Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Stockport

SC008600 Unique reference number 18 June 2009 Inspection date Anthony Kyem 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: SC008600

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Brief description of the service

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people of either sex, aged between 11 and 17 years of age. The home is located close to local amenities and public transportation services. There are separate living facilities available for up to two young people aged 16 years and over, in preparation for their independent living.

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Summary

The inspection of the home was unannounced. All key national minimum standards were inspected. The visit was used to assess the home's capacity to meet the outcome areas for young people in relation to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, achieving economic well-being and organisation. This is a good home in most aspects, with positive improvements made since the home's previous inspection.

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Summary

Young people's welfare and safety is promoted and good relationships exist between young people and staff. Young people are encouraged to eat healthily and they are provided with a range of services to meet their identified health needs. Young people are encouraged to attend education and alternative educational arrangements are made for those unable to attend school. Young people receive good support from staff and those who need specialist support, receive support, from trained and qualified staff.

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Summary

To improve the home's performance further, the manager needs to ensure that new admissions to the home are registered with local dentists and opticians. The manager also needs to ensure that new residents have placement plans prepared for them within reasonable timescales of their admission. The home's staffing arrangements during the day, are at times inconsistent, which means there are times where not enough staff are on duty, to respond to young people's different needs. For example, where young people refuse to attend education. 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

Following the last inspection the registered person was asked to improve the home's fire records to show the names of those involved and the response time to the fire evacuation test. The provider was also asked to ensure that all portable electrical appliances were tested within the recommended timescales. Both matters have now been addressed to promote health and safety within the home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff are now receiving better opportunities for them to receive relevant training in accordance with the work they perform. This mean that staff are able to further develop their skills, knowledge and experience. Good work has been made to improve the physical appearance of the home and it is clear from discussions held with young people, that they feel consulted and involved.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC008600 The promotion of young people's health is good. Menu planning is diverse and takes account of young people's food preferences, including any cultural or special dietary needs. Young people are provided with a broad range of healthy, nutritious and wholesome foods and are encouraged by staff to eat healthily.

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Helping children to be healthy

Whilst all of the young people are registered with doctors, not all new admissions are currently registered with dentists and opticians. The home has experienced some difficulties with this. Medical consent is obtained for young people so that staff have the authority needed to attend to young people's health needs. The registered manager has requested consent for those young people without this.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's medication is stored and administered safely and staff are trained to administer medication. Specialist support is provided for young people who require it. This ensures that young people receive good support to promote their emotional health. Staff receive training in first aid and suitable provisions are provided for staff, to administer emergency treatment, where required.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people's privacy is respected by staff and their individual records are securely stored to protect their confidentiality. Young people's views in relation to the running of the home are positive and no complaints were raised by them in respect of their care. One complaint was identified, which has yet to be resolved. No written outcome was recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are trained in child protection and there are a variety of different types of safeguarding courses being sourced for staff to attend. Staff are familiar with the home's child protection policy and they ensure that young people's welfare and safety is promoted. Young people and staff confirm that there are no current issues with bullying. Good relationships exist between young people and staff and the dynamics of the current resident group are positive, with good relationships evident between young people. This has contributed towards a much improved atmosphere.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The use of sanctions and restraints are proportionate and fair. Staff receive relevant training to enable them to manage young people's behaviours safely. All but two staff have received such training. The frequency of missing from homes has reduced and staff follow the home's missing persons procedures to promote young people's safe return if they go missing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good arrangements are in place to promote health and safety. Regular fire safety tests are undertaken and young people and staff regularly practice the home's emergency evacuation procedures. A recent visit by the local Fire Authority has recommended the installation of a further smoke detector to further improve health and safety within the home. This work is scheduled to take place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are appropriately vetted prior to their appointment within the home. Since the last inspection, no new staff have been employed. Recruitment practices were checked and found to be in order.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC008600 Young people are well supported by staff. Staff collectively have the skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience to meet young people's needs. Key working is used to support young people individually and the home's therapist provides good support to young people to promote their emotional health. Young people trust staff and feel staff are really supportive of them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff promote and actively support young people with their education. However, currently only half of the young people resident, attend local schools. The home is able to provide education but this is dependant upon additional funding from placing authorities. Currently, no education is being provided by the home. This means that some young people's education is disrupted until such time as the home is able to secure new local schools, or source appropriate funding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Whilst young people have access to a wide range of activities, there are times when insufficient funds are available to fund young people's interests and hobbies. Lack of such resources restricts the types of educational activities young people and staff are able to pursue.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Overall the care planning documentation used to record young people's needs is good. However, not all new admissions have residential placement plans available for them. The arrangements made to record young people's cultural needs are not clearly recorded, to show how young people's identity needs are to be promoted and met. Young people are able to sustain their relationships with their families and contact is promoted to enhance young people's support networks for the future.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Whilst the impact of new admissions are considered, it was identified that nearly all admissions tend to be unplanned. This means that there is the potential for constant disruption and instability. The home's policy for dealing with emergency admissions is not made explicitly clear within the home's statement of purpose.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consultation with young people is purposeful, with resident group meetings, informal discussions and key working all used to ascertain young people's feels. This ensures that young people feel valued, listened to and involved.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The home is a large detached property with grassed areas to the rear and a large gravelled area to the front of the premises. The latter provides ample car parking facilities for both staff and visitors to the home. The home comprises of a kitchen with dinning facilities, washing facilities, two separate lounge areas, two offices and four young people's bedrooms.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Since the last inspection, good improvements have been made to the cosmetic appearance of the home. Young people's bedrooms have been redecorated and these are personalised with young people's private possessions and personal belongings. The introduction of new furniture, fixtures and soft furnishings have all contributed towards positive internal improvements. Whilst the main lounge area is now pleasantly furnished, the second lounge area looks sparse in comparison. Young people are happy with the decorative improvements. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC008600 The independence unit adjacent to the home, is currently not being used, as none of the young people are of an age where they are ready to begin preparing for their independence.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a written Statement of Purpose and a children's guide. The statement whilst well written, does not include clear information for staff on the process for dealing with unplanned admissions. Standards and regulations require this information to be recorded within the home's statement. A number of recent admissions to the home have been unplanned admissions. The policy for planned admissions is clearly recorded and outlines the home's responsibilities and expectations.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The staff team is varied and diverse in terms of age, gender and ethnicity. Young people receive the same opportunities and equal treatment without favouritism or prejudice. Young people are valued and accepted and they are encouraged to value themselves and show respect for others. Staff challenge inappropriate remarks, so that young people learn to understand right from wrong.

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Organisation

Young people receive continuity of care to enable them to form trusting relationships. Staff are motivated, dedicated and work hard to achieve positive outcomes for the young people. Staff are experienced and most are qualified and hold a recognised qualification in social care.

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Organisation

Whilst the home is well managed, the registered manager is unable to make the best use of their time due to competing and often conflicting demands placed upon their time. For example, there are times when the manager has to make up staff numbers, to ensure that enough staff are on duty, to respond to the needs and numbers of those resident within the home. As a result, the registered manager is not able to undertake all of their managerial duties to the best of their ability.

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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

24 July 2009 ensure each child is registered with a dentist and optician (Regualtion 20.2b) 3 July 2009 ensure that there is an up to date placement plan for every child or young person accommodated at the home (Regulation 12.1a) 20 July 2009 include in the Statement of Purpose all matters listed in Schedule 1; in particular the home's policy for dealing with emergency admissions (Regualtion 4.1). 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC008600

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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 every child has written consent for the administration of first aid and appropriate non prescription medication (NMS 13.4) • ensure that all complaints are investigated within the recommended timescales (NMS 16.3) • ensure there are sufficient financial resources available to fund leisure activities and educational trips (NMS 15.1) • continue to secure, support and promote education for those young people not in education (NMS 14.1) • ensure that every child's placement plan includes enough detail for staff to meet their cultural needs (NMS 2.1) • ensure the home is staffed at or above the minimum level specified (NMS 30.2). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC008600

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