Children's Home run by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council in Tameside

SC357979 Unique reference number 3 December 2009 Inspection date Alicea Churchward Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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15 January 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: SC357979

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Brief description of the service

The premises has been purchased by a local authority. It is a substantial property, which has been completely refurbished, it is suitable for purpose and indistinguishable from surrounding properties. The home is close to all amenities and public transport.

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Summary

This is an unannounced key inspection. The purpose of the visit was to assess how the home is currently meeting the key national minimum standards (NMS) and children's homes regulations (CHR). In addition monitor how recommendations have been met from the last inspection. The home's Registered Manager is present for the inspection and given verbal feedback at the end of the inspection process.

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Summary

The outcomes for the young people resident are outstanding. They report positively about the relationships with staff and the care they receive. Shortfalls are identified in respect of having written risk assessments in place for young people wishing to administer their own medication, indicating what time fire drills are held so that the records clearly indicate when a drill is held at night, and ensuring all staff have a full employment history. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the time of the last inspection two recommendations were issued in respect of replacing the bathroom lock and ensuring that at least 80 per cent of staff have undertaken their national vocational qualification level three in caring for children and young people, both matters have been addressed.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Menus in the home demonstrate that young people are given a healthy diet. Young people are consulted about their food choices. All of the staff have undertaken food hygiene training, they are well equipped in preparing meals from basic ingredients, this reduces the need to use processed food and assists the young people. Meals are observed to be sociable occasions and provide the opportunity for informal discussion and to catch up on the days events. Young people who are undertaking some preparation for independence budget shop and plan their own meals and are positive about this experience. The home has been awarded the 'healthy choice' gold standard from the authority. There is some evidence that cultural festivals are highlighted and celebrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

The young people have clear health plans. All historical information about health is included in the plans and if additional information is required the home has access to the authorities central computer record system and assistance from the Looked After Children's nurse. All have had a medical assessment and attend routine appointments. Young people have the right to attend the appointments with or without staff and on occasion exercise this right. Appointments are well documented and there is a clear audit trail of appointments an treatment. Staff address 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC357979 health matters through regular key work sessions. Young people have access to health professionals, their good health is promoted.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has a clear medical policy in place which is adhered to by the staff in the home. Staff are clear about their responsibilities when administering medication. All medication records are always up to date and fully comprehensive. Quality assurance records show that the provider frequently checks whether medication policies, procedures and practice guidance are put into practice effectively. All young people have written consent to medical treatment. The home does not always conduct a written risk assessment for those young people who self administer their medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Information is handled and stored in a confidential manner. Young people report that their privacy is respected. Staff respect young peoples privacy and confidentiality as is consistent with good parenting. The home has a room search policy in place and maintains a record. It has not been necessary to conduct any room searches to date.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a clear complaints policy and maintains a record of any complaints. There has been one complaint from a neighbour since the time of the last inspection. Records demonstrate that the home is pro-active in responding to complaints to reach an amicable and swift resolution. Young people report knowing how to make a complaint and are clear about who they can complain to. None of the young people have made any complaints about the quality of care they receive.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All of the staff in the home have received training in safeguarding. They are very clear of what safeguarding matters are and what a constitutes abuse, they are alert to any signs and changes in young people's behaviour and other potential indicators. Staff understand how to respond appropriately to young people, recording and reporting procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

No bullying is reported by the young people. Borrowing of clothes is highlighted as an issue; because they are not always returned promptly, this matter is in the process of being addressed. The home has a policy in place to deal with any issues of bullying. Additional training is planned and will include safe internet use and cyber bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a record of any absences by young people, this demonstrates that young people return late, or forget to ring the staff to advise them they are going to be late. There are no concerns about late returns to the home, staff understand that older young people may not wish to comply with the homes rules. Young people say that they go out with their friends, that overnight stays can be arranged and they are not absent because of any issues in the home. The children's rights officer for the authority visits young people upon their return to the home. Young people have clear risk assessments in place, that inform staff what action to take in these circumstances.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour is managed very well, young people have placement stability and are clear about the expectations placed upon them. Good interactions are observed between staff and young people and positive behaviour is promoted and rewarded through incentives. The home maintains records of sanctions and restraint, both of which comply with regulation. All staff have received 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC357979 training in positive behaviour management and there is a clear behaviour management policy in place. Young people report being treated fairly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

No hazards are evident in respect of the health and safety of the young people resident. The home maintains risk assessments in relation to individual young people, the home and fire. All equipment is regularly maintained and complies with the standard. There are regular fire drills, all young people have been involved in a drill. The times of the drills are not noted; therefore whether or not they meet the standard cannot be fully assessed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home maintains copies of recruitment records of all staff including casual workers. A number of files are sampled and include all the information required, Visitors are appropriately supervised and are asked for identification upon arrival.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Young people have excellent support that meets their needs very well. Young people have dedicated key workers and young people report positively about their relationships with their workers. There is good evidence that staff make individual time available to each young person. Staff are familiar with young people's care and placement plans. The young people have access to the children's rights officer and the authority participation and user involvement scheme, one young person is part of the children's council.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All of the young people are engaging in either full-time education, part-time courses or work placements. The are all doing extremely well; they report very positively about their current arrangements and their futures. Young people have a clear idea of what they need to achieve to obtain their desired outcomes, and they are working well towards their plans. Staff have very good communication with schools, which they report have offered first-rate support to young people. Young people have their own laptops and printers. There is sufficient space in the home to undertake study. Staff are very supportive to the young people and assist wherever they can in ensuring that each young person is encouraged to have aspirations and to enjoy and achieve wherever possible.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Young people are actively encouraged to make a positive contribution to their plans, care and routine matters. Comprehensive planning and review is in place. Placement plans offer excellent detail to the staff about young people's day-to-day routines. Statutory reviews are held within timescales and all of the young people attend and make their views known. There are regular meetings held with young people in which a variety of matters are discussed in respect of the overall running of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff in the home are very good at promoting and facilitating contact for the young people to ensure that they are enabled to maintain contact with their families and people close to them. All contact arrangements are clearly detailed in the placement plans.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There have been no admissions or discharges to the home since the time of the last inspection. Policies are in place that offer detailed information about how these sensitive times can be 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC357979 managed. The home can admit children in an emergency as outlined on their statement of purpose.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people report that they are looked after properly. When asked what they had to say about the home they said 'mates don't spot the house, (being a children's home) 'I get on well with most of the staff, love it here and don't want to leave'. 'Things have gone better, most of the staff are nice, it's welcoming for my mates, it does the job'. There has been an increase in respect of clothing and pocket money as a result of listening to young people's views.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. Pathway planning has commenced for some young people. The plans have either recently been initiated and being completed or are placed on young people's files. They contain the requirements of the standards. Young people are at different stages of their development for independence training and the practice in the home demonstrates that this is the case.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home considers whether or not it is appropriate for young people of school age to be cooking their own meals given the pressures of being in the final academic year. Young people are consulted about what they feel is manageable and this is working very well. The authority are in the process of offering a life skills course aimed at giving further understanding of skills that will be required to become independent. These include; do it yourself, filling out forms, budgeting, health, keeping a tenancy and getting support from a variety of services.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is bright, clean, well decorated and maintained to a superb standard. Young people are clear that this is their home and this is evident, there has been no damage to the home. There is a very good maintenance repair programme in place. There is a distinction between communal and shared space and young people can meet with visitors in private. Young people have their own bedrooms which have been personalised to their individual tastes.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people report that some things could be changed to make sure 'it doesn't look like a children's home' including the visitors book, which is on display in the entrance, also the possibility of removing some signage and presence of fire extinguishers. These matters are raised with the manager who agrees to explore these issues.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The statement of purpose is a very good document. It provides an accurate description of the care provided. There is in place a good children's guide which provides appropriate and interesting information for the young people and devised in an appropriate format.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. All young people have access to very good services. They report that they are treated fairly. This is evidenced in all aspects of their health care and education. There is a nominated member of staff who has undertaken specific training in equality and diversity matters and gives regular updates to the staff in the home. In addition there is a resource file that staff can use to enhance their understanding. There is development of young people's understanding and improvements in this area are underway. There is also some evidence of trips and outings that have explored cultural heritage and a 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC357979 multi-faith calendar and celebration of festivals. There is a commitment to equality and diversity within the authority and additional training is planned for the new year.

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Organisation

There is a very good staff team, who are consistent, knowledgeable and experienced, they know the young people well, this has a positive impact upon the young people resident and has enhanced their placement stability. Any gaps in the rota are covered by the existing staff in the home or regular casual staff employed by the authority are used to minimise any disruption. The home has a clear staffing policy.

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Organisation

There have been improvements in respect of the induction of staff, they have a comprehensive booklet to complete, a pocket book for reference and regular supervision to check understanding of their development and to offer support. Staff are offered a variety of training and are very positive about the quality of training afforded to them. The training needs of staff are regularly reviewed and updated and the authority have commissioned additional training and have modular e learning, available to staff through the intranet. All but one of the staff have undertaken their national vocational qualification (NVQ) level three in caring for children and young people, and the management of the home are qualified to NVQ level four.

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Organisation

There are effective quality monitoring systems in place and the manager regularly signs the records accordingly. There is pro-active approach to the overall development of the home and this is contained within the development plan.

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Organisation

Young peoples files have good information and key documents are present to give staff the information required to deliver care programmes. Information is accessible both in files held in the home and the integrated computer system used by the authority. The information complies with regulatory requirements.

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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): • ensure that young people keeping and administering their own medication are assessed by staff as sufficiently responsible to do so (NMS 13.9) • ensure that the records of fire drills demonstrate that a fire drill is held at night (NMS 26.8) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC357979

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