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

SC032600 Unique reference number 16 February 2010 Inspection date Paula Eaton Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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26 August 2009 Date of last 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: SC032600

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Brief description of the service

This short-breaks service provides care for up to five children who have either physical and/or learning disabilities and also may have a sensory impairment, who are aged between 10 and 19 years of age. The home is owned and operated by a local authority. The home is located in a residential area close to local shops, a library and local swimming pool. The home also has good transport links into the town centre.

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Brief description of the service

The ground floor of the home has a communal area that has a comfortable seating area, dining area, pool table and football table. There is also a sensory room and soft play area on the ground floor, as well as the shift office, kitchen, laundry room, bathroom and activity room with computer equipment for children to use. All of the bedrooms are situated on the first floor along with further bathroom facilities and offices. There is a rear garden with play equipment for children to use and a sensory garden. The home has appropriate adaptations to meet the needs of children with physical disabilities that use the service.

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Summary

This unannounced inspection looked at the key National Minimum Standards under the outcome heading Staying Safe.

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Summary

Excellent systems are in place to safeguard the young people who use the service. Staff build positive relationships with young people and their parents and carers and provide individualised support based on clear and detailed care plans. Consistent practice with regard to behaviour management ensures that incidents are minimised and young people kept safe. There is a comprehensive complaints procedure in place and good procedures for responding to bullying.

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Summary

Young people benefit from a safe and secure environment and regular safety checks are completed to ensure that the safety of young people is maintained at all times. 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

There were no actions set at the previous inspection. The unit consistently provides an excellent service for young people and their families and staff are continuously striving to improve the standard of care provided.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The privacy and dignity of children is prioritised within the unit taking into consideration the individual needs and preferences of children with regard to their personal space and support needs. Staff support children to be as independent as possible to avoid any unnecessary intrusion of their privacy. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place with regard to confidentiality 4 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032600 and these include clear guidance for staff about their responsibilities in relation to dealing with sensitive information.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Sound systems are in place for responding to complaints about the service. Parents and young people are made aware of their right to complain if they are unhappy with any aspect of the service provided and any complaints made are responded to promptly. There are very low numbers of complaints in the unit and the records maintained for any complaints are monitored by the Registered Manager and the Regulation 33 visitor.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Robust child protection policies and procedures are in place and staff are aware of their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding young people. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and all new staff attend child protection training and receive clear guidance on reporting procedures as part of their induction programme. Bullying is very rare within the unit and any issues that do arise between young people are usually as a result of difficult behaviours rather than bullying. However, staff monitor relationships between young people and address any issues promptly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Absconding within the unit is almost non-existent as staff ratios are high and the building secure to keep young people safe as a result of their complex needs and vulnerabilities. However, risk assessments are completed for any young person where there is an identified risk of them absconding and action is taken to minimise this risk.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Excellent systems are in place for devising behaviour management support plans for young people. Very detailed information is included in care plans regarding the behaviours that young people may display, the circumstances that trigger this behaviour and how staff should respond to minimise the impact on the young person and others. Staff liaise with other professionals to develop and implement creative strategies to support young people and reduce incidents of challenging behaviour. Staff receive training relating to behaviour management and physical intervention; however restraint techniques are rarely used in the unit, the last incident being 10 months ago. Sanctions are only imposed if they are meaningful to the individual young person involved and are dependent on the level of understanding of that young person. The Registered Manager and Regulation 33 visitor also monitor all records relating to behaviour

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

management and take action to address any noted issues or questions raised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Comprehensive health and safety policies and procedures are in place and are adhered to by staff. Detailed records are maintained for all health and safety checks that take place and these are carried out at the required regular intervals. The service also carries out very thorough risk assessments of any possible or identified risks to young people and reviews and updates these regularly to ensure that the welfare and safety of young people is maintained at all times. All fire safety equipment is checked at regular intervals and frequent fire drills take place. The service has reviewed and updated the individual emergency evacuation plans that are in place for each young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Robust recruitment policies and procedures are in place and all required checks are completed prior to individuals commencing work to ensure that young people are appropriately safeguarded. All recruitment is carried out by the local authority human resources department.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is not judged. 5 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032600

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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

There are no recommendations. 6 of 6 Inspection Report: SC032600

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