Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

SC025739 Unique reference number 16 November 2009 Inspection date Simon Morley 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: SC025739

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Brief description of the service

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people of either gender, aged from six years old up to 17 years old. Young people are supported to stay at the home until they

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Brief description of the service

move into more independent accommodation.

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Brief description of the service

The property is a four bedroom, detached house in a quiet residential area. The first floor of the home has individual bedrooms for young people, a bathroom, a staff sleep-in room and office. On the ground floor is the kitchen with dining area, utility room, playroom, lounge, shower room and another staff sleep-in room and office. At the rear of the house is a car parking area and a separate garden, with a lawn and raised bed for growing vegetables. To the front is an enclosed garden and some on-street parking. The home is close to all public amenities and schools are within walking distance.

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Brief description of the service

There are two young people resident at the home. Both young people were present for part of the inspection visit and participated in the inspection process.

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Summary

This was an unannounced inspection covering all the outcome areas. Since the last inspection, the new manager of the home has been officially registered with Ofsted.

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Summary

The home offers a nurturing, homely, family environment for the young people living there. It is well managed and there is a very good quality of care and support to helping to ensure young people's health, welfare and safety is well protected and promoted. Assessment of young people's needs and care planning to ensure these needs are met is exceptional and young people are very much included in this process and have a big influence on how the home is run.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is good and the registered provider is not required to take any action as a result of this inspection. 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

No improvements were required at the last inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. There are good arrangements for supporting young people to have healthy lifestyles and ensuring their health care needs are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people contribute to the menus and are encouraged to go shopping, prepare and cook meals. Staff are trained in nutrition and food hygiene and use this knowledge to provide healthy diets. Young people's desires for different foods and their cultural needs are actively supported by staff. Mealtimes are flexible and young people have good access to the kitchen. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC025739 Staff are trained in first aid in the event of any accidents and there are good, safe procedures for ensuring young people get any necessary medication.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are clearly identified and staff use this information to help ensure young people receive very good healthcare. Young people are actively involved in planning their health care and they get plenty of support and encouragement to take an interest in their own health. Young people receive advice and support about a wide range of health and social issues such as healthy eating, smoking, alcohol and substance misuse and sexual health. There is also good access to mental health services if young people want this support.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are given plenty of opportunities to take part in physical and sports activities to help keep fit and healthy. Overall young people get very good support and advice about looking after their health.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. There are good arrangements for supporting young people at the home to be safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people can have a key to their bedroom and there are lockable bathrooms to bath in private. Written records about young people are kept secure in the office. Young people know they can look at their records and add their own comments if they want to. Young people know how to make a complaint and staff are very good at listening to them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are trained in child protection and understand the correct procedures and what to do to help keep young people free from harm. Any suspicions or allegations that young people have been harmed are dealt with professionally and sensitively. There is good effective practice to ensure young people are safe. Staff are quick to resolve any disputes between young people and keep them free from any bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people do not go missing often and staff are pro-active in getting them back home safely when they do. As an extra precaution young people always have the opportunity to talk to an independent visitor afterwards. This gives young people the chance to talk about any worries they have that they might not want to talk to staff about.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff actively encourage good social behaviour preferring to reward good behaviour by giving incentives to young people rather than imposing negative consequences for poor behaviour. Young people are clear about accepted standards of behaviour and do lose some privileges for poor behaviour. Young people are happy with this and agree the rules are fair. Rarely, and only as a safety necessity, would staff physically intervene. Staff are trained how to do this in a safe way. This is a good approach to behaviour management, based on individual care plans that are regularly reviewed. Good records are kept of any incidents and these are monitored by the manager to ensure there is good practice and young people are safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are strict procedures for the recruitment of new staff to make sure only suitable staff are employed. There have been no new staff appointed since the last inspection. The home is safe, well maintained and visitors are monitored to ensure the safety of young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC025739 There are good arrangements for supporting young people to achieve a good education and enjoy a wide range of leisure and social activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people have very positive views of the home reflected in this comment: 'the home is good at helping with everything and can do nothing better.' Each young person has an excellent placement plan detailing the support they will get from staff or other helping agencies. Staff are flexible and open to supporting a wide range of needs and have well-developed links with other agencies for additional support. Young people agree that staff are very approachable and will do their best to help them out.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are very keen to promote educational achievements, whether at mainstream schools and colleges or in alternative settings. Staff develop good links with the schools and colleges which young people attend, and are good at giving young people practical and emotional support to do well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are actively encouraged to take part in a wide range of leisure and social activities both in and outside the home. Their friends visit and can come for sleepovers and there are regular holidays in the United Kingdom and abroad.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Their have been no new admissions to the home for some time. Procedures in place allow for planned and sensitive arrangements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Each young person has an outstanding individual person-centred placement plan. These plans thoroughly detail the support a young person will receive based on effective assessments of their needs and potential risks. These include specific individual, cultural and religious needs. Young people are fully involved in the writing of their plan and have regular time with specific staff to talk about their progress and any anxieties.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have developed excellent relationships with young people and provide a nurturing and caring environment in which young people have been able to develop well. This is a notable strength of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's plans are reviewed regularly with them, their views are respected and influence how they are looked after. Young people are also included in more formal reviews of their care involving other health and social care professionals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people regularly see their relatives and friends as long as this is in line with their placement plan and is not putting them at risk of harm.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's views are strongly valued and there are plenty of opportunities for them to influence their lives and the management of the home. Young people also play a key role in a participation forum and through this are able to influence the actions of the registered provider. Young people feel listened to, respected and valued. This is also a notable strength of the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC025739 Young people get good support to help prepare them to become independent and are able to stay at the home until they are ready to move on. They are able to learn and develop independent living skills. Young people are involved in plans and decision making about where they want to live when they leave the home and the support they will need to make this successful. Staff ensure there is regular contact and support from other professionals and agencies involved in young people leaving care.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy homely accommodation that is decorated, furnished and maintained to a good standard. There is plenty of space and a good range of facilities. Young people are included in decisions about new décor, furnishings and have planned the design of their own bedrooms. While the home is registered for four young people, the current use of some rooms as staff sleep-in accommodation and office space limits the occupancy of young people to two.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There are good arrangements to make sure the home is run in the best interests of the young people living there.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good; young people are looked after on an individual basis regardless of need. Staff regularly discuss issues with young people and promote good practice with regard to equality and diversity. There is very good clear information about the home and what it provides. This information is in different formats and there is a children and young people's guide to the home as well. Young people get a copy when they move in and staff will also help explain any information.

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Organisation

There is a competent, experienced, enthusiastic, dedicated and caring manager and staff group. There are good staffing levels to support young people with their care, activities, visits and appointments. There are clear deputising arrangements in the manager's absence, staff have a wide range of experience, are suitably qualified and well trained, ensuring young people receive good quality care.

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Organisation

Records are well kept and young people are encouraged to keep photos, certificates and mementos of their lives at the home and their achievements.

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Organisation

The manager has effective systems for running the home, clearly avoiding institutional practice. There is good effective monitoring to ensure young people have positive life experiences and their needs are well met. Young people and staff are involved in this process and their ideas are used for improving the service. This stakeholder comment sums up the home well: 'young people have made great progress, a credit to the hard work and dedication of staff and other professionals involved in their day to day care.'

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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

There are no recommendations. 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC025739

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