Children's Home run by Step-A-Side Company Limited in Gloucestershire

SC030650 Unique reference number 22 July 2009 Inspection date Michael Williams 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 9 Inspection Report: SC030650

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is one of two children's homes run by the same limited company. It is a five bedroom detached house set in almost an acre of gardens in a rural location. It provides care and accommodation for a maximum of four children of either sex with emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, the home was accommodating two young adults, both aged 19-years-old, and a 17-year-old who had moved into the home since the last inspection in March 2009. The two young adults had moved into the home as children, and were continuing in placement through an agreed exemption to the home's conditions of registration.

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Summary

While the overall quality rating is good, or strong, some aspects of the provision are outstanding, or of an exceptionally high quality. This inspection was announced a few hours beforehand to ensure that young people and staff were present during the school summer holiday. This was a full inspection of all the key National Minimum Standards (NMS) for children's homes. The key findings from this inspection are that three of the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes for children, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, and making a positive contribution, are outstanding, and the remaining two ECM outcomes, staying safe and achieving economic wellbeing, are good. In addition, the organisation outcome is good and within it the promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding.

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Summary

The three young people at the home commented that what it is good at doing is: 'Looking after us, showing us all a good time, entertainment'; 'Activities, holidays, supporting us'; and 'Supporting us.' Two of these young people commented that what the home could do better is, 'Let me stay here forever' and 'Nothing'. A parent and a carer commented: 'I cannot say anything bad about [the home] they have looked after my [child] with care and understanding'; and 'I feel the service goes over and above the wellbeing of a service user, who is well looked after, very well supported.' 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 last inspection did not require or recommend any improvements to be made.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Young people enjoy healthy, nutritious meals that meet their dietary needs and have opportunities to plan, shop for and prepare meals. The inspector observed and heard young people talk about preparing meals at the home. All three young people accommodated commented positively about what the home does to encourage them to eat healthy meals and snacks, and to help them with choosing, buying and cooking food. They also said that they get enough food and drink. The manager's June 2009 internal monitoring reported that daily menus are 'Completed correctly and show a good range of options of healthy and nutritious meals - also young people's involvement.' 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650 Young people live in a healthy environment and their good health is promoted by their health needs being identified and services being provided to meet them. All three young people commented positively about what the home does to look after them if they are feeling unwell,

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Helping children to be healthy

and that they are able to see a doctor or other health professional if necessary. The two young adults accommodated also commented that they can book health appointments themselves. Case tracking showed that one young person's health needs were exceptionally well met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are met and their welfare is safeguarded by the home's policies and procedures for administering medicines and providing first aid treatment. Case tracking showed that administration of a prescribed medication to one young person was accurately recorded both in the home's and in the young person's records. The amount of this medication securely stored in the home for this young person tallied with these records. The home follows the latest guidance on the handling of medicines in social care. Five of the home's current staff team are qualified first aiders.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people's privacy is respected and their information is confidentially handled. Each young person has their own bedroom and a key for its lock. Young people's case files are securely stored.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people know how and feel able to complain if they are unhappy with any aspect of living in the home. Any complaint is addressed seriously and without delay. The home's complaints log includes one entry since the last inspection, an informal complaint from a young person that they voiced during an external monitoring visit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are systems in place to promote young people's safety and welfare and to ensure that they are protected from abuse, which are known and understood by all staff. Child protection is part of induction and refresher training for staff, and a core part of their NVQ Level 3 in caring for children and young people. The child protection procedure in the home's statement of purpose states that it is in accordance with the local authority Safeguarding Children Board requirements. It also covers protection procedures into early adulthood. The inspector observed a discussion between the manager and a resident, where the former had to emphasise their safeguarding duty in the face of the latter's desire to assert their right to more independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected from bullying. In their inspection surveys, the home's two longest standing residents commented that they have never been bullied or seen other young people being bullied at the home, and that, 'Staff would sort it out if need be.' The newest resident said that the home was, 'Really a very nice place to live.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people who are absent from the home without consent are protected in line with the home's written policy and guidance. The home has a missing person procedure and records such instances in young people's case files. Such instances are rare at the home; there have not been any since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Through encouragement of acceptable behaviour and constructive staff response to inappropriate behaviour, young people are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Since their last inspection, the home has not used any sanctions and only once used restraint with young people. The home has dedicated bound and numbered books to record such instances 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650 that include all the information required. Staff are trained in managing challenging behaviour and solution focused therapy. The home's focus is on promoting positive behaviour, for example, by operating an individualised reward system with each young person.

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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. The service employs a health and safety business who ensures that they comply with health and safety at work requirements. They provide the home with a risk assessments manual with advice on how to carry out risk assessments. The home has carried out numerous risk assessments accordingly. An overarching fire risk assessment was completed by the registered manager in March 2009, with a 'low' overall level of risk.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The selection and vetting of all staff working with young people in the home is not as careful as it needs to be. The recruitment record of a residential support worker (RSW) appointed since the last inspection did not include all the information required: a reference from their most recent employer and a satisfactory written explanation of gaps in their employment. However, the two written references provided did not raise any concerns regarding their suitability to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Young people receive individual support when they need it. They receive individual support from within the home, for example, from their key workers, from the psychology service the home buys in, and from external professionals, such as Connexions and Youth Offending workers and advocates.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people's education is actively promoted as valuable in itself and as part of their preparation for adulthood. This inspection was carried out during the school summer holidays. Two of the young people had just finished attending school and college. The third young person had just finished following a very full and constructive timetable of education, provided by two home tutors, and outdoor activities that the home had devised with them. The home was running a summer school of project work for young people, with a reward for their participation.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Young people are appropriately placed in the home. They have their needs assessed effectively and comprehensively and written placement plans outlining how their needs will be met are implemented. Case tracking showed that a young person recently admitted to the home has a placement plan, based on their placing authority pathway plan, which comprehensively covers each major element of a placement plan and has clear objectives for their placement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's needs and development are reviewed regularly in the light of their care and progress at the home. Case tracking showed that the home had completed a report for one young person's statutory looked after children review and made their own record of this meeting to refer to ahead of receipt of the official minutes. The home also operates its own internal review process for each young person. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650 Young people are able to maintain constructive contact with their families and friends. The inspector observed one young person's family contact at the home. Case tracking showed that contact arrangements are included in young people's placement plans and are reviewed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are able to move into and leave the home in a planned and sensitive manner. Since the last inspection, this has been the case for one young person who had just left the home and another who had recently moved in. Both a referral and a resident compatibility risk assessment were completed for this admission. By the time of this inspection, this young person had settled in well in the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run. All three young people accommodated replied 'yes' to the inspection survey question 'Do you feel that you are able to make your views known and that you are able to have a say in what happens in the home?' The home runs key working sessions, a suggestion box and house meetings, though the latter only take place occasionally as the home routinely consults with young people. A lot of consultation takes place with young people prior to and during their reviews: one young person's recent review recorded that they 'attended and made their own views known to the meeting.'

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people receive care which helps to prepare them for and support them into adulthood. The three young people accommodated are aged between 17 and 19. They have successfully participated in a social skills group run by the home's psychology service. 'To further develop independent living skills' is one of the placement plan objectives for a young person who has recently moved into the home. The young people at the home will not be leaving care but moving from children's to adult's services. One young person had just successfully managed this transition, having moved from the home a few days before this inspection to a care home for younger adults run by the company.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy homely accommodation, decorated, furnished and maintained to a good standard, providing adequate facilities for their use. Following the success of the recent extension and refurbishment at the home's sister children's home, the architect for that work was about to visit the home to look at extending and improving its accommodation.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. A clear statement of how the home operates is available for parents and others needing this information. The home's statement of purpose and accompanying service users' handbook were last updated the month of this inspection; the former includes all the matters required.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by staff who are themselves supported and guided in promoting their welfare. Case tracking showed that one young person's key worker receives formal supervision at the frequency required, but that the written record of their supervision is not readily available in the home.

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Organisation

Young people receive the care and services they need from competent staff. The home's statement of purpose contains details of the current staff team, including their relevant 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650 experience and qualifications. The team leader and three of the RSWs are qualified in the NVQ at Level 3 in caring for children and young people. Other RSWs are either undertaking this NVQ or the service's induction training.

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Organisation

Staff are sufficient in number, experience and qualification to meet the needs of the young people. The staff team is made up of the registered manger, a team leader, RSWs and relief RSWs. As the home's statement of purpose describes, together they make up 'A small team of experienced residential support workers who are employed on a rota basis to provide 24-hour care.'

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by staff who are trained and competent to meet their needs. In their questionnaire for this inspection, the registered manager reported that all staff receive induction and refresher training in first aid; managing challenging behaviour; food and hygiene; child protection; health and safety; and fire safety awareness.

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Organisation

The care of young people accommodated is monitored and continually adapted in the light of information about how the home is operating. The registered manager completes monthly reports covering most of the matters required to be monitored by them. They monitor the other matters required in other ways, such as by signing the home's records relating to them. The home also has reports from monthly external monitoring visits by the service's responsible individual.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. In their self-assessment for this inspection, the registered manager gave some examples of what the home does to ensure that equality and diversity are promoted and incorporated into their practice. One example is that all the young people, with varying degrees of learning difficulties and Tourette's Syndrome, are encouraged to attend a social skills group run by the home's psychology service, with a view to promoting their participation in wider society.

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Organisation

Young people's needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality. Case tracking showed that one young person has an open case file, case management file, placement plan file and education file. Together they include all the information required to be in the young person's case records, and provide a comprehensive record of their history and progress at the home.

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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

28 August 2009 ensure all the information required is included in the recruitment records of all staff working at the home (Regulation 26) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650

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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): • keep a written record in the home of each supervision held for each member of staff (NMS 28) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC030650

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