Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

SC033152 Unique reference number 8 February 2010 Inspection date Russell Shackford Inspector Random Type of Inspection

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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 6 Inspection Report: SC033152

p.3

Brief description of the service

This service is a children's home. The home is registered to provide a service for up to six children and young people, male or female between the ages of five and 17 years old, who have a learning disability and may also have a physical disability.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home offers a short term respite service only, no one is accommodated on a long term basis and one of the six places is used only for emergency respite. The home sometimes offers occasional day care either planned or in emergencies.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The service is close to the local town centre. Local shops and public transport are easily accessible. There is a large car park for visitors, which is shared with other council premises.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home is a single storey building with wheelchair access. There is one double and four single bedrooms, a bathroom, shower room, lounge, dining area, kitchen and playroom. Outside is an enclosed garden that has been developed into a play area and there is a sensory garden.

p.4

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 good service. Young people's privacy is well respected and complaints are satisfactorily handled. Good safeguarding policies and practice promote and protect young people's welfare. 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. Behaviour management is good. Good policies and practices help to protect young people's physical safety in the event of a fire at the home. Staff recruitment practices are very good and checks are well recorded. All staff are trained in appropriate safety subjects including fire safety, complaints, child protection and physical

p.4

Summary

restraint. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

The registered person was asked to review the format of the system used by the manager to monitor the matters detailed in schedule 6 in order to make it clear what is checked and what the outcomes of the checks are. The manager was not present at this inspection and therefore the records were not available for inspection. Therefore this recommendation is carried over to the next inspection.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's privacy is well respected in all aspects. It is done both sensitively and safely. Children have access to a private telephone which is free to use for reasonable periods. This ensures 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC033152 that children’s privacy is respected and the payment method is convenient. Details about children's care is recorded and stored appropriately to maintain good levels of confidentiality.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff have received training on complaints to ensure that they know what to do if a person complains about the service. The children know how to make a complaint because the staff have explained what to do and there is information in the children’s guide about how to complain. The information is available in a variety of forms to make it more accessible to children who use differing communication methods. The complaint records contain the required details. Therefore, complaints are well handled.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provider has a good safeguarding procedure for staff to follow in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. The manager has established good links with the local safeguarding team and staff have received child protection training. Staff demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures to promote and protect the children's safety. Therefore, the welfare of children is promoted, they are protected from abuse and bullying and an appropriate response is made to any allegation or suspicion of abuse. All significant events at the home have been notified to the relevant authorities including Ofsted.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The behaviour management policy is good, promoting the use of praise, encouragement and de-escalation of behaviours. Supported time out is sometimes used to diffuse behaviours. Therefore, children are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour through encouragement of acceptable behaviour and constructive staff response to inappropriate behaviour. Physical restraint is rarely used to manage behaviour only when no other alternative exists. Staff demonstrate good knowledge of the subject and the associated law. Physical restraint records contain the required details. All staff of the home are aware of, trained in, and follow in practice, the registered person’s policy.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are knowledgeable about the risks to individual children and written risk assessments are recorded. Individualised written risk assessments have been completed. Staff confirm that the recorded risk assessments provide clear enough detail of the action required to minimise the identified risks and comprehensively promote young people’s safety.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff and children have been involved in a fire drill to ensure that they are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire in the home. All staff working at the home have received up-to-date fire safety training to assist them in minimising the risks to children in the event of a fire at the home. The fire safety check records are up-to-date and accurate. Therefore, children's physical safety from fire in the home is protected.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff recruitment files contain the required information. All of the required checks are satisfactorily completed before staff work in the home and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent children being exposed to potential abusers.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC033152

p.5

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.

p.6

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • review the format of the system used to monitor the matters detailed in schedule 6 in order to make it clear what is checked and what the outcomes of the checks are (NMS 33.1) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC033152

p.6