Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Staffordshire

SC368982 Unique reference number 27 August 2009 Inspection date Martha Nethaway Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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7 October 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 8 Inspection Report: SC368982

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Brief description of the service

The home is a small residential children's home, forming part of a private company's group. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people. At the time of the inspection there were two young people living at the home. The service provides a therapeutic residential service for young people, who display a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties, with associated mild to moderate learning difficulties, from the age of 10 to under 18 years of age on admission.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a detached dorma style house built in approximately the late 1960s. The home is spread over two floors and includes an open plan reception room, kitchen and dining room, with downstairs cloakroom, bathroom and three bedrooms on the ground floor. On the first floor there are two bedrooms both with ensuite facilities. One of the downstairs bedrooms is used by the care team as a sleep in room and office.

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Summary

This inspection was a full unannounced visit. The outcome groups relating to Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Positive Contribution, Economic Wellbeing and Organisation were assessed.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is good. Young people are achieving well with all aspects of their lives. Good systems are in place to monitor their overall needs related to health, welfare and education. They are benefiting from the excellent support, advice and guidance from a skilled and well trained care team.

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Summary

There are no actions or recommendations being set as a result of this visit. 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

At the last inspection, there was one requirement which related to the acting manager's hours being recording on the duty rotas and the hours worked at the home. This has now been addressed.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people's health needs are assessed and good arrangements are in place to address their physical and emotional health and staff ensure that appropriate support is given. Staff are committed to improving the health of young people. Important information about young people's health needs are known to care staff because clear information is recorded in the health plans. Young people attend regular appointments with universal services, such as, doctor, dentist and optician. Young people's view of health care extends well beyond these basic needs and they are encouraged to think seriously about their health in a holistic way, paying attention to the quality of their lifestyle, diet, their daily routine and their physical and emotional well-being. A strong feature of the home is that young people are expected to engage in focussed therapy sessions run by a qualified practitioner. As a consequence, this allows young

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Helping children to be healthy

4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC368982 people to develop an expanded capacity to move forward with their lives while addressing past traumatic memories and experiences.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's medications are being managed safely by care staff because there is a clear programme of medication training which is underpinned by a good medication policy. Staff put into practice the guidelines for handling medication correctly, safe and secure storage, accurate records and the safe disposal of medications. As a result, young people are protected because staff ensure they adhere to safe working practices.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people receive clear advice about nutrition and physical activity and the positive impact on their physical development. Young people are learning about how to cook basic healthy meals to ensure that they get a nutritious and balanced diet. They are involved in preparing meals from fresh ingredients and to boost the vegetables and fruit content in their meals. Young people are regularly involved in physical exercise which forms a regular proportion of weekly planners. Young people's innovative planning of exercise values individual preferences and develops an associated sense of fun, esteem and achievement. This is viewed as complimentary to meeting young people's holistic health care.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people's welfare is being promoted by staff who adopt and implement the home's policies in relation to safeguarding, complaints, counteracting bullying, behaviour management and health and safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has in place a suitable policy and regular staff training to ensure that all matters related to safeguarding and child protection are properly considered. Staff are able to take appropriate action as safeguarding matters arise and refer this onto the local safeguarding children's team. Since the last inspection, there has been one safeguarding event which has now been concluded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are able to make a complaint about matters that are important to them and records show a swift response and actions taken to address their concerns. This shows that complaints are dealt with effectively and quickly and that the young people are supported and listened to. The home has clearly publicised how a complaint can be made. In addition, young people have access to the independent visitor and external advocacy services if they feel they have cause to make a complaint. This demonstrates that the provider has given careful consideration to increasing accessibility.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are clearly informed that bullying behaviours are not acceptable. Staff recognise that there is always a risk that bullying can occur, but to reduce the occurrence and impact, training is provided for all staff on anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice. There are no incidents of bullying taking place at the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are good procedures in place to address any unauthorised absences from the home and young people are provided with high levels of staff supervision to ensure that this does not occur. Their whereabouts are known to staff at all times. There are no incidents of young people absconding from the home. Young people are well educated about the vulnerability and risks posed for them when out in the community. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC368982 Young people behave well and relationships with staff are largely positive. Staff clearly understand that young people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, irrespective of their behaviours. Equally, young people understand that staff have the right to expect that they will be reasonably safe in their work. Young people are provided with a clear framework of acceptable standards within which they find safety and security and this is achieved by

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

having in place clear behaviour management plans and strategies. They are provided with clear incentives to reward good behaviour. Where behaviour is unacceptable staff use the home's agreed measure of control to encourage young people to reflect and broaden their understanding of the impact and consequences of their poor behaviour. The home's record show a low use of physical intervention and this indicates that the staff are successful with their approaches to care and control.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has in place good policies and structures that address health and safety matters for the home. All young people have a personalised risk assessment that clearly identifies and minimises risk levels. These are reviewed in light of changing circumstances. Young people are well informed about what action to take in the event of an emergency evacuation because they regularly participate in fire drills. Staff complete regular fire safety checks and all domestic installation checks and services are up-to-date.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff personnel files were not accessed at this inspection but will be reported on at the next inspection visit.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Young people receive excellent levels of support, guidance and advice. Staff are highly trained to ensure that young people develop new responses to their environment that will enable them to achieve a higher level of social and emotional maturity. Young people benefit greatly from the clear opportunities to change. Young people are provided with individualised support and this ensures that they receive excellent help and support.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are succeeding with their education and are regular attenders at school. They attend the company's own educational facility. Each young person has clear educational targets set with an emphasis on the value of education as a means of enhancing life opportunities towards citizenship, raising self-esteem and supporting social responsibility and interpersonal skills. Staff are supportive towards young people achieving well in their educational studies.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The home has in place suitable procedures for a clear and straightforward admission to the home. There is a coherent referral and assessment period. Staff obtain important and relevant information in order to ensure that they have the ability to meet the needs of a particular young person. Young people are welcomed to the home because staff show sensitivity about helping them adapt to the changes in their environment and take time with young people to help them adjust to their new routines.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are provided with good quality care plans that list the arrangements that describe how the child's needs are supported by the care team. There is a broad range of strategies in place that supports welfare, health and behaviour. The care plans for young people are completed 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC368982 taking young person’s wishes and feelings into account. As a result, young people have clear expectations about their care and wellbeing which includes taking part in decisions that directly affects them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are able to maintain positive family relationships that serve the best interest of the young person. All contact arrangements are clearly documented and agreed with by the social workers and the placing authorities. Care staff successfully promote and foster strong links and this is a consistent and accomplished attribute of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home abides by the statutory review process and actively encourages each young person to participate in their review. They are also encouraged to complete their consultation documents prior to their review meetings. The home prepares a full report about how effective care staff have been with helping young people to progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are regularly consulted about important matters for them. They meet frequently with their key worker so that they can discuss important issues. There are periodical 'house meetings' so that matters can be discussed as a group. For example, they can plan activities for the following week and arrange what meals they would like.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people living at the home have not reached the age to leave care. They are encouraged to develop important life skills. They are motivated to take responsibility for completing household chores. The home has developed a suitable pathway programme to be used in the future.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people are living in a well maintained and pleasantly decorated home. There is a planned programme of repainting and decorating this September. In addition, the shower areas are to be repaired and thoroughly cleaned.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Young people are living in a home that is well managed and delivers consistently good outcomes for them. The Registered Manager ably leads the care team and consistently provides good leadership and direction and as a result staff morale is high. This good leadership is achieved through regular team meetings and effective communication being maintained between the management group and the care staff, working towards a shared understanding of good child care practice. Information about the home is well published in the 'Statement of Purpose' which has been updated. Staff have a good appreciation of the home's stated aims and objectives and work effectively towards achieving this. Young people receive clear information about the home so that they understand what care and support they can expect and facilities that are available.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff support the young people to identify with other cultures. Staff openly talk to young people in key working and daily living sessions about race, gender, disability and sexuality. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC368982 Young people are provided with good levels of supervision. There are enough care staff available to meet the needs of young people. Rotas are well organised and staff absenteeism, staff sickness and training are adequately covered. The majority of staff have obtained the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3. Staff are rightly proud of this achievement. There is a planned programme of mandatory core training including refresher training. Young people further benefit because staff attend additional training to help them understand child attachment theory and successful behaviour management.

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Organisation

An independent visitor visits the home on a monthly basis, consistently. Young people are met and they share their views about how they experience life and living at the home. Staff also provide some useful feedback. A report is then forwarded to the Registered Manager who has a clear system in place to address shortfalls that are identified and take the necessary corrective action. The Registered Manager has a good system in place to monitor the overall performance of the home with a clear development plan for the home being currently introduced.

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Organisation

Young people’s needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality.

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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. 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC368982

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