I totally agree with what you have stated and being an ex manager of a large Outstanding Childrens home in the North West can only expel the myth that it is only smaller childrens homes that can achieve Outstanding. I intend to talk about this more later in the year. In most homes, children say they are happy, and they do well at school. 1.23 The purpose of Ofsted’s inspection of children’s homes is to assess the quality of care being provided for children. Most of the records come from three past and present government departments: the Home Office, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health and Social Security. So what are the features of this home? Worcester children’s home closed by Ofsted after one child went missing and another broke out. As you would expect it is a very nurturing environment and it provides the children with stability and consistency. The normal lines of sight to our most vulnerable children just haven’t been in place in recent months. At the end of March 2019, 80% of active and inspected children’s homes were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. The educational attainment of children in care is in fact better than that of their peers on children in need plans. We are acutely aware of the pressures you are under, and the potential for a spike in referrals come September when children return to school. We only ask for your email address so we know you're a real person, Ofsted: developments in children’s social care, More dialogue and less focus on plans – local authority children’s services inspections from 2018. It does not replace the current arrangements for raising a complaint or notifying the appropriate body regarding concerns about the safety or well-being of a child. But unfortunately there will always be some children for whom this is not the right option. There is less talk about process and procedures. There are thousands of these organisations and they For a child who has had a difficult start in life, adoption can provide permanence and certainty. Yvette Stanley, National Director for Regulation and Social Care, talks about our children's social care visits that will start this Autumn. We only ask for your email address so we know you're a real person, Ofsted: developments in children’s social care, Secure children’s homes – helping the most vulnerable children. Staff who are focused on each child’s personal wellbeing and continuous development. We help social care professionals stay up to date on issues and developments in the sector. We help social care professionals stay up to date on issues and developments in the sector. This blog looks at the way Ofsted inspects the social care sector: local authority children's services and social care providers, such as children's homes. Any person carrying on or managing a children’s home that provides care and accommodation must register with Ofsted in respect of that individual children’s home. This guide explains in more detail what those intending to provide or manage a children’s home must consider when deciding whether they need to apply for registration. Ofsted: Disabled children "seriously affected in both care and … Th… We haven’t created something new – rather, adjusted our approach so that we get the assurance we need about the decisions being made for children. The good news is that most of these homes do an effective job. You can also follow Ofsted on Twitter. @Ofsted will begin visits to local authorities and children's social care providers from September 2020 . Like all children, they will have worries and concerns. Anonymous Ambiguity has been much cited in reference to the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015. Not every children’s home can be outstanding. Being in a children’s home is usually a positive experience for young people, as long as they are able to stay there long enough to reap the benefits. This Ofsted survey report looks at a sample of 12 children’s homes and draws on the views of managers, staff and young people about what makes these homes outstanding and … Children’s social care has been under tremendous strain since lockdown began. All providers and managers of children’s homes must register with Ofsted unless they meet the requirements for an exemption from registration. We’ll be visiting as many providers and local authorities as possible, prioritising those we have concerns about. In addition a recent review by a planning inspector of case law (Stockport 2010), has Tensions are rising behind closed doors, and there is an inevitable rise in numbers of children entering the child protection and care system. on 06 October 2017, A fantastic blog Eleanor. Just a few weeks ago, a more normal, pre-COVID life was beckoning with restrictions eased and a greater sense of freedom. We’ve had plenty of support and understanding from the sector about our plans, though some anxiety is natural. We will do everything we can to minimise the burden of these visits and to be sensitive to demands placed on staff. It felt great for all of us, including the children, to receive such positive feedback and the children knowing and recognising the improvements in their lives further enhanced relationships with staff. Our inspectors of children’s home all have a thorough professional experience of the sector. These are visits, and we won’t be making a graded judgement. So do I. Comment by They know what works for the children they care for. Ofsted does, however, have powers to consider certain complaints, known as qualifying complaints, about … This part of the visit links in with The Quality and Purpose of Care Standardwhereby the physical conditions of the Home are assessed. This time around, the inspector judged that the home had managed to improve its effectiveness even further, and that the young people who live there are receiving exceptionally high standards of care. For example, one young person was beginning to sleep regularly, with the result that he was able to concentrate better at school. Which is why our social care common inspection framework focuses on how social care managers and staff are working towards the end result, rather than the end result itself. This is one percentage point lower than at 31 March 2018. What Is Ofsted Or ISI And What Do They Do? Today Ofsted published its annual report from 2019/2020. Ofsted. Despite this, we’ve seen much resilience and adaptability: new ways of working, and local authorities, schools, early years and wider services going above and beyond for children. Inspectors will look at the experiences of children and how local authorities and providers have made the best possible decisions for children in the context of the pandemic. 🙂. However there is a little Ofsted hidden weapon (or gem depending how you look at it) that lies at the heart of the tougher inspection framework and it is not much publicised. Key findings Thanks to the efforts of staff in nurseries, schools, colleges and children’s homes, Ofsted’s annual report shows that the standard of education and care remains high across the board. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and ... Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, … We already carry out focused visits to local authorities between inspections, so in many respects our autumn visits will seem familiar. Full inspections of local authorities will not resume until January 2021 at the earliest, and routine inspections of social care providers such as children’s homes are on hold until April 2021. https://socialcareinspection.blog.gov.uk/2017/08/31/inspecting-childrens-homes-progress-matters/. Four children who have emotional and behavioural problems live there. And for the services we regulate, we will use our enforcement powers if we have serious concerns. Due to COVID19, 36 full inspections of children’s homes were not completed, 9 post-registration visits and 61 interim inspections of children’s homes. https://socialcareinspection.blog.gov.uk/2020/08/20/childrens-social-care-visits-what-to-expect/. Ofsted visits children's homes regularly. posted on In fact, we have awarded many larger homes the top grade too. According to the Children's Social Care in England 2017 statistical bulletin published this morning, the proportion of children’s homes judged to be good or better is at its highest in the last five years. They know what works for the children they care for.In recent years the government has focused a lot of attention on adoption. They know that progress is relative to circumstances. The young people told us that they were happy and felt safe, and that they thoroughly enjoyed their life at this children's home. Inspection focuses on the outcomes that childrenare being supported to achieve. Do they feel safe, are they happy and making progress? And they run the children’s homes for the benefit of the children, who do well as a result. STANDARD 26: 26.1: Positive steps are taken to keep children, staff and visitors safe from risk from fire and other hazards. In a single year, we will carry out more than 2,000 full inspections of homes across England. Some of you may be seeing this already. So, when we talk with staff in a children’s home we ask them how the children in their care are getting on. Talking about the outstanding children’s home in the North West, a social worker told us: "I just wish that there were more places like it so that more children could benefit in the same way that X clearly does.". We may be living in the ‘new normal’ for some time to come, but I have no doubt that children’s social care will continue to meet the challenges of these extraordinary times. Some of this we’ve seen first-hand, through our inspectors deployed in local authorities to help with their wider COVID-19 efforts. Yvette explains how the visits will work in this video. It was by no means an easy task but with committment, dedication and never giving up on children the home was a great place to work and an even better place for the children to live. We’ll publish our findings, setting out what is going well and what could improve. Inspectors want to see evidence that staff know the children well, what they like and dislike, their fears and their joys. And we’ll be looking at a sample of local authorities judged good or outstanding at their last inspection so we can highlight learning and good practice. Ofsted stands ready to help, sharing your focus on children’s best interests. The building, its location and environment, the condition of the furniture and decoration, the use made of the rooms and the personal space available for individual children can affect the whole atmosphere of a home. Children’s homes are inspected by inspectors from Ofsted (this stands for the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). Children’s homes that Ofsted has rated outstanding are not all the same. This home is good at what it does as the result of the hard work and the professionalism of the staff. Furious row after Ofsted condemns Birmingham kids' home for … Earlier this year, Ofsted visited a children’s home in the North West. But collectively, we will get back on our feet. When we visit children’s homes that are not yet good, our inspectors often come across people working in children’s homes that do not take into account the individual needs of each child and the actual risks they encounter or know what to do to help them. Children's care homes are seen as a last resort, but they can be a … Below, we explore the report's key findings, and how the Department has supported the sector this year. A: Ofsted Parent View is not a mechanism for making complaints or sharing individual concerns about a school with Ofsted. The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 encourages providers to continually look for ways to improve the quality of care provided, including the use of research and development. Find out what we look at and see inspection reports. Age group: 5–18 His teachers had also awarded him certificates for outstanding behaviour. Although this continues to some extent, it’s clear that the sense of normality we all crave will be on hold for a while to come, as colleagues in the north of England know only too well. It’s been said that that achieving an outstanding rating at a first inspection is impossible. We also want to use our position and insight to highlight the excellent work going on in the sector, as well as describing the barriers and challenges you face to those in power. We contribute to Ofsted's inspection reports on children's services in each local authority area in England. 110040 Who inspects children’s homes? In fact, it’s quite the opposite - the best homes do the best for any child as they know what works. It draws on the views of managers, staff and young people about what makes these homes outstanding and the key features which have contributed to their success. In recent years the government has focused a lot of attention on adoption. For a child who has had a difficult start in life, adoption can provide permanence and certainty. Children live in homes that provide physical safety and security. But there is also anxiety about what lies ahead, as the full impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown on the most vulnerable begins to bite. Our inspector found that the management’s strong emphasis on good routines is enabling the children to make progress. Find an inspection report You can find reports for schools, colleges, childminders, nurseries, children’s homes and more in … Ofsted’s role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England do so to a high standard for children and students. Typically, when searching for records you will find the following: On individual children’s homes and other related institutions: 1. correspondence– between the government department and inst… Yvette Stanley is Ofsted's National Director for Regulation and Social Care. A version of this article was published in the Municipal Journal. A further myth is that we are unlikely to give outstanding or good grades to homes that are working with children that have complex needs. The young people told us that they were happy and felt safe, and that they thoroughly enjoyed their life at this children's home.This home is good at what it does as the result of the hard work and the professionalism of the staff. There is no legal requirement upon the operator to notify Children’s Services. ... “As the regulator of children’s homes, ... A look back at Lowesmoor over the years. By submitting a comment you understand it may be published on this public website. Childcare Swaps And Reciprocal Childcare: Do You Know The … children looked after - Ofsted: developments in children’s social care Children’s homes – Interim ... look after. Children’s and young person’s guide to the inspection of children’s homes 4 March 2015, No. We had previously inspected this children’s home in late 2016, when we rated it outstanding. Staff who have the skills to be able to help children. But what matters is that the home’s managers and staff take these into account and deal with them. Please read our privacy notice to see how the GOV.UK blogging platform handles your information. The size of a children’s home is immaterial if its managers and staff are able to work with all the children who live there. Ofsted’s role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England do so to a high standard for children and students. From September 2019, Ofsted is changing the way we inspect early years education and childcare, schools and further education colleges. It can offer the chance of a stable childhood with one caring family. That’s why children’s homes, such as this one, are so important. This week we published more detail about how the social care visits will work in practice. Our National Director for Education, Sean Harford, discusses what parents, carers and learners can expect from our new inspections and reports. While lifted restrictions give us a sense of progress, local lockdowns and other setbacks mean that the recovery is uneven. We want to get back into local authorities and other providers to make sure that children are safe and getting the care they need. Keep up to date with social care news at Ofsted by signing up for email alerts. Of course, at Ofsted we’re very much focused on children’s welfare. For example, since September 2009, around nine out of 10 headteachers responding to post-inspection surveys said they were satisfied with the way their inspection was carried out and that the inspection had identified clear recommendations for improvement. Ofsted cancelled 14 registrations in 2018-19, How to look after yourself during an Ofsted | Education Support Protecting and caring for the most vulnerable children, while contending with the impact of COVID-19 on staff and services, has been one of the greatest challenges that the sector has probably ever faced, certainly in my career. 3. By submitting a comment you understand it may be published on this public website. These factors send a powerful message to children and others of the value that those responsible for their welfare place upon the children they care for. In fact, in 2013/14 Ofsted judged six per cent of children's homes to be outstanding at their first inspection. The majority of education, children’s services and skills providers inspected by Ofsted report they are satisfied with Ofsted’s work. 22. There are more than 2,000 children’s homes in England and nearly all care for children who need somewhere to live outside a family home, although some provide short break care or have shared care arrangements. However, if there’s one thing that links them, it’s that they all have outstanding leaders who understand their strengths and weaknesses. When we inspect, we find that most children say they feel safe in their home. Established initially in 1992 as the Office for Standards in Education, Ofsted's remit was expanded in 2007 to include children's services work relating to social care and the courts, and its full title was changed to reflect this. Progress and experience are what matter most. There are thousands of records on children’s residential care institutions at The National Archives, covering largely policy and administration. Assurance visits: children's homes Guidance on how Ofsted will carry out assurance visits to children's homes from 1 September 2020 as part of our phased return to … What is Ofsted? Outstanding children’s homes This report analyses how a small sample of 12 children’s homes achieved and sustained outstanding status over a period of three years. Check Ofsted's COVID-19 updates to see how inspections and reports are affected. Four in five children’s homes are judged good or outstanding. It tests compliance with the relevant regulations, … That proportion rose to 12 per cent in 2015/16. During the crisis, over 600 Ofsted staff were deployed to other organisations. This is not about judging. – Independent … Although regulated providers won’t receive an inspection grade, the reports will have all the information that commissioners need to help them make the right decisions for children. operating as private children’s homes.. Most of the children had been at the home for over 2 years and some made exceptional progress, particularly with their educational attainment and challenging behaviours. Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. Children's social care visits: what to expect - Ofsted: developments … It took us 3 years from opening to finally achieve the recognition that we had all strived for as a staff team. Children’s homes play such an important part in some children’s lives. So, from September, we will be carrying out visits to schools and the social care and early years providers that we inspect and regulate. Ofsted recognises that implementing a new way of working can take time to embed and have a positive impact on the progress and experiences of children and young people. Please read our privacy notice to see how the GOV.UK blogging platform handles your information. For local authorities, that includes how they have joined up schools and social care services while schools were closed, to stop vulnerable pupils from ‘slipping through the net’. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of the UK government, reporting to Parliament.Ofsted is responsible for inspecting a range of educational institutions, including state schools and some independent schools. There’s a strange myth that only small children’s homes can be outstanding. But children's homes will always be with us, so I can only hope - for the sake of the 5% or so of the children who need this kind of support - that they keep getting even better. do not run any children’s homes. The majority of children’s homes judged to be inadequate at their first inspection in 2016-17 improved during the year. The registration process is directly between the operator and Ofsted . And I believe that Ofsted has a role to play here. Secure children’s homes – helping the most vulnerable children - … This blog looks at the way Ofsted inspects the social care sector: local authority children's services and social care providers, such as children's homes. Follow Yvette on Twitter. So I want to talk to you today about the fact that there are many homes that are doing a fantastic job for children.