Children's Home run by Care Haven (UK) Limited in Stockport

SC065374 Unique reference number 23 June 2009 Inspection date Sue Winson Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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6 February 2009 Date of last 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: SC065374

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is a detached house on a housing estate near to the centre of a large town. It is close to all local public amenities including shops, leisure facilities and schools. The home cares for up to five young people. Each young person has their own bedroom and two members of staff sleep on the premises each night.

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Summary

This is a satisfactory service with some good elements. Young people's health is largely promoted, with the exception of access to dental services. Arrangements for protecting young people are mainly effective although an improvement in the quality and usefulness of risk assessments would benefit the young people. Young people are attending and achieving in education and college and others are in the process of applying for work. The effectiveness of care planning has yet to be improved and does not include action planning or regular reviewing of plans. Young people have the opportunity to learn to budget and prepare their own meals and needs for independence are balanced with safety considerations. Positive relationships exist between the young people and the staff group who work together with parents and other agencies and professionals to meet young people's needs. The arrangements for the monitoring of the home

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Summary

are not robust. 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

The manager and staff have acted on two of the actions made at the last inspection. Only permissible sanctions are now used in the home and they are fully recorded. No progress has been made on improving placement plans.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The following areas have improved following recommendations made at the last inspection. Young people's diets are monitored and they are informed about room searches. The home is better able to demonstrate individual support to young people, through improved recording of individual sessions. The range of risk assessments has improved, however, the majority lack effective risk management planning and strategies to reduce risks.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Healthy living is promoted and the young people have a balanced and varied diet. Staff monitor individual diets and give advice and assistance on healthy eating to those young people who buy and prepare their own meals as part of their independence programme. They are also encouraged to try different foods and those which are unfamiliar to them. There is sufficient dining space and meals are social occasions.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health plans are variable in quality and some are not up to date. They do not include action planning to monitor how their needs are being met. Young people largely receive the services they need and have access to specialist services to address their physical and emotional needs. All are registered with a GP and optician but not all have access to dental care. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC065374 Young people's welfare is largely protected by the arrangements for administration of medication and staff receive training. Full records of administration are maintained and stock takes take place. Medication is safely stored. Permission from a person with parental responsibility for the administration of first aid is in place. Although the home has permission to use non-prescription medication the pages with signatures has been detached from the list of homely remedies kept in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Young people's privacy is respected and information is confidentially stored and handled. The young people were largely satisfied with the arrangements for making telephone calls in private although the pay phone in the laundry is not working.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. Young people are aware of their rights to complain. Appropriate responses have been made to allegations and suspicions of abuse, however, not all the relevant people have been notified of significant events. Staff training on safeguarding has improved and the manager is researching training which is specific for staff in children's homes. The local authority safeguarding board procedures are available for staff reference. Staff work with young people on personal safety issues.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Policies and procedures for protecting young people who are missing from home are followed in practice. A continuing positive working relationship between the home and the local missing from home co-ordinator further serves to safeguard the young people. Full records are maintained and where appropriate risk assessments are compiled.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Training and refresher courses on behaviour management are available to staff who use positive strategies with young people which include encouragement and reward. Young people like the bonus system and feel that expectations are clear and fair. The bonus charts outline achievable goals which are geared to individuals. Records of behaviour management measures show that few restraints and sanctions are used.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A wider range of risk assessments have been put into place. These are variable in quality and do not always contain risk management strategies. The building provides physical safety and all safety checks have been carried out. Not all of the young people have had the opportunity to practice evacuating the building during a fire drill.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Appropriate procedures are in place for the recruitment of staff who go through interview and have an induction period on starting work. All Criminal Record Bureau checks have been carried out prior to staff working in the home. Personal references are requested but are not checked for authenticity , nor are reasons for leaving employment verified with referees. The majority of staff have job descriptions and contracts which are retained on their files.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people receive individual support which leads to positive outcomes for them. Whilst the recording of individual work has improved it remains evident that more is carried out than is documented. Individual work is not clearly and directly linked to placement planning. Positive 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC065374 relationships exist between the staff and the young people who said that they can approach staff for help, they are well supported and are listened to.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is promoted and the young people have appropriate school, college and work placements. Attendance is high and the staff work with educational staff to meet the needs of the young people. Education information and records of achievements are kept on young people's files and staff attend education meetings and school events. The young people enjoy a range of community activities and are encouraged and supported to follow their interests. Their friends are welcomed in the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Staff know the young people well and it is evident that they are working to meet their needs and achieve positive outcomes. Young people would further benefit from more effective care planning within the home. Written placement plans do not contain comprehensive assessments or action plans which outline how needs will be met. Not all are up to date or signed by all concerned. There is some evidence of monitoring of the plans but action planning has not been pursued. Plans are monitored through statutory reviews although files do not all contain the written documents from reviews.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged to maintain constructive contact with their families and friends. Staff work positively with families to meet the needs of young people and family and friends visit the home. Young people are able to move into and leave the home in a sensitive manner, even when admitted in an emergency.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are asked for their views, listened to and encouraged to be involved in decision making. All are able to express their opinions and are confident that reasonable requests and ideas will be responded to in a positive way. Some of them are involved in local participation groups.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. Young people receive care which helps to prepare them for and support them into adulthood. Staff work to enhance their skills and allow age-appropriate independence. The home has improved life skill planning and it is evident that young people are making progress. The older young people have a weekly budget for food and do their own shopping and cooking for the majority of the time. Staff have helped young people prepare for interviews.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is in need of considerable refurbishment and redecoration. Carpets are stained, furniture is broken, paintwork is scuffed and not all the young people's bedrooms have been decorated to their taste. Young people expressed dissatisfaction with the physical state of the home. There is sufficient space for young people to see visitors in private.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The promotion of diversity and equality is satisfactory. Young people have a voice and staff reflect their opinions. The staff group reflects the local community and there is a balance of 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC065374 gender and cultural background. Staff promote tolerance and respect of difference. Placement plans do not address individual needs.

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Organisation

The home's statement of purpose does not include the reward system. The young people's guide has not been updated to include Ofsted's contact details or information on how to access an independent advocate.

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Organisation

The staff group have mainly worked in the home for some time and it is evident that they work as a team to maintain consistency for young people. Now that the home has full staffing, it has been increased to allow for individual time with young people or for them to go out on activities. There are sufficient staff and where relief staff are used they are known to the young people, Staff were positive about the support and supervision they receive and are able to contact a manager for advice when necessary. Team meetings are not held monthly and not all staff who supervise others have received relevant training. Staff training is improving but does not yet meet Appendix 2 of the national minimum standards. Sufficient staff have achieved National Vocational Qualifications at Level 3 in the care of children and young people.

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Organisation

Effective monitoring of the home is not taking place on a regular basis. Visits under Regulation 33 were said to take place monthly and some of the home's records were signed each month by the visitor, however, not all the reports were held in the home. There is some evidence of action planning following auditing of placement plans but not follow up of actions identified as necessary. The manager's monthly audits have not highlighted any deficits or areas for action. Some of the home's records were not signed by anyone to demonstrate effective monitoring. A development plan is in place.

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Organisation

Young people's files are well ordered and information is easy to access. Not all records are fully completed, signed or dated.

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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

23 June 2009 ensure that children's health needs are met, including access to a dental care 23 June 2009 notify without delay the relevant persons or agencies of the matters set out in Schedule 5 in particular Ofsted (Regulation 30) 23 June 2009 ensure that placement plans include the arrangements for health care and are kept under review and revised as necessary (Regulation 12) 23 June 2009 ensure that details of how to contact Ofsted and an independent advocate is included in the children's guide (NMS 1) 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC065374 23 June 2009 establish and maintain a system for effective monitoring of the home (Regulation 34).

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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 that permission is obtained from a person with parental responsibility for administration of first aid and appropriate non-prescription medication (NMS 13) • ensure that risk assessments are carried out and include strategies to minimise or reduce risk (NMS 26) • ensure that all young people have the opportunity to practice leaving the building during a fire drill (NMS 26) • ensure that full information is obtained and maintained on file for all staff working in the home (NMS 27) • ensure that there is a satisfactory repair and refurbishment programme to maintain the home to a high standard (NMS 24) • ensure that the statement of purpose is updated to accurately reflect the manner in which care is provided (NMS 1) • ensure that staff are trained in accordance with Appendix 2 of NMS (NMS 31)

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Recommendations

• ensure that staff meetings take place monthly (NMS 28) • ensure that young people's files contain full information (NMS 35). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC065374

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