Children's home run by The Ryes College Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 1 Registered provider: The Ryes College Limited

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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. Four children were living at the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a school registered with the Department for Education on the same site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

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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: 2651665 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Good 01/03/2023 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Two of the four children living at the home spoke with the inspectors during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children thrive with staff’s care and support at this home. Full recognition of children’s emerging sexuality and preferred gender supports children to feel accepted and confident about their personal identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make remarkable progress. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in and one child has moved out. Children’s moves into and out of the home are extremely well planned and fully supported by the staff team. Staff work closely with other professionals, which has helped children to prepare practically and emotionally when moving on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff treat children with the utmost equality and respect. The children’s views are sought and influence how their care is planned. Each child benefits from a high-quality care plan that details their starting points, strengths and goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from a structure and purpose to the day. They have pets, do part-time work and enjoy physical activities and sports clubs. This is despite barriers caused by health issues, anxiety and risks. Staff’s can-do approach has meant that children continue with their interests and pursuits. These routines and structure provide many benefits that increase children’s confidence and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s education is strongly supported. Two children with significant gaps in education have since achieved GCSE qualifications at the home. The staff take a creative and active approach to engage children who have been out of education. This is led by a team member with the qualifications, expertise and drive to do this. Staff have an expectation that children participate. Staff are tenacious and persistent. This has helped children start to re-engage and realise their potential to achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff build supportive and loving relationships with the children. They provide warm, bespoke care that embraces children’s needs and is highly individual. Staff celebrate children’s achievements. Their understanding of each child and celebration of differences is a highly motivating factor in children’s achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff ably support children’s relationships with their families and friends. The staff have a strong understanding of the level of support that some children might need before family time and their feelings afterwards. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 4

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

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of keeping children safe. They use a planned and sensitive approach to children who have identified risks. A full understanding of children’s backgrounds and past experiences has helped staff to respond to children with care and compassion, while putting their safety and well-being first.

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

The staff respond with care and concern to children who go missing from the home. Initial responses are quick and well supported by the staff team. These include staff staying in the locality during unsocial hours when children have left the area and other staff providing logistical, practical support.

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

Incidents are few and far between. The manager has introduced a ‘repair together’ process. This helps the staff and children to understand underlying behaviours, reflect on triggers and bring about changes. This approach has reduced the likelihood of incidents reoccurring. Children’s risk management plans empower children. These are thoughtful and child-centred. These enable children to take informed and educated risks with a high level of oversight and support from staff.

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

Bullying is not an issue at the home. However, a proactive and detailed response should this happen details potential tensions between children. This helps staff to remain vigilant and the children to experience a stable home.

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

Children are confident and polite and a credit to the staff team. They know how to treat visitors and are hospitable and open. Children can articulate their emotions and share how they feel. Naming and understanding feelings have significantly reduced incidents. Strong and supportive relationships with the staff have helped children to manage their feelings in a more positive way.

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

All staff have undertaken safeguarding training. They can talk confidently through the safeguarding procedures. Careful and detailed management of allegations and whistle- blowing is demonstrated in meticulous records. Allegations against staff have been managed exceptionally well. Detailed records of discussions show an equal approach with reflective actions and learning for the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is qualified and experienced. She is well supported by a deputy manager. Together, they share a comprehensive understanding of the children’s needs and risks. The manager and deputy manager form an energised and dynamic management team. They share a clear vision that is aspirational and ambitious. This vision provides high expectations for the staff team to follow.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s opinions and feedback inform staff appraisals. A parent and two professionals have provided positive feedback about the children’s progress and communication systems. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 5 Any concerns and complaints are managed effectively. Children said that they feel listened to and supported when raising complaints. They know how to go about this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses a combination of electronic and paper files as they migrate to an electronic recording system. The manager has spent time ensuring that electronic records are duplicated in paper packs for audit and assurance. This can be time consuming.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The recommendation set at the last inspection has been met. Extensive work on the house interior has resulted in a vibrant and welcoming home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers work effectively with other people to secure the right support for the children. A GP has visited a child at the home, work experience has been tailored for one child and great care has been taken in sourcing the right education provision for another child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has ample staffing, including high numbers of qualified staff. Staff are motivated and fulfilled in their roles. The staff are energetic and energised. They are given support and training for their roles. There are staff who have expertise and qualifications that enhance children’s progress. These include a qualified teacher and a care leaver. The manager has created staff champions, who share their knowledge to support improvements. A number of staff do not have up-to-date, face-to-face first-aid training; however, rotas ensure there is always a trained member of staff available in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2651665 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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Jessica-Rose McWilliams

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Inspectors

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2651665 8 and inspects 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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