Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Calderdale

SC001016 Unique reference number 18 January 2010 Inspection date Russell Shackford Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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14 October 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 7 Inspection Report: SC001016

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Brief description of the service

This service is a children's home. It provides accommodation for up to four boys, aged from 10 to 17 years. Placements at the home are medium to long term and are planned. Education can be provided by the organisation on a separate site.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a large detached dormer bungalow in a residential area. It is two miles from the town centre and there are regular transport links into the town. Each young person has his own bedroom and there is a shared open-plan general living and dining area. Two bedrooms have en-suite shower facilities and there is a further shared bathroom. Part of the house is a self-contained flat that is used by older boys as part of preparation for independence. The staff office is on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden to the rear of the house and an enclosed paved area to the front.

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Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection to check on key standards and related regulations under the Every Child Matters outcome group of staying safe. This is a satisfactory service. Young people's privacy is respected and complaints are well handled. Good policies and practice promote and protect young people's welfare. Behaviour management is good. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of the risks to the young people during their known and likely activities. Written risk assessments provide clear detail of the action required to minimise the identified risks and comprehensively promote young people’s safety. All staff are trained in appropriate safety subjects including complaints, child protection and physical restraint. Good policies and procedures help to protect young people's physical safety in the event of a fire at the home. Staff recruitment checks are satisfactory. The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The registered person was asked to make improvements in safeguarding and notifications, fire safety, placement plan records and monitoring of the quality of care provided at the home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

All except one of these matters has been satisfactorily addressed and they are reported upon in the main text of the report. However, placement plans continue to be poorly recorded and therefore this action for improvement is carried over.

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Improvements since the last inspection

It was recommended that 80% of staff should achieve the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. However, although staff are given time, support and encouragement to complete training, the target of is not yet met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC001016 Details about young people's care is recorded and stored appropriately to maintain good levels of confidentiality. Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of facilitating privacy for the young people. This is done very sensitively and safely. Young people have access to a private telephone which is free to use for reasonable periods. This ensures that young people’s privacy is respected and the payment method is convenient.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have explained the complaints procedure to young people and there is also information in the young people’s guide about how to complain. Details of external agencies and contact numbers are displayed clearly. Young people are supported in complaining if they are unhappy and they also have the support of an independent advocate service. All staff have received training on complaints to ensure that they know what to do if there is a complaint about the service. The complaints records contain the required details. Therefore, complaints are well handled.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The manager and staff have received child protection training. Staff demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures to promote and protect the young people’s safety. The manager has established good links with the local safeguarding children team and other services involved in safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable young people. The provider has very good safeguarding systems and procedures for staff to follow in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. Staff are reminded of the content of this and their duties within it frequently. Safeguarding is included as a standing agenda item in team meetings and staff supervision. Therefore, the welfare of young people is promoted and good measures help to ensure that as much as possible young people are protected from abuse, bullying and unauthorised absence, and an appropriate response is made to any allegation or suspicion of abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All significant events at the home have been notified to the relevant authorities including Ofsted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour support plans are used. They contain good, individualised details for staff to follow when managing young people's behaviour. Sanctions are relevant and reflect the age and understanding of the young people. They are reviewed regularly for effectiveness. Physical restraint is rarely used to manage behaviour. Staff are trained in the provider’s policy and authorised techniques.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Reducing unnecessary risks to young people is a high priority at the home. Good quality written risk assessments are recorded to enable staff to know what action to take to minimise the risk to each young person during their known and likely activities. These are reviewed regularly. Staff talk in a determined manner about their commitment to ensuring that the young people's welfare is safeguarded. They use local knowledge and contacts to support their efforts. This is a notable area of strength.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff working at the home have received up to date fire safety training to enable them to minimise the risks to young people in the event of a fire at the home. All staff and young people have been involved in regular fire safety drills. The fire safety check records are up to date and accurate. Therefore, young people's physical safety from fire in the home is protected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All visitors to the home are recorded and the purpose for the visit is noted. There are good recruitment procedures and staff files are regularly audited to ensure that they contain the 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC001016 required information. All of the required information is present. Therefore, there is careful selection and vetting of all staff working with children in the home and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent children being exposed to potential abusers.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The placement plans are not recorded with sufficient detail or clarity to inform the staff what they need to do to meet the identified needs of individual children. Therefore, children do not have their needs assessed well, and poorly written placement plans do not outline fully how these needs will be met. The manager described the organisation's plans to introduce a different recording format with which he intends to improve placement plan content.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The staff are given time, support and encouragement to complete training. However, the target of 80% of staff having achieved National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People is not yet met.

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Organisation

A quality assurance system is maintained to monitor the welfare of the children in the home. Monthly audits are undertaken by the manager and unannounced monthly monitoring visits are carried out by the provider. A report of the findings is produced. This ensures that the care of children can be adapted in the light of information about how the home is operating. Therefore, there are good measures in place to improve the quality of care provided and safeguard the welfare of the children.

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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

1 March 2010 prepare in consultation with the child’s placing authority a written plan for each child setting out, in particular how, on a day to day basis, he will be cared for, and her welfare safeguarded and promoted by the home. Keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary. (Regulation 12) 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC001016

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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 a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff complete a NVQ at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. (NMS 29) 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC001016

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