Children's Home run by Cumbria County Council in Westmorland and Furness

SC034158 Unique reference number 10 June 2009 Inspection date Anne Bannister Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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3 December 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 9 Inspection Report: SC034158

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Brief description of the service

This is a local authority, four bedded children's home situated in an established residential area. It provides respite accommodation and care for young people of both sexes aged between 11 years and 17 years. The aim of the home is to provide short breaks and outreach services to young people with significant emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home aims to achieve this by working in open partnership with families and carers to offer purposeful and pre-planned care in response to locally identified needs. This can take the form of short breaks, emergency response or the offer of support and guidance to young people and their families or carers. Young people are all accommodated in single en-suite bedrooms and share communal recreation areas. There are local shops within access of the home and the town centre can be accessed via a regular bus service.

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Summary

This was an unannounced key inspection during the course of which all key standards were inspected.

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Summary

This is a good service where many of the outcomes for young people in terms of supporting and preventing placement breakdown are outstanding. Young people's assessed needs are met by staff who have developed strong, positive relationships with the young people and their carers. The staff team work closely with a wide range of outside agencies in order to meet the range of needs presented by young people. Young people are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles.

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Summary

The practices implemented within the home ensure that young people's health and dietary needs are appropriately met. The life skills used within leisure and educational activities assist young people to develop skills, which will support their independence.

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Summary

Where actions and recommendations have been raised, they relate to inadequacies in documentation. 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

The responsible individual was asked to ensure that a representative of the organisation undertakes monthly monitoring visits as set out in Regulation 33 of the Children's Home Regulations 2001. Whilst such visits have occurred since the previous inspection, no written reports have been made available by those councillors who have undertaken the visits.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A recommendation was made that the Registered Manager ensures the staff team consistently record the effectiveness of sanctions given to young people. There has been limited improvement progress with how this issue has been addressed. As a consequence of this, and following discussion with the staff on duty, this recommendation has been repeated.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Findings of the previous inspection had been that new staff were sometimes waiting as long as six months to receive behaviour management training. The organisation appears to have 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158 addressed this issue as two new members of staff had received this training within the first 12 weeks of their appointment.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Staff involve young people in planning a nutritionally balanced menu that promotes healthy eating. All permanent care staff responsible for preparing and cooking food have received basic food hygiene training. Regular relief staff, who may be involved with food preparation, have not received this training. A recommendation has been raised in relation to this issue. Young people spoken to stated that the food was good. These actions show the home take reasonable measures to ensure staff are aware of safe working practices and procedures to follow when preparing meals for young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

The main responsibility for addressing health needs remains with carers, as the majority of young people are only accommodated for a short periods of respite care. The home fulfils its responsibility for young people in the 28-day assessment bed by ensuring that they are registered as temporary residents with a local doctor's surgery. As part of the assessment process staff are diligent in ensuring young people's health needs are well met and secure the support of outside professional agencies when necessary. A range of educational material is available for staff to use with young people relating to self-esteem, healthy sexual relationships, drug and alcohol use and smoking cessation.

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Helping children to be healthy

An established procedure is in place for administration and storage of medication, and staff administering medicines are all trained in safe handling of medication. There is appropriate storage for young people's medicines and stringent checks of medicines administered. Permissions to administer first aid and seek medical attention are place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Overall, the arrangements to safeguard and promote the safety and welfare of young people are good, with many outcomes for young people being assessed as outstanding. The staff team show a high respect for young people's privacy and maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Information about how young people can make a complaint is contained in the young people's welcome book. Staff receive training about what constitutes a complaint, as well as the process they need to follow should a complaint be made. Since the last inspection, young people have made no complaints. The staff team are in the process of updating the young people's welcome book, which contains information about the various options open to young people if they are unhappy about anything. Not all young people spoken to recalled receiving this guidance and consequently not all are aware of the systems that are in place to enable them to make a complaint. Staff are clear that all new admissions are routinely given this document as part of the admission process but there was no documented evidence to confirm this. An action has been raised to address this deficit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has clear procedures for responding to child protection concerns. All staff regularly update their child protection training and are fully aware of the action they must take if a young person makes a disclosure to them. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158 There is a clear and comprehensive behaviour management policy, which is consistently used by all staff. All staff have been trained in behaviour management techniques and are skilled at diverting negative behaviours into a more acceptable positive activity. Physical intervention is rarely used and on the occasions when it does occur detailed records are maintained that evidence that both staff and young people are given the opportunity to reflect on the circumstances which led up to the intervention.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home draws on the support offered to young people by outside agencies to address risk taking behaviours, an example of such includes the young fire fighters award and the local respect project run by the police. These actions indicate that the home draws both upon the skills of the staff team as well as outside agencies to protect young people from harm.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are a significant number of young people accessing the facilities provided by the home. Bullying is not a major problem. Documentation indicates that on the occasions it does occur staff are consistent in their response to dealing with it and monitor the situation to ensure all young people feel safe during their time at the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The environmental hazards in the building are assessed appropriately and suitable measures are put in place to promote young people's physical safety. Professional technicians regularly service the electrical equipment, gas appliances and equipment for preventing, detecting and extinguishing fires. This helps to promote the safety of young people in the home. Fire drills are undertaken within appropriate timescales. Currently the time of the drill is not recorded. A recommendation has been made in relation to this as the National Minimum Standards (NMS) indicate that one drill each year should take place at night.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Very thorough procedures are in place to ensure that staff recruited to the home are suitable to work with young people. Staff routinely check the identity of visitors to the home and ensure that a record is appropriately maintained.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Observation of staff practice and documentation seen, indicate that young people receive individualised support. The home has well established links with a range of outside agencies that support young people in developing a positive view of themselves and others. Young people indicate that staff are approachable and that there is always someone on duty who they would approach if they needed help or advice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

As young people are generally only accommodated for short periods of time for respite care, the main responsibility for meeting their educational needs is with their parents/carers. Young people attending for respite care continue to attend local schools. All young people on 28-day placement are encouraged to participate in individual education programmes. Staff are positive in their approach to education and its value for the young people in their care. The role of the education coordinator has established good links with local educational facilities, thus enabling staff to provide practical and emotional support to young people experiencing difficulty with education attendance. Since the previous inspection, all staff have become trained assessors under the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN). The home has become a registered centre by ASDAN enabling activities to be accredited to assist young

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

people gain formal qualifications. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people attending for respite care or overnight stays all have clear placement plans in place, which address how their needs are to be addressed and the roles and responsibilities of key others. The plan is based on an assessment of their needs and detailed risk assessments. Their social workers and key family members are involved in monitoring and reviewing the placement plans. This occurs during statutory reviews, internal reviews and informal discussion with young people. Staff also increasingly engage in outreach work with young people and their parent/carers, supporting and sustaining placements, thus ensuring consistency of care for the young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people who use the home's facilities are referred to the home by Cumbria Local Authority. An agreement that a young person may access the home's services is granted following panel meetings attended by the home's Registered Manager. The exception to this is placement to the assessment bed, which is negotiated directly with the Registered Manager. The home liaise with relevant organisations, social workers and parents/carers to ensure suitable plans are in place for young people when they are no longer able to use the home's facilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

These actions show the home has suitable practices relating to young people being admitted to, and leaving, the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. A detailed assessment of young people's needs and the home's capacity to support their current placement ensures that young people are well prepared before attending the home for respite. When planning admissions, staff assess both individual needs and young people's capacity to live as part of a small group. Consideration is also given to the impact on the young people attending for respite when the emergency bed is occupied.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The location of the home is convenient for leisure facilities, transport and other community facilities, which are important for young people's development. Young people benefit from homely accommodation, which is decorated and furnished to a high standard. They have their own individual, en-suite bedrooms. These actions ensure the home provides a high standard of accommodation for young people and that they can be involved in choosing furnishings and decorations for the home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home is efficiently managed, providing a stable, safe environment for the young people who live there. The statement of purpose is clear in setting out what services the home will provide and how it will be provided. The young person's guide is available in a user-friendly format, confirming to young people the types of care and support available to them.

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Organisation

There is a competent and experienced care staff team, with a good range of experience. The skills of the staff team are well matched to caring for the young people who are accommodated in the home. At the time of inspection over 80% of the care staff team hold appropriate childcare qualifications. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158 The staff-training programme includes a comprehensive induction. New staff spoken to are very positive about the induction process, which they feel enables them to meet the needs of the young people in their care. All staff have a personal development plan, which is reviewed and updated as part of their annual performance appraisal. Staff are positive in their comments about the training provided and state that any specialist training required to ensure they can meet a young person’s needs is provided. These actions show the home takes suitable measures to ensure they have an appropriately qualified and trained care staff team.

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Organisation

Regular staff meetings are held each week to ensure consistency in practice across the staff team. Duty rotas indicate that the number of staff on duty is sufficient to meet the needs of the young people and to support them in their activities, visits and appointments. Staff morale is high, resulting in an enthusiastic workforce who works positively with young people to improve their quality of life and to prevent placement breakdown.

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Organisation

The home's promotion of equality and diversity is good. The home has assessed and determined the individual needs of young people in areas such as culture, religion, risk assessments and equality. The care plan developed by the home identifies the young person’s assessed individual needs in these areas, and outcomes are recorded and constantly reviewed. Matters that promote fairness, such as reviewing of sanctions used with the young people, are good.

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Organisation

The home has effective self-monitoring and review processes in place. The senior management team support each other and their respective teams well, promoting high standards of care and a flexibility to change practice to ensure the needs of young people are addressed. The staff team have developed their own quality monitoring tools to gain feedback from young people, parents/carers and placing social workers as to the impact respite care and outreach work has had on young people. Verbal feedback and emails from some professionals confirm involvement with the home has had a positive impact in maintaining placements. The Registered Manager compiles six-monthly review reports, which are forwarded to the local authority. The report covers various areas, including staffing and development. Development issues for the home and staff team are also covered under the home’s 'Team Plan', which is regularly reviewed and

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Organisation

updated. These actions show the operation of the home's services are being regularly monitored.

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Organisation

Records show that regular monitoring of the home and its operation is being carried out by the Registered Manager. There is evidence that the Registered Manager is well supported by the organisation. There is no documented evidence that Regulation 33 monitoring visits by the local authority councillors have occurred within the monthly frequency required since the last inspection. The last written report available is dated December 2008. This is despite the fact that the Registered Manager has requested written reports for the visits made between February and May 2008. An action has been raised in relation to this deficit.

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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

8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158 13 July 2009 ensure that there is documented evidence that all young people have been advised of the various ways in which they can make a complaint if they are unhappy about any aspect of the care they receive (Regulation 24.6) 13 July 2009 ensure there are written reports to confirm that the a representative of the authority undertakes monthly visits as set out in regulations. (Regulation 33)

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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 relief staff who work regularly in the home undertake basic food hygiene training (NMS10) • ensure that the whole staff team are consistent in the manner in which they document the effectiveness of sanctions given to young people (NMS 22) • ensure that there is evidence that all young people receive a copy of the young persons guide on admission to the home (NMS1). 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC034158

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