Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children's Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

SC398480 Unique reference number 23 September 2009 Inspection date Andrew Hewston 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 8 Inspection Report: SC398480

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Brief description of the service

The home is set up to accommodate up to four young people aged between 12 and 17 in a large detached property that has pleasant views over the locality. The staff team cares for young people from a range of backgrounds, and is able to accommodate young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

Each young person has their own room and one of the rooms is set up to help young people develop independence skills. The home has a large communal lounge, two smaller lounge areas and an education room. There is also a pleasant large kitchen and a dining room that is regularly used.

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Summary

This inspection shows that young people are well cared for, by a staff team that ensures young people's safety and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

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Summary

Appropriate arrangements are in place to promote healthy living including a good range of meals and systems ensuring medical appointments are kept to and medication is administered and recorded. Young people are kept safe by the staff through effective recruitment and robust safeguarding procedures that are known by the staff team.

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Summary

Activities and education are promoted by staff to develop the overall wellbeing of the young people. Placement planning is currently being developed and there are some examples of good practice in place. Staff ensure that reviews and contact are completed with the young people.

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Summary

The home is very well organised by the registered manager and staff are supported and trained within the organisation. 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

This is a new registration following the administration of the old organisation. No concerns have been raised with regard to the continuity of care to the young people as part of this change. No previous actions or recommendations of good practice are in place with regard to this registered provision.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people enjoy a variety of meals, they can make their own choices and fully contribute to menu planning. Opportunities to prepare meals frequently happen for example children enjoyed a cheesecake they helped to make during this visit. Mealtimes are pleasant relaxing social occasions for both staff and young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff ensure that young people attend a range of necessary health appointments including dentists and opticians. Additional mental health services are available and these are used by young people on a regular basis through an internal referral system. Health planning is in line 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 with the expectations of the standard, within placement plans recorded in July. An 'experimental' placement plan updated in August does not contain all of the areas sufficiently, but does highlight specific targets that are being aimed for with regard to ensuring young people's health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff diligently record the administration of all medication ensuring safe practice is in place to protect young people. Records show the correct signatures and processes including those required for controlled medications. Regular audits ensure children’s health needs are fully met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Each young person has their own room enjoying the privacy this affords. Procedures are in place should the need arise for room searches. Records are detailed and the reason for searches is clear. Young people have access to a range of communication to talk to external parties, including the office telephone and their own mobiles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The complaints system is sufficiently robust. Complaints are recorded within the home, showing incidents and outcomes of investigations. Complaint information and forms are readily accessible, including how to complain externally. Young people are confident and able to complain, although state that if they were unhappy about a specific incident they would talk directly to the manager, who would respond.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. Staff have all completed training in reporting and recording of safeguarding concerns. Local authority safeguarding team details and procedures are available. Staff demonstrated their knowledge of reporting safeguarding concerns ensuring appropriate action will be taken to safeguard children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All young people are aware of the organisation's stance relating to bullying within the home and few incidents are reported. When bullying incidents do occur they are recorded and responded to well by the staff team.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Incidents of absconding from the home are fully recorded and additional discussions and support structures are put in place following the return of the young person. Recordings show that the staff work hard with individuals to decrease their absconding behaviours and this has had a positive effect. The Registered Manager has recently developed a reporting protocol through discussions with the local police to ensure both the safety of the young people and good relationships with the police.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff are trained in the use of additional measures of control, including restraint and recording techniques All incidents of measures of control are fully recorded and referenced within the two home's recording logs. The Registered Manager 'signs off ' all sanctions and restraints, altering sanctions when these are assessed as being inappropriate to the level of the incident. Sanctions that include the loss of a takeaway treat are to be examined by the Registered Manager regarding their appropriateness. Young people are aware of differing reward structures that are in place to promote positive behaviours and attendance at education. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 All health and safety checks are completed in a timely fashion, and there are a range of risk assessments completed regarding ongoing issues within the home. All fire safety checks are also completed on time. All cleaning substances are stored appropriately.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation’s staff recruitment checks were inspected on the 6th July 2009 and show that there are robust procedures in place that ensure the safety of the young people. All areas as required by standards are appropriately checked including criminal records bureau checks, references that are verified, full CV’s and identification checks. Where issues have arisen these are discussed within the recruitment process, responded to and recorded. The organisation has responded to a previous recommendation and now checks against the disqualification for caring for children regulations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people are well supported within the home, by a staff team that is aware of their circumstances and the plans. All young people have access to independent visitors from the Voice organisation. Young people are also able to discuss issues with a designated Registered Manager from another home. The staff team supports young people with being involved with activities that are part of a group, such as army cadets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All young people have relevant education plans, such as individual education plans. These are written by the school in conjunction with discussions with the young people and staff within the home. All young people have an educational placement and reward structures are in place to promote attendance where necessary. Young people with specific learning needs have these highlighted within educational statements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Activities are organised as part of the young people's meetings and also through discussions on an individual basis. Young people enjoy a good range of activities and specific interests have been catered for such as horse riding and army cadets. Young people are able to enjoy their own free time off the home's site, where this has been appropriately risk assessed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Individual placement plans include information gained on admission from looked after children documentation and information gained while the young person has been at the home. There are two distinct plans in place for each young person, both of which have merits and areas of weakness. One plan includes information relating to the necessary areas within the standard and the other includes the specific needs of the young people. The two documents together provide a robust plan however if these plans are looked at in isolation there are areas missing from the overall assessment of the placement and how young people will be cared for and supported.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The majority of young people attend their reviews on a regular basis even though a number state that 'they are boring'. When young people do not attend their views are incorporated within the report written by the home regarding the placement. Minutes of review meetings are available and form part of the care planning process for young people. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 Young people and their families are supported with contact arrangements by the home's staff. Staff are involved with organising contact arrangements, at times travelling substantial distances to support contact taking place. Good records detail when contact has occurred. Some clarification of contact arrangements are necessary within placement planning, due to arrangements being so long-standing that they are not fully recorded.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are supported on an individual basis through regular key worker sessions which are recorded. Daily recordings also show young people have good relationships with the staff team and there is ongoing support in all aspects of young people's lives. Young people have a meeting with staff on a weekly basis. Minutes of these show that a range of topics are discussed, including regular items such as activities and food.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. There are arrangements in place to support the independence preparation of young people. The home has an independence area to help young people develop these skills, and there is a well organised independent learning skills programme and diary. A young person in the initial phase of this programme states that he is 'getting on OK'.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is well decorated throughout, with minor areas requiring maintenance, including the front door glass which was broken the night prior to the inspection. Photographs including all of the young people are around the home, and the furnishings throughout are of a good standard. Young people's rooms are well personalised and support is given to young people to keep their own areas looking nice. Overall the home has a pleasant homely atmosphere and is well cared for by both staff and young people.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has an updated statement of purpose. This clearly shows the aims of the home and the care provided within it. The statement also contains a staffing policy that is in line with the expectations of standard 30.

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Organisation

The young people's guide for the home contains a range of useful information about the home and some of the rules regarding living there.

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Organisation

Staff state that they are well supported within the home and that supervisions take place on a monthly basis. This is shown through a clear supervision monitoring tool. Staff also receive annual appraisals to examine their training needs and how these can be met. The staff group is made up of a consistent team, who are able to discuss the young people in great detail and showing a good awareness of the young people’s needs and how these are being met. There is always a staff member allocated to the group of young people. The staff team has a good mix of experience and abilities.

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Organisation

Staff training has developed since the last inspection, with a greater priority placed on developing staff skills. The vast majority of the staff team are trained to NVQ level 3, in excess of the expected 80% completion rate. A staff training matrix clearly shows the courses that staff have completed and those that are in need of renewal. There is a staff member who has responsibility for ensuring all are aware of available training courses. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 The home is regularly monitored through both the regulation 33 visits and the manager demonstrating good awareness of ongoing issues within the home. The quality monitoring system within the home is of a good standard and staff take on responsibility for ensuring differing aspects of recordings are fully complete.

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Organisation

Young people's files are well organised and all recordings are clear, showing that staff have a very good rapport with the young people and that the young people respect the views of the staff in the majority of instances.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff show a high regard to the different experiences that have effected the young people. The staff team includes a mixture of differing cultures and young people's identities are promoted.

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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 health plans fully comply with the expectations of the standard (N.M.S. 12.2) • ensure placement plans fully comply with the expectations of the standard (N.M.S. 2.1) • ensure that contact arrangements are clear within individual placement plans (N.M.S. 4.2). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480

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