Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

SC032502 Unique reference number 16 October 2009 Inspection date Muhammed Harunur Rashid 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 6 Inspection Report: SC032502

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Brief description of the service

This is a children's home registered to care for up to 14 young people of either sex aged between 12 to under 18 years old. There are 12 beds that accommodate children for a maximum of nine months and two emergency beds. The home provides care specifically for asylum seeking young people. The home is located on a residential road not far from local amenities and transport links.

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Brief description of the service

The home is purpose built and contains individual and communal space for young people. There are several offices on the ground floor along with several bedrooms including the bedrooms for emergency placements. There are three staff sleep-in rooms, one on the ground floor and two on the first floor, one on each side of the building. There are bathroom facilities situated throughout the home and two kitchens, one specifically for the use of young people. There is a games room on the ground floor and two lounge areas as well as a separate dining area. The gardens surrounding the home can be accessed by the young people.

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Brief description of the service

Two young people participated in the inspection.

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Summary

This interim unannounced inspection looked at the progress the service has made with the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection in April 2009. These related to ensuring that all young people's completed health assessments and health care plans are available and ensuring that staff keep records of all medication administered to young people. The service also needed to ensure that all staff complete basic food hygiene, National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 in Looking After Children and Young People and to ensure that regulation 33 visitor reports are available for inspection. The service has met one action and two recommendations in full and one action and recommendation is partly met. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff keep records of all medication administered to young people, all permanent staff have completed their NVQ Level 3 training and regulation 33 visitor reports are available for inspection. The local authority has now developed a Protocol Integrated Children's Services system in order to share information between various agencies. Staff are due to attend the Protocol training which will enable them to get access to children's health records very promptly. The majority of staff have completed their basic food hygiene training and catering staff are to attend the training within the next two weeks.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The home employs cooks to prepare young people's meals and detailed information is kept about each young person's dietary needs and preferences. This helps the cooks to plan suitable meals for young people. The Registered Manager informed the inspector that the majority of staff have attended basic food hygiene training. The catering staff will attend their training within the next two weeks. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032502 The home provides services to asylum seeking young people. Staff informed the inspector that social workers complete young people's health care assessments, however, these are not always sent to the home immediate after young people are admitted to the home. The local authority has now developed a Protocol Integrated Children's Services system in order to share information between various agencies. Staff are due to attend the Protocol training which will enable them

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Helping children to be healthy

to get access to children's health records in detail and very promptly.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has an appropriate medication administration policy and staff administer medication to young people. A designated member of staff completes monthly medication audits. Staff ensure that medication is transferred when young people leave the home. Staff have attended first aid training and first aid boxes are provided in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. An appropriate complaint policy and procedure is in place. The complaint procedure is translated into various community languages. Staff maintain a complaint log book. The home has not received any complaints recently. However, staff received a volume of praise from former young people regarding the care and support they had received in the past.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has clear systems in place that safeguard the young people from potential abuse and bullying. Child protection training is available for staff on safeguarding young people. Staff take appropriate actions when a young person is suspected of being missing from care and are returned to the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are provided with training and guidance on how to work with young people who have challenging behaviour. Staff impose sanctions for young people's unacceptable behaviour. Staff have sound knowledge of safeguarding issues and training in the use of restraint.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff take appropriate actions to keep young people and visitors safe from the risk of fire and hazards. Regular fire alarm testing and fire drills are conducted by staff. A valid employer's liability insurance certificate is available for inspection.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home provides equality and diversity in its service delivery. Staff provide individualised support to each young person.

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Organisation

A senior manager visits the home to conduct regulation 33 visits on a monthly basis. Reports are now available to staff. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032502 Appropriate staffing arrangements are in place to meet young people’s assessed needs. Young people are supported by the qualified and experienced staff. The Registered Manager reviews staffing levels in accordance with the assessed needs of young people. Rotas show there is a balance of gender and cultural backgrounds of staff whenever this is possible. The home employ a number of agency staff from a particular agency and some of them are working for long periods of time. The Registered Manager advised the inspector that they are in the process of permanently recruiting to seven vacancies.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager and two heads of care are qualified and have several years of experience in child care settings. The Registered Manager is available for both staff and young people for support and advice. Sufficient numbers of permanent staff have completed their NVQ Level 3 in Looking After Children and Young People.

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Organisation

The managers informed the inspector that an event organised by the Children's Commission for England was held at premises in September 2009. A number of looked after children and young people across the borough attended the event. The organiser listened to children and young people about their views and interests.

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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

30 November 2009 ensure that staff obtain young people's health care assessments and health care plans (Regulation 20).

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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): • consider that all staff complete basic food hygiene training (NMS 10). 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032502

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