Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Oxfordshire

SC013143 Unique reference number 26 November 2009 Inspection date Merryl Wahogo 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: SC013143

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Brief description of the service

This is the only full-time care provision for disabled children in the county, and has spaces for five children. There are currently three young people in the home full-time and three young people using it on a short-break basis. It is located not far from the centre of town and has its own car park and garden area. All accommodation for children is on the ground floor, as are the staff offices.

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Summary

This was the unannounced interim inspection, covering the staying safe outcome as well as recommendations and actions made at the key inspection. As a result of the actions taken by the manager and the registered provider, all the outcome areas are now at least satisfactory, with some being good and some outstanding. 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

The manager has met all recommendations made at the key inspection. She is now monitoring medical administration records and has ensured that the means of escape testing is conducted weekly. She has also put guidance in place to ensure that behaviour plans are routinely signed and dated and has ensured that the local authority has reviewed the welfare of the young people.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The manager has created an accessible complaints log for the young people. She has also ensured the cooperation of all those necessary, in order to comply with the actions required in the last report. The registered provider has conducted an impact assessment of the short break placements, which concluded that these should not continue. They are working with the local authority to find new placements for those young people as soon as possible. Thus, the home is doing all it can to make proper provision for the young people accommodated there. The Statement of Purpose is under review and is being altered to accommodate these changes.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The manager is now evidencing that she is well aware of all issues in relation to medication. This outcome area was judged as outstanding at the key inspection and there is no evidence to suggest that practice has worsened in any way.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Staff respect the privacy of young people and information about them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The manager, with her staff, has created a new complaints log for the young people, using Widgit symbols. Staff are now encouraged to view certain behaviours as complaints and record them in this log. 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC013143 The manager has also completed a safeguarding audit, which concludes that staff are fully professional about child protection. Senior staff have recently completed training relating to data protection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding, are both sufficiently detailed and sufficiently well followed by staff that neither bullying nor absconding occur. For example, any young person who may be capable of running out the front door, is supervised one-to-one. Staff demonstrate great commitment to the principle of only using physical intervention when it is necessary for the safety of any of the young people. As a result, there have been very few such interventions, despite many attacks on staff. In addition, senior staff continue to make whatever changes they can to help calm behaviours.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff attend to all aspects of fire safety and now ensure that means of escape testing is conducted weekly. They write thorough risk assessments for each young person but do not reliably record the date. This means staff reading risk assessments cannot be absolutely certain that they are up to date.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Standards of recruitment practice remain high, despite finding suitable applicants being difficult for this home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff are now ensuring that any new information on behaviour plans is signed and dated, in line with written guidance included in each plan.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The local authority has reviewed the placement for a particularly vulnerable young person at shorter intervals than required by law, in response to the previous report. Equally, staff are carefully recording behaviours so that they can analyse patterns. This analysis suggests some improvement over the last few months.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff make every possible effort to provide appropriately for all the young people accommodated in this home. They are well aware of young people's views based on a good understanding of how each of them communicates.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The registered providers have completed an impact assessment of respite placements, based on in depth interviews with staff and analysis of records. As a result, the local authority and the charity running the home have agreed that respite placements will cease altogether. One young person previously on a respite placement has moved on. Placements for other young people and their families, currently using this short-break service will be changed when it is 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC013143 possible to do so, to avoid causing undue distress. At this time, the Statement of Purpose is under review but cannot be revised until these changes have been finalised.

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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): • ensure risk assessments are dated. (NMS 26) 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC013143

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