Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Whinfell School Limited in Westmorland and Furness

SC066821 Unique reference number 16 March 2010 Inspection date Mick Earl 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: SC066821

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Brief description of the service

The school is an independent residential school registered with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for nine boys between the ages of 11 and 19 years old. It is also registered as a children's home. It provides education and care for boys with autistic spectrum disorder and behavioural difficulties associated with language and communication. The school offers both 52 week and 38 week placements.

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Brief description of the service

The residential accommodation is on two sites. The main school is sited in a large Victorian semi detached house. The accommodation provided on this site has been registered as a children’s home to accommodate a total of five young people. It provides accommodation for young people in single bedrooms, all with hand washing facilities. There are separate bathing and showering facilities. The large dining room doubles up as a games room and can accommodate a pool table.

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Brief description of the service

A separate house on the other side of the town provides accommodation for four young people aged between 16 and 17 years old.

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Brief description of the service

The school is situated on the edge of the town centre and young people on both sites have access to all the facilities.

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Summary

At this interim inspection the key standards for staying safe were inspected. The inspection also looked at the progress the service has made with the actions and recommendations made at the last inspection. The inspection was unannounced.

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Summary

The inspection identified the home has good strengths. These are in providing individual support, providing a physically safe home; privacy and confidentiality for young people, protecting young people from bullying and ensuring staff are safe to work with young people.

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Summary

There are areas for improvement and these include records of staff fire training, records of manager's supervision and the records of physical restraint. 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 the service was asked to ensure that fire alarm tests are carried out at the right times, that new staff receive supervision at the correct intervals and that the manager of the home receives formal professional supervision. These actions have been met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC066821 Young people living at the home are treated with dignity and respect. They have their own bedroom and there are sufficient bathrooms and toilets to meet the needs of the young people living at the home. Staff make sure information about young people is handled confidentially and stored securely. There are policies and procedures in place to help ensure this happens.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear procedures for managing complaints appropriately and ensuring young people are listened to. Staff make sure young people are aware of who they can go to if they have any complaints or concerns. The home has received no complaints from young people since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has satisfactory procedures for safeguarding young people from abuse. There are suitable arrangements for making sure that staff receive child protection training. This helps staff protect young people from abuse and ensure they respond appropriately to any allegation or suspicion of abuse. Young people benefit from being looked after by a team of staff who create an atmosphere where bullying is known to be unacceptable. The home has a clear anti-bullying policy and staff work to help young people to develop an understanding and tolerance of people’s diverse needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff take appropriate action when young people go missing or are absent from the home without permission. There are suitable policies and procedures in place and each young person's assessment includes the risk of them going missing without permission.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage and support young people to develop and maintain socially acceptable behaviour. They give positive messages to young people to reinforce acceptable behaviour. Staff use sanctions very rarely and there have only been nine sanctions since the last inspection. There are clear procedures and guidance for staff regarding how they should manage the behaviour of young people. It is not always clear from the records which members of staff are involved in the restraint of a young person. Staff have received training in the safe restraint and holding of young people and there have been two restraints at the home since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are good systems in place to keep young people and adults safe from the risk of fire and other potential hazards. This includes carrying out a range of risk assessments and providing information for young people. Staff and young people take part in regular fire drills. Staff receive fire safety training although the records do not show when some staff last completed their training. There are appropriate arrangements for carrying out regular checks of equipment such as fire alarms and electrical appliances which help to keep young people safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has appropriate procedures in place to help make sure it employs suitable people. This includes carrying out Criminal Records Bureau disclosure checks on new staff before they start work at the home. There are suitable arrangements for monitoring and managing visitors to the home and these help ensure that they do not have inappropriate access to young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC066821

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The manager now receives formal supervision from an independent professional person, however the records do not show how frequently this is happening.

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Organisation

The outcome judgement is based on the last key inspection and remains unchanged as supervision was the only area inspected on this occasion.

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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

16 April 2010 ensure records show that persons working in the home receive suitable training in fire prevention (Regulation 32 (1)(d)).

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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 records in the restraint logbook contain the full name of staff members carrying out the restraint (NMS 22.9) • ensure that supervision records include evidence of the Registered Manager's supervision (NMS 28.3). 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC066821

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