Children's Home run by ROC Northwest Limited in Lancashire

SC066428 Unique reference number 21 June 2010 Inspection date Graham Robinson Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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12 October 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 9 Inspection Report: SC066428

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Brief description of the service

The home provides full time residential care for five young people with emotional or behavioural, physical or learning disabilities.

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Brief description of the service

It is set in its own grounds and is domestic in appearance. An outstanding standard of accommodation is provided, which includes suitable adaptation to cater for young people with physical disabilities, which allows for wheelchair access to the grounds and the ground floor of the house.

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Brief description of the service

A recent addition has been the completion of an annex to the main building that is used to promote young people towards a more independent lifestyle.

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Summary

At this unannounced, full inspection all the key standards were inspected. The recommendation made at the previous inspection was also followed up.

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Summary

The home is well organised and resourced. The staff team work flexibly to meet the diverse needs of the four young people living at the home. High ratios of staff to young people assist with this. The ethos of the home, underpinned with its working practices which are designed to keep young people safe, promote their welfare and improve outcomes.

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Summary

Young people are generally settled. They speak positively about the care they receive and feel that staff are caring and generally fair. All confirm that they feel safe living at the home. Their individual needs are identified, with plans and strategies in place to meet those needs. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding throughout the standards inspected.

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Summary

No major issues or concerns were raised by either staff or young people. No actions have been raised as a result of the inspection. Two good practice recommendations have been made regarding the records linked to sanctions and to provide a new bed for one young person that will best meet individual need and the needs of staff.

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Summary

The home has made significant progress in some areas since the previous key inspection, for example, in developing and translating existing documents into formats such as pictures and writing with symbols, designed to give young people improved access to information. While the overall quality rating of the home remains as good, the individual areas of equality and diversity and enjoying and achieving have been raised to outstanding. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection one recommendation was made. This asked for the fire risk assessment to be updated to take account of the recently completed extension. This matter has been fully addressed with a fire risk assessment in place that covers all areas of the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428 The arrangements to promote the health needs of young people are good. They are registered with local doctors and dentists and have access to more specialist health providers when required. All visits are suitably recorded. There are good links with the local nurse who has specific responsibility for looked after children. Planning documentation details medical history along with plans to promote health and meet existing medical needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Within the previous 12 months, staff have received training in basic food hygiene, first aid, medication awareness, autistic spectrum disorder and epilepsy awareness. The core staff training programme provides regular updated training in areas such as first aid.

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Helping children to be healthy

Appropriate arrangements are in place to store and administer prescribed and non-prescribed medication. This is underpinned with a comprehensive system to record the administering of medication which is up to date and properly kept.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people confirm they are encouraged towards healthy eating, making choices about food during young people's meetings, where food and diet issues are discussed. Records of food intake are kept on individual files and they reflect a balanced, nutritious diet that accounts for individual preferences. Theme nights are a regular and well established routine, with the latest nights themed as Australian, English, Oriental and Mexican. No issues or concerns linked to food were raised by young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Privacy is not an issue of concern to young people. All bedrooms are single occupancy, with two in the main building having en-suite facilities. Young people confirm they have free access to their own bedroom. The home has space that allows for young people to find some respite and quiet if they wish. All sensitive information is stored securely in the office used by staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people understand how to access the complaints procedures which have been successfully tested recently. Information about complaints is provided in written form and in other formats designed to meet the needs of young people. For example, the young people's complaints form is also available in a writing with symbols format.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The safety and rights of both staff and young people are protected. The home has appropriate links with external agencies charged with safeguarding young people. Staff are familiar with the home's safeguarding policies, guidance and procedures and understand their responsibilities when faced with a safeguarding matter. All staff have received safeguarding training which forms part of the induction and core staff training programme, which is ongoing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people say that bullying is not a problem for them, but that staff do react quickly to any incidents that may occur. The ratio of staff to young people is high and goes some way to eliminating opportunities for bullying to take place. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place and any incident of a bullying nature is recorded appropriately in the home's bullying log.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Currently, young people who are missing without authority is not a live issue or a problem within the home. Incidents are rare with only two occurring since July 2009. Staff understand the vulnerability of the young people in their care, giving positive examples of how they work 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428 to keep them safe. The home has missing from home protocols agreed with relevant external agencies, which are underpinned by policies and procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

None of the young people raised any concerns when discussing issues around behaviour management within the home. They feel well informed and that the rules are generally fair. Sanction records are split into general sanctions and confiscated items. The records of general sanctions are up to date and properly kept. However, the records of items confiscated have some minor gaps.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff have received appropriate training in positive handling. The records of physical intervention are up to date and properly kept, with evidence that all appropriate notifications are taking place following each incident. None of the young people have any issues or concerns regarding this matter.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

General health and safety issues are addressed with a range of risk assessments identifying hazards both in and away from the home. They are being reviewed and updated regularly. Appropriate procedures are in place to deal with fire safety and there are service contracts for the upkeep of all fire, gas and electrical equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff have received appropriate clearances and these are updated at regular periods. There are suitable recruitment procedures and practices taking place that conform to regulatory requirement and current recognised good practice. Changes to the monitoring of clearance and recruitment procedures have recently been implemented.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The individual support given to young people is outstanding. Comprehensive planning documentation that includes individual risk assessments and coping strategies, along with records of regular key worker sessions, daily records and minutes of young people's meetings, provide evidence to support this judgement. The high staff to young person ratio allows for high levels of individual support to be provided with consistency. This is recognised by young people who speak positively about the support they receive from staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All young people have appropriate educational arrangements in place. A number have either left school or are due to move to other schools. However, there are specific plans, well advanced, for them all to attend either a college or school that will meet their needs. Young people speak positively about the choices they can make and the visits to proposed places of education that have taken place. Educational and personal education plans are reflected within young people's planning documentation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people's individual needs, interests and choices drive the range of leisure activities taking place, with community-based activities a regular occurrence. Individual needs and preferences are managed effectively due to the high ratio between staff and young people. The home also has its own transport, which includes an adapted vehicle for wheelchair access.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428 Since the previous key inspection, the format of the planning documentation has been revised and fully implemented. Each young person has a planning document known as a personal communication passport. This is a comprehensive document that covers all areas required of a placement plan, along with a range of strategies. This includes areas covering social presentation skills, identity and abilities through to strategies such as positive handling and behaviour management plans. They provide clear, comprehensive information that identifies individual need, recognises a young person's history and plans for the future. The production and implementation of these documents, along with their practical use is deemed as outstanding practice.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Statutory reviews are taking place regularly, within the required timescale. Young people speak positively about the consultation process, the support received from staff and their participation at their own review. Minutes from previous reviews are kept on young people's files, with planning documents updated accordingly.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The contact arrangements for some young people can be limited and complex. Contact arrangements, details and records of all contact form part of the planning documentation. Young people understand their own arrangements and flexible working practices by staff allow for contact to be maintained effectively. The home has appointed its own independent visitor who recently commenced monthly visits.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The admission and discharge procedures are well practiced and young people recently admitted, speak well about how they were received and helped to settle in by staff. Staff understand the procedures which are incorporated into the working practices of the home and recognise the difficulties and stresses young people face when being admitted or about to leave.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have no issues or concerns regarding the level of consultation taking place, giving young people's meetings and key worker sessions as examples of formal consultation. Young people's meetings take place weekly and are recorded appropriately. Young people are actively encouraged to chair these meetings themselves. Meetings cover a range of agenda items that include equality and diversity issues and a record of the themed evenings that take place regularly.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The relationships between staff and young people were observed as being excellent.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. The home has developed its own independence plans for all appropriate young people, with staff communicating regularly with placing authorities who have been slow to provide pathway plans. Since the previous key inspection, an extension has been built onto the main house which has been designed and is in use as an independence flat. It is for one young person and retains appropriate staff oversight. This is a development that has been completed to a high specification and provides an excellent facility for young people to live a more independent lifestyle. Independence programmes, specifically designed to meet individual needs are also taking place with two other young people currently residing in the main house. Developing and promoting more independent lifestyles for young people is an area given high priority by the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The standard of repair, fixtures, fittings, equipment and décor continue to be outstanding. Young people live in a modern, spacious environment that is adapted appropriately to meet 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428 individual needs. All young people have their own bedroom with the majority being en-suite. Bedrooms are personalised to reflect the interests of the occupant. One ground floor bedroom has been specifically adapted to meet the physical needs of one young person. However, the bed is not felt to meet his current needs or the needs of staff, due to recent growth and development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The Statement of Purpose provides a good insight into the home's ethos, function and working practices. Work has just been completed translating it into a writing with symbols format that will give greater access to its contents for some young people. The young person's guide is also presented in three different formats, giving all young people a format they are comfortable with and understand. This is viewed as excellent practice.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. As well as the statement and young person's guide, the home has translated a number of information documents into appropriate formats. These include the young people's complaints form, weekly menu, house rules, fire exit plan and information about young people's meetings. The home has been adapted to allow for wheelchair access throughout the ground floor and the grounds. The home accommodates young people with diverse needs, but the ratio of staff to young people allows for needs to be met. Equality and diversity practices are fully incorporated into the home's working practices and its organisation.

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Organisation

Some turnover of staff has taken place recently, but the majority are experienced and have worked effectively together for some time. With plans to increase staff numbers at an advanced stage, current numbers and a willingness to work flexibly, ensure that duty rotas are adequately covered. Generally staff are well supported with supervision and appraisal taking place consistently, within the recommended timescale.

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Organisation

The majority of staff have completed appropriate National Vocational Qualification training, with training for the others either ongoing, or due to commence in September. Staff report that training opportunities are good and they are encouraged to complete all core training as well undertake any individual training identified with senior staff. Generally, staff are well trained and able to meet the complex needs of the young people they are responsible for.

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Organisation

The general organisation and management of the home is good. Senior staff have a clear sense of direction and constantly look for ways to improve. Administrative tasks are completed consistently and a development plan for the coming year is in place.

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Organisation

Both the internal and external monitoring of the home takes place consistently, within the required timescale. Reports produced monthly are comprehensive and contain elements of quality assurance, along with identified areas for improvement.

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Organisation

Young people's case files are structured, neat, up to date and properly kept. 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428

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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 that all entries made in the confiscated items log are fully recorded and include the date of return (NMS 22.10) • replace the bed located in the ground floor bedroom of the main building, with one more appropriate to meet the needs of both the young person and staff. (NMS 24.9) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC066428

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