Children's Home run by Dove Adolescent Services Limited in Barnsley

SC064454 Unique reference number 2 March 2010 Inspection date Russell Shackford Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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11 September 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: SC064454

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Brief description of the service

The home is a brick-built detached two-storey building. There is a rear garden, and at the front of the home there is a further garden area and a hard car parking area. The home is on the edge of the town centre. It is on the bus route servicing the town centre and outlying areas. In the local community there are shops, schools, health, leisure and employment facilities.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides placements to young people aged eight to 17 years, who have a history that encompasses placement breakdowns and emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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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. It also looked at the progress made on recommendations previously set.

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Summary

This is a good service with some outstanding features. Young people's privacy is well respected in all aspects and complaints are well handled. Very good safeguarding policies and practice promote and protect young people's welfare. This is a notable area of outstanding strength. Behaviour management is good. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of the risks to the young people during their known and likely activities. High quality written risk assessments provide clear detail of the action required to minimise the identified risks and comprehensively promote young people’s safety and these are particularly well acted upon. This is also a notable area of outstanding strength. 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. All staff are trained in appropriate safety subjects including fire safety, complaints, child protection and

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Summary

physical restraint. 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 were no actions raised at the previous inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

It was recommended that improvements were made to staff training, fire safety, medication records and leaving care planning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The medication records have been improved to ensure that any gaps are explained and if necessary acted upon. This helps to ensure that young people's health needs are met and their welfare is safeguarded.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Fire safety checks are being carried out in line with the organisation's policy which helps to safeguard young people's physical safety in the home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Where appropriate, young people have a pathway plan which ensures that they receive care which helps to prepare them for, and support them into adulthood. 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC064454 A minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff have been supported in completing an NVQ at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. This enhances the existing skills and competence of the staff to meet the needs of the young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The medication records have been developed to include a coding system which ensures that any gaps are explained and if necessary acted upon. This helps to ensure that young people's health needs are met and their welfare is safeguarded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Each young person has their own bedroom and a key to lock the door if they wish to. Washing and toilet facilities have good locks to maintain privacy in a safe manner. 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. Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of facilitating privacy for the young people. This is done very sensitively and safely. Young people confirm this. Details about young people's care is recorded and stored appropriately to maintain good levels of confidentiality.

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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 there is a complaint about the service. Young people are supported in complaining if they are worried or unhappy. Young people confirm this. Staff have explained the procedure 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 in the home. The young people also have the support of an independent advocacy 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. The provider has very good safeguarding systems and procedures for staff to follow in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. Staff describe young people's safety as, 'most important'. Staff demonstrate very good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures to promote and protect the young people’s safety. The young people benefit greatly from the staff's innovative use of games and activities designed to deliver information to young people in a fun, indirect manner. The manager has established strong links with the local safeguarding children team, the police and the youth offending team. Staff describe their working relationships as, 'very good'. There is very good evidence that their collaborative approach to safeguarding young people's welfare results in very good outcomes for young people. Therefore, the welfare of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

young people is well promoted, they are very well protected from abuse, bullying and unauthorised absence, and an appropriate response is made to any allegation or suspicion of abuse. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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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

Positive handling 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 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC064454 restraint is rarely used to manage behaviour. Staff are trained in the provider’s policy and authorised techniques. The training is designed and delivered in a manner that ensures that as much as possible, incidents are managed without the use of physical intervention.

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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. High 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. The manager takes a very proactive approach to managing risks, ensuring that staff practice and the home environment are as safe as possible. 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. Other agencies are used to support and complement the work of the staff. There is very good evidence that this collaborative approach to minimising risks results in very good outcomes for young people. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff and young people have been involved in regular fire safety drills. All staff receive 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. Fire safety checks are being carried out in line with the organisation's policy which helps to safeguard young people's physical safety in the home. 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 staff have been appropriately recruited and undergone suitable Criminal Records Bureau checks to ensure that they are suitable to work with young people.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The provider has taken vigorous steps to ensure that where appropriate, young people have a pathway plan which ensures that they receive care which helps to prepare them for, and support them into adulthood.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. To enhance the existing skills and competence of the staff to meet the needs of the young people, a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff have been supported in completing an NVQ at level 3 in Caring for Children and 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. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC064454

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Recommendations

There are no recommendations. 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC064454

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