The Banyan Tree

SC396186 Unique reference number 12 January 2010 Inspection date Rosemary Dancer 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 7 Inspection Report: SC396186

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Brief description of the service

The home provides long-term care and support for up to four young people, between the ages of 10 and 17, who require support with their emotional and behavioural needs. The home is situated near to a range of amenities and is close the centre of a large town. It has adequate domestic facilities to provide young people with comfortable accommodation.

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Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection of the home. The outcome areas relating to the promotion of young people's health needs and their safety were assessed, as were the arrangements for the organisation and management of the home. The recommendations made following the last full inspection were also followed up. There were two young people present during the inspection and both gave their views. The other two young people were out for the day in education. One young person feels very strongly that this is an 'outstanding' home and said that staff are 'great'.

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Summary

Young people's health needs are met well. They are well supported in making healthy eating choices and in attending to their physical and emotional needs. Sound arrangements are in place for providing first aid treatment and ensuring that medication is provided to young people in a safe way. The consents to medical treatment were not easily accessible on each young person's file.

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Summary

The manager and staff show a strong commitment to ensuring that young people are kept safe. Young people are supported in developing appropriate coping strategies. This will be important for them in their future lives as adults. There were some minor shortfalls found in the monitoring processes of some sanctions records. The health and safety arrangements are sound overall, although young people are not receiving instruction in the evacuation procedures in a timely way. The arrangements for ensuring that people coming into the home to work or visit are suitable people, are robust.

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Summary

The organisation and management of the home is of a good quality and overall managers and staff are experienced, well qualified and trained to carry out their respective roles. The managers and staff take a child centred approach to their work. There are some minor shortfalls in the arrangements for leading shifts in some cases and in respect to recording issues in case files. Managers have addressed the recommendations from the last inspection in full and clearly use the inspection process to improve the services provided. 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

There were three recommendations made following the last inspection. The manager was asked to maintain separate bound and numbered books, to record details of the use of physical intervention and to keep separately, records of any sanctions imposed; bound books are now in place. It was recommended that the arrangements for recording when food packs had been opened should be tightened up; all food packs are now labelled with the date of opening. This ensures that food is not used past its 'best by' date. One of the monthly visits required to be 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC396186 carried under regulation 33 had been missed; this situation has not occurred again and visits are carried out at the correct frequency.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The needs of young people in relation to health issues are seen as important by the manager and his staff and young people are supported in meeting their health needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people and staff work together to create a healthy menu. As these young people are an older age range they make choices about what they eat while at work or college on a regular basis. Healthy snacks, such as fruit, are available at all times of the day. Staff have been trained in safe food handling and hygiene and the arrangements for storing food stocks are robust. This ensures that young people are provided with a healthy diet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Assessments of needs are carried out in relation to health matters and young people are supported in accessing and attending a range of appointments in relation to these needs. Young people have access to information and guidance about the risks relating to alcohol, drug and other substance misuse and they can access guidance in relation to sexual health matters. The assessments ensure that young people's health needs can be met. The advice, information and guidance provided to young people about health related matters ensure that young people are informed about harmful effects relating to smoking and other legal and illegal pastimes and can make informed choices.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are good arrangements in place in relation to the storage, administration and recording of prescribed and non-prescribed medication. These ensure that young people are provided with medicines they need safely. First aid can be provided to young people in an emergency by staff who have been trained in its use. While prior written permission from a person with parental responsibility has been provided, these consents were not easily accessible; a recommendation has been made under the organisation section.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The manager and his staff place a high importance on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the young people living in the home and on supporting young people to develop a good understanding about their situation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good balance between affording young people privacy and independence while ensuring their safety and wellbeing is promoted. Young people are seen as individuals who have their own preferences, needs and aspirations and this means that their individuality can be promoted. There are appropriate formal and informal arrangements in place to support complaints to be made and investigated. Staff are keen to improve practice in light of complaints, the views of young people and other interested parties comments.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying is not tolerated in any form and staff are alert to circumstances which could turn into bullying; any potential bullying is addressed before it becomes an issue. Instances of young people missing from the home are minimal but there are sound arrangements in place geared to ensure, in the event of a young person going missing, their safe return is secured. 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC396186 Young people's needs arising from their particular circumstances are understood by staff. They are supported to develop positive coping strategies and behaviour management is firmly grounded in supporting and celebrating achievement rather than blaming and punishing. Young people have input into their behaviour management plans and a reward system, which recognises achievement, supports not only the development of acceptable behaviour but also the development of self-esteem. In respect of sanctions and physical interventions there are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

appropriate recording arrangements in place. However, the registered person does not routinely sign each entry to confirm that monitoring has taken place and young people's views are not always recorded against the record.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are robust arrangements in place for ensuring the safety of young people, staff and visitors to the home. For example, a full range of checks are carried out on the premises and the equipment in the home. The arrangements for fire safety are good overall. However, young people are not informed about the emergency evacuation procedures for the home in a timely way and this could impact on their safety in the event of a fire breaking out.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The arrangements for the recruitment of staff were fully assessed as a part of the last full inspection and found to be robust. This ensures that only suitable people are employed to work with the young people. Visitors are required to sign into the visitors' book, show their ID and have a valid reason for their visit before they are let in.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home is managed well and a child-centred approach is taken to providing young people with good opportunities and support to reach their full potential.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose and policies and procedures provide a sound framework for all work carried out. Interested parties are provided with the Statement of Purpose and this provides them with good information about the aims, objectives and general operation of the home. Young people are provided with a useful guide which gives them good information about what it will be like to live in the home.

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Organisation

The home is fully staffed by well trained and competent staff members. Staff are supported well in their role by the management team through formal and informal systems. Staffing levels are more than adequate to meet the needs of the young people living in the home and staffing levels are dictated by the needs and activities of the young people.

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Organisation

The managers are suitably qualified and experienced in carrying on a children's home and there are satisfactory arrangements in place in respect to deputising for the manager. However, 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC396186 although all staff members who lead shifts are experienced in working with young people in a residential setting, not all have completed their induction and probationary periods.

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Organisation

While the arrangements for monitoring the work are in place there is not always evidence that records have been reviewed during this process. An example is a shortfall in signing records relating to sanctions; this is required as a part of the required monthly visits as a minimum.

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Organisation

Each young person has a case file which is stored securely and provides a record of their time in the home and documents their progress. Not all information is recorded in the correct place in the files, some documents have not been signed by the writer and some important information is not readily accessible on current files.

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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): • ensure that the registered person signs against each entry in the sanctions and restraints records to confirm the monitoring has taken place (NMS 22.11) • ensure that when disciplinary measures are used, young people are encouraged to have their views recorded and sign their names against them (NMS 22.14) • ensure that all young people are informed about the emergency evacuation procedures for the home as a part of the admissions process (NMS 26.7) • ensure that staff members who lead shifts have successfully completed their induction and probationary periods (NMS 29.3) • ensure that each child's case file is completed in line with policies. This is with particular reference to ensuring that all events are recorded in the correct places, all documents are signed by the writer and all parental consents are placed on current files. (NMS 35.2)

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