Children's Home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

SC035222 Unique reference number 9 December 2009 Inspection date Joseph Hobson 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 9 Inspection Report: SC035222

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Brief description of the service

Care and accommodation is provided for up to three young people aged 11 to 17 years. The home is semi-detached with an enclosed rear garden. The house has two floors. On the ground floor there is a lounge, dining room, kitchen, quiet room and staff office/sleep-in room. On the first floor there are three bedrooms, a family sized bathroom and a separate toilet.

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Brief description of the service

The home is situated within a residential area and is near to local shops. The home is close to local bus routes which provide easy access to the town centre with its larger shops and leisure facilities.

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Brief description of the service

Three young people currently live in this home.

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Summary

This inspection found that the home provides care and accommodation to an excellent standard. Young people are supported by a well qualified, competent staff team who demonstrate a high commitment to delivering very good outcomes for young people. Relationships are based on trust and mutual respect, with young people being consulted about, and making a significant contribution to, the running of the home. Robust and comprehensive policies, procedures, guidance and recording ensure that young people are safeguarded. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the home has introduced a new system for recording when searches are made of young peoples bedrooms, which ensures that their privacy is only ever compromised when there is a risk to welfare. A good quality risk assessment in respect of lone working by staff is now in place, ensuring that risks identified during these times are minimised.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Supporting young peoples health needs is a major priority of the home. Information about their health is contained within young peoples residential care plans, which are comprehensive and detailed. The health of young people is assessed on admission. Monthly reviews are carried out as part of the monitoring of the ‘seven dimensions of care’ model used by the home to assess and monitor needs and development. Good arrangements are in place to ensure young people receive an annual health check and records confirm young people are supported to attend all medical appointments. The home has in place good arrangements for young people to access guidance and information in respect of sexual health, substance and alcohol misuse, and smoking cessation.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has robust and comprehensive systems and procedures for the receipt, administration, storage and disposal of medicines, including homely remedies. All staff have been trained in the safe administration of medicines. These measures ensure that young people are administered medicines in a way which promotes and safeguards their welfare. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222 Young people are provided with healthy, nutritious meals that meet their dietary needs. The home is well stocked with food provisions and staff shop daily for fresh produce. Fresh fruit is openly available and young people are encouraged to eat a minimum of five portions of fruit and/or vegetables daily. Young people have their food preferences recorded on file and the home maintains a record of all meals taken. Young people are asked daily what meals they would like and they are often involved in preparing meals. Young people on independence

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Helping children to be healthy

plans are given excellent support to menu plan, budget, shop and cook their own meals.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Staff ensure that young peoples personal information is kept confidentially. They are careful that their conversations about young people are not overheard and have effective systems to safeguard personal information. Files and records are kept securely and can only be accessed by authorised staff. Young people have keys to their own bedrooms, which are kept locked when not in use. Young people reported that staff knock and wait to be invited in before entering their bedrooms, thereby respecting their privacy. A new system for recording bedroom searches undertaken by staff has been introduced which meets the recommendation made at the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The quality of the guidance and procedures for dealing with complaints made by young people is good. All staff have been trained in the home’s and provider’s complaints procedures. Information about how to make a complaint, together with contact numbers for Ofsted and independent children’s advocacy charities are displayed on the notice board. There are effective systems in place to monitor complaints and young people report they consider that staff take seriously concerns they raise. There have been no complaints recorded since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has very effective procedures and guidance for identifying and reporting child protection concerns. All staff have undergone recent training in child protection and those interviewed demonstrated a very good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and practice. These measures help ensure that young peoples welfare is promoted and the risk of abuse is significantly reduced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected from bullying through the provision of a comprehensive anti-bullying policy and guidance. Young people report that there is no bullying at the home and that staff are vigilant and would take action to address their concerns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Effective procedures are in place to deal with incidence of when young people are absent without authority. The home’s management monitors all unauthorised absences and young people receive a debriefing upon their return. Arrangements to report all significant events relating to the protection of children to the regulator in accordance with Regulation 30 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001, are in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are given very good support to develop socially acceptable behaviour. There is a clear emphasis on positively rewarding good behaviour, with relationships between young people and staff built on mutual trust and respect. The home maintains comprehensive records of all restraints and sanctions in accordance with regulation. There have been no restraints recorded since the last inspection. Sanctions recorded are all permissible and young people report these to be fair. However, the effectiveness of some of the sanctions used and their value as a deterrent is unclear. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222 Risks to the safety of young people are well managed and eliminated as far as is possible through a comprehensive system of risk assessments and management plans. Fire drills and practise evacuations take place regularly and emergency equipment and lighting is well maintained. The home has developed a good quality risk assessment for lone working, meeting

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the recommendation made at the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures for selection, recruitment and vetting of staff are robust and ensure that only people suitable to work with young people are employed at the home. There are satisfactory arrangements for monitoring visitors to the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The home is very effective at ensuring that young people have access to educational placements which support their development and attainment. Support is well co-ordinated and records of attendance maintained by the home demonstrate that young people are good attendees. Each young person has a personal education plan and/or pathway plan, which clearly record support arrangements and detailed targets. Staff take a personal interest in young peoples education and maintain strong links with schools and colleges.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are provided with an extensive range of activities. They receive a complimentary card which gives them free access to local authority recreational centres. Young people are included in all decision making regarding holidays and activities. The home’s last holiday to Poland had a significant educational element to it and included a visit to a former Jewish concentration camp, which young people found to be particularly interesting and a profound experience.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The quality of placement planning is exceptional. On admission young people undergo a comprehensive assessment based on the seven dimensions of care, which covers health and well-being, emotional and behavioural development, family and social relationships, identity, social presentation, education and self care skills. The assessment is subsequently used to inform the residential placement plan. This does not replace the plan of the placing authority, but is complimentary and contains far greater detail. Young people are heavily involved in writing their residential placement plans and sign to say they are in agreement with them. Key workers write a monthly summary in respect of progress made and this is used to monitor young peoples individual targets set out within their plans.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact arrangements are clearly recorded on young peoples files. Where young people have a requirement to receive supervised contact, this is often facilitated by home. Friends and family are welcome to visit the home and staff support young people to a maintain contact with those who are significant to them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The young people at the home all show interest in attending and contributing towards their reviews and decision making about them. There are formal consultation systems in place for young people to record their views. However, young people expressed their preference to attend and personally contribute their viewpoint. Records confirm that all reviews are held 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222 within required timescales. Young peoples key workers compile detailed reports showing progress against the Every Child Matters outcome areas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home has good arrangements in place to support young people during admission to the home. Arrangements include visiting young people in their previous placements to get to know them better. Young people are able to make visits to the home, including staying overnight. As all placements are planned, a pre-admission meeting takes place and essential information relating to young people is obtained, ensuring that the home is able to meet their assessed needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consultation with young people at the home is good. Regular meetings are held between young people and staff and a record is made of all decisions. Young people confirmed that they contribute significantly to the running of the home, including making decisions about the home’s decoration and the furnishing of their bedrooms, the choosing of furniture and equipment, holidays and activities, and most importantly about decisions regarding their future.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. Support provided to young people in preparation for living independently is excellent. The home makes a significant contribution to young peoples comprehensive pathway planning arrangements. A detailed independent living plan, written in consultation with young people is in place for young person of school leaving age. Monitoring and reviewing arrangements of these plans is good with a member of staff overseeing and co-ordinating their delivery. Support provided by the home to young people living independently is extensive. Young people are welcome to visit the home and staff maintain very regular contact via telephone and visits. The very effective arrangements in place ensure that young people are well prepared to live independently and good levels of support continue once they have left the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is located close to local amenities and transport links. The property is indistinguishable from neighbouring properties and is maintained externally to a high standard. The quality of the internal accommodation provided to young people is excellent. Communal areas and young peoples bedrooms are decorated and furnished to a very good standard. Young people are consulted about the home's decoration and choose the decoration and furniture for their own bedrooms, which are individually personalised. The home has sufficient bathroom and toilet facilities which provide adequate privacy.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. There is a good quality statement of purpose and children's guide which meet the requirements of regulation. Young people at the home confirmed that they had received a copy of the children's guide.

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Organisation

Arrangements for supporting staff are very good. Staff are subject to monthly supervision and receive an annual appraisal. Staff meetings are held monthly and are attended by all staff working at the home. Staff spoken to considered the quality of support provided by the home's management to be excellent. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222 All staff hold National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Care for Children and Young People, which is commendable. There are good arrangements for deputising in the absence of the manager and staff know lines of accountability well.

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Organisation

There is an exceptional commitment to staff training. All staff have a personal development plan which is reviewed regularly. Comprehensive records of staff training are maintained and these confirm that staff development is a priority. An extensive programme of mandatory training is in place which ensures that staff regularly update their skills and knowledge in areas such as child protection, fire safety, food hygiene, first aid, bullying, complaints, equality and diversity and health and safety. In addition to this training staff can identify additional areas for development, which contributes to the quality of care provided. For example staff have been trained in restorative justice.

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Organisation

The home has a sufficient number of staff to meet the assessed needs of young people. The use of temporary staff is minimal and staff turnover is very low, ensuring young people receive good continuity of care from a settled and committed staff team.

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Organisation

The home's management and registered provider have robust systems in place to monitor the operation of the home and quality of care provided. The home's management team conducts monthly audits of the home's records, which cover all of the matters listed with Schedule 6 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2001. A detailed monthly report is produced which is sent to the registered provider. Monthly visits are conducted by the registered provider in accordance with regulation. The visits are undertaken by a senior officer who is not involved in the direct management of the home, together with a local authority member who acts in a corporate parenting capacity. A report made of these visits is provided to the home and the regulator.

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Organisation

The home maintains comprehensive records relating to young people and these include all of the matters listed in Schedule 6 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2001. Young peoples records are stored confidentially and securely.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. Staff work effectively to meet the diverse needs of young people living at the home. They strive to ensure that access to services provided and supported by the home is fair and equitable. The home has worked creatively to give young people a wider cultural understanding of the world around them. An excellent example of this was the home's holiday to Poland, which included an educational visit to a former Jewish concentration camp.

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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): 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222 • review the effectiveness of some of the sanctions used in respect of individual young people (NMS 22.1) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC035222

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