Children's Home run by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council in Dudley

SC038500 Unique reference number 24 December 2009 Inspection date Jackie Callaghan 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: SC038500

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Brief description of the service

The home is a detached house located close to the centre of the city. It is near to a range of local facilities and has good transport links to other parts of the borough. The home was refurbished in January 2007 and can now accommodate up to four children of both genders, who are aged between 10 years and 14 years.

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Brief description of the service

On the ground floor there is an office, kitchen, dining room, lounge, study room and toilet. The first floor has four children’s bedrooms, a bedroom for staff, a small office, two bathrooms and a separate toilet. The basement provides storage space, the laundry and a large playroom which leads onto the patio area. Three children are currently living at the home and contributed to this report.

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Summary

This was a full unannounced inspection that concentrated on key national minimum standards. The inspection focused on all outcome areas.

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Summary

The home is judged as a good children's home. Children have relatively stable placements and are fully engaged in their plan of care. The home is safe and nurturing which supports children's personal growth and development. Care and support is consistent and to a good standard because the staff team are experienced and competent. The home values children as individuals and encourages them to positively influence the way in which the home is run. Three recommendations have been raised as a result of this visit. All shortfalls relate to the home's internal electronic door locking system which if not reviewed as the potential to compromise children's welfare. 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

Not applicable as no actions or recommendations were raised at the home's last inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children are provided with healthy nutritious meals through well balanced menus. A record is kept of children's personal preferences and of the meals eaten. Children are actively involved in planning, shopping and preparation of meals. Staff eat with children making mealtimes a very social and enjoyable occasion.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s health and dietary needs are systematically identified and copiously met. Staff are exceptionally well trained in meeting the health care needs of children. For example, staff have attended both psychology and sexual health training. As a result, staff have a deep understanding of the wider emotional health issues that can affect children. Staff consistently promotes healthy lifestyle choices in daily routines, personal care, exercise and activities. Each child has a detailed personal health care plan which is signed and dated. It includes details of health care needs such as, dental hygiene, eyesight and immunisation status. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC038500 Staff are effectively trained in the safe handling and administration of medication and first aid. The home has suitable lockable storage for medication and first aid boxes are available for use. This means that children's health is safeguarded as staff are competent and fully aware of the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children’s files and records are held securely and confidentially. Children confirm they enjoy the privacy of their own room and personalise them to their own taste and preference. Staff encourage children to express their views and opinions and consult with them in key working sessions, statutory reviews and children's meetings. The children also have monthly contact with an external independent advocate from the national youth advocacy service (NYAS). As a result, children are able to raise any issues or concerns through effective formal and informal communication systems.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has clear child protection policies and procedures including whistle-blowing. All staff completes wide-raging training in safeguarding topics. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and the vulnerability of looked after children. For example, they recognise the importance of supervision, support and enabling children to keep themselves safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The topic of bullying or oppressive behaviour and strategies to deal with them are discussed during key working sessions or as situations arise. Children are encouraged to be involved in the local community and develop appropriate relationships with peers. One child voiced that, 'yeah bullying happens sometimes but it’s not a problem for me.' This demonstrates that the home successfully promotes positive experiences which enhance the child's self image and confidence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home appropriately records all incidents of unauthorised absence and there is an established protocol with the local police for the protection of vulnerable children. This behaviour is part of the child's individual risk assessment which details suitable strategies that are implemented to ensure the safety of children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff actively demonstrate knowledge and understanding of behaviour management and receive training in physical intervention. The ethos of the home is a child centred positive proactive approach to child care using de-escalation and diversionary strategies in the first instance. However, on occasions a child is placed in their bedroom for timeout to help them calm. Staff then return downstairs to the office. The home uses a fob system on the upstairs door. This means that a child cannot come back downstairs through this exit until staff release the door. There is an additional fire exit on the upper level and once the fire alarm is sounded this automatically releases all locks. The children are aware of this. Nevertheless this doors mechanism, or be it unintentionally, is a measure of control which has the potential to compromise children's welfare.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Appropriate records are kept for a range of safe working topics including accidents, fire safety, car maintenance and risk assessments. Staff receive training in safe working topics and are conscientious in addressing issues as they arise. Children have individual risk assessments which identify any particular hazards and the strategies for how these will be managed. The 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC038500 organisation has robust recruitment policies and procedures that ensure that only suitable persons are employed to work with children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The home successfully provides a child centred approach to all aspects of their service delivery. Care plans and risk assessments incorporate individual expression of children's aspirations and are comprehensively gathered in conjunction with the child, their parents and other agencies. Children are supported by a proficient and well-informed team who ensure the unit maintains a flexible approach to providing personal care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are cared for by highly motivated staff who know them very well. They adapt daily routines and activities with great success to individualise care for differing groups and needs. As a result, children feel secure and are confident. One child commented that, 'I'm happy here and I feel safe'. Staff work collaboratively with schools in encouraging children to complete homework. Excellent support and facilities are provided which are conducive to an effective learning environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Staff successfully work in partnership with children to ensure that their views, wishes and feelings are taken into account throughout the care planning process. Staff work alongside other professionals to enable effective information sharing which keeps the child at the centre of their care plan. Care plans are reviewed regularly and the children attend and contribute to their reviews by means of effective support mechanisms.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have wherever possible a gradual introduction to the home which includes, coming for tea in the first instance. When leaving the service staff try and obtain their feelings, views, and experiences. Children are actively encouraged to maintain contact with their family as defined by their looked after care plans. Staff work unwaveringly to enable children to reach their full potential and to get the best out of life. Children are given opportunities to learn new skills and try out new activities. This includes accessing community activities and resources which help to increase children's self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are actively encouraged to make suggestions regarding the service. The consultation process also includes an independent advocate from NYAS who visits the unit on a monthly basis to speak to the children. As a result, staff innovatively meets the diverse needs of the children who use this service.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The children accommodated at the home are not at the age where they require formal leaving care plans. Children are, however, fully involved in making decisions about what skills and support they will need to assist them in developing life skills. Staff consistently support and encourage children to develop independent living skills through their daily routines. The staff team works well in partnership with other agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC038500 Children are provided with a safe and comfortable home which is domestic in style and layout. The accommodation is maintained to a good standard and it is kept clean and tidy. Children are provided with individual bedrooms which are suitably maintained and personalised to their own tastes. They have access to sufficient levels of communal space which gives them choices regarding their recreational and leisure time. The home provides children with sufficient bath,

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Achieving economic wellbeing

shower and toilet facilities with appropriate locks to ensure their privacy is maintained. The home has installed electronic equipment for locking internal doors. The home has not included this within children's individual placement plans or care plans. This has the potential to infringe on their freedom of children’s movement.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The individual needs of children are addressed well with regard to personal, social and cultural issues. This is demonstrated through operational management and child care practice, for example, dietary and personal care needs, staff recruitment and relationships with children. Staff engage children in discussions in order to challenge prejudice and actively raise their awareness.

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Organisation

The Statement of Purpose is clearly written. Staff state that it is reviewed and updated annually but there is no date to evidence this. The Statement of Purpose does not reflect the installation of electronic means that can be seen as restriction on movement. Nor has the home overtly produced policies and procedures or risk assessments for the specific use and implementation of this equipment.

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Organisation

Staff feel they are well supported and the manager is readily contactable. There are regular staff meetings and minutes are made available to staff. Staff contribute to the agenda and feel they are consulted and listened to. Staff are encouraged and supported to attain National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) at Level 3. At the present time there is eight staff with the NVQ at Level 3 and two staff are currently working towards it.

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Organisation

The staffing policy states the home provides one to one staffing levels with two staff to sleep-in at night. There is a current staff group of eleven and a registered manager. There is an adequate number of staff on each shift to provide care for children and staff are committed to providing consistent, stable care for children.

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Organisation

The organisation provides effective training and personal development opportunities for all staff. There is a comprehensive wide range of courses in the training plan. This plan includes both core safe working and child care practice. New staff complete the children’s workforce development council induction training before going on to the NVQ at Level 3 programme. This provides staff with the opportunity to attend training to achieve and maintain competency in their care practice and ensure that children's welfare is promoted.

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Organisation

The home is monitored in all aspects of service delivery and appropriate action is taken to maintain quality of care within the home. The organisation is open to researching new methodologies for developing good practice. One example of this is the application of social pedagogy planning as the local authority is part of the government's current pilot project.

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Organisation

The manager completes regular monthly monitoring of the home’s systems against the Statement of Purpose including health and safety aspects. The findings are shared with staff and senior 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC038500 management for matters to be addressed. The manager produces a detailed monthly report which shows evidence of action to be taken following such monitoring. The manager and senior team demonstrate a commitment to fulfilling the regulations and recommendations and maintaining good quality standards of care for children.

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Organisation

The children’s records are well organised and easily accessible. They hold all of the required information including looked after children documentation, individual placement plans and risk assessments. Staff recording provides clear accurate details which include the behaviour, feelings and views of children. The children are made aware of these records and are encouraged to both sign and contribute to them.

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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): • review policy, procedures and guidance for staff to ensure that the use of the electronic door fob system does not impose unreasonable measures of control (22.2) • ensure physical restrictions on normal movement within the home are only used in relation to a child where restriction has been agreed within their placement plan (NMS 23.5) • ensure there is a description of any electronic or mechanical means of surveillance of children which may be used in the children’s home included in the Statement of Purpose, policy and procedures and risk assessment. These specifically apply to the electronic fob system and ensure that the Statement of Purpose is reviewed at least annually. (NMS 1.2, 1.5) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC038500

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