Children's Home run by Essandore Limited in St Helens

SC066218 Unique reference number 10 May 2010 Inspection date Sonya Robinson Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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27 January 2010 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 9 Inspection Report: SC066218

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Brief description of the service

The home offers accommodation for up to five young people, of either sex from 10 to 17 years old, in the registration category of children with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. The home has good access to local facilities, such as shops, schools and transport links.

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Brief description of the service

Accommodation is provided over two floors. Bedrooms are sited on each level and young people are provided with a choice upon admission. All bedrooms are single occupancy and provide en-suite bathroom facilities. The house has a range of facilities to meet the physical and learning needs of young people, including a light and sensory room, soft play room, two lounges and a spacious kitchen. All areas of the home are accessible to young people.

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Brief description of the service

Young people participated within this inspection.

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Summary

At this full inspection all key standards were inspected. The focus of the inspection was to find out how well the home meets the needs of young people living there.

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Summary

The home is a satisfactory service overall, with some good outcomes for the young people placed. The home provides a safe, caring and stimulating environment for young people with complex learning disabilities and communication needs. The home is good at identifying young people's individual needs within placement plans and ensuring that they receive a personalised service that meets their specific needs. There is evidence of young people making progress and achieving positive outcomes in many aspects of their lives, including their personal care, life skills, challenging behaviours and communication skills.

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Summary

Young people are looked after by enthusiastic and positive people. Staff have a detailed understanding of young people's needs and the support they require. The staff are supported and guided by an experienced and capable management team. The staff team shows a commitment to providing a quality service for vulnerable young people. 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 Registered Manager and provider of the service were asked to ensure: that children's clothing and personal requisite needs are fully met and that the different allowances for them are monitored; that staff receive regular professional staff supervision; that the service obtains up-to-date safeguarding children policies and procedures from the relevant placing authorities. These have all been completed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

They were also asked to ensure that a minimum of 80% of all care staff have completed the national vocational qualification at level 3 in caring for children and young people or an equivalent qualification. A significant proportion of the staff group is now enrolled on the above course.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Finally, they were asked to ensure that each young person has a personal education plan which explicitly addresses their educational needs, and that when the provider undertakes visits to 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218 the home for the purpose of monitoring, that the reports produced, reflect the opinions of staff and young people in order to inform an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home. Both of these are raised again on this inspection for action.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people are provided with balanced and nutritious meals. They are encouraged and supported to participate in the planning of menus and their likes and dislikes are taken into account. Staff encourage and support full participation at meal times and maintain positive social interaction with young people. Young people communicated with me that the food was good and identified who made the best cup of tea.

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Helping children to be healthy

Individual health records are clear and easy to use. They demonstrate how the service meets individual health and medical needs. Staff actively encourage young people to enjoy and participate in healthy activities and experiences. Accurate records reflect that young people’s health care needs are met, both inside the home and when they are out and about. This demonstrates a commitment to providing young people with positive healthy and stimulating experiences, whilst adopting a safe approach.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has an effective system for the safe handling and storage of medicines. Staff are trained in meeting the needs of individual young people. Staff adhere to procedures within the home, to ensure young people are provided with all prescribed medicines that they require. The service accesses regular training for staff in the areas of first aid, medication and various courses relating to young peoples needs, such as moving and handling and epilepsy awareness. This demonstrates that outcomes for individual children are good and shows that individualised care and support reflects each child's needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Staff demonstrate a professional approach to ensuring that young people feel valued and their privacy and dignity is maintained. This is achieved by implementing appropriate records, such as placement plans and risk assessments, which reflects the level of care provided to each young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has an accessible complaints procedure. All complaints are taken seriously and acted upon. Staff speak and interact with young people to ensure that they are happy and they have opportunities to make their feelings known. The home is able to produce the complaints form in various formats to meet the needs of individual young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people and their parents are involved in the development of care records, such as health plans, placement plans and risk assessments. Staff have an understanding of young people's communication methods. This is used to ascertain individual opinions with regards to how they wish to be supported, in ways that promotes their welfare and keeps them safe. Records explain how the home keeps young people safe, in line with their assessed needs, in areas such as safe moving and handling, running off and medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff working at the home are appropriately vetted, though staff files do not consistently hold all of the required information under the regulations. Staff have attended an appropriate 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218 training programme, which encompasses all aspects of safeguarding young people with physical and learning disabilities, including delivering and maintaining safe practices around social, health and medical support needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home's procedures for promoting positive behaviours show a commitment to developing individual, specific and supportive strategies for dealing with behaviours. For example, it is noted that some young people use certain behaviours as methods of communication, or where behaviours may arise as a result of increased anxiety or frustration. Staff support young people to address behaviours and enjoy positive relationships with others. This is achieved by pro-active practices, which value and include young people, such as diversion, by introducing favoured objects.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has appropriate environmental and fire risk assessments and all necessary checks; gas and electric certificates are in place. This ensure that the home is a safe place to live.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Staff spend time individually with young people. They meet a range of young people's potential needs, including personal care, healthy lifestyles, dealing with frustrations, communication and disability. Staff develop their skills and knowledge relating to individual young people's specific needs through regular training in areas including, using different communication techniques, managing behaviour and autism. The home has a range of resources and facilities, including a multi-sensory room, to support young people and promote their interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are afforded appropriate resources within the home, to enhance and assist them with educational tasks, such as communication and social skills. Staff encourage young people to learn and develop their skills and knowledge through educational activities such as, craft work and creative play. The structure of the home supports young people's attendance at school. This is achieved by working closely with schools, to promote positive multi-agency working. However, not all young people have a personal education plan that explicitly addresses any special educational needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are encouraged to take part in suitable leisure activities both inside the home and in the wider community. Their individual interests are encouraged and supported with young people able to continue with activities they enjoy with their families such as meals out, going to the park and playing football. They are also encouraged to try new things including church-based youth activity clubs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The home’s records provide a good insight into the individual needs of young people and plans are in place to meet them. Young people have written placement plans identifying their needs and outlining the arrangements for meeting them. Staff put the plans into practice and keep detailed records about young people’s progress and experiences. Young people’s placement plans are reviewed regularly to make sure that they are up to date and continue to meet their needs. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218 Young people have clear arrangements for contact with their families to help them maintain relationships. Staff actively ensure young people have suitable regular contact and that the arrangements promote and safeguard young people’s welfare. They work closely with young people’s families to let them know about their progress and involve them in decisions about the care provided.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff encourage young people to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run. They are involved in decisions about what food they eat and what they do in their spare time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people enjoy warm relationships with staff, and staff are motivated and interested in young people. They enjoy spending time with young people and take pride in young people’s achievements. This demonstrates that the home is committed to providing an inclusive service that values individuals and enhances the positive outcomes for young people.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Staff encourage young people to develop their skills and become more independent, relative to their age and understanding. They learn skills through taking part in the running of the home, such as shopping, using transport, using money and simple household tasks. There is good evidence to show that young people are making progress in carrying out their own personal care.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people live in a location within easy reach of schools, leisure facilities, public transport and shops. They enjoy homely and comfortable accommodation as the home is decorated, furnished and maintained to a good standard. This meets their needs and takes into account their differences and disabilities. For example, there is accessible and adequate space for them to undertake individual and group activities, the house promotes dignity and privacy and it is risk assessed as safe for those who live here. Young people and their families have also been involved in choosing new flooring and décor over recent weeks. This demonstrates young people live in an environment which is supportive of their inclusion.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Young people's rights are respected. There is evidence to demonstrate that the individual care needs of young people are identified, direct work with young people is undertaken and that they are kept safe.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose is up to date and contains all the required information in full. It clearly sets out what care the home provides and how this will be accomplished. The children's guide is well presented and available in different formats, taking into account the different ages and abilities of young people.

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Organisation

Staff are well supported. They say that when they need support the management team is available and helpful. Professional staff supervision takes place regularly within the timescale recommended in the standards. In addition, team meetings take place monthly to provide the whole staff team opportunity to discuss and review individual young people, the running of 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218 the home, staff development and training. Meetings also allow the staff team to look at ways to improve the service they offer.

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Organisation

The service has a staff team with a satisfactory range of skills and experience to look after young people. Staff have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge through a training programme that covers the needs of the young people they look after. Staff said that the training they have received has been good and has allowed them to reflect on their practice and think how best to support young people. Many staff are enrolled on the national vocational qualification at level 3 in caring for children and young people. There are also systems in place, so that staff have their performance appraised by their line manager, and to identify their training needs.

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Organisation

The number of staff on duty meets the needs of young people. This includes the support that is needed for activities in the community. The staff team is now stable, ensuring young people are looked after by people they know well. This also results in young people being cared for consistently. The staff team is a mixture of male and females and reflects the backgrounds of young people.

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Organisation

The home has systems in place to review the quality of care provided, these monitor the running of the home every month. They identify areas for improvement and take action to ensure that the home meets young people’s needs and promotes their welfare. However, the monthly monitoring reports do not always include the views of staff, young people, their families or any visitors to the home, in order to further inform an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home.

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Organisation

The home’s written records provide a picture of individual young people’s needs, development and progress. Their records are organised and contain up-to-date information about them, including documents from placing authorities.

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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

30 June 2010 ensure all staff records contain the information required under the regulations (Reg 26, Schedule 2) 30 June 2010 ensure that there is a written plan prepared in consultation with the child’s placing authority which sets out in particular the arrangements made for education (Reg 12, (1), ( b) 30 June 2010 ensure that the registered provider visits the home at least once a month and interviews in private with their consent, and children accommodated there, their parent, relatives and person’s working at the home, in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home. (Reg 33 (3) (4) (a)) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218

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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 that a minimum of 80% of all care staff have completed National Vocational Qualification Level 3 in the Caring for Children and Young People or an equivalent qualification. (NMS 29.5) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066218

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