Children's Home run by Anna House Limited in Havering

SC058603 Unique reference number 26 June 2009 Inspection date Joanna Heller Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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9 December 2008 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: SC058603

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Brief description of the service

This home is a respite care unit for five children and young people with physical and learning disabilities. The building is a large detached, adapted house situated in a residential area. The home has five single bedrooms. Communal facilities include a lounge, kitchen and conservatory all of which are well decorated and maintained. The rear garden is secure and in regular use. The home is close to the local shops and is supported by good local transport links. The service provides support to a small group of families at this point in time and places are purchased via the child's local authority.

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Brief description of the service

Young people and children have packages of care varying from every weekend to occasional overnight stays.

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Summary

This was a random unannounced inspection carried out as part of the annual inspection program. No young people were on site at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke with the manger, reviewed records and toured the building.

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Summary

The home has addressed issues raised at the previous inspection and is now graded as satisfactory. The home provides staffing, building and a home which effectively meets the children's needs. Parents say that young people enjoy staying at the home and that the staff genuinely care for the young people. 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

At the last inspection the home was asked to ensure safe food storage, submit an application for a manager, ensure only medication which is prescribed or an approved 'homely remedy' is administered and to ensure risk assessments are in place for the use of cot sides. The home was also asked to ensure that no staff begin work until all checks required are completed. The home has addressed all these issues.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The home at the last inspection was asked to provide suitable sleeping arrangements for staff who sleep on site which it has yet to address. The home was also asked to ensure a written risk assessment is in place for staff working alone identifying any likely risk to children, staff and members of the public to demonstrate that there is no unacceptable level of risk from such an arrangement. Whilst the home has begun work on this, it has yet to be completed.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people benefit from a variety of nutritious home cooked foods which reflect peoples choices and cultural heritage. Information on young people's likes and dislikes is obtained prior to placement, this knowledge is used in conjunction with offering new opportunities to experience different foods. Young people who require special diets due to either health or cultural reasons are provided with these. Pictorial menus and symbols are available in the Kitchen to enable young people to make choices. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC058603 The home has safe systems in place for the storage and administration of medication. Staff are trained in managing medication. Clear records are held of medication coming into and leaving the home. Clear records are maintained of medication given. The home has arrangements with a local pharmacy to provide training to staff and to carry out medication audits in the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Any recommendations made during a medication audit are swiftly addressed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Young people are safeguarded from unsuitable people gaining employment in the home through robust vetting practices. No staff are employed until checks on peoples identity and employment history are taken up and a criminal records bureau check is carried out. References are followed up with a telephone call to verify their validity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The building is maintained in a good condition and systems are in place to ensure that essential healthy and safety checks such as gas safety are carried out. Hazardous substances are stored securely. Fire precaution arrangements in the home ensure young people and staff are safeguarded from fire in line with current good practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Sufficient bathrooms are provided to meet young people’s needs. All bathrooms and bedrooms are lockable. Staff enable young people to develop an awareness of the need for privacy. Records are securely stored and staff are aware of issues of confidentiality. Complaints are rare. When a complaint does occur it is well managed. The complaints procedure is displayed in pictorial format in the home to make it more accessible to young people. The home has received very positive feedback from parents about the standards of care through the surveys the home distributes. Parents comments include ‘my child is always happy to go to the home, which makes us happy and gives us peace of mind. The staff do not just look after the children, they genuinely care about them'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Clear procedures are in place to respond to any allegations of a safeguarding nature. Staff are provided with child protection training which is regularly updated. The home is aware of the processes to be followed should any allegations be made or concerns of a safeguarding nature arise. Behaviour management strategies are clearly outlined in each young person’s individual plan of care. The home follows the behaviour management guidance supplied by the school. Bullying in its true sense is not exhibited by the young people currently using the service due to their care characteristics. Behavioural management including responses to challenging behaviour revolve around distraction techniques and trying to understand what is being communicated by the behaviour exhibited. All young people using the service are considered highly vulnerable and are accompanied at all times when leaving the home. Appropriate security

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

measures are in place to safeguard them from leaving the house unaccompanied.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC058603 The home is of a domestic style in an ordinary street and does not stand out from other properties in the area. The building has been purpose built and designed to meet the needs of the young people. Young people are able to enjoy the use of the communal lounge and dining room. The house is decorated in a welcoming style with young people's photographs and artwork displayed around the home. All young people are able to stay in a single room which is familiar to them and which they are able to personalise during their stay. Two bedrooms and a shower room are provided on the ground floor for the use of young people who have mobility difficulties.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff sleep-in facilities consist of a 'put-u-up' bed in the small office and are not suitable to meet the needs of staff sleeping on site.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The home is staffed to a level which meets young people needs. A minimum of two staff are on duty at any given time. The home has begun to develop risk assessments on lone working but these do not examine all key risk areas.

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Organisation

An application for the responsible individual to be registered as manager of the home has been submitted and is currently being processed.

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Organisation

The home has in place clear systems for monitoring the quality of care in the home. The registered person ensures that a visit is carried out monthly by a representative of the company and that a report of the visit is produced. The responsible individual is no longer carrying out this role due to conflict of interest. An annual quality review is undertaken by the home which includes the views of service users and their families.

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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): • provide suitable sleeping arrangements for staff who sleep on site (NMS 24.16) • ensure a written risk assessment is in place for staff working alone identifying any likely risk to children, staff and members of the public, and this has demonstrated that there is no unacceptable level of risk from such an arrangement (NMS 30) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC058603

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