Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

SC068206 Unique reference number 10 November 2009 Inspection date Karen Forster 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 6 Inspection Report: SC068206

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Brief description of the service

This service is one of a network of children's homes maintained by an independent children's home provider. The home is a mid-terraced property that is situated within a mile of a town centre and all required shopping and leisure facilities.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides a placement for one young person, supported by a staff team of four. The home was occupied at the time of the visit and the young person and staff contributed towards the inspection.

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Summary

This visit is an unannounced interim inspection including two of the Every Child Matters Outcome areas; staying safe and enjoying and achieving. The actions and recommendations raised at the last inspection were reviewed with the home. The service continues to provide positive outcomes for resident young people. Young people's safety is promoted and they thrive from the positive level of personal and emotional support provided by their carers. The gaps within the educational programme for young people means that outcomes in the enjoying and achieving area are satisfactory. 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

The developments made within the service to address the actions and recommendations from the last inspection, are a main focus of this inspection. Therefore improvements within the home are reported upon under the relevant outcome areas below.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children’s safeguarding procedures are good, with young people’s welfare a priority. Staff confirmed that they are aware of their responsibilities within the home’s child protection procedures and have received safeguarding training. Current Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures are available via an electronic link from within the home, which complements the home's written safeguarding policies. Young people feel staff are protective and would know what to do if they disclosed any abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home takes suitable measures to find young people who are missing from care and responds appropriately to young people when they return home. The internal procedure has been suitably updated following the recommendation at the last inspection, and now includes a meeting for the young people to discuss their time away from the home. The home maintains a working protocol with the local police force, which distinguishes between missing from care and absent without authority. This means the responses of the care staff and local police appropriately match the episode of absence, and the vulnerability of the individual. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC068206 The safety and welfare of young people is well promoted by a range of practices developed by the organisation to help young people manage their behaviour. Staff are trained in behaviour management, which includes the de-escalation of challenging episodes. The home does not

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

routinely use physical restraint, and the last reported sanction appears suitable and proportionate to the presenting behaviour. This practice meets the standards, and means that young people are well supported to manage their own behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home makes good arrangements for the health and safety of people living, working and visiting within the premises. The home's fire procedures include regular recorded tests on the fire systems, evacuation drills and fire safety instruction are undertaken at appropriate intervals. There is a fire risk assessment for the premises which is clearly written, and well implemented. There is evidence of current employer's and public liability insurance cover, which meets the standards. Electrical equipment and gas installations are serviced as required. A range of risk assessments are undertaken on young people's known and likely behaviours. These documents demonstrate that the service has highlighted medium to high risk behaviours, and developed management strategies to control these risks. This helps young people to keep themselves safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Young people receive good levels of individual support, which can come from a variety of sources including: the home's staff; social work practitioners; the placing authorities' children's rights officers and independent reviewing officers. This means that young people feel supported in the placement and are helped to celebrate their achievements, and to address any individual needs. Evidence of key work between the home's staff and young people is included in records of young people's meetings. These sessions have been developed following the recommendation at the last inspection. The sessions now include broader discussions of the placement's progress and address the impact on the young people's outcomes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home values education for young people, however the lack of full educational programmes impacts

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

negatively on educational outcomes for individuals. Young people have access to a personal tutor and educational visits are facilitated by home staff. This means that individuals complete some course work with suitable instruction, within two areas of the National Curriculum. The remaining gaps within the educational programmes mean that outcomes for young people are satisfactory, despite the best endeavours of the care staff to facilitate a full and balanced curriculum. The home has secured a copy of the missing personal educational plan, this was raised as an action at the last inspection and shows there has been some progress in this area.

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Organisation

The organisation is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC068206

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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

4 January 2010 continue to liase with the placing authority and local educational networks to provide suitable arrangements for the education of individuals. (Regulation 18)

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Recommendations

There are no recommendations. 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC068206

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