Children's Home run by Thunderbolt Mobile Limited in Lancashire

SC055153 Unique reference number 8 December 2009 Inspection date Graham Robinson Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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17 August 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: SC055153

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Brief description of the service

This service provides activity-based intervention with young people who are experiencing a period of difficulty or crisis. Up to three individual placements for young people aged between 12 and 17 years of either gender are provided. Placements are usually short term and are activity based.

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Brief description of the service

A planned yet flexible programme designed to meet a young person's individual needs and circumstances is agreed with placing authorities. Young people are cared for by two members of staff at all times and stay at various locations around the United Kingdom in accommodation that includes bunkhouses, youth hostels, campsites, canal boats and an ocean-going yacht.

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Brief description of the service

While the mobile units can be operative in a wide geographical area, the service is managed centrally from the organisation's main office. Good communication systems allow for regular contact to be maintained and services in the field are visited regularly by the manager and other senior staff.

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Summary

This interim, unannounced inspection was used to follow up the recommendations made at the previous inspection. In addition, the key standards linked to staying safe were also reviewed. Due to the limitations of this inspection, the overall quality rating made at the key inspection remains as it was.

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Summary

The service is active with two young people placed. Both were visited during the course of the inspection.

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Summary

Young people are settled in their placement and the relationships between them and staff were observed as good. Young people spoke positively about the service in general and about the staff caring for them. No issues or concerns directly linked to the service were raised by either young person.

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Summary

Staff understand their responsibilities in caring for young people and in keeping them safe. They were consistent in their responses to questions and are aware of young people's individual plans and risk assessments. They work in a flexible way to meet the needs of young people and all demonstrated a positive team-centred approach.

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Summary

No major issues or concerns have been raised as a result of the inspection and no actions have been raised. Some recommendations have been carried over, with details appearing in the organisation section of the report. One new recommendation linked to the frequency of formal staff supervision has been raised. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The report from the previous inspection contained no actions, but eight recommendations. Five have been positively addressed leading to improvements in the recording of young people's food intake, the level of information gathered on application forms, greater detail in planning 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC055153 documentation to identify young people's religious and cultural needs, an improved system that provides an overview of ongoing staff supervision and with the consistency in which the service is being monitored externally.

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Improvements since the last inspection

With regard to the three remaining recommendations, while some progress has been made in addressing them all, they remain only partially addressed. Therefore, those recommendations have been repeated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The safety and rights of staff and young people are protected. Strategies and working practices designed to keep young people and staff safe are in place. They are underpinned by having good systems of communication, along with good organisation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Appropriate systems to record complaints, unauthorised absence, serious incidents, additional measures and physical intervention are held both in the field and centrally. These records support the view, not only of staff but also of young people, that the current placements are stable.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people understand how to access the complaints procedures, although none have done so since the previous inspection. However, staff have been supportive in linking one young person into an independent advocacy agency due to issues not associated with the placement.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff understand their responsibilities and the procedures in place to safeguard young people. The organisation has good links with the external agencies charged with safeguarding young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety issues were looked at in some detail at the previous inspection. All sites and accommodation utilised by the service are risk assessed. Each young person also has a comprehensive, individual risk assessment which sits alongside a range of strategies incorporated into the planning documentation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This service continues to grow and this is reflected in an ongoing staff recruitment programme. Appropriate systems to clear and recruit staff are in place and meet with the relevant standards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people and staff were observed mixing together well and enjoying each other's company. At both sites visited a calm, happy, relaxed atmosphere prevailed.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC055153

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Due to the nature of the inspection, the key standards under this outcome have not been reviewed and therefore the assessment of the outcome remains as previously judged. However, the three recommendations that have been carried over all fall within this category.

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Organisation

Training for staff in positive handling techniques is set to be completed in February 2010. Once completed, all current staff will have been trained in the same technique. Until the training has been completed, the recommendation will be repeated.

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Organisation

Arrangements to facilitate regular staff meetings have been put into place, although only one has taken place since the recommendation was made. The next inspection will be able to determine if meetings have taken place consistently, within the recommended timescale. Until consistency has been achieved, the recommendation will be repeated.

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Organisation

Achieving a minimum ratio of all care staff completing appropriate national vocational qualification training is recognised as being a longer term aim. Company policy dictates that staff do not commence this training until successfully completing a six month induction period. For those staff nearing this, specific dates have been set for the training to commence. The recommendation will continue to be repeated until the recommended ratio of staff completing the training has been achieved.

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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 that all staff are trained in the same physical intervention techniques (NMS 22.8) • ensure that the formal supervision of staff takes place consistently, within the recommended timescale (NMS 28.2) • ensure that staff meetings take place consistently within the recommended timescale (NMS 28.10) • aim towards achieving a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff having completed appropriate NVQ training. (NMS 29.5) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC055153

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