Children's Home run by The Ryes College Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 1 SC429702 Registered provider: The Ryes College Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties and learning disabilities. Three children were living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2012.

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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: SC429702 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Good 27/06/2022 Full Good 06/12/2021 Full Good 04/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All three children living in the home spoke with the inspector during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children say that they enjoy living in the home and highly value the support they are provided with from staff. Interactions between children and staff are incredibly warm, nurturing and mutually respectful. Children’s extremely positive relationships with staff have contributed to the exceptional progress they make from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on in a planned manner. Staff ensured children were supported to do so positively, visiting their new homes and being well prepared for their moves. Both children had made remarkable progress in the home, which enabled their successful move. Of one child, a social worker said, ‘When I started working with the child, they were angry and felt misunderstood by everyone. Staff did a lot to understand them, offering acceptance and support. Staff supported the child in securing a positive identity. To this day the work they did has helped the child flourish. If they are angry now, they pick up their guitar and are able to self-reflect. That stems from the work staff did with them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff confidently use a therapeutic model of care that is embedded into their day-to- day practice. This includes the use of a highly bespoke reward system for children. Rewards successfully celebrate children’s positive behaviour and have resulted in children building their self-esteem and sense of empathy towards others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager is a fierce advocate for children when there are delays in finding suitable school arrangements and has challenged educational professionals. The manager organised training for staff to deliver home-schooling. Staff provided highly structured and planned educational activities that enabled children to have continuity in their learning. All children now attend school, engage well, and have high attendance. This is considerable progress from children’s starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to attend college open days and seek careers advice. This has enabled children to begin to think more about their futures and to build higher aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to take part in an excellent range of activities that meet their interests. These include outings to theatres and theme parks and regular trips to nature reserves. Children attend football practice and youth clubs. These activities have provided children with highly enjoyable experiences and have helped them to develop strong friendships with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining relationships with their families. When there are barriers to maintaining these relationships, staff provide high- quality support to sensitively build children’s and families’ confidence. This approach Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 4 has been successful, resulting in children spending quality time with their friends and family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Social workers and educational professionals all provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about the care and support provided to children. Each professional reported that children have made substantial progress from their starting points, and that this is due to the exceptional care provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff work hard to provide a welcoming, spacious, and stimulating environment. The house is extremely beautifully decorated. Children take pride in their spaces and can care for their own pets. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their interests. However, a point for improvement is for staff to consider reviewing children’s restricted access to an external learning room. The lack of review means that staff cannot be assured that this restriction is continuously proportionate and justified.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff know the children extremely well and understand their individual needs and risks. Staff regularly monitor, discuss and review children’s risk management plans. Children and a clinical psychologist are fully involved in devising helpful strategies to reduce risks. These strategies are extremely thorough, followed by staff and underpinned by the therapeutic model of care adopted in the home. As a result, risks for children are significantly reduced, children are safer and difficult incidents are minimised.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Since the last inspection, there has been one occasion when a child has gone missing from the home. Staff followed agreed procedures and thoroughly searched for the child. The child was warmly welcomed on their return, and staff explored the reason for their absence. This approach supports children to reflect on their feelings and strengthens their relationships with staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff are highly skilled in de-escalation strategies to respond to children’s anxieties. There has been only one incident when staff have needed to use physical intervention. This was proportionate and justified to reduce risks. Staff use extremely effective restorative consequences with children, who respond to these well. All children make excellent progress in their ability to manage their emotions because of staff’s support.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

All staff understand their responsibilities in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns. Children say that they feel safe and know how to raise concerns. When children have raised allegations, these have been responded to extremely well by the manager. The manager identifies necessary learning and takes prompt action to address any lapses in staff’s practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A long-standing, experienced and qualified manager leads the team confidently. They are well supported by a skilled deputy manager. Both are committed and ambitious Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 5 and have high aspirations for children to succeed. Staff say that they feel highly valued and inspired by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers provide high-quality support for staff to further their professional development. Staff receive insightful supervision and highly reflective annual appraisals. Staff are encouraged to study, review and implement various areas of research to further improve the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff attend regular team meetings and workshops. A clinical psychologist strongly influences these meetings to provide additional support for staff. As a result, therapeutic practice in this home is fully embedded, understood and delivered by staff. These approaches are making an exceptionally positive difference to children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff have worked in the home for many years. There is a high level of staff retention. Consequently, children experience a strong sense of stability and receive excellent continuity in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive a wide range of training that equips them with the skills they need to meet the individual needs of children. Most of the staff team are qualified for their role or are working towards the relevant qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a strong understanding of the strengths and development areas in the support provided to children. She undertakes highly robust reviews of children’s experiences and staff’s practice. Feedback from children is regularly obtained and actioned with regard to any further improvements needed in the care they receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any limits on privacy and access in the home are informed by a rigorous assessment of children’s individual needs. This arrangement should be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC429702 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Ryes College Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC429702 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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