Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

SC032697 Unique reference number 24 September 2009 Inspection date Stephen Graham 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: SC032697

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Brief description of the service

The home provides long-term residential care for six young people of either sex, aged from 10 to under 18 years of age. One of the places is reserved for an emergency placement. The home is a two storey property and is within a short walking distance of a range of local amenities. Young people benefit from individual bedrooms, shared bathrooms, lounge, kitchen, dining room, study room as well as a large enclosed rear garden.

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Summary

The purpose of this visit was to conduct a full inspection which examined all key National Minimum Standards (NMS).

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Summary

Young people living at the home benefit from good levels of care. They are encouraged to eat healthily and to be involved in menu choice. Staff receive good guidance and regular training to help them keep young people safe. Young people are supported in their education and are encouraged to give their views about how the home is run. The building is well maintained and provides a good homely environment for young people to live in. 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

To help keep young people safe, sanctions imposed at the home have been reviewed to ensure that they are compliant with the regulations. The manager's recording system indicates more clearly that any complaints received have been monitored. The routine checks undertaken on fire safety equipment are occurring at the agreed regularity. The gas central heating boiler has been inspected and serviced.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Missing person records do not always indicate clearly whether young people have been spoken with by their own social worker or an independent person following their return. The previous recommendation is therefore re-stated in this report.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people living at the home contribute their ideas to menu planning through their key workers and with the cook. Their personal preferences and any special dietary needs they may have, are recorded. A record is kept of the meals prepared and provided to young people. The meals are varied and include healthy choices. One young person described how the ‘staff give me advice on healthy options’.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health and medication procedures are in place and are used by staff to ensure that any medication or treatment needed by young people is administered safely. Young people are registered with health services. One health professional in regular contact with the home described how ‘the staff team work in partnership with appropriate health agencies to address the needs of the young people’. Young people are supported by staff to attend routine appointments and to access additional specialist advice where this is necessary. Training in first aid and the administration of medication is provided to staff and is updated when necessary. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 Detailed records of any accidents occurring or treatment received are maintained for each young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. There are good arrangements at the home to help make sure that children are cared for safely. Young people can read their care records and staff are given clear instructions about how case records should be written and kept safely stored. Room checks take place if this is necessary to help keep children safe. However, the records of these checks do not clearly indicate if young people are aware that a search has been necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff check to make sure that any visitors to the home are suitable and that young people are safe when visitors are present. One health professional described how staff use a signing in book for all visitors attending the unit. Staff undergo thorough checks to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Arrangements for safeguarding children and young people from abuse are good. All of the staff receive training to help them keep children safe. They decide together with young people and their social workers what needs to be done to keep children safe and write this down in a risk assessment agreement. Young people told us that they would ‘talk to staff’ if they were ever worried about something. One professional with links to the home described how in their experience ‘the staff team promote personal safety to young people i.e. phoning the unit etc’. Clear procedures are in place for staff to make sure that if children are ever missing, they are found and kept safe as quickly as possible. Detailed records have been introduced regarding the reasons why young people have been missing. However, these do not always make it clear whether children have been spoken to by an independent person or their own social worker

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are provided with complaints information and can raise any concerns they may have. Staff follow agreed guidance to protect young people from bullying. However, in some examples where bullying had occurred, although staff had responded to these instances, these had not been recorded in the bullying log put in place to help monitor any concerns. Training is provided to staff in how to use physical restraint to keep children safe. However, the record of restraints does not always include all the required information. Staff follow agreed guidance if sanctions are imposed and keep a record of these.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risk assessments and health and safety checklists are used by staff to help ensure that the home is a safe place for children to live. Any repairs needed are notified promptly. Routine checks on the building and the safety equipment that might be needed in an emergency are undertaken by staff. They are trained to know what to do if there is an emergency and they practice this regularly with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people receive good levels of close individual support as they need it. The policies and guidance provided and followed by staff helps to ensure this. Each young person has their own allocated key worker and they are well supported by the staff team as a whole. Young people meet regularly with their key worker and share their views and ideas about their care plans. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 They have access to a range of hobbies and interests and the staff work hard to promote their participation in these. Any risks in the activities undertaken by young people are considered by staff and social workers and agreements made to minimise risks are recorded. One professional with links to the home described how in their experience ‘staff within the unit engage the young people in decision making and support any activities they are interested in’.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people also receive good support to help them meet their educational needs. Care staff work hard to promote and support the attendance of young people. They work positively with local schools, colleges and alternate educational providers to resolve any difficulties that may arise. The progress of each young person is closely monitored. The home has good space, resources and equipment to help young people with their school and college work. The education room has been refurbished to a high standard with young people directly involved in achieving this. One young person spoken with confirmed that they receive enough help with school and college work, that they have the right equipment and space to do their work. Detailed reports of progress in their education and any difficulties are shared regularly with placing social workers. One professional described how ‘Young people are encouraged to attend school on

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a regular basis. Staff have positive relationships with the young people and support them to achieve’.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The staff at the home talk regularly with young people about their care plans and keep a record of the discussions they have. They also work closely with placing social workers to ensure that the care plans put in place for each young person are properly agreed and recorded. Placing social workers are given regular updates about the progress of each young person and young people are encouraged and supported to give their views at their own review meetings. Key workers also provide their own detailed reports to these meetings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are agreed policies and procedures in place at the home which are used by staff to support young people in maintaining contact with family and friends where this is appropriate. Staff work closely with placing social workers and record detailed information about contact arrangements within care files. Any contact is closely monitored to ensure that young people remain safe.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged to give their views about how the home is run through house meetings and regular individual discussions with their key worker and the staff team. The home maintains good records of the consultation undertaken both with the group and with each individual young person. These records include good evidence that the suggestions made by young people are listened to and acted upon. House meetings are supplemented by informal daily discussions between staff and young people as well as very regular discussions between young people and their individual key worker. The views of each young person are recorded in detail in their care files.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people receive good support from staff at the home to help them practice the skills needed to live independently when they are older. The progress young people make in developing these skills is recorded and regularly reviewed. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 The home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. The staff team work to create and maintain a very homely and comfortable environment both within the building and the surrounding gardens. Young people contribute their ideas to the décor and furnishing of the home and go shopping with staff to buy items. Young people spoken with also confirmed that they can personalise their bedrooms. Furniture and fittings are monitored to ensure they remain safe, any problems are logged and dealt with.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a Statement of Purpose which is regularly reviewed and updated. The young people's guide is well presented and helps them to understand what they can expect whilst living at the home.

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Organisation

The staff working at the home are well qualified and very experienced in working with children and young people. All staff are provided with additional training opportunities and regularly attend additional training courses. Staffing levels at the home are usually good. They are regularly reviewed and adjusted to help ensure that there are sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of young people.

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Organisation

Children and young people are cared for by people who are familiar to them. One professional with links to the home described the home as ‘welcoming and friendly’. They also described how staff ‘work with the young people in a supportive and non-threatening environment. They listen to the young people’. Additional staffing is also available to cover any unforeseen absences. There are clear arrangements in place to deputise for the manager if they are ever absent.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Guidance and training for staff working at the home helps to ensure this.

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Organisation

There are effective systems in place to allow the manager to monitor the home's records and to create monthly reports and recommendations. Young people's files are very well presented and are kept in very good order. They contain the information needed by staff to care successfully for young people.

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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

30 November 2009 ensure that when a restraint occurs all required information is recorded in the restraints log. (Regulation 17)

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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: SC032697 • include an indication in the room search log that the young person is aware that a search has occurred and the reasons for it (NMS 9) • ensure that any instances of bullying occurring at the home are recorded in the bullying log (NMS 18) • ensure that missing person records give sufficient detail as to why social workers have chosen not to speak to young people following any absence from the home. (NMS 19) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697

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