Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children's Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

SC398386 Unique reference number 13 May 2010 Inspection date Andrew Hewston Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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18 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 8 Inspection Report: SC398386

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Brief description of the service

The home forms part of a range of children's services within the organisation. It is a three bedded home offering care and accommodation to young people with a range of differing needs including services for young people that experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

The home offers individual bedrooms for young people, a main lounge, smaller lounge, large kitchen and dining area. The home has a large garden including established trees.

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Brief description of the service

There are a range of activity facilities nearby and also local shops.

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Summary

This was an unannounced key inspection. It focused on the key standards under each of the Every Child Matters outcome groups, plus organisation. It followed up on actions and recommendations made at the last key inspection. All young people were spoken to during the inspection and all completed pre inspection questionnaires.

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Summary

This is a well-organised service that provides good outcomes for children. It has significant strengths in collaborative working that promotes welfare. Coordinated work with partners in health, education and the police keeps children safe and well. Good health is promoted, children are secure and education and leisure are strongly valued. Individual differences are recognised and diversity is celebrated. Staff are well trained and supported. They are also experienced and are positive role models for the young people. The environment is a good one for children to live in. Management is strong and effective. 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

The last inspection highlighted two actions and three recommendations of good practice. All but one of these have been successfully responded to. The new placement plan format gives a clear awareness of the specific needs of the young people, and includes health plans that are up to date. A rolling programme of appraisals for the staff team is now in place to ensure staff development. The home's perimeter fence has been fixed to ensure greater privacy for the young people, although there is a need for a number of internal repairs to be completed. Disciplinary measures completed with the young people are regularly completed, although there is a need for a greater clarity within the home with regard to 'time out' being used.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people's health is promoted at all times within the home. Menus are well organised and show that there is a variety of foods served to the young people to meet their cultural and dietary needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

All young people have a health plan that highlights specific needs and how these are to be supported by the staff team. The health plan forms part of the young people's placement plan. The home's staff support smoking reduction programmes and ensure that young people attend 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398386 all necessary appointments. Staff also ensure that referrals are made to health professionals to support the assessment of possible health needs that young people may have.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are good arrangements for the administration of medication. Medication is safely stored, administered and audited on a regular basis. This ensures the safety of the young people and shows that staff are able to meet the needs of the young people well in this area. There are well organised systems in place for making sure that children get the first aid and health treatments they need.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people's privacy is supported by the staff team. All young people have their own rooms and there are systems in place to record if these have to be searched. Young people's bedrooms are alarmed to promote safety for the young people and necessary permissions to use this system are completed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a robust complaints system and this is known by the staff and young people. All complaints are investigated and recorded appropriately. There is also a well known response protocol to safeguarding concerns or allegations. Safeguarding concerns raised are reported to all necessary parties and responded to effectively. All staff have completed training in safeguarding and complaints, although these need updating.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying behaviour is discussed within young people's meetings and key working sessions. Bullying does occur occasionally within the home but records show that instances are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Young people also state that staff respond to all bullying incidents. When young people are absent from the home without permission, written protocols are followed for reporting these incidents and how to respond when young people return. Staff work in partnership with the local police to develop an awareness of risk assessments regarding specific young people. This has effectively reduced concerns regarding young people's behaviours. All incidents of absence are fully recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff work with young people to promote good behaviour when they are at home or away. This has taken place through structured rewards as well as the withholding of pocket money. Consequences given by staff following negative behaviours are recorded within the home's systems although there needs additional clarity regarding the use of directed time out and it's recording. All incidents of restraint are recorded fully both within the young people's records and the home's referencing system. Recordings are of a good quality and include all of the required areas. Restraints are carried out by trained staff

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure the ongoing safety of young people through regular and rigorous health and safety checks. All checks relating to fire, gas, portable appliances and the home's electrical system are completed appropriately. Risk assessments relating to young people and the activities that they are involved in are completed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation’s staff recruitment checks were inspected on the 10 May 2010 and show that there are robust procedures in place that ensure the safety of the young people. All checks as required under the regulations are appropriately carried out. Where issues have arisen these are discussed within the recruitment process, responded to and recorded. Checks against the 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398386 'disqualification for caring for children regulations' are also completed as part of recruitment procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Young people are supported well by the staff team and professionals external to the home. All young people have access to an independent visitor service and therapeutic support. Staff ensure that young people that require additional external services are referred promptly.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The educational achievements of the young people are very well supported by the staff team. Staff are involved with transporting young people to and from school as well as occasionally supporting young people in lessons and going out on school trips. The home and school work closely to ensure that individual education plans and behaviour plans are linked with the care provision. Home and school staff provide reports for educational statement reviews and looked after children reviews.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people benefit from a wide range of activities that are completed either with staff or independently. Staff fully support young peoples skills and promote differing ways that these can be developed. Young people are proud of achievements that they have gained through different activities. Staff ensure that young people are involved in individualised or group activities that are appropriate to individual needs. Young people are able to discuss various trips out that they have enjoyed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All young people have a placement plan, the format of which has been developed since the last inspection to give a more individualised format. Plans include all necessary information and highlight differing plans that are used within the home to provide an awareness of the needs of young people and how these can be met. Reviews of placement plans are completed on a regular basis and linked with young people's looked after children reviews. Reports show that staff and young people have an input into the review process. Copies of review minutes are available for young people within their files.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact arrangements are clear within placement plans. Staff and young people are able to discuss differing contact arrangements to support young people keeping in touch with their families, including staff being involved with supervised visits. Staff offer practical support to both young people and families with regards to ongoing contact.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people are supported with making decisions about their lives and the running of the home through regular house meetings and good key worker meetings. Minutes of young people's meetings show that young people are able to discuss a good range of topics relating to living at the home. Key worker meeting records show that young people are able to discuss differing areas of their life on a one-to-one basis regularly.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. Basic plans are in place to support the development of young people's independence skills. These plans need to be improved upon. Links have been made with the connexions service. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398386 Staff are able to discuss how they are attempting to enlist the support of additional external agencies to ensure support services are available for young people leaving the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is appropriately designed to meet the needs of the young people. Bedrooms are of a good size and are personalised. A number of repairs are necessary within the home to ensure that all of the young people have an equal care provision, such as the need for the main bathroom's shower to be fixed. Repairs that have been highlighted by the home's manager and needing completion by the maintenance team include some areas that could affect the safety of the young people, such as the lack of bathroom window restrictors. Risk assessments have been completed to decrease the risk in these areas. Young people have access to a large and pleasant garden and they have enjoyed creating a comfortable den within this.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a strong and well organised management and staff team who are able to assess and meet the needs of the young people well. Staff are supervised on a monthly basis and also meet as a team to discuss a range of issues regarding the young people and developments regarding the service. Young people state that they get on with the staff, who in turn are good role models for the young people. Relationships observed throughout the inspection show that staff have a very good awareness of the needs of the young people and attempt to ensure these are met to the best of their ability.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose and young people's guide give a clear picture of the provision and are updated on a regular basis. The Statement of Purpose includes a staffing policy. The home is appropriately staffed to meet the needs of the young people. The organisation's training department ensures that all staff have regular updates of basic courses including safeguarding and restraint. At least 80% of the staff have achieved the NVQ Level 3 in the Caring of Children and Young People.

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Organisation

There is a robust system for monitoring recordings and incidents within the home. This is achieved through a staff monitoring tool as well as the managerial regulation 34 monitoring procedures and external monitoring through the regulation 33 visitor. The manager ensures that any areas highlighted needing responding to are rectified in a timely fashion.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff promote positive views relating to diversity and there are good examples of where racism has been effectively challenged. The promotion of equality is discussed within young people's meetings and the home has a policy with regards to this area.

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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

7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398386 11 June 2010 ensure there is a behaviour management policy which sets out the use of all measures of control (Regulation 17.2) 30 June 2010 ensure all parts of the home are reasonably decorated and maintained. (Regulation 31.4)

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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): • ensure training in safeguarding and complaints is updated on a regular basis (NMS 17.3) • ensure there is a clear plan for young people who are preparing to leave care. (NMS 6.1) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398386

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