Children's Home run by Tulip Care One Limited t/as TulipCare in Kent

SC361090 Unique reference number 9 July 2009 Inspection date Alex Turner Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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8 January 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 7 Inspection Report: SC361090

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Brief description of the service

The Children's Home provides residential care and support for up to five boys aged between eight and 16-years-old on admission. The home adjoins an independent school, registered for seven male pupils aged between eight and 16-years-old. The school is included in the resources available to young people placed. The home is situated in semi-rural location. It is a detached property with no near neighbours. There is a plot of land to the side of the house and gardens to the front and rear both of which are available for recreational purposes.

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Summary

This interim inspection looked at the progress the setting has made with the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. These related to the record of sanctions and quality assurance measures. The inspection focussed on the outcome groups Staying Safe and Organisation. Positive Contribution has also been rated. Suitable arrangements have been made for quality assurance visits by the registered provider. Further work is required in relation to the registered manager's monitoring and review of the quality of care provided, hence an action to do so has been repeated. The record of sanctions was not available for inspection; a requirement to address this shortfall has been made. 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 registered manager was asked to maintain an accurate and up to date record of measures of sanctions used. During this inspection the relevant records were not available for inspection. An action to ensure the records are kept has been repeated. The registered manager was also asked to supply a report in respect of any review conducted by them for the purposes of monitoring and improving the quality of care provided. Though key areas of the homes operation are being monitored the manager has not carried out a review or reported on their findings as requested. The action has been repeated.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The registered provider was asked to make suitable arrangements for carrying out monthly visits to the home in order to monitor and help improve standards. The registered provider has taken appropriate action to meet this request. Young people benefit from this process which puts emphasis on attaining gradual and sustained development of child care practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Young people's privacy is respected and information is confidentially handled. Staff have a good awareness of the need to protect confidential written information and there are facilities in place to help ensure practice reflects this awareness. Young people are generally satisfied with the level of privacy they have and how information about them is managed. Practice is informed by written policies and guidance. However, there has been an instance of when it was 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC361090 necessary to search a child’s possessions where the relevant procedures were not followed and the rights of young people were not properly considered.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are able to have a say about the home and their care. Young people speak freely to staff and are confident in letting them know about things in the home they are not happy about. They are able to make complaints and have these investigated. The process to investigate and resolve complaints has on occasion been unsuccessful in reaching a positive and satisfactory outcome. Young people say that they also use the house meetings as another means to air their views though were not being told enough about action that is taken to follow up issues raised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected from abuse. Clear child protection strategies and referral procedures inform staff practice. Training for staff covers the systems to protect young people and minimise the risk of abuse. Young people described a pecking order and boisterous jostling between peers. There is incidence of low level bullying between young people. The homes approach to tackling bullying has been largely uncoordinated. Care planning, risk assessments and key work strategies have not been used effectively to address the problems. Staff awareness of measures to support young people involved in bullying was less than good.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The welfare and safety of young people who have gone missing from the home has been protected. Staff are aware of and have followed written procedures and guidance in helping to locate and bring about their safe return.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Young people are encouraged to develop a proper awareness of their rights and responsibilities. An initial assessment of each young person's behaviour is completed though the assessments have not been reviewed and updated as required. Individualised behaviour management strategies have been developed for some young people. Where strategies have been developed de-escalation techniques and sanctions have been described in addition to crisis intervention, including restraint. Measures of control and discipline are based on establishing positive relationships with children. The use of physical restraint is not excessive or unreasonable. Staff had no access to the sanctions record book during this visit. This meant that staff were unable to properly record any sanctions applied and made the monitoring of them impossible. The managerial

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

oversight of physical restraints was patchy. Furthermore the home has failed to notify Ofsted of significant events relating to the welfare of children accommodated in the home. These shortfalls create unnecessary risks to young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home that provides physical safety and security. Health and safety checks, fire procedures, checks and drills, equipment testing and maintenance are all routinely carried out on a regular basis. Risk assessments are carried out, recorded in writing and kept under review. Such risk assessments are carried out in relation to the home’s premises and grounds, and children’s known and likely activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC361090 Young people make decisions about their lives and have some influence over the way the home is run. Some very good examples of young people engaging with the staff to review their progress and development was seen. Young people speak to staff freely and are quite able to express their views and wishes. Staff respond satisfactorily and work hard to maintain a proper balance between listening and acting on young people's views whilst remaining grounded and realistic about what is possible. A good example of how the home has listened to and acted on young peoples opinions centres around the use of the office by staff. Young people were concerned about the way in which staff used the office. The use of the office has been reviewed and some radical changes have been made. Although the changes have not been without problems the process of change has helped everyone in the home, staff and young people alike

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to reconsider what the office is for and how it is used. Finally and as referred to earlier in this report young people use house meetings as another means to air their views, though are not being told enough about action that is taken to follow up issues raised. The minutes are not routinely circulated though indicate that often the meetings focussed on a management agenda rather than serving as a vehicle for structured and purposeful two way dialogue.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Young people benefit from insightful monitoring and analysis of practice by the registered provider. Arrangements have been made for a suitably qualified and experienced person to carry out visits on their behalf and to prepare quality assurance reports. The reports illustrate an in depth analytical approach to the exercise. Reports indicate an emphasis is placed on attaining gradual and sustained development of child care practice. The reports follow up on previous issues identified and seek to provide advice, recommendations and suggestions to help improve the quality of care provided. The reports challenge and question practice and encourage the manager and staff to reflect on their work with young people and consider their contribution and role in raising standards.

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Organisation

Young people also benefit, though to a lesser extent, by monitoring of standards undertaken by the manager and staff of the home. Records and administrative documentation are regularly checked and signed off. The purpose and value of doing so is not fully realised. There is little evidence of any analysis of the findings and nothing to indicate how the exercise contributes to improving standards in the home. In addition to this point there is no evidence of consultation that takes place with young people, their parents and Local Authorities or of the impact on practice any such consultation may have had.

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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

6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC361090 17 September 2009 maintain an accurate and up to date record of measures of sanctions used, as set out in Regulation (17). 31 August 2009 notify without delay the relevant persons or agencies of the matters set out in Schedule 5. (Regulation 30) 17 November 2009 supply to Ofsted a report in respect of any review conducted by the registered person for the purposes of monitoring and improving the quality of care provided and make a copy of the report available on request to children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34)

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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 in instances where it is judged necessary to search a young person's possessions they are searched only in accordance with the homes written procedures and guidance to do so. (NMS 9) • ensure the policy on countering bullying is implemented, and monitored for effectiveness in practice. (NMS 18) • ensure that children, their families and significant others receive feedback following consultation. (NMS 8) 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC361090

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