National Sensory Impairment Partnership/Learning Event Welcome National Sensory Impairment Partnership/Learning Event Helen Humphreys HMI National Lead for Residential Care November 2015

The differences between residential schools framework and children’s homes framework, common pitfalls, How to avoid ‘inadequate’ judgements Add presentation title to master slide | 2

Children’s Homes Children’s Homes are regulated settings This means that they are registered with Ofsted Have to comply with Children’s Homes Regulations Ofsted can take a range of enforcement action if they don’t comply, including compliance notices, restriction, suspension, cancellation and prosecution. Children’s Homes are inspected at least twice per year

The regulatory framework Care Standards Act 2000 Children’s Homes Regulations Guide to the regulations (revised NMS) Revised regulations set out clearly what homes should achieve by adding new Quality Standards to the regulations. The Quality Standards each have a high-level, child focused, ambitious outcomes statement with specific underpinning requirements that homes must meet to achieve the standard. We will make requirements and enforce against the regulations. NMS are revised to become a Guide to the regulations. The document doesn’t contain standards or objectives as the NMS did currently (because these are in the new regulations). Instead it explains and supplements the regulations. We must have regard to the Guide when inspecting. There is now a clear connection between the regulations and the Guide, helping to increase clarity for providers and Ofsted alike.

Children’s Homes With the exception of short break settings, children’s Homes look after- ‘Looked After Children’, as defined by the Children Act 1989 Vary in size, location, what they do, who they care for…. One bed- many beds- Secure estate Short breaks RSS registered as Children’s Homes Add presentation title to master slide | 5

The judgements The overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in the home taking into account: how well children and young people are helped and protected (limiting judgement) the impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Over a 4 point scale- Outstanding Good Requires improvement (to be good) Inadequate

How do we inspect? We inspect against the evaluation schedule We use the grade descriptors to determine the judgement We use the Regulations, The Guide to the Regulations and Quality Standards and other guidance/legislation to raise requirements and make recommendations. Add presentation title to master slide | 7

What are the key factors? Care planning is key - are children and young people’s needs being met across all aspects of their development? How well? Are they having positive experiences? Are they making progress? Are they safe? If not, why not and what is the home doing about it? The statement of purpose is key - does the home know what it does and does it do it well? Does it know which children and young people it is able to help and make decisions on this basis? Does it structure itself (the environment, the staffing levels, the ethos etc.) and support its staff through training and supervision to achieve its aims and objectives? Does it deliver what it says it would? Leadership is key - is there strong and effective leadership (at all levels where an organisation)? Does the registered manager know the strengths and weaknesses of the home? Do monitoring systems make a difference?

The new framework and methodology Defines what good is like Move from adequate to ‘requires improvement’ Looking for good - if better than good, is it outstanding? If not yet good - how serious are the weaknesses and what is their impact on children and young people? Methodology is focused on tracking children and young people, talking managers, staff, young people, other professionals Full inspection- 2 days on site Interim inspection up to 1 day on site

Residential Special Schools Department for Education is the Regulator They are not regulated settings How the DfE operate varies on the type of school Vary in size and location, what they do and who they look after Not all children are LAC RSS have to comply with NMS Ofsted inspects on behalf of the DfE, at least once per year and more if requested

Make the same judgements on a 4 point scale Inspection Framework Overall experiences and progress of children and young people The quality of care and support How well children and young people are protected The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Make the same judgements on a 4 point scale Add presentation title to master slide | 11

How do we inspect? We inspect against the evaluation schedule We use the grade descriptors to determine the judgement We use the NMS and other guidance/legislation to make recommendations. Add presentation title to master slide | 12

Methodology Observations and talking to managers, staff and young people Observation of key activities Records and documents Talking to others including parents and professionals Inspection of premises Add presentation title to master slide | 13

Common pitfalls or lessons learnt Make sure you can meet the needs of the children you accommodate If you widen your admission criteria, make sure that you re-train your staff, review your policies and procedures If the school is a RSS- but operates as a BS- can you meet the needs of vulnerable children, in particular supervision and safeguarding Where a school accommodates significantly more children of one gender than the other- are needs being met/are they safe Add presentation title to master slide | 14

Lessons Learnt School isolation- how easy is it for parents/professionals to get there- does this discourage them What happens to children if they complain Who is related to who- does this make children safe Role of nursing staff- independence, clinical supervision, opportunity to meet with other nurses, CPD What is the default position for managing behaviour – is it restraint? Where does the residential part of the school ‘sit’ within the hierarchy of the school? Add presentation title to master slide | 15

Inadequate RSS- There are serious and /or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted, safeguarded or if their care and support is poor and they are not making progress Children’s Homes As above! Add presentation title to master slide | 16

Meeting requirements If you are meeting these you won’t be inadequate……….. Regulations NMS Evaluation Schedule Grade descriptors Add presentation title to master slide | 17

What makes somewhere inadequate Leaders and managers don’t know what’s going on Can’t answer basic questions/lie to inspectors Premises are unsafe- fire, maintenance……….. Staff can’t answer basic questions about the young people, procedures Setting is run for the benefit of the staff Weak recruitment and selection practices Children aren’t safe or their welfare is not promoted Level of care means that children will not make progress or have a positive experience- Add presentation title to master slide | 18

How to avoid inadequate Good leaders and managers know the strengths and weakness of their setting and have a plan to improve Good leaders and managers are visible to staff and young people Good leaders and managers make best use of their resources Good leaders and managers always have safeguarding at the forefront of their minds Good leaders and managers want the best for their young people and set high aspirations Good leaders and managers have appropriate records and not paperwork to ‘feed’ Ofsted Good leaders and managers keep up to date Add presentation title to master slide | 19

How to avoid inadequate Good leaders and managers are inspection ready! Add presentation title to master slide | 20

Any questions?