Children's Home run by Hampshire County Council in Hampshire

SC066277 Unique reference number 4 July 2009 Inspection date Roy Bega 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: SC066277

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Brief description of the service

This respite setting is owned and operated jointly by a National Health Trust and a Local Authority Children's Services Department. It is situated in an urban area of a city close to local transport and amenities.

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Brief description of the service

The setting provides respite care for up to nine children/young people at any one time who have severe learning, sensory and physical disabilities who may also have complex health needs and challenging behaviour.

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Brief description of the service

Accommodation comprises of single bedrooms, specific and shared communal areas including activity and sensory facilities.

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Summary

This is an unannounced full inspection where all key standards are inspected.

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Summary

The setting is well managed with an experienced and committed staff group who have a positive outlook towards training. The overall operation of the home is well monitored with staff being given appropriate areas of responsibility.

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Summary

Staff are well conversant with the health and communication needs for the children and young people within their care. Management and staff are continuing to develop communication systems enabling individual children and young people to have their say about what goes on at the setting.

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Summary

Staff respect children's and young people's wish for privacy and confidentiality as is consistent with good parenting and in accordance with individual needs and requirements. Children are well safeguarded by the setting's stringent policies and procedures. 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

No actions or recommendations were raised resulting from the previous inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children and young people are provided with a healthy and nutritious diet in accordance with their special dietary requirements, likes and dislikes. Staff liaise closely with parents, schools and external specialists to ensure individual children and young people's feeding requirements are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Mealtimes are viewed as an opportunity to be enjoyable social occasions. Flexible arrangements are made to take account of children's and young people’s choices and needs. Staff encourage children and young people to be involved in making decisions about what they would like to eat by means of a variety of communication methods. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277 Young people’s individual health needs are identified and assessed at an early stage as part of the pre admission process. Seen health care plans are comprehensive providing detailed information on how specific and general health issues are to be addressed. For example they include risk assessments for moving and handling, procedures for peg feeding and administration of rectal diazepam. Staff spoken with are well conversant of the health needs for the children and young people within their care. Where appropriate children and young people are actively

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Helping children to be healthy

encouraged to take an interest in looking after their health and to peruse healthy ways of living. This is further highlighted where young people are being supported in respect of independent living skills

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Helping children to be healthy

During their respite stay all children and young people remain registered with their own medical practitioners and parents are responsible for all medical appointments. Parents spoken with confirm staff know their children very well and have good knowledge and understanding of their health needs. Excellent contact between the setting and home is maintained regarding any concerns and changing health needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Robust medication policies and procedures are in place. All medication is suitably stored in locked cabinets. Controlled medication is stored separately and accurate records maintained.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parental consent for emergency medical treatment, first aid and administration of medication is in place. Regular medication monitoring reviews are completed. Non-nursing staff are provided with handling and administration of medication training.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and young people benefit from the setting's excellent procedural guidance on privacy and confidentiality. Staff respect children's and young people's privacy and confidentiality as is consistent with good parenting and in accordance with individual needs and requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have completed a comprehensive and well documented piece of work to encourage children and young people to give their views on the setting and how it could be better for them. One of the outcomes is an awareness to develop a child friendly complaints procedure in diverse formats for the induction process and welcome pack. Parents and carers are provided with clear information on how to raise any concerns. Records and information show no concerns have been raised subsequent to the previous inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and young people are appropriately safeguarded by robust and stringent recruitment procedures. Good quality internal monitoring and audits of recruitment files are undertaken to ensure that all appropriate checks within Schedule 2 children’s homes national minimum standards and regulations are sought prior to staff commencing employment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The welfare of children and young people is effectively promoted within the setting. Staff have excellent knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and receive annual training. Parents are provided with appropriate information regarding the setting's safeguarding protocols and procedures. No safeguarding issues have been raised subsequent to the previous inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have excellent knowledge in respect of the children and young people in their care. Comprehensive behaviour management risk assessments are in place. They detail action to take in relation to individual children's and young people's behaviour, comprehension and ability. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277 During the visit staff were observed responding to potentially difficult situations in a professional manner.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Through consistency, continuity and development of positive relationships the setting promotes supporting individuals in developing self control and socially acceptable behaviour. This creates an atmosphere where bullying is known to be unacceptable. Incidents of disagreements between children occurred during the visit which were managed calmly and effectively by staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Plans are in place for each child and young person in the event of them becoming absent without authority whilst within the setting and on trips. They detail the action to be taken including time-scales and specific people to notify.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risk assessments are in place for all aspects of safety of the premises and grounds including children's and young people’s activities. A similar process is followed for activities outside of the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a high awareness of fire safety among staff. All staff and where possible children and young people are given fire safety instructions when they arrive. Fire drills are carried out within the required timescales and at different times of the day and night. Where children and young people require additional support in this area specific procedures are in place. Fire safety equipment is checked regularly and a detailed record kept. Magnetic hold open devices are now fitted to bedroom fire doors enabling children and young people to have increased access and mobility.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children and young people benefit from having a dedicated key-worker who has overall responsibility to ensure specific needs are met during their stay. The setting has well-established, professional links with a range of supporting agencies. Staff are highly motivated, resourceful and proactive in working with parents and other agencies to ensure children and young people receive support in meeting their particular needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have excellent knowledge and understanding of the children and young peoples general and communication needs. Management and staff are continuing to develop communication systems for individual children and young people to have their say about what goes on at the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The setting views it is important to the success of a respite programme to ensure disruption to daily routines of each child/young person and family are minimum. Education is therefore seen as a vital part of a child's/young person's life. Staff ensure that education is an integral part of life at the home and not just limited to school. When staying at the centre children/young people attend their school as normal. Staff liaise with teachers and parents on specific educational/social skills objectives set for individual children/young people. Open dialogue is maintained with school and parents by telephone and the completion of school/home communication books.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children and young people are actively encouraged to take part in leisure activities both inside the setting and in the community. Staff share their own interests and enthusiasms with children 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277 and young people and encourage them to try out new activities. Children and young people’s own individual interests are also actively encouraged and supported.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. A sample of four placement plans were seen. They provide clear, easily understandable information on how each child's/young person's needs are to be addressed and the specific roles and responsibilities of key others. They are closely cross referenced to school/educational plans which are also held on file.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting has a well-established and thorough system for reviewing children's/young people's placement plans. Records seen show it includes active participation in the statutory six monthly reviews, monthly reviews and informal discussions with the child/young person, parent, school and social worker. Children and young people are supported and encouraged to contribute to reviews by using a variety of communication methods. Care staff views are sought which are represented in a report prepared by the key worker.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have completed a comprehensive and well documented piece of work to encourage the participation of children and young people with severe disabilities to give their views on the setting and how it could be better for them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Clear contact is maintained between parents, carers and where appropriate, social workers. Staff assist children and young people with family contact whenever needed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff receive training in helping young people move towards independence and have close, established links with other relevant agencies. Where appropriate the setting identifies with full participation of parents and other agencies young peoples areas of skills that need developing as part of the transitional plan for post 18.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Relationships between staff and children/young people are akin with good parenting. Interactions between young people and staff were observed to be respectful and positive. Staff are very comfortable with their role of setting clearly understood boundaries.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. In partnership with parents, schools and other professionals the setting has a policy to assist young people make the transition into adulthood that includes social and life-skills training. Young people are encouraged and enabled to experience and practise independent living skills respective of their abilities.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Being a respite setting parents are responsible for the provision of their children's clothing.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The accommodation is decorated and furnished to a standard which creates a homely environment with appropriate aids and adaptations in place. Children/young people are accommodated in single rooms and bring personal belongings when they come to stay such as soft toys, pictures and photographs. The communal areas of the home offer good facilities and are suitably equipped with modern entertainment items such as DVD and CD players. The sensory room is a central part of the setting providing children and young people with a well equipped and tranquil area to enjoy and relax. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277 There is a good maintenance and repair programme for the building. The organisation employs a maintenance team to ensure faults are rectified as soon as possible.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The Statement of Purpose, reviewed annually is very clear in setting out the aims and objectives of the setting and how they are to be provided. Copies are made available to parents as part of the introduction process.

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Organisation

The young people's guide which describes the environment and purpose of the setting is currently provided in a general pictorial format. Management and staff are in the process of producing versions which will meet diverse communication needs.

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Organisation

Staff have completed a comprehensive and well documented piece of work to encourage the participation of children and young people with severe disabilities to give their views on the setting and how it could be better for them.

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Organisation

The manager of the setting meets the qualification standards. Effective, established systems for the running of the setting are well integrated into daily operations in a way that avoids an institutional approach. Staff confirm the leadership of the home is clear and open and they receive professional support and training to carry out their responsibilities.

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Organisation

There are clear lines of management accountability. Staff are well supported by shift leaders and they receive monthly one to one supervision which is recorded. An integral part of their supervision is an agreed personal development plan for which they receive guidance from management to achieve.

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Organisation

Staff confirm they receive a comprehensive induction programme and there are continuing training opportunities which they are fully supported to make use of.

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Organisation

The staff team is a very competent, with a large amount and range of experience among its members. Skills within the team are very well matched to the group of young people accommodated. All staff are provided with training for the National Vocational Qualification level three in Caring for Children and Young People. It is the setting's philosophy to develop staff careers by encouraging them to pursue completing the National Vocational Qualification level four and associated courses.

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Organisation

Seen rotas and discussions show that it is ensured the number of staff on duty is always sufficient to meet the needs of the children/young people and to support them in their activities.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Evidence supports a consistent commitment to improving equality and diversity in practice. The quality and detail of children's and young people's plans also support this. Children and young people receive an individual service in the setting designed to meet their personal needs. Staff have good knowledge of the children and young people they are working with ensuring their needs are consistently met.

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Organisation

Both the internal and external monitoring of the setting is taking place consistently and within the required timescales. Children's and young people's case files are well maintained and kept secure. 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277

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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

There are no recommendations. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066277

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