Children's Home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

SC369840 Unique reference number 4 March 2010 Inspection date Trevor Hall Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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24 November 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 6 Inspection Report: SC369840

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Brief description of the service

This home forms part of a portfolio of services for children and families, operated by the local authority. The home provides care for up to two young people aged between 10 to under 18 years on admission, who have significant social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is a three bedroom semi-detached house, situated in a housing estate and the young people are able to access local leisure activities in the immediate neighbourhood. Staff provide transport to take the young people to those facilities that are available at a greater distance. The home provides each of the young people with an individual bedroom. To the rear of the building is an enclosed garden, which provides space for a range of activities. To the front of the building is a small garden; the home has no off-road parking facilities.

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Summary

The inspection was an unannounced interim inspection, the home's last key inspection was undertaken on 11 November 2009, when no actions or recommendations were raised. The home was judged at that point to be good. This inspection was limited to looking at all key standards in the Every Child Matters area relating to staying safe. This inspection concluded that young people living within this home continue to receive good support to remain healthy and live in a home where their safety is well maintained. 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 areas for improvement were identified on this home's previous inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The welfare and safety of young people is promoted by the local authority's policies and procedures and the home's established systems for keeping young people safe. The stability of the home and stable core staff team enhance the way in which young people can be protected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's privacy and confidentiality is promoted by sound guidance and good staff practice. Staff ensure that they do not enter young people's rooms without knocking. Young people's administrative records are maintained securely and contents are not discussed inappropriately. Staff are aware of the young people's right to privacy and how this may be safely promoted. Policies and procedures on staff searching young people's bedrooms make the criteria for such searches clear. However, the home's current record of such searches does not always make it clear why young people have not been present when staff have conducted the search.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are confident that any concern or complaint will be sorted out by staff, and there is a range of ways for them to do this. The manager makes sure that issues that arise from any complaint by the young people, or outside agency, are acted on and, where necessary, 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC369840 improvements are made. Staff make sure young people know about local advocacy and children's rights organisations.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service keeps young people from harm through good safe care practice, robust procedures and good training for staff by the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Staff work in a positive and proactive way with professionals from other agencies and also with parents to build a safe network for children. There is a comprehensive and coordinated approach to getting young people to think about how to keep themselves safe, and this is a real strength in the service. Key workers are creative in their use of materials and resources during one-to-one sessions. This is so that they can engage young people in active plans tackling the real risks in their lives, such as absconding, offending and risky behaviour by children like alcohol, solvent and drug use. This area of risk management is highly developed through individual risk assessments and is an area of outstanding practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are actively encouraged to improve their awareness and understanding about how to keep themselves safe and to develop strategies for improving behaviour and coping with difficult situations. As a result, physical intervention is infrequently used. Staff are well equipped to support young people through difficult emotional times because they receive comprehensive mandatory training that includes de-escalation and physical intervention training.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people living at this home are aware of the reason they are being looked after and how staff will promote their safety and protection within the home and in public places. Staff are fully aware of the types of behaviour which young people may display and accordingly develop risk assessments that minimise the potential for young people to subject themselves or others to harm. Staff know how to respond to challenging behaviours and in circumstances where young people may abscond. Young people are encouraged to reflect on the consequences of their behaviour after such incidents to learn how to help themselves to be safe and behave responsibly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a strong understanding of the need to ensure safety whilst promoting and developing independence. Risk assessments are very comprehensive and regularly reviewed and audited by the home. All staff are appropriately trained in health and safety matters including first aid and fire awareness. Procedures of fire safety and the appropriate records of equipment tests and evacuations are well maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in an environment that is safe because the Registered Manager plans and makes regular checks to ensure that the building, equipment, fire safety and all activities, planned and unplanned, are not harmful. Staff keep young people safe from harm through positive risk management. The local authority ensure a rolling programme of maintenance and improvement within the building, to ensure that the quality of the environment is continually improving and that any shortfalls in safety or security are acted on promptly. Selection, vetting and recruitment of staff is well managed through a robust policy and procedure to ensure that only fully checked adults have contact with children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC369840

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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 home's record of young people's room searches clearly identifies why a young person is not present at any such search (NMS 9.8). 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC369840

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