Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

SC035220 Unique reference number 18 September 2009 Inspection date Deborah White 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: SC035220

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Brief description of the service

This children's home provides care and accommodation for up to three children, of either sex, aged 14 years to 17 years who are preparing to leave care.

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Brief description of the service

The house is detached with an enclosed garden to the rear. The ground floor is made up of a lounge with satellite television, a dining room with a computer and a kitchen.

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Brief description of the service

The first floor has bedrooms, the staff office and a bathroom. Each young person has their own bedroom.

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Brief description of the service

There were no children present at the time of this inspection.

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Summary

The purpose of this unannounced key inspection was to look at the key National Minimum Standards (NMS) and the actions and recommendations from the last visit.

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Summary

All outcomes for children were looked at. Outcomes for being healthy; staying safe; enjoying and achieving; economic wellbeing and organisation are good and outcomes for positive contribution are satisfactory.

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Summary

This home provides good outcomes for children who are moving towards independent living. Children are encouraged to develop useful skills and are supported to grow in confidence. Staying safe outcomes show children are kept safe and learn how to recognise risky situations. College attendance is good to promote achievement and the organisation at the home is effective.

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Summary

Placement plans do not fully show effectiveness of placements and healthcare plans do not fully show all known health needs. Arrangements to respond to significant incidents are not fully evidenced and consultation with parents does not include asking their views about the home's operation.

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Summary

There are no actions and five recommendations arising from this visit. 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

At the last inspection the registered person was required to improve risk assessments and placement plans.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Risk assessments clearly show hazards to children, staff and visitors, and how risks will be minimised to promote safety.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Placement plans are improved to show children's assessed needs and how these will be met on a day-to-day basis.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Recommendations to improve the countering bullying, and lone working, risk assessments are met and pathway plans are improved to show how children will be supported into adulthood. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC035220 A recommendation to improve healthcare plans is not met and will be raised again in this report.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are encouraged to take a healthy balanced diet. Staff guide and advise children, who prepare their own meals, how to shop on a budget and include healthy eating options in their menus. Weekly meals are arranged where staff and children prepare, and eat, a meal together as a social occasion.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health needs are met. All children are registered with primary health services and are encouraged to attend health promotion visits. Records are kept, so staff can monitor children's health, and advice about growing up is given in regular key-worker sessions.

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Helping children to be healthy

Healthcare plans include a range of needs but some significant, known, needs are not recorded adequately.

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Helping children to be healthy

All staff have up-to-date training in the safe administration of medication and first-aid. Medication is stored in a locked cabinet and records are kept to monitor the stock balance of medicines brought into the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

First-aid boxes are easily accessible and adequately stocked to safeguard children against accidental injury.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's privacy is respected. Each child has their own bedroom that they can secure. Staff do not enter children's rooms unless invited to do so, and always knock before entering. All bathrooms and toilets have suitable locks in place. There is ample room for private meetings and children have access to a private telephone.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children know how to complain and complaints are taken seriously. Children's welfare is safeguarded by good child protection procedures and staff knowing how to recognise and respond to possible abuse or neglect.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children who go missing are protected. Risk assessments identify children who are vulnerable and good protocols with local police ensure missing children are looked for quickly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There have been no incidents of bullying, since the last inspection, and countering bullying measures ensure children are not threatened or intimidated by their peers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour is managed positively. Rewards systems, and restorative justice techniques, helps children develop socially acceptable behaviour and to understand the consequences of their actions.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There have been no restraints since the last inspection. Sanctions are used rarely but appropriately. Children know what the home's expectations are and consequences of unacceptable behaviour is written in the children's guide. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC035220 Health and safety management at the home is good. Regular audits and risk assessment ensures the environment is safe and secure. Fire safety measures are in place; including regular fire drills and all appliances are regularly checked and serviced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Generic risk assessments are in place, and regularly checked, but there are no planned responses to foreseeable crises such as a major fire; serious allegation or major accident.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Careful selection and vetting of staff protects children from potential abusers. All safety checks are carried out, on new staff, and references are checked and verified.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Visitors to the home have their identification checked and sign the visitors book.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are supported in line with their needs and wishes. Regular key-worker sessions give children lots of one-to-one time, to talk about how they are feeling, and where necessary professional agencies are involved to offer specialist care and support.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given advice and guidance about growing up and have access to information, and support networks, to help with any problems. Staff talk to children about the benefits of having an independent visitor, or advocate, to promote their rights. Where children partake in risky behaviour; risk assessments are in place to help reduce, or minimise known hazards.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Further education and employment opportunities are promoted to enable children to achieve. Staff are proactive in supporting children into the workforce, or college placements, and work well with providers to support children who do not have a lot of confidence.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Placement plans generally show children's assessed needs. Where other plans are referenced these are clearly identified and it is evident that arrangements have been reviewed and updated.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children sign their plans, to signal their involvement and consent, and key-worker sessions show placement plans are discussed. There are one or two evaluative statements, within plans, but there are no full evaluations to show placements are effective.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Placement reviews are held regularly and children attend to give them a voice in their care. Contact arrangements are agreed, at reviews, and recorded in children's files. Staff facilitate contact visits and friends and family are welcome at the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children new to the home are made welcome. The home's expectations are written in the children's guide and children are encouraged to bring personal possessions for comfort and familiarity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are consulted about their care and how the home is managed. Regular key-worker sessions give children one-to-one time to talk about their feelings and children's meetings give children a voice in the operation of the home. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC035220 Parents are consulted about the care of their children but not about how the home is run. For example parents are not regularly asked what they think about staffing; the home's facilities or the home's furnishings and décor.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Children are very well supported to move into adulthood. Pathway plans show that identified needs are fully, and comprehensively, assessed and actions are in place to promote positive outcomes.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Children are helped to develop the skills they need to live independently. Support is given by staff, and a young person's advisor, and regular review meetings ensure leaving care plans are current and relevant.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Children live in a homely environment that meets their needs. The home is furnished and decorated to a high standard, and there is ample communal and private space. Children can personalise their bedrooms, to familiarise their private space, and any changes to communal areas are discussed in children's meetings.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children, parents and social workers are given good information about how it is to live at the home. The Statement of Purpose covers all the elements listed in Schedule 1; apart from the range of needs of the children the home is intended to meet.

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Organisation

The children's guide is child-friendly and clearly sets out the home's expectations. Information about how to complain, and Ofsted's contact details, are included and there is information about how to contact support networks.

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Organisation

Children are cared for by staff who have the right skills, knowledge and experience. The home has 100% of care staff with their Level 3 National Vocational Qualification and regular training updates ensures practice is up-to-date.

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Organisation

Staff are sufficient in number to meet the needs of the children living in the home. There is a lone-working risk assessment in place, to safeguard children; staff and visitors, and agreed on-call arrangements ensure staff feel supported.

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Organisation

There are systems in place to monitor the performance of the home. The registered person signs the home's records, to show they are checked, and where issues are identified actions are in place to improve outcomes for children.

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Organisation

Children's needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality. All records are stored securely to protect confidentiality.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Children's health needs are met and they are kept safe. Good college attendance promotes achievement and children are armed with useful skills to live independently. Children are regularly consulted and listened too. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC035220

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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 each child has a clear written healthcare plan within their placement plan that covers all the elements listed in this standard (NMS 12.2) • planned responses to a range of foreseeable crises as listed in this standard (NMS 26.4) • ensure the placement plan sets out how the effectiveness of the placement is to be assessed in relation to each major element of the plan (NMS 2.1) • ascertain, on a regular and frequent basis, the opinions and views of parents that include the elements listed in this standard (NMS 8.6) • ensure the Statement of Purpose provides all the information required in Schedule 1 (NMS 1.1) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC035220

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