality planned introductions. The children will complete a series of tea visits before their first overnight stay. Staff form close links with parents and specialist services. As a result, important information is shared from the beginning to promote good outcomes.

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outstanding

Staff maintain the home to an excellent standard. This is evident in the decor and very good-quality furniture, which promotes a homely and relaxed environment. The children’s bedrooms have recently been redecorated and they are bright and clean.

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outstanding

Children’s wishes and feelings are at the centre of everything that happens in the home. Children grow in self-esteem and confidence by having access to a wide range of communication tools that are bespoke to each child. One parent said, ‘Staff were instrumental in getting the ball rolling to improve his communication, and now he has started to use his symbols at home and is now able to request items.’ Consequently, children are making exceptional progress using their preferred communication methods.

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outstanding

Although children do not reside permanently at the home, staff promote good educational outcomes. Staff actively take part in all school annual reviews and are fully aware of the educational needs of the children. This provides children with a consistent approach.

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outstanding

Everything achieved in the home is focused around making it an inclusive experience for children. Activities are captured on photographs and scrapbooks. This helps children develop a sense of self-worth and belonging. When the children leave the service, the memories are captured in journey folders and given to the children as gifts.

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outstanding

Excellent and robust safeguarding practices are in place to ensure that children are safe. Parents said that their children are safe on their short break and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe from harm. Effective practices such as high staff ratios ensure that children do not go missing. One professional said, ‘Children are extremely safe in the home, they share valuable information to help get the right plan in place to keep a child safe.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 4 Staff have a trauma-informed culture and approach towards behaviour management when children become upset or frustrated. New training has recently been implemented. This training has enabled staff to use a variety of de-escalation techniques, such as change of staff and humour. This helps children to reduce their levels of anxiety and divert their attention positively. As a result, there have been no

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outstanding

incidents of physical intervention and other incidents are very minimal.

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outstanding

Medication practices are robust, and medicines are stored safely. Recently, the manager has introduced a further medication auditing process. This has improved the procedures in place.

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outstanding

Some children are totally dependent on highly competent staff to support their intimate care needs sensitively. This provides children with privacy and dignity. Staff are attentive to each child’s individual needs and encourage children to make choices in their lives.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from the home due to the high staffing levels. Staff know the children well and understand the actions they are required to take should a child go missing from this home and if there is a child protection concern. This keeps children safe.

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outstanding

Staff are thoroughly and carefully selected and vetted to ensure that they are suitable to work with vulnerable children. Staff have the relevant skills and experience and enjoy working in the home. Staff morale is high.

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outstanding

Fire practices in the home are robust. All staff are suitably trained in fire awareness. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan that provides staff with details of the support they require in the event of a fire. Additionally, social stories are used with children to help them understand the importance of staying safe during a fire evacuation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has worked in the home for several years. She is suitably qualified. She knows the children extremely well and talks passionately about improving children’s outcomes. Staff say the manager is supportive, always available and operates an open-door policy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s case records are detailed, up to date and have excellent management oversight. The manager and staff have used research to help them improve the quality of children’s records, developing person-centred care plans. The manager is passionate at driving continual improvements. Consequently, the staff are working collaboratively with a local school to further include music therapy to enhance the children’s short breaks. This is a further indicator of the child-centred ethos and culture that is firmly embedded into care practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the importance and value of her management oversight. She ensures that she monitors daily care practices and regularly reviews all records, Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 5 plans and daily logs. As a result, the manager can identify strengths and areas of development. The registered manager is always looking at development opportunities and innovation in the home and has plans to enhance the short-break offer to families. These plans are included in the detailed development and workforce plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that parents and carers are very much involved in the development and review of the service through regular coffee morning events. The local police community support officers are welcomed as part of these events to keep the manager updated with risks in the local area. Furthermore, these coffee mornings provide an excellent opportunity for parents to spend time together sharing vital resources and information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high aspirations for all the children and her staff team. The use of reflective practice and discussions through regular team meetings and supervisions supports staff to strengthen and extend the high quality of care that they provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from parents was very positive. They spoke about the excellent communication systems in place and were positive about the photographs provided to show their child enjoying their short-break stay. Parents report that they are kept updated about their child’s stay in the home. One parent said, ‘The home is like home from home.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 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: SC034849 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cheshire West & Chester Council, The Portal, 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 0BA

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Inspector

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC034849 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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