Published Friday 28 January 2022 at 12:17
Caring staff at a Council-run short break centre for disabled children have been praised for their ‘outstanding’ work by Ofsted.
Apple Trees in Blackburn, which is run by Blackburn with Darwen Council, was judged to be outstanding by Ofsted inspectors in all areas – the sixth year in a row.
It is recognised as being one of the best service of its type in the country.
It provides short breaks for up to five children with complex needs at a time, up to the age of 18. The team provide a range of ‘home from home’ support and activity depending on the needs of the child, young person and carer.
Recent investment in the centre has supported the creation of a self-contained suite to further improve the service on offer.
During the inspection, parents described the setting as a ‘life saver’- providing children with care and support when they need it most.
The report states:
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.
Children have enriching and life-enhancing experiences when they access this short-break service. They thrive and benefit from the exceptional care and opportunities that are offered by dedicated staff.
Staff offer care that is highly sensitive to children’s individual, and often complex, needs. Relationships that develop between staff and children are sustained over many years.
Apple Trees allows young people to have social experiences outside of their immediate families in a purpose-built environment.
Inspectors also highlighted the strong collaboration between staff and parents. They attributed this to “extremely thorough planning” and ongoing liaison to ensure that all children benefit from their stay.
Inspectors said:
Staff take great care to ensure that children are given familiar and comforting surroundings, alongside new and fun activities.
Praising the leadership of the service, the report states:
The manager is very ambitious for the service to continuously evolve and develop. He is confident in his role and has high expectations of staff to provide the best possible care. He leads a stable and highly experienced staff team that is committed to providing children and their families with an exceptional service.
Cllr Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children’s, Young People and Education, said:
I am so proud that we provide this superb service which is making a huge different to children and families. The inspection judgement is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of the caring and highly-skilled team.
Jayne Ivory, Director of Children’s Services at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:
This service really is one of the best of its kind in the country. We are able to help children and young people who have additional needs have opportunities to learn and grow whilst their families have time to re-charge.
To see inside the centre and hear more about their work watch this video: