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

SC398377 Unique reference number 19 November 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: SC398377

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Brief description of the service

The home is a three bedded unit offering care and accommodation to young people with a range of differing needs including services for young people that experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. The accommodation is within a semi rural area, and consists of a detached bungalow, with individual bedrooms for all of the young people and sufficient bathrooms. Communal areas include a large lounge / dining room and kitchen. There is sufficient office space for the staff team and manager. Externally the house has a secluded garden that is well maintained.

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Summary

The home's staff team offer a good level of care to the young people. Young people's health needs are well met and staff support differing young people's diets. Young people are kept safe within the home through a good range of systems and checks that are completed by the staff team although some recordings need appropriately referencing.

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Summary

Young people are well supported in school and during activities. Placements are well planned for and contact is well supported by the team. Placement plans show that staff are well aware of the young people's needs and attempt to meet these.

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Summary

The home is staffed by members with a good range of experience and training. Staff are well supported within the home.

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Summary

It is unfortunate that not all of the young people within the home are fully 'looked after', as this is the main contributory factor to the satisfactory judgement, rather than an overall rating of good. 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

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 regarding this provision.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people's health needs are well supported by the staff team. The home's menu shows that young people enjoy a good range of meals within the home and individual needs and wishes are catered for. Mealtimes are sociable occasions that are enjoyed by the young people and staff.

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Helping children to be healthy

Each young person has a health plan within their placement plans. These are written in line with the expectations of the standard. All young people are able to access health professionals and appointments are supported by the care staff team. The home promotes healthy living and there is information made available to the young people with regard to smoking cessation 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398377 services. The home supports the health provision that is being provided to young people who receive this near their permanent residence. Not all of the young people have full looked after children's medicals completed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff ensure that all young people that require medication are administered this on a regular basis and all administration is recorded. Some controlled medication administration records are not double signed in line with royal pharmaceutical guidance, but there is a controlled drugs register. Medication is audited on a regular basis. Recordings of accidents that have occurred in the home are responded to by trained staff and fully recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people enjoy a good level of privacy. Each young person has their own bedrooms and staff respond appropriately to problems that have occurred relating to young people disturbing each other at night. Appropriate bathroom facilities are in place for a single gender home. Doors have alarms in place to support their safety, permissions for the use of these are in place from the placing social worker.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are given information relating to how to make complaints through the young people's guide and a complaints pack given to young people on admission. Complaints that are made are fully investigated by the manager where appropriate, then recorded within the home's systems including a letter to the young person. Records of complaints are up to date.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are trained in the correct response to safeguarding issues and information is available within the home of the appropriate reporting system. No specific safeguarding issues have been raised at the home since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying behaviours are responded to by staff and there is an awareness that such behaviour is unacceptable. Staff support both parties that have been involved with bullying behaviours and discussions are held to attempt to sort out differences.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Absconding behaviour is responded to appropriately by the staff team, with incidents being fully recorded. Risk assessments are completed to determine the possibility of such behaviours and how staff are to respond to such actions. Some staff have stated that they would use their 'own judgement as to when to call the police', this is not in line with expected protocols however. The home does not currently have a specific problem with young people leaving the home without permission.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour management practices support positive behaviours within the home. Staff are fully trained in the use of restraint and distraction techniques. Full recordings of all measures of control are in place within the individual young people's records. Staff have not referenced these incidents within the homes system well however, with a large number of references being out of chronological order, suggesting that the referencing system is not completed at the same time as the main record. This does not support the ability of the home to examine patterns in the use of behaviour management systems.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety checks are completed on a regular basis including fire safety checks and portable appliance testing. Good individualised risk assessments are completed on a range of areas regarding the care of the young people. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398377 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 the 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 able to access a range of support services that are offered by the organisation including psychological support. Each young person has a designated key worker and the records of these meetings are within their files. Young people are also able to access VOICE organisation for independent support or advice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is supported by the staff team, with all young people accessing the college facility run by the organisation. There is a wide range of education information within young people's files including personal education plans and educational statements where appropriate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people have a strong input into the development of their own activities timetable. Differing activities are supported by the staff team but the timetables show a dependence on home based activities. The plans do not always reflect the recordings of events however, with staff taking young people out more often than is suggested.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Each young person has a placement plan that is written by the home and identifies specific needs of the young people and how these are to be supported by the staff. Placement plans include all of the expected areas as required by the standard. There is a concern that not all of the young people within the home are 'looked after children', with a placement plan stating the home as being a specialist educational provision, which it is not.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have reviews of their placement plans on a regular basis and young people's views regarding the placement are promoted. Reviews have occasionally been completed without an independent reviewing officer leading the review from the placing authority. Minutes of reviews completed are available within the young people's files.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact arrangements are supported by the staff team, with arrangements being clear within placement plans. Incidents of contact are recorded within young people's files. Changes to contact arrangements are made through the review process and through consultation with the placing social worker.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are consulted on a constant basis within the home. There are good records of key worker meetings available and there are weekly young people's meetings held. There is a high variation in the way that these meetings are recorded, with some being well recorded and other records being insufficient. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398377

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. Staff support young people with differing aspects of independence skills development such as laundry and personal hygiene. These aspects are not always clearly recorded however. Young people of an age to be fully involved with independence planning have no clear pathway plan developed by the placing social worker, despite requests being made within reviews.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy a pleasant and homely environment where communal areas are well cared for by the staff team and young people. Young people personalise their bedrooms to a high degree and appropriately. Changes to bedrooms are made in response to the behaviours of young people. One of the bedroom windows does not close sufficiently and causes a noticeable draft. Externally young people can enjoy a well laid out garden area.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The home has an up to date statement of purpose. This gives a good awareness of the care provided by the home and the organisational support. The statement also includes a section on 'staff employed'. This covers the majority of areas as required by standard 30 with regard to the staffing policy, highlighting the need for some flexibility with staffing numbers dependant on the needs of the young people at the time. The home has a good young people's handbook which supports young people's stay at the home, including information relating to areas such as complaints, bedtimes and pocket money. The young people's guide is also available as an interactive computer programme.

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Organisation

The placement of a young person that is not a 'looked after child', with no specific legal basis at the home causes a concern. This placement was discussed at the point of admission with Ofsted, however the need for statutory provision to be stated while in placement is not in place, as has been subsequently clarified as being necessary. The organisation has tried hard to rectify this situation, with a lack of the full support of the placing authority.

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Organisation

Staff are supported by the management within the home through regular monthly supervisions. Staff meetings take place on a fortnightly basis, covering a wide range of issues pertinent to the running of the home and the care of the young people. The organisation provides a good range of training for the staff with 80% of the staff team having completed NVQ level 3 in the required area. New staff have all completed inductions to the organisation and completed basic training in areas such as first aid, safeguarding and restraint techniques. Approximately half of the staff are reported to have completed annual appraisals.

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Organisation

There are sufficient staff within the home to meet the needs of the young people. The staff that are involved with leading shifts have a good range of experience and training.

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Organisation

Monitoring systems are robust within the home, with a regular quality monitoring system that is completed by senior staff. The manager completes a regulation 34 report on a monthly basis and the independent visitor also completes monthly visits to the home, with a report that is additionally forwarded to Ofsted.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Care planning is highly individualised with a good awareness within the team of differing young people's needs. The staff support young 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398377 people's differing needs relating to food. Basic information is available within the home relating to differing cultures.

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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

28 December 2009 ensure appropriate systemes are in place to support the monitoring of the home's behaviour management system including restraints and sanctions (regulation 34.1) 31 January 2010 ensure all young people eligible have a pathway plan (Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000) 31 January 2010 ensure all young people placed at the home has a looked after status and this is clear within the home's records (regulation 28 Schedule 3 (7), regulation 29 Schedule 4 (1)).

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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 controlled medication is double signed within the appropriate register (NMS 13.3) • ensure there is a consistent response to absconding behaviours in line with the home's protocols (NMS 19.8) • ensure all staff have their performance annually appraised (NMS 28.7). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398377

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