Children's Home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited in Kent

SC037309 Unique reference number 14 December 2009 Inspection date Helen Lee 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 10 Inspection Report: SC037309

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Brief description of the service

The home is a purpose-built house registered as a children's home and provides care and accommodation for seven young people between 8 and 17 years old. The home is located within rural grounds. The young people either attend the home's school, within the grounds, or a local mainstream school. A large garden surrounds the home, providing recreational space for the young people. The Statement of Purpose is sent to placing authorities and inspection reports are made available. The children’s guide is made available to the young people prior to admission.

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Summary

This is a satisfactory home with one outcome area judged as good. At this unannounced key inspection all key national minimum standards were assessed and the action taken by the home to meet the requirement made at the last inspection was reviewed. The newly appointed manager currently awaiting registration for this home, was available along with the team leader. The inspector spent two days talking with the young people, staff and management of the home as well as looking at records.

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Summary

The levels of staffing having been adversely effected by sickness and staff absence. This and the subsidiary effects was an important issue for the staff and the management team are working hard to address this. Behaviour management strategies are not fully developed although the management have identified this area to ensure consistency in practice.

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Summary

Other areas evidence shortfalls and these areas are raised in the body of the report. Management were aware of these areas and were beginning to implement strategies for the staff group. Three requirements have been made and 20 recommendations have also been made. This includes two previous recommendations from the last inspection. 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

At the last inspection one recommendation was added to the three unmet recommendations from the previous key inspection. Therefore, there were four recommendations unresolved, two of which have been met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The Registered Person was asked to effectively monitor the young people's diet during the day to ensure their dietary needs are met and this has been undertaken.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The second recommendation was for the home to provide opportunities for all young people to plan, shop and prepare meals. This has been started on, with Sunday's being the day a week that the children choose and bought the food for. This remains unmet however, the registered manager planned to increase this across the week which the young people supported.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The third recommendation was for the home to acquire external monitoring of the administration, recording and storage of medication. An external audit has been carried out and all the recommendations made are being implemented. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309 Another recommendation was for the home to ensure the procedures on dealing with bullying are effective in practice, which remains unmet. Two recommendations remain outstanding.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The children are encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet and their specific dietary needs are attended to. A consultancy/monitoring company carry out checks every three months assess the food provision for its nutritional value and consult with the children. The children are given opportunities to plan, shop and prepare meals. Some of the children do not feel that the food provided has significant regard to their wishes, whereas some were looking forward to particular meals such as Sundays when they got to cook and Christmas dinner.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health plans, health reports and placement plans highlight any ongoing health issues that may need monitoring. There are effective systems in place to promote good health, however, these are not consistently recorded as for some young people required follow up appointments could not be evidenced. Also, there is inconsistent monitoring of young peoples height and weight. Staff confirm that each child is cared for according to their individual health plan, which is continually monitored and discussed in case management meetings and looked after children (LAC) reviews.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff encourage and promote good health in the children. The children’s mental and emotional well-being is taken very seriously. Young people benefit from professional assessment of their psychological and emotional health. The outcome and findings of which inform and contribute to behaviour strategies, education plans, and day-to-day contact and support. The children confirm they are able to see other healthcare professionals when needed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication is stored safely and managed according to appropriate procedures. There is accredited training for managers and deputy managers and a package for monitoring. Medication training for all staff had lapsed. One young person's allergic reaction to a medicine was missing from the health record, however, this was immediately rectified. The audit of medication highlighted a need for staff guidance regarding medication which is given during specific days only rather than if the home has it in stock, as well as for evidence of medication having been returned to the pharmacist following a finished course.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. There are good measures in place to respect confidentiality and privacy. Young people are satisfied their privacy is respected and that confidential information about them is treated as such. Young people's rooms are respected as their own personal space and provision is made for keeping valuables and cherished possessions safe. Staff are careful to ensure sensitive information about young people is only discussed in private and is not shared inappropriately. The confidentiality of written records is protected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a comprehensive and accessible complaints procedure in place. Concerns or complaints are taken seriously and carefully investigated. The complaints procedure has been explained to the children. Records show children are aware of how to complain and supported to express their concerns or complaints. All complaints are monitored on a regular basis. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309 Staff receive training in safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, however, some staff had not received their refresher training. Staff have a good understanding of their duties in relation to protecting young people from harm and what they need to do to fulfil these. There is careful selection and vetting of all staff and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent children being exposed to potential abusers. The recruitment process is tightly managed by knowledgeable and competent staff that take great care to ensure all checks are carefully

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

processed and followed up appropriately. Therefore, the children's safety and welfare is protected by the home's robust child protection and safeguarding procedures, careful use of the visitor book and robust recruitment procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are not following procedures for recording incidents or resolutions of bullying. Two related incidents with a specific request from the young person for 'someone to do something about it' were not followed through. Sanctions were given for 'bullying comments' but with no reference to any bullying incident or resolution.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are generally assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Managerial monitoring ensures young people are protected from inappropriate sanctions and restraints. However, there is a lack of consistency regarding what constitutes an effective sanction for individual young people. There are some good behaviour management strategies in place, including appropriate physical intervention strategies. For example, a record is maintained for each child, outlining clear routines and expectations of behaviour and strategies for staff, which they know and use effectively. However, these were mostly unsigned by the young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff receive a variety of training in positive behaviour management, helping the children with their emotional and behavioural development. However, all the sampled behaviour management plans lacked cohesion with the young persons placement plans, the sanctions given and other records maintained for the young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home that provides a safe and secure environment. Action is taken to help ensure hazards and risks are managed safely. Safe working practices are established. The building and facilities are maintained to a suitable standard. Fire safety systems are routinely checked and serviced, however, records do not evidence which staff or young people have been included in a drill. A significant number of staff require health and safety, and fire training.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are given appropriate and individualised support. For example, staff provide positive interaction, support guidance to children when they need it. The service is aware of, and works with, other professionals and agencies relevant to each young person's needs and circumstances. Advocacy is sought for each child should it be necessary. Alongside informal guidance and assistance provided by the daily contact with staff young people receive one-to-one time to cover any aspect of their support and development needs. However, young people, staff and records confirm that this has been irregular and infrequent.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children's education is positively promoted. Records show that the children are encouraged to access education and are able to participate in any other educational activities. Each child has a personal education plan (PEP) and an individual education plan (IEP), which are reviewed and monitored. Education is actively promoted in itself and as part of the preparation for adulthood. Communication between the home and education providers is frequent and regular. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309 Young people's interests are encouraged and developed. Staff assist the children in participating in a wide range of leisure activities and hobbies. During the inspection the children decorated Christmas cookies and previous crafts were also shown to the inspector, such as decorated plates.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. There are detailed individual placement plans outlining the needs of the young people. Staff are aware of the plans for the young people and their individual needs. However, the sampled placement plans were not up to date and did not correspond with other documents, such as the behaviour management plan or the review document. How often staff review these placement plans also varies. The current plans are not workable documents that are accessible for the children to understand. They do not show that the children are being made aware of, and agreeing or disagreeing with, the content of these plans and whether they are involved in decisions made about them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are able to maintain constructive contact with their families, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives. The services contributes a good deal to ensure young people have the support they need to have appropriate contact. Where it is necessary to do so, arrangements include transport, venue, escorts, supervision and a contact report. Staff are clear about their role in promoting safe contact and the involvement of parents, relatives and friends. Staff work effectively with all those involved with the child and support family contact. This enables the children to maintain valued relationships.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people felt that some members of staff were good at asking them what they wanted to do. There are some good systems in place for children to communicate their views and make suggestions, choices and decisions about their lives as appropriate. For example, there are weekly children’s meetings with all the children, to hear their views and implement ideas from hearing them, and a house representative attends the Foundation’s “Have Your Say” meetings. However, records did not evidence resolution of some of the young peoples concerns or requests.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people enjoy homely accommodation, maintained to a good standard and providing adequate facilities for their use. The home is decorated and furnished to a standard which creates a pleasant domestic environment. The interior and exterior of the home are maintained in a good state of structural and decorative repair. Gardens and hard play areas are well maintained and safe. Each young person has their own bedroom which they are encouraged to personalise. Bedrooms are suitably equipped and furnished. There are some good facilities for young people to pursue personal hobbies at the home, with sufficient and secure storage for safekeeping of materials.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff are good at helping to prepare the young people for adulthood. They are involved in budgeting both for clothing and toiletries for themselves, as well as for group holidays and outings.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309 The home has a written Statement of Purpose and a children’s guide which accurately describes what the home sets out to do for children accommodated, and the manner in which care is provided. There is a clear statement of how the home operates. This is available for parents, social workers and others needing this information. Young people are guided through and know what services they can expect from the home and how they will be cared for. An informative children's guide has been adapted into a child-friendly version. This ensures the children and their representatives know what services and facilities they can expect.

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Organisation

Young people's needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality. Each young person has a permanent private and secure record of their history and progress.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by staff who are themselves supported and guided in carrying out their work. Staff and the registered person of the home are properly managed, supported and understand to whom they are accountable. Staff meetings occur at least monthly and include discussion of both the home’s work in caring for individual young people, the management of the resident group, and a review of the home’s practices. Meetings have an agenda and are recorded.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The young people are given appropriate individualised care and support.

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Organisation

Staff members who are placed in charge of the home and other staff at particular times are suitably experienced.

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Organisation

The staff group has changed a lot, therefore, young people have not benefited from the normal continuity in staffing at the service. Staffing levels have been severely impacted upon by sickness levels and the home is deploying various recruitment and staffing strategies. However, staff feel that there are insufficient staff on duty at times. Management also decided that the home were to have five members of staff on shift at the moment because of the levels of support needed by the children. Staff rotas showed occurrences of three staff at various times and four in the majority of cases. Therefore, staffing levels have impacted on various aspects such as one-to-one time with children, recording, training, supervision and resolutions of issues with the young people, such as the bulling incidents.

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Organisation

Staff receive good informal support, however, staff do not receive frequent formal supervision. Agency staff have also not received formal supervision. Also, not all staff are adequately trained.

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Organisation

Ongoing monitoring of the quality of care by the registered provider is well established. However, there were shortfalls identified that have not been tracked through this process to a resolution in order to improve the promotion of the welfare of the children and the quality of care in the home. Regulation 34 monitoring is undertaken, but is in its early stages given the recent change to management.

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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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309

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Due date Action Standard

22 February 2010 ensure that children's health needs are met, including access to a GP, dental care and support to keep appointments (Regulation 20 (2) (b)) 15 March 2010 ensure that children's records in particular placement plans are kept under regular review and are maintained in a consistent manner (Regulation 12 (2)) 1 February 2010 employ sufficient staff for the running of the home taking into account the needs and behaviour of the children and young people. (Regulation 25)

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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): • provide opportunities for all young people to plan, shop and prepare meals (NMS 10.1) • ensure that the administration of medication is given only by competent designated staff (NMS 13.1) • ensure that a record is kept of when and why prescribed medications are not administered (NMS 13.2) • ensure that a record is kept of how and when medicines are disposed of (NMS 13.2) • ensure that each child has in accordance with their written health plan health monitoring required of staff, for example, height and weight (NMS 12.2) • ensures the provision of training for all staff in the prevention of abuse, recognition of abuse, dealing with disclosures, including new staff and agency staff and is ongoing for the staff group of the home (NMS 17.8) • encourage children to write or have their views recorded and sign their names against any

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Recommendations

disciplinary measures or restraint used (NMS 22.14) • apply sanctions consistently and in line with agree methods such as the behavioural management plan (NMS 22.2) • ensure that all procedures and guidance setting out the control, disciplinary and restraint measures (behaviour management plans) are consistent with the child's placement plan (NMS 22.2) • ensure that all fire drill records include the evacuation of staff and children(NMS 26.8) • ensure that all children and staff know the emergency evacuation procedures (and are trained in them) including those for use at night, in case of fire (NMS 26.7) • ensure children are given individualised support in line with their wishes and needs (NMS 7.1) • ensure that any document to be used as a placement plan clearly informs practice by assessing all major elements, outlining how they will be met and how the effectiveness is to be assessed (NMS 2.1) 9 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309

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Recommendations

• ensure that children in the home to know the content of their overall placement plan, according to their level of understanding (NMS 2.6) • ensure that agreed outcomes of any review is reflected as necessary in the day-to-day care of the child as provided for in the placement plan (NMS 3.1) • ensure young people receive feedback following consultation (NMS 8.5) • support staff to receive the training necessary to meet the needs of the children and purpose of the home (NMS 31.1) • ensure staff received at least one and a half hours of one to one supervision each month (NMS 28.2) • ensure agency staff received at least one supervision session after each 8 shifts worked in the home (NMS 28.2) • action any concentration, trend or pattern found via monitoring which would improve the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children and the quality of care in the home (NMS 33.2) 10 of 10 Inspection Report: SC037309

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