Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Westmorland and Furness

SC035049 Unique reference number 26 May 2009 Inspection date Stewart Waddell Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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24 November 2008 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 11 Inspection Report: SC035049

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Brief description of the service

The children's home is a two-storey detached home set in its own grounds in a residential area of a small village. It is within easy travelling distance of local towns and cities. The ground floor of the accommodation consists of a large communal lounge area, a separate dining room area, a fully fitted kitchen and a staff office that doubles as a sleeping room with its own en-suite bathroom facilities. The upper floor contains two single bedrooms for young people's use, one of which is en-suite, a bathroom with bath, shower and toilet facilities, and another staff sleeping-in room. The home is set in its own spacious gardens and can provide accommodation for two young people of either gender at any one time. Young people are allocated their own individual bedrooms.

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Summary

The purpose of this unannounced key inspection was to assess all the key standards of the Children's Homes National Minimum Standards and see how the home has addressed the one recommendation made at the last inspection. There were two young people resident at the time of the inspection and the inspector spoke with one of them and one completed a pre-inspection questionnaire. Young people's health needs are well addressed and they are offered regular health checks. They are involved in setting menus and helped to follow a healthy diet. Good health and safety checks ensure the home is a safe environment, and staff receive appropriate training to enable them to protect young people from abuse. Bullying is not a concern for young people and absconding behaviour and physical interventions are extremely rare. Young people receive good individual support and suitable individual care plans are in place for them. They get on well with the staff and are helped to maintain good contact with

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Summary

their families and friends, who can visit them at the home. The home has good facilities and offers a high standard of accommodation. It is well managed and senior staff regularly oversee and monitor its operation. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Evidence was provided to show the home have suitably addressed the one recommendation made at the last inspection which referred to ensuring written records of physical interventions are kept in a suitable ledger. Staff have received equality and diversity training.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people are helped to follow a balanced, healthy diet and given advice and guidance on which foodstuffs are healthier for them. They are encouraged to try foods from differing countries and options are available at all mealtimes. Specialist diets can be catered for and specialist foodstuffs obtained if necessary. Young people are involved in the setting of menus and any food preferences or food allergies they have are taken in to account. Fresh fruit is readily available for young people and they assist staff to shop for groceries and prepare meals on occasions. They may make themselves snacks and drinks when they wish and have prepared and cooked their own meals. A daily record of meals individual young people actually take is kept and their case files detail any food allergies they may have. Literature on healthy eating 4 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049 is available for young people and they are encouraged to eat five portions of fruit and/or

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Helping children to be healthy

vegetables a day. The dining room can accommodate all young people and staff at mealtimes.

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Helping children to be healthy

All staff receive appropriate basic food hygiene training, ensuring they are aware of safe procedures to follow when preparing food.

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Helping children to be healthy

Suitable health plans, covering all required areas, are in place for all young people. Good records are kept of all health appointments young people have, if they refuse to attend any such appointment, and of any illnesses, accidents or injuries they may have. Health issues such as drug awareness and substance abuse are addressed with young people, and professionals from specialist agencies have visited the home and advised on these matters. If required the organisation can arrange for full psychological assessments to be carried out. There is good written guidance on health issues for staff to follow. The home is a non-smoking facility. Young people may smoke outside the home if written consent is given by someone with parental responsibility. Young people with specific health needs are provided with individual support and help as required. Young people are assisted to address personal hygiene needs and provided

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Helping children to be healthy

with allowances to purchase toiletries and hair products.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are registered with local health services and are offered regular health checks, including an annual health assessment check. Suitably signed medical consent forms, covering all required areas, are obtained for all young people. All staff receive appropriate first aid training, ensuring there is always a member of staff with a first aid qualification on duty. First aid boxes, regularly checked and re-stocked, are available. Medication is securely stored and an accurate running total of all medication maintained. Controlled drugs can be stored separately and securely if necessary. Good records are kept of all medication, treatment and first aid given to young people and if they refuse to take prescribed medication. Medication administration records are suitably kept. All staff receive safe medication training, ensuring they are aware of safe procedures to follow. Subject to risk assessment, young people may keep their own

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Helping children to be healthy

medication and take responsibility for self-administration. These actions show young people's health and medication needs are suitably met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff use work practices that respect young people's privacy and confidentiality and suitable policies are in place on such issues. All young people have their own individual bedrooms that have appropriate locks on the doors, which are alarm-linked to the staff sleeping-in rooms to provide extra security throughout the night.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

It has not proven necessary to search young people's possessions or rooms since the last inspection. Detailed records are kept of any such searches and documentation used for this meets requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

One formal complaint has been made by a young person since the last inspection and has been suitably addressed. The complaints policy, procedures and documentation meets with requirements. Staff receive training on complaints procedures during their induction training and know how to assist young people to make a complaint. Young people are provided with good information on the various ways they can make a formal complaint, and given the contact numbers of agencies they can take a complaint directly to if they wish. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049 There are no current child protection concerns and suitable policies and procedures are in place on such issues. All staff receive appropriate child protection training, which is regularly updated, and are aware of what actions to take in response to any allegations or suspicions of abuse. Senior staff have received advanced level child protection training. These actions show the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

home takes suitable measures to ensure young people are protected from abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying is not a concern for young people at the home. Suitable policies are in place which give staff good guidance and information on bullying issues.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Two incidents of absconding behaviour have been recorded since the last inspection. Both relate to one young person not returning to the home on time from visits to friends. Good policies and procedures are in place that clearly inform staff of what action to take should a young person be absent without permission. Documentation used for recording any such incident meets requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A suitable behaviour management system is in place. Staff work positively with young people and encourage, praise and reward them for displaying good behaviour. Unacceptable behaviour is addressed and discussed with young people, and sanctions are applied on occasions to highlight to them that their behaviour has consequences. They may also be asked to pay toward any expenses their unacceptable behaviours incur. Staff are aware of the types of sanctions they can and cannot use, and these are clearly detailed in the home's policy documents. Young people have a good knowledge of the rewards and sanctions used. A record is kept of all sanctions imposed and the documentation used for this meets requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Physical intervention is very rarely used with young people, with only one such incident in the last seven months. Individual 'Positive Handling Plans' and 'Behaviour Management Plans' are compiled for all young people and staff receive regularly updated training in the home's preferred method of physical intervention, Team Teach. Some staff are qualified instructors of 'Team Teach' techniques. Staff are fully aware of when it may be permissible to use physical intervention with young people and good policies are in place that give clear guidance on such issues. Placing authorities and, where applicable, parents, are informed of any physical interventions that occur. All such incidents are fully recorded and the documentation used for this meets requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are sufficient baths, showers and toilets to fully meet young people's needs and the doors on all such facilities have suitable locks fitted to afford privacy. All hot water supply systems have temperature regulators fitted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Relevant risk assessments are in place, including risk assessments on the premises, for activities and outings, and on each young person resident. All are regularly reviewed. Suitably qualified senior staff from the parent organisation carry out quarterly health and safety audits, and house staff carry out regular health and safety checks. All staff receive health and safety and fire awareness training and staff with the responsibility for compiling and reviewing risk assessments have received appropriate training. Risk assessments are completed for every outing young people go on. Suitable Public and Employee Liability insurance is in place and all fire drills, fire alarm tests and fire safety equipment checks are up to date. Good records are kept of all safety checks. All electrical appliances and installations are checked annually and all gas installations and appliances receive an annual safety inspection check from external contractors. No obvious

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

6 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049 health and safety hazards were viewed. These actions show good measures are taken to ensure young people live in a safe environment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The parent organisation recruit all staff who work at the home. They operate recruitment procedures that meet with regulatory requirements. Staff recruitment files contain relevant information to show all required checks are carried out before staff commence employment. This shows all reasonable measures are taken to ensure staff employed are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. A staff to young person staffing ratio of one to one is in place, and staffing levels can be increased if required. Young people have a specific staff member allocated to them as a 'key worker'. Social workers, and other representatives from placing authorities, visit young people at the home. Other professionals such as counsellors, drug awareness advisors and workers from youth offending teams have worked with young people at the home. An 'independent listener' visits the home regularly. These actions show young people receive individual support and specialist support when required.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Individual education plans are in place for all young people. These are incorporated in their individual 'Health and Placement Plans'. Weekly education planners are compiled for all young people detailing their daily education provision for that week. Some young people attend a local skills college, regularly combining this with work experience placements. Other young people receive formal education from the National Teaching Advisory Service who supply a qualified teacher who comes to the home four days per week to provide lessons. Staff support young people's educational placements and encourage and assist them to do any homework they may have. Young people have access to computers and internet facilities to help them with their studies. Computers used by young people have suitable restrictors to prevent access to inappropriate websites.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Various care planning documentation is in place which covers all areas required and identifies young people's individual needs and how they will be addressed. Plans are reviewed monthly with young people fully involved. Key workers ensure young people are aware of the contents of their plans and young people sign to show they agree with the plan and any amendments made. All care staff sign the placement plans after each review to show they have read them and are aware of any amendments made. Monthly 'Welfare and Progress' reports are compiled on all young people and forwarded to their placing authorities and families. Young people said staff listened to them and asked them their views. This shows young people are regularly consulted and their views taken into account.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people attend their review meetings and are fully involved in the compilation of reports for them. They receive copies of the minutes and the home liaises with placing authorities to ensure any statutory reviews take place within the permitted timescales.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are assisted and encouraged to maintain contact with their family and friends. Staff escort them to their home areas for overnight home leave visits, and supervise some 7 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049 contact visits with relatives. The home ensures any legal restrictions placed on contact are adhered to. All young people maintain regular telephone contact with their families, who also visit them at the home. Some young people visit friends and have overnight stays with them, and friends may visit them at the home if they wish. Good records are kept of all contact visits. Young people are allowed personal mobile phones, and are asked to sign an agreement covering how and when the phones may be used. They are provided with a mobile phone if they do not have one. A telephone is available for young people's use within the home, which they may use in an area that offers suitable privacy, and they receive a weekly allowance to enable them

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to meet the cost of telephone calls. They can write letters or send emails home if they wish.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Suitable systems are in place for young people moving in to the home. Emergency placements are accepted. If possible young people visit the home before admission and meet staff and young people already resident, who are kept informed about any new admissions. Senior staff assess the possible effect a new admission may have on young people already resident. Young people are provided with relevant information about the home and may bring personal possessions with them when coming to live there.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is good contact between the home and young people's placing authorities and parents/carers. Weekly telephone contact is maintained and a formal monthly letter sent asking for authorities' and families' views on young people's care plans. These actions ensure the views of other significant people are regularly sought.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Weekly house meetings are held, with minutes taken and suitably recorded. Young people meet formally with their key worker at least fortnightly. Such meetings may take place away from the home, using outings to help young people to be more relaxed. Written records of each session are kept. Detailed individual daily report sheets are completed for all young people. Young people are positive in their comments about the home and the care they receive.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Good systems are in place to help young people develop skills to enable them to look after themselves. There are specific programmes designed to help them develop their independent living skills. Good links are maintained with placing authorities, parents/carers and other relevant organisations to ensure suitable plans, which take in to account young people's wishes, are in place for them when they leave. Young people have access to good written information and guidance on various issues relating to being able to live independently.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is a detached two-storey house set in its own grounds in a small village, but within easy travelling distance of a nearby city and other large towns. It is well decorated, furnished and maintained, and kept clean and tidy. Young people are given an allowance to buy decorations to personalise their rooms and they have a say in the general décor of the home. All young people have their own single bedrooms, which contain lockable facilities to store personal items, at least one window providing natural light, suitable lighting, furniture for clothes storage and areas for personal study. Young people may have personal electrical equipment in their bedrooms if they wish. There is central heating throughout, and suitable areas for leisure activities and meeting with visitors. Any areas requiring repair or maintenance are promptly addressed. The home provides a good standard of accommodation for young people, who were positive in their

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Achieving economic wellbeing

comments about their bedrooms and the facilities. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The statement of purpose covers all required areas and is regularly reviewed and updated. Copies are available in the lounge, dining room and staff office. Young people receive a copy of the welcome booklet which contains relevant information about the home for them. The booklet is in a user-friendly style and can be made available in other formats if required.

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Organisation

Staff meetings take place weekly and the minutes are recorded. There is a competent care staff team in place that is a mix of genders. In the Registered Manager's absence other suitably experienced staff, such as shift leaders, take over managerial responsibilities.

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Organisation

New staff must complete the organisation's comprehensive staff induction training programme. They are also given the Children's Workforce Development Council's 'Your Induction to Work in Children's Social Care' course to work through. A good training programme is in place and staff receive regular training covering various aspects of their work. A suitable National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) training programme is also in place, utilising the services of a local further education college. Most of the staff team hold appropriate qualifications and those that do not are studying toward obtaining them. The organisation has their own NVQ assessors and verifiers and offers staff incentives to gain appropriate qualifications. The organisation holds the 'Investors in People' award and staff are positive about the training they receive and support provided by senior staff. These actions show systems are in place for staff

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Organisation

to obtain the required qualifications for their posts.

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Organisation

A suitable staff disciplinary policy is in place. The home is adequately staffed at all times and staffing levels meet, and often exceed, those set out in the statement of purpose. Good systems are in place to ensure any periods of staff absences are adequately covered. Risk assessments on staff working alone with young people have been compiled and young people are made aware of what staff are on duty, who is in charge and who is on sleep-in duty.

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Organisation

Regulation 33 visits, usually unannounced, take place monthly and cover all areas required. The Registered Manager completes regular checks covering all areas required and takes action to address any concerns monitoring checks raise. Good records, giving detailed information about relevant issues, are in place to assist monitoring of the operation of the home. The home is well managed and efficiently run and the Registered Manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Organisation

Young peoples case files are kept securely and contain relevant information. Young people are aware they can view their own files.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Good policies are in place on such issues for staff and they, and young people, have good access to relevant literature providing information and guidance. Documentation clearly states referrals are welcome from young people from any cultural, ethnic, racial, gender or religious background. The staff team is a mix of genders and all staff receive equality and diversity training. Documentation provided to young people informs them of the home's equality ethos and clearly states 'racist comments will not be tolerated'. Staff address any discriminatory or racist comments young people make and encourage them to be tolerant of others and respect other people's views and beliefs. Young people are informed about differing cultures and religions. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049

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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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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): 10 of 11 Inspection Report: SC035049

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