Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

SC032083 Unique reference number 17 March 2010 Inspection date Elizabeth Taylor 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 7 Inspection Report: SC032083

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Brief description of the service

The home accommodates two young people, aged from 10 to 17 years of age, with emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home is maintained by a company who operate other children's homes throughout the country. The house is detached with a garden and is situated in a rural location. Farm buildings are sited close to the house. Young people attend mainstream school, although the home is also registered to provide education on site, if necessary. Both young people contributed to the inspection.

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Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection, which was undertaken to consider the recommendations made at the last inspection and assess how well the home keeps young people safe. All key standards in staying safe and positive contribution plus a standard in enjoying and achieving were assessed.

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Summary

The home provides continuity in care for young people and takes steps to ensure they are kept safe. There are established links with a range of related professionals and specialist services to ensure young people receive individual support in line with their needs and wishes. Staff are particularly successful in supporting young people in education. The care team offers stability and consistency to young people and, with clear leadership from the manager, strive to ensure young people receive a good standard of care in a child-centred environment. 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

Three recommendations were made during the last inspection. Whilst appropriate locks were fitted on bathroom doors, some were noted to be difficult to open from the outside. This has now been rectified and staff are able to respond quickly in an emergency, if necessary. The manager was asked to review the fire risk assessment to ensure night time measures promoted young people's and staffs safety. The review was undertaken and changes were made to enable young people to exit the building in the event of a fire without staff intervention. This reduces the level of risk posed to young people. Plans for young people's care are extremely detailed and support their development. However, records are not cross referenced to demonstrate how young people are supported to achieve positive outcomes. Improvements have been effected in this area but remain work in progress. This will provide a clear paper trail to show how young

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff maintain a balance between adequate supervision of young people and giving them unsupervised, private time. Personal information on young people is securely stored in the staff office and staff ensure they share information about the young people with approved persons only. 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC032083 Young people are aware of the complaints process but say they prefer to tell staff informally about any concerns. Staff take young people's comments seriously, act to resolve matters and ensure young people know what the outcome is of their complaint. Young people say they are happy with the informal system.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home gives high priority to keeping young people safe. Staff discuss with young people ways in which they can keep themselves safe in the community. There is an established procedure for responding to child protection concerns or suspicions and these are reported promptly. The home has good links with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. Staff receive relevant training and this is updated on a regular basis. Young people say they feel safe in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff talk openly about bullying and encourage young people to report any concerns. Unfortunately, the young people enjoy engaging in 'play fighting' at times and this can escalate in intensity and purpose. The home have implemented an incentive scheme to encourage young people not to engage in this form of behaviour. Young people are also reminded in key working sessions about the consequences of starting such incidents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Individual plans for each young person are in place which detail action to be taken when they are absent without authority. The plans take account of their age and level of vulnerability. Young people are closely supervised initially but are able to work towards regular time in the community on their own. Young people respond well to the opportunity to take increasing personal responsibility for themselves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home successfully manages young people's behaviour by the use of various positive incentive schemes and praise for their efforts and achievements. Clear guidance for staff is provided in young people's individual behaviour management plans and risk assessments. This ensures staff are consistent in their management of young people's behaviour. All staff are trained in the Team Teach model of training which promotes de-escalation techniques and the use of restraint as a last resort only. This training is updated on a regular basis. However, the effective implementation of positive rewards for young people has seen a significant reduction in the need for staff to use restraint. The use of sanctions is also reduced. Greater thought is being given to imposing more meaningful sanctions which encourage young people to think about the consequences of their actions.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a safe environment. Fire safety matters receive good attention. Tests on fire safety systems are recorded weekly. Young people receive fire safety instruction and are involved in fire drills at appropriate intervals. The fire risk assessment for the premises and grounds is up-to-date and provides clear guidance for staff about what action to take in the event of a fire during day and night time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All visitors to the home are recorded and those who enter the premises are expected to sign in the visitors book. The manager holds basic information in the home in respect of checks undertaken on staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff references are verified, any gaps in employment are followed up and all have Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance prior to starting work in the home. This ensures all practicable steps are taken to ensure persons working with the young people are suitable to carry out their role. 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC032083

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Considerable emphasis is placed on helping young people to achieve their educational potential. This is successful in practice as all young people have a mainstream education placement. Regular attendance at school is also an established pattern of daily life. This is a commendable achievement. There is effective communication with the different schools and care staff attend school events to support individual young people. Personal education plans are in place for all the young people and are regularly reviewed. This ensures that any changes need are identified and addressed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are also encouraged to continue their learning by engaging in a wide range of recreational activities and hobbies of their choice. Young people have access to either a laptop or computer as well as reading and reference books in the home. The daily routine during term time includes time for young people to complete their homework and they have sufficient study space within their bedrooms.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Each young person has a care plan which clearly sets out the objectives of the placement and their overall needs. The plan is supported by the home's placement plan for the young person which show how staff will meet their needs on a day to day basis and enable them to achieve and develop. Placement plans are detailed and contain small, measurable targets for young people to work towards. An outcome planner enables young people's progress, or lack of it, to be monitored. However, judgements are not always supported by cross reference to relevant records. Staff involve young people in agreeing targets in their plan, with varying degrees of success due to the ages of the young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home's system for reviewing young people's placement plans is embedded in practice. The system includes consultation with young people, in frequent key working sessions, and the internal review of plans by the staff team on a monthly basis.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are supported to maintain close links with important people in their lives. Staff regularly communicate with family members, where appropriate, and young people's social workers, to ensure contact is facilitated. Staff readily give practical support to make contact possible, such as transporting young people to a venue. Any restrictions on contact are clearly documented and reflected in young people's individual placement plans. This ensures young people's welfare and safety is properly promoted. Young people are encouraged to make friends in the locality and, again, staff will transport them as public transport can not easily be accessed from the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consultation with young people is embedded in staff's practice. Young people's views and suggestions are sought on a daily basis and in regular key working sessions about matters affecting their care and future. Their views are also sought about the general running of the home and in weekly meetings with staff. The meetings are linked to a treat such as a 'take away' meal or rental Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) which encourages young people's participation. Staff ensure young people receive feedback on the outcome of their suggestions. This shows staff value young people's contribution. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC032083 The culture of the home is open, friendly and child-centred. There is very evident warmth in the relationship between staff and the young people. Staff clearly work hard to meet young people's individual needs and young people appreciate staffs efforts. Staff are comfortable with their role of setting boundaries for the young people but apply these flexibly and sensitively,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

taking account of the age and understanding of the 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.

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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 detailed information provides evidence to support judgements in young people's outcome planner (NMS 2). 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC032083

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