Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in St Helens

SC022464 Unique reference number 25 November 2009 Inspection date Paul Gillespie 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 8 Inspection Report: SC022464

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Brief description of the service

This home is one of 11 children's homes that are owned and operated by this private company. The home provides care and accommodation for one young person with emotional and behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities, aged eight to 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a two-bedded terrace house and its location enables young people to access facilities in the community easily. It is close to bus stops, a railway station, local schools, shops, youth groups, leisure centres and parks. It is staffed on a one-to-one basis, with one member of the staff team sleeping within the home each night on a rota basis. The home's staff team are managed and supported by the Registered Manager who is also registered as a manager for two other children's homes operated by the provider in the area.

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Brief description of the service

One young person lives in the home and they took part in the inspection.

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Summary

This visit was an interim inspection and was unannounced.

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Summary

The outcome areas for staying safe and organisation were assessed at this inspection. The remaining outcomes areas of being healthy, enjoying and achieving, positive contribution and achieving economic well-being which were each judged as good at the previous inspection were not inspected.

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Summary

The main focus was to assess how well the home promotes and safeguards young people's welfare. In addition the progress on two actions and three recommendation made at the last inspection was also assessed.

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Summary

This is a good service. Young people enjoy living in the home and feel safe and very well supported. They live in a secure and stable environment that enables them to make good progress in all aspects of their lives, especially relating to their education and their social and emotional development.

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Summary

They are looked after by a competent and settled core staff team. This enables young people to build positive relationships with adults based on trust and respect and have consistent adult role models. The staff's thorough understanding of young people as individuals and the quality of support and guidance assists young people to deal with the challenges they face positively and to feel part of the wider community.

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Summary

However, some shortfalls were identified. The sufficiency of the numbers of the core staff team needs to be addressed as the stability of care provided is only achieved by relying on staff from other homes in the group. External monitoring also lacks evaluation and could better reflect the good practice in supporting the young people. Although there is a good range of training not all staff have a recognised childcare qualification to the required level. Addressing these points will help ensure the focus continues to be on the promotion of welfare of children and the quality of care in the home. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC022464

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the registered manager was asked to update guidance on what to do in the event of a fire and to ensure that all staff receive appropriate supervision in line with the standards. Training has now been undertaken that helps ensure staff know how to respond in the event of a fire and all staff now receive supervision as required. This means that young people are kept safe from the risk from fire hazards and their welfare is safeguarded by staff who are now appropriately supervised and supported.

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Improvements since the last inspection

In addition the organisation were asked to ensure the home is maintained in good order throughout and to implement equality and diversity training. The training programme now includes specific training on diversity awareness which assists staff to develop a greater understanding of wider equality and diversity issues and the impact upon young people. However whilst there has been some decoration undertaken other aspects of the homes décor such as the carpeting is beginning to look tired and worn. This detracts from the homeliness of the environment and therefore this recommendation is restated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people’s privacy and confidentiality is well respected, for example young people can make and receive telephone calls in private. The accommodation provides comfortable, homely space where young people can relax easily either alone or with friends when they visit. This means that staff respect young people's privacy in a way that is consistent with good parenting and the need to protect young people. Information about young people is managed confidentially and held securely in the office.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people know how to complain and are confident that their concerns will be listened to and taken seriously. They have access to information about the complaints procedure of both the home and the placing authority and staff encourage young people to let them know when they have concerns or if they are unhappy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people feel safe and supported by staff who understand their roles and responsibilities to promote and safeguard young people’s welfare. Staff have all received suitable training and regular refresher training is included in the organisation's training programme. The home also has procedures and guidance for responding to concerns about young people's safety including the local authority's Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) policies and procedures. This means they have the up-to-date procedures to follow should they need to raise a concern. Staff are knowledgeable about the procedures and put them into practice effectively when they have concerns about young people's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people confirm that bullying is not a problem in the home. Staff work effectively with young people to enable them to deal with relationship problems constructively. Young people and staff regularly talk about relationships and the importance of keeping safe. In this way staff help young people to develop clear expectations of how they should be treated by friends and families. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC022464 Young people are very well settled and the risk of young people going missing from the home is minimal. However the home has individual risk assessments and plans for action should this occur. The plans set out what action is taken, including who should be notified and the timescales for letting them know.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home’s behaviour management policy and practice encourages young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Young people know what standards of behaviour are expected and the current format for recording sanctions or use of restraint complies with the national minimum standards. It is to both the young people's and staff credit that there has been no necessity to use sanctions or restraint for a considerable time. This reflects on the very good relationships between staff and young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff view young people in a very positive light and work hard at building supportive relationships with them. Staff show a good understanding of the issues that may influence young people’s behaviour, such as their past experiences and adapting to new environments. Staff are adept at helping young people feel good about themselves which helps build self esteem. This approach is very effective and encourages acceptable behaviour. Young people comment that they 'can talk to staff about anything' and that 'they will listen and help if needed'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Overall young people live in a safe environment. They are protected by a range of health and safety procedures and risk assessments. Staff carry out regular health and safety checks, including fire drills, in line with the regulations to ensure the premises are safe and secure. The home's quality assurance systems ensure that these checks are carried out consistently.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The recruitment and selection of people wishing to work at the home is sound and makes sure young people are protected. All staff working at the home have had an appropriate Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. Required information is held at the home regarding staff and there are good systems in place for supervising visitors to the home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Young people know what support they can expect from the home and how they will be looked after. The children's guide provides important information about the home in a way that is easily understood by young people. In addition, the home has a clearly written statement for parents and social workers of how the home operates and plans to meet young people’s needs.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by competent staff who have a good range of skills and experience. Their skills match the needs of young people living in the home well and they provide positive role models for young people. However the team does not include sufficient 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC022464 permanent staff as the stability of care provided is only achieved by using staff from other homes in the group.

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Organisation

Not all core staff hold a recognised childcare qualification although staff do have access to a training programme that offers a good range of training covering for example diversity awareness, child development and managing violence and aggression. Staff spoke about how informative aspects of the training have been and how they have been able to put the training into practice. This means young people are supported by staff with the skills and knowledge to effectively do their jobs.

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Organisation

Staff receive support through regular supervision and regular team meetings. This allows the core staff team to discuss and review individual young people, the running of the home, staff development and training and looking at ways to improve the service they offer. Staff also have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and know who they should contact for support if needed.

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Organisation

There are systems in place to monitor the performance of the home. However whilst the frequency of external and internal monitoring is in line with requirements aspects of reporting lack the degree of analysis and evaluation that would help drive forward and promote further improvement in the provision of care. This is particularly the case in the regulation 33 reports. The section in the report where comment can be made about anything that has impressed during the visits has not been completed in any of the last three reports. This is even though there are clearly good examples of staff supporting young people well with, for example their education.

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Organisation

The home’s written records provide a clear picture of individual young people’s needs, development and progress. Young people’s records are well organised and contain up-to-date information about them, including relevant documents from placing authorities. Young people are encouraged to read and make comments about what is written about them.

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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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Due date Action Standard

19 December 2009 employ sufficient staff who are suitably qualified and competent to provide continuity of care so that children's attachments are not overly disrupted. (Regulation 25)

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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 the home is maintained in good order throughout (NMS 24.1) 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC022464 • improve the degree of analysis and evaluation in the regulation 33 reports in order to promote improvement in the provision of care (NMS 32) • ensure that a minimum of 80% of all care staff have completed the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People or an equivalent qualification. (NMS 29.5) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC022464

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