Halton Borough Council welcomes the findings of the recent Ofsted inspection of Inglefield Children’s Centre in Runcorn where short breaks are provided for children who often have complex disabilities. Inspectors found that the home provides effective services and meets requirements for a good rating.
Inspectors visited the home on 15 and 16 March 2023 and were focused on three key areas: Overall experiences and progress of children and young people; How well children and young people are helped and protected; Effectiveness of leaders and managers.
Ofsted commented positively that the team constantly strives to provide children with good-quality experiences to enhance their lives and develop their independence skills. Children are truly valued and are at the centre of practice in the home.
A gentle and calm approach towards behaviour management was also noted. Appropriate levels of supervision and good risk assessments, behaviour management plans and daily records mean that incidents are rare.
Amanda Lewis, Interim Director of Children’s Services, said: “I welcome the Ofsted report and am pleased to see recognition of the good quality of care given by our staff for the children who stay at Inglefield. The team deserves this acknowledgement as they work very hard and are committed to providing the best service possible for children, young people and their families.”
Ofsted has identified some areas where further improvement is still needed around effectiveness of leaders and managers. Following the retirement of the previous manager who oversaw a good service for many years, the deputy manager stepped into this role on a temporary basis. There is a current recruitment process taking place and it is expected that a permanent manager will be in place in the coming weeks.
Cllr Tom Mclnerney, Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Social Care, said: “Inglefield provides a vital service for children and families in our local community. The home gives parents and carers some respite whilst allowing children to enjoy time away from home where they can have fun and enjoy new interests in a safe and supported way based on their physical or learning needs.
“I very much welcome the Ofsted report and would like to thank everyone who contributed to the inspection, particularly our children and families who use the service.”
All recommendations made by inspectors are accepted and are either implemented or work is in progress.
Background:
The Ofsted inspection took place on 15 and 16 March 2023 at Inglefield Children’s Centre, Castlefields, Runcorn.