Children's Home run by Care Afloat Ltd in Lancashire

SC006013 Unique reference number 5 November 2009 Inspection date Sarah Oldham Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013

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Brief description of the service

The home is a three bedded domestic style children's home owned by a private provider. The home provides care and accommodation for one young person between the ages of eight to 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

Accommodation is provided over two floors, to the lower floor there is a lounge and a kitchen with a dinning area. Bedrooms and bathrooms are situated to the upper floor.

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Summary

The inspection took place unannounced and the young person contributed to the inspection. The home was assessed against all key national minimum standards and recommendations made following the last inspection were followed up.

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Summary

The home provides a satisfactory level of care and support. All young people have access to health care professionals. Menus are planned in advance to promote healthy nutritionally balanced diets. However, menus as actually eaten do not reflect this is consistent. Young people are safeguarded by the policies and procedures that have been developed. They are supported and encouraged to form good relationships and attend education to promote satisfactory educational outcomes. Social activities are supported and enable young people to be involved in developing their independent and social skills. However, there are shortfalls within the service relating to staff supervision and appraisal, training with regards the complaints procedure, and ensuring that behaviour management plans are consistently applied to ensure continuity for the young people. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection two actions and two recommendations were made. These related to ensuring that there was a behaviour management policy and procedure in place in accordance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and ensuring an accurate record of sanctions were maintained. The policy and procedure has been updated and a copy maintained at the home. The records of sanctions made inspected complied with the regulations.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The recommendation made regarding ensuring a complaints procedure for the handling of external complaints has been addressed. However, a recommendation has been made at this inspection to ensure that all staff receive training and guidance regarding this procedure. The home now ensures that appropriate books for the recording of sanctions and physical interventions are in place and the pages are clearly numbered.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Young people have individual health care plans in place. These plans identify how young people are to be supported with their health care needs. Registration with a doctor, dentist and optician is in place and records of appointments and outcomes are clearly recorded to enable appropriate support to be provided. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013 Young people’s medical needs are satisfactorily managed and all appropriate parental permissions are in place. Safe storage and records, including any medication refusals, are clearly recorded.

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Helping children to be healthy

Support is provided to encourage young people to enjoy a healthy and nutritious diet, although the menus do not reflect that this is consistently followed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The home is aware of the importance of ensuring that confidential information is maintained securely. This is underpinned by the homes policies and procedures. Information is stored within a lockable office. The young people have access to a telephone and any restrictions are clearly identified and agreed with the placing authority.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Complaints are recorded. However, recording of some complaints lack detailed information concerning the complaint and the outcome. The home has a new complaint policy and procedure in place but not all staff have had training on the complaints procedure. This does not ensure that all complaints are appropriately addressed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff have received training regarding safeguarding. This training forms part of the core training programme for all staff and is updated on a regular basis. The home has a copy of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) policy and has developed good links to promote safety and well-being of young people. Notifications received have identified that referrals to the LSCB are made in accordance with the policy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying is not currently an issue at the home. Staff are aware of the importance of being vigilant to ensure that any bullying is addressed to protect both the young person being bullied and the instigator.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risk assessments are in place for young people who leave the home without informing staff of their whereabouts. Additional support to young people has been undertaken and this has resulted in a significant decrease of this behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The behaviour management policy and procedure has been updated to ensure that it meets the Children's Homes Regulations 2001. The home details how it will support young people to effectively manage their behaviour and this is included with the placement plan. However, there is a lack of understanding of some aspects of the individual plan and this results is some inconsistency of implementing and promoting this plan with the young people. All staff have received training regarding physical intervention and documentation is maintained when this has been used. Sanctions imposed are recorded although the views of the young people regarding the sanction are not routinely obtained. Therefore, the home are not able to review effectively whether the young person understands why sanctions are implemented.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Comprehensive risk assessments are in place for the young people and for the home. These are kept under review and amended as required. The home has appropriate fire safety procedures in place and all equipment is maintained appropriately.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013 Young people's diverse needs are considered and addressed in their individual placement plans. They receive support in line with the placement plan. For example, this may be in the form of psychological support, or attendance at specialist groups aimed at improving social skills and self esteem. The home works proactively with other agencies to meet identified needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is promoted for young people. Those who have missed a lot of schooling in the past and who cannot attend mainstream school are educated in the home by the company school. The curriculum is tailored to meet their needs and interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A range of leisure activities is offered and young people are encouraged to pursue their particular interests and to engage in new activities. Young people are encouraged to mix with peers and are offered opportunities to do so.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Placement plans are in place for each young person and outline how the home intends to meet their assessed needs. These plans are discussed and agreed with the young people and the placing authority. They are regularly reviewed and updated and staff are familiar with the contents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home actively participates in young people's statutory reviews and prepares a report for each review. Young people are encouraged to attend and to give their views, but some choose not to be involved in these meetings. Copies of all reviews held during a young person's placement are held in confidential files and inform changes to the placement plan.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are supported to maintain constructive contact with their families through telephone calls and visits, in accordance with their placement plans. Where restriction has been placed on telephone contact this is clearly agreed with the placing authority, young person and a record of this is maintained. Wherever possible, young people visit the home before they are admitted and receive an information pack about the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Routine and regular meetings are held with young people to ensure they have the opportunity to influence their day to day lives. Not all young people wish to contribute in a formal way and prefer to make their feelings known as part of every day life. Young people report that staff listen to them, take them seriously and take their views into account.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. Staff support young people learn to take care of themselves and to participate in everyday chores that prepare them for future independent living. They live in a comfortable, clean home that is domestic in style and has sufficient space and facilities to meet their needs. However, some areas of the home are showing signs of wear and tear and the front door needs repairing. The home has a budget for refurbishment and maintenance.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Following a change in staff at the home, there has been a period of inconsistency of staffing providing support to the young people. This has been addressed and an identified staff team 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013 has been established. However, not all staff have received supervision and this does not ensure that they are effectively supported on an individual basis. Staff meetings for the new team have commenced to enable staff to focus on the young people and to develop an understanding of their diverse and changing needs.

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Organisation

Staff have access to a regular training and development programme ensuring that they have the necessary qualifications to enable them to develop their skills and knowledge in supporting young people.

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Organisation

Regular monitoring visits are undertaken each month by a person who is independent of the home. Reports written following these visits identify any actions that need to be addressed to improve the quality of care provided. Copies of these visits are provided to the home and to Ofsted.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Young people have access to the information written about them. Their case files are kept private and secure and provide a record of their history, which is useful to staff, and progress they make whilst living in the home. This information assists young people to reflect back at their time spent in the home.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

1 December 2009 The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27 (4)(a))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure when disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children are encouraged to write or have their views recorded and sign their names against them if possible in the records kept in the home (NMS 22.14) • ensure all staff receive training in the complaints procedure to include what constitutes a complaint, how complaints are recorded and the procedure to follow should a complaint not be resolved (NMS 16.6) • ensure that the consequences of unacceptable behaviour are clear to staff and children and that measures applied are as consistent as possible (NMS 22.4) • ensure that young people are provided with food in adequate quantities, properly prepared, wholesome and nutritious (NMS 10.3) • ensure that risk assessments are signed and dated ( NMS 26.4) 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013

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Recommendations

• ensure that the interior and exterior of the home are maintained in a good state of structural and decorative repair (NMS 24.3) • ensure that all staff at the home receive at least one and a half hours of one to one supervision from a senior member of staff each month (NMS 28.2) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC006013

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