Children's Home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

SC356868 Unique reference number 7 December 2009 Inspection date Russell Shackford Inspector Random 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 6 Inspection Report: SC356868

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Brief description of the service

This children's home provides up to five long term placements for young people, aged from 12 years old up to 17 years old on admission. The accommodation consists of five single bedrooms and spacious communal areas for eating, studying and relaxing.

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Brief description of the service

The home is in a busy residential area, approximately four miles from a town centre and it is close to shops, schools, leisure facilities and public transport routes.

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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 good 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. However, the recorded risk assessments do not provide clear enough detail of the action required to minimise the identified risks and comprehensively promote young people’s safety. 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 complaints, child protection and physical restraint. However, the home’s

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Summary

records do not accurately identify which staff have, and have not received the appropriate fire safety training which could affect staff responses in these circumstances. 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 the registered person ensures that a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff complete a National Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. There is much evidence of staff being provided with time and support to complete this qualification. However, the target remains unmet.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children have access to a private telephone which is free to use for reasonable periods. This ensures 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. All children have a key for their bedroom to help them feel that they control their private space.

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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 a person complains about the service. The children know how to make a complaint because the staff 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC356868 have explained what to do and there is information in the children’s guide about how to complain. The complaint records contain the required details. Therefore, complaints are satisfactorily handled.

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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 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.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The sanctions policy is good, promoting the use of praise, encouragement and de-escalation of 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 where 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.

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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 relating to children being absent without authority have also been completed. However, the recorded risk assessments do not provide clear enough detail of the action required to minimise the identified risks and comprehensively promote young people’s safety.

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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. However, the home’s records do not accurately identify which staff have, and have not received the appropriate fire safety training which could affect staff responses in these circumstances. The fire safety check records are up-to-date and accurate. Therefore, children'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

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.

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Organisation

The organisation is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC356868

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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 a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff complete National Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People (NMS 29) • improve the quality of written risk assessments by making it clearer what action is required to be taken by staff to minimise the identified risks (NMS 26) • improve the fire safety records to ensure that it is possible to accurately identify which staff have, and have not received the appropriate fire safety training. (NMS 26) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC356868

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