Children's Home run by Tulip Care One Limited t/as TulipCare in Kent

SC361090 Unique reference number 18 February 2010 Inspection date Joanna Heller 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: SC361090

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Brief description of the service

The children's home provides residential care and support for up to five boys aged between eight and 16 years old on admission. The home adjoins an independent school, registered for seven male pupils aged between eight and 16 years old. The school is included in the resources available to young people placed at the home.

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Brief description of the service

The home is situated in a semi-rural location. It is a detached property with no near neighbours. There is a plot of land to the side of the house and gardens to the front and rear, both of which are available for recreational purposes.

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Summary

This was an unannounced, full inspection carried out as part of the annual inspection programme. The inspection focused on all the key national minimum standards.

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Summary

Staff have a clear commitment to working with young people to secure good outcomes, and are well supported. The home, however, fails to maintain records, which fully evidence the care given, and fails to ensure the building is maintained to a high standard. 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 the home was asked to conduct a review of the quality of the service, ensure that bullying is effectively addressed and that consultation systems are effective. The home has undergone a period without a Registered Manager and has not addressed the actions and recommendations set at the previous inspection. Further actions and recommendations have been set at this inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Young people benefit from a variety of nutritious home-cooked foods which reflect people's choices and cultural heritage; however, young people say that the portions provided are not always sufficient for their needs. A consultation exercise is being undertaken with young people to review food and the food budget has been increased. Young people are able to help themselves to healthy snacks at any time during the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Healthy lifestyles are supported through encouraging young people to be physically active. Membership at a local gym is funded, and young people have their own bikes and enjoy games of football regularly. Health promotion work taking place is not fully demonstrated; for example, there is no evidence of work taking place regarding the use of drugs or safe sex. Young people have access to appropriate health services such as doctors, dentists and opticians, with regular checks undertaken as appropriate. Specialist health services such as child and adolescent mental health services are sought where required. However, no clear health plan is in place to guide staff as to the medical welfare and needs of each young person. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC361090 The home has safe systems in place for the storage and administration of medication and staff are trained in managing medication. Clear records are held of medication given, and coming

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Young people are safeguarded from unsuitable people gaining employment in the home through satisfactory vetting practices. The home has systems in place to ensure that staff are employed after checks on their identity, employment and criminal history have been undertaken. In one instance, the home failed to fully follow their own vetting procedures. However, this was swiftly identified and appropriate measures taken to safeguard young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people's complaints procedure is not included in the children's guide, nor is it displayed in the home. It is therefore unclear how young people are made fully aware of the process to be followed should they wish to make a complaint. Young people have, however, on a number of occasions raised issues with staff at the home, which have been addressed. The most recent complaint logged was subject to a detailed investigation and was comprehensively recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have undertaken training in child protection and are aware of what to do should an allegation of a safeguarding nature be made. Young people who go missing are notified to the appropriate agencies in line with local guidelines. Good systems are in place for notifying the appropriate agencies of significant events. Bullying has been an issue in the home over the past year. This has recently reduced as a consequence of changes in the group of young people; however, young people indicated that some issues remain. There is no evidence of proactive work taking place with young people to minimise the risk of bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Due to management changes, there was for a period of time, a lack of clear direction in relation to behaviour management. The home is moving away from the previous behaviour management approach to working towards developing a therapeutic approach. In the interim, staff did not receive clear guidance. This lack of a clear and consistent approach resulted in some behaviour management issues developing in the home. A review of behaviour management in the service has been undertaken, resulting in new systems being put in place to ensure staff present a clear and consistent approach. Changes in the resident group have also taken place. Young people are now clear about the rewards and sanctions systems operating. Behaviour management currently focuses on the ability to earn extra money each week through achieving goals and behaving in a positive manner. Restraint has been used five times since May 2009. Staff are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

trained in restraint and diffusion techniques. There are clear records of any restraint taking place; however, there is no evidence of young people having the opportunity to talk about their feelings following a restraint. Sanctions applied are appropriate and are clearly recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of the key issues in relation to confidentiality. All bedrooms and bathrooms are lockable so that young people can maintain their privacy. Files are securely stored. Satisfactory systems are in place to ensure the building is maintained to a safe standard. Fire precautionary arrangements in the home ensure young people and staff are safeguarded from fire in line with current good practice. However, the home fails to follow its own guidelines in relation to the regularity of fire drills. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC361090

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The home meets the individual needs of the young people in practice through the detailed knowledge held by a number of staff. The home, however, fails to transfer this knowledge into the care plan. Care plans in place are not sufficiently detailed to guide staff in all key areas of support, such as specific cultural backgrounds, and the impact of, and any needs arising from, a degree of impairment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The on-site school retains the main responsibility for formally educating young people under the age of 16 who attend this facility. Staff are aware of the educational needs of young people and are supporting young people to complete education, as reduced timetables and bite-sized education are the norm. The manager of the home is currently undertaking a review of the educational provision. Staff identify and support work experience placements and college places.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are able to enjoy a variety of leisure opportunities both inside and outside the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Admissions to the home are generally planned, with young people and their families being offered the opportunity to visit. The home ensures that it obtains key information about young people’s needs in order to effectively care for them. Copies of the placing authority’s central core assessment are supplemented by the home's comprehensive assessment processes. A placement planning meeting with the placing authority is held to agree the objectives of the placement and identify how the young person will be cared for and supported. Young people's needs are kept under review through the statutory review process and more regularly though the home’s internal reviewing systems.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff consult young people about their day-to-day lives informally, through one-to-one discussions and through young people’s weekly meetings. Young people are encouraged to take an active role in their statutory reviews. Young people, however, state that staff and management have not always taken their views fully on board, and have made promises which have not been kept, or have taken too long to come to fruition. Examples of such promises were the purchase of a bike for each young person and provision of suitable football equipment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged and supported to maintain contact with family and friends. Young people generally make their own arrangements and visit their family home; however, visitors are able to come to the establishment. Where contact is prohibited this is only in line with directions of a court order and is detailed in the placement plan

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. The home is situated in a rural location within easy reach of the local town and its facilities. The town is served by good road and rail transport links enabling young people to travel easily into the city centre. The building is suitable to meet the needs of the young people. Each young person has their own lockable individual room, which they are able to personalise according to 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC361090 their own taste. Each bedroom is provided with suitable furniture to meet the young person’s needs. There are sufficient bathrooms and toilets situated around the home. Communal areas include a lounge, kitchen, dining room, and a room for relaxing or playing games. The home sustained significant damage throughout the unit in the latter part of 2009; to address this, maintenance staff have been kept on site on a daily basis. However, a number of maintenance

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Achieving economic wellbeing

issues, such as holes and gouges in walls, remain. The manager advises these will be addressed during the current redecoration programme. Young people are able to enjoy playing football in the field owned by the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people aged over 16 have a pathway plan. Young people are, however, choosing not to engage in such a formal approach. Staff work with all young people to develop independence skills such as budgeting, cooking and managing their laundry. Young people are encouraged to save into a bank account, into which the organisation also regularly contributes.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Young people’s individual needs are met and staff training in diversity is planned. The home's manager intends to review how diversity is addressed within the home.

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Organisation

The home has a useful Statement of Purpose which is in the process of being updated to include changes in management and staffing. Staff provide a copy of the children's guide to young people prior to, or on admission. This document guides young people as to the house rules and other key information; however, it does not include information on how to complain.

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Organisation

Staffing levels meet the needs of the young people. Three staff are on duty during the waking day with two staff sleeping-in at night. Staff turnover has been significant; however, senior staff are able to guide new staff. Two staff vacancies remain which are being recruited to; this, however, has no current impact as only three young people are residing at the home.

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Organisation

All staff when recruited complete an initial in-house induction programme. Staff then complete the Children’s Development Workforce Council competency-based workbook induction programme. Staff receive training in key areas such as child protection training, first aid, fire, health and safety and challenging behaviour. The home has few staff trained to National Vocational Qualification at level three; however, the majority of staff have enrolled on the course.

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Organisation

Staff receive good support through a comprehensive induction process, regular supervision and staff meetings. Staff say that the manager provides good leadership, is supportive, flexible and approachable. Social workers feel staff act professionally, work well in partnership with the placing authority and ensure good outcomes for children.

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Organisation

Young people’s records are maintained in line with regulatory requirements. However, a staffing register is not maintained as specified in Regulation 29. The registered person is ensuring the home is monitored monthly in line with Regulation 33. A quality review under Regulation 34 has yet to be developed. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC361090

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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

25 March 2010 ensure the home is kept reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31) 1 April 2010 maintain a staff register which holds all information specified in Schedule 4 (Regulation 29) 1 April 2010 supply to Ofsted a report in respect of any review conducted by the registered person for the purposes of monitoring and improving the quality of care provided and make a copy of the report available on request to children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34) 25 March 2010 ensure the children's guide includes a summary of the home’s complaints procedure, and the contact address and telephone number for Ofsted. (Regulation 4)

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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): • carry out fire drills sufficiently regularly, in line with the home's fire risk assessment (NMS 26) • evidence health promotion work taking place (NMS 12) • ensure the policy on countering bullying is implemented, and monitored for effectiveness in practice (NMS 18) • ensure the individual care plan details all the needs of young people including those arising from health and cultural background, and is sufficiently detailed as to guide care staff (NMS 7) • ensure systems for engaging with young people are meaningful and that feedback is given (NMS 8) • review the provision of food within home in consultation with young people (NMS 10) • evidence that young people are provided with the opportunity to discuss their feelings following each incident of restraint. (NMS 22) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC361090

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