Children's Home run by Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull

SC034313 Unique reference number 13 May 2009 Inspection date Simon Morley 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: SC034313

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Brief description of the service

The local authority own and manage this children's home. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people of either gender from ages 15 to 17. The aim of the home is to support young people to become independent and help them with the transition to adulthood. The home also offers an outreach service to young people who have left care and may need additional support.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a detached house with front and rear gardens. Downstairs there is a lounge, dining room, kitchen, laundry, computer/contact room, shower room, private telephone for young people, and staff offices. Upstairs there are six single bedrooms, bathroom and staff sleep-in rooms.

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Brief description of the service

The home is close to local health services, shops, leisure facilities and bus routes.

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Summary

This was an unannounced inspection covering all the outcome areas and checking compliance with identified actions made at the last inspection.

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Summary

Since then the home has changed its aim to support young people with the transition to adulthood and independent living. The home's registration has changed and it can now only provide accommodation for five young people. One of the five places is to be used to provide respite for young people struggling to live independently.

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Summary

There is good support for young people, their health, welfare and safety is promoted well and protected. The home is managed well and there are strong links with other helping agencies to provide good all round support for young people with a range of diverse needs.

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Summary

No improvements have been identified as a result of this inspection. 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

There have been improvements to the physical environment and care planning for young people leaving care to help improve their safety and welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Staff value young people's good health and give them plenty of support and encouragement to take an interest in their own health. Health needs are assessed as part of the admission procedures and there are regular ongoing health checks. Information about young people's health needs is used to secure access to a range of advice from other helping agencies for general health care and specific support regarding issues such as sexual health, mental health and substance misuse.

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Helping children to be healthy

There is regular support for staff and training about different health issues to equip them with skills and knowledge to provide good support to young people. Staff are trained to provide 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC034313 first aid in the event of any accidents. There are good, safe procedures for ensuring young people get any necessary medication including records of administration.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home's aim is to help young people learn independence skills and young people are supported based on their individual needs and ability to budget, shop and cook. Staff encourage healthy eating and are trained to prepare and cook food safely. Mealtimes are flexible and fit around young people's schedules.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. There are good arrangements for helping to keep young people who live at the home safe. Staff are trained in child protection issues and are good at keeping young people free from harm. There is an anti-bullying strategy and disputes between young people are rare. There are good effective individual procedures for when young people are missing to ensure they return safely. This is monitored well and a range of individual strategies with support from other agencies are used to try and reduce how often this happens to keep young people safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are regular meetings for young people to raise issues, which can also be done daily with staff. These are responded to quickly and appropriately. Young people also know how to make formal complaints. These are rare as most of the young people's concerns raised with staff are resolved on a daily basis. Young people's privacy is respected and written records about them are kept secure and confidential.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage good social behaviour and there are individual incentives for young people as extra encouragement. The accepted standards of behaviour are clear to young people and staff remind young people of this. Some sanctions are used when young people have behaved poorly this is mainly financial reparation for damage or misuse of money. Alternative sanctions and strategies are now being considered as a more effective way of managing behaviour. Rarely, and only as a safety necessity, would staff physically intervene. There has been one instance of this since the last inspection. The manager and independent routine checks monitor the use of physical intervention and sanctions to ensure they are safe and appropriate and to look at other ways of responding to challenging behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home is a safe place to live in and well maintained. There are good procedures for the recruitment of new staff to make sure only suitable staff are employed. Visitors are monitored to ensure the safety of young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Each young person has a good placement plan detailing the support they will get to keep them safe and healthy and to develop socially, emotionally and educationally. Young people agree that staff are approachable and will do their best to help them out.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are very keen to promote educational achievements and support young people at school and college Staff are proactive at developing and establishing effective links with schools that young people attend and provide young people with high levels practical and emotional support to do well. There are regular meetings with local education co-ordinators to help ensure young people's educational needs are being met. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC034313 Young people are actively encouraged to develop their personal interests and pursue a range of meaningful leisure and social activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All young people have a clearly written individual placement plan. These plans along with monthly meetings involving other helping agencies effectively monitor young people's individual needs, progress and achievements. Young people are encouraged to be involved in this process and have plenty of opportunities to talk to staff about their progress and any anxieties. There is also good support for young people to make decisions about their lives at more formal reviews of their care involving other health and social care professionals and family members where appropriate.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The arrangements for supporting young people to move into the home help to ensure this is done in a planned and sensitive way to help young people feel comfortable with their new surroundings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people regularly see their families, relatives and friends as long as this is in line with their placement plan and is not putting them at risk of harm. There is good support from the home to do this and family and friends are also welcome to visit young people at the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's views are valued and there are opportunities for them to influence their lives and the management of the home. There are good relationships with staff who are motivated and genuinely care about the welfare and achievements of the young people in their care.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The accommodation is homely, decorated and furnished to a good standard. The home has a good range of facilities that young people benefit from. Since the last inspection there has been a new kitchen installed designed to help young people develop their cooking skills. The manager has plans for further improvements to the home to support young people's needs better.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people get good support to help prepare them to become independent and are able to stay at the home until they are ready to move on. The home also offers an outreach service, encourages young people to visit once they have left and has a spare room for young people who have left and may need to come back and use it on a temporary basis.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There is a competent experienced manager and staff group with good deputising arrangements in the manager's absence. Staffing levels are good and ensure plenty of support to young people with their care, activities, visits and appointments. Staff are well supported by the manager and are effectively trained.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good, young people are looked after on an individual basis regardless of need. There is an ongoing strategy to raise issues and promote good practice with regard to equality and diversity. There is good information about the home and what it 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC034313 provides. Staff will also help to explain any information, as well as to help young people settle in. Record keeping is good and reflects the needs, individuality and achievements of young people.

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Organisation

The manager has effective systems for running the home, clearly avoiding institutional practice. This ensures that young people have good positive life experiences and their needs are well met. Young people and staff are involved in this process and their ideas are used for improving the service.

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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): 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC034313

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