Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

SC032838 Unique reference number 25 January 2010 Inspection date Anne Bannister Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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16 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 6 Inspection Report: SC032838

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Brief description of the service

This is a residential special school which is also registered as a children’s home. It is situated on the edge of a small market town. The home is registered for eight young people, of either sex, aged six to 12 years. The school and home provide a care and education programme for young people with severe educational, and emotional and behavioural difficulties, whose vulnerability requires an extremely nurturing environment. There are currently seven pupils on roll, aged from six to 12 years, most of whom have a statement of special educational needs. The majority of pupils have experienced a disrupted education and often attain well below expected levels for their age when they arrive at the school. The school and home aim to ‘support young children, whose lives have been severely disrupted to grow socially, emotionally and learn to cope with school’ and ‘to return to families and day schools before they reach their

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Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection. As this was an interim inspection, it did not assess all of the key national minimum standards. However, the inspection did assess how well the Registered Manager and care staff protect and promote the safety of the young people in their care. The inspection also assessed whether the one action from the previous key inspection had been addressed.

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Summary

Young people's welfare is safeguarded. Good procedures and regular training ensure staff are aware of measures to keep young people safe. Relationships are positive and young people feel able to talk to staff. They indicate they feel safe living at the home and feedback about staff is positive.

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Summary

There were six young people resident at the time of the inspection. The inspector had lunch with the young people. In addition to meeting with the Registered Manager, the views of two members of staff were also sought during the course of the inspection.

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Summary

One action has been raised in relation to the company's facilities manager failing to ensure fire alarm testing is undertaken on a weekly basis. 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

One action had been raised following the previous inspection. It concerned the need to review fire risk assessments annually. The fire risk assessment had been appropriately reviewed in November 2009.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032838 Overall, the arrangements to safeguard and promote the safety and welfare of young people are good, with many outcomes for young people being assessed as outstanding.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff team are highly committed to ensuring that young people in their care are protected from harm.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff show a respect for young people's privacy and the importance of maintaining confidentiality is key to the good practice displayed by staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Relationships between staff and young people are good and create a supportive and nurturing atmosphere in which young people feel comfortable. Arrangements for complaints and dealing with bullying are handled well and ensure that young people feel listened to and protected. Young people are also clear that they do not need to use the formal complaints system as they are able to raise things informally with staff. They feel issues are always sorted out for them. Bullying continues not to be an issue for young people living in the home. On the rare occasions it does occur, it is dealt with by staff immediately.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff spoken to have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. A rolling programme of training for all staff is in place. It ensures that they have, and maintain, the skills to protect young people from abuse. There have been no safeguarding incidents since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Detailed procedures are in place to protect young people if they go absent without authority. Local protocols with the police are in place. Procedures ensure all relevant agencies and personnel would be contacted. There have been no incidents where young people have been absent without authority since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a clear and comprehensive behaviour management policy which is consistently used by all staff. Positive behaviours are seen to be praised as a matter of routine, unacceptable behaviour is calmly challenged and care staff's skills in diverting young people into positive activities are excellent. Staff are skilled at identifying and recognising triggers that may result in a physical intervention. They work as a whole staff team to assist young people in identifying a more positive manner in dealing with situations. Records of incidents of physical intervention are maintained and reviewed by senior management each month. There has been an increase in the use of physical intervention since the last key inspection; however, the majority of these continue to occur during the school day. The increase reflects an increase in challenging behaviour due to one young person's uncertainty about a future placement and the effect this

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

had on the other young people. In recent weeks there has been a significant reduction in the use of physical management.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The Registered Manager and staff team continue to review the effectiveness of sanctions given to young people and are exploring alternative responses to their challenging behaviours. However, staff are not consistently recording their views on the effectiveness of individual sanctions given to young people. In team meetings there is evidence that staff are continuing to assess the effectiveness of sanctions used as they wish to increase rewards for positive behaviours as opposed to sanctioning negative behaviours. Staff work positively with young people and encourage, praise, reinforce and reward socially acceptable behaviours. Unacceptable behaviours are addressed and discussed with young people. There has been a significant reduction in the use of sanctions during care hours. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032838 Since the last inspection no significant incidents have occurred which require notification under

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Schedule 5 of the Children's Home Regulations 2001.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Evidence and observation show that the home has a responsible attitude towards health and safety matters. The home has risk assessments in place for all aspects of the safety of the premises and grounds. There are also risk assessments relating to young people's behaviours and planned activities they undertake. These actions show the home is committed to ensuring young people live in a safe and secure environment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All fire drills and fire safety equipment checks are up to date. However, the weekly testing of fire alarms did not occur for two weeks during the Christmas period. All gas and electrical appliances receive an annual check.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is thorough selection and vetting of all staff working at the home prior to employment, which meets the requirements of standard 27 of the children's homes' national minimum standards. All required pre-employment checks are carried out and staff recruitment records are well maintained. These actions show the home takes suitable measures to ensure staff employed are suitable to be working with 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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Due date Action Standard

26 February 2010 ensure weekly checks of the fire alarm system are undertaken. (Regulation 31)

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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 that staff consistently record their views on the effectiveness of sanctions. (NMS 22) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032838

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