Children's Home run by Right-Trak Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

SC394909 Unique reference number 11 May 2010 Inspection date Stephen Graham Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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4 November 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 7 Inspection Report: SC394909

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people aged between 10 years and 17 years old. The property is situated in a residential area within a short walking distance of a range of local amenities. There is easy access to public transport. Young people benefit from individual bedrooms, shared bathrooms, lounge, kitchen/dining room, as well as a large rear enclosed yard and patio.

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Summary

The purpose of this visit was to conduct a full unannounced inspection which examined all key national minimum standards. One new action was raised and four new recommendations made.

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Summary

Young people living at the home benefit from good levels of care. They are encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle and to eat healthily. The staff team receive good guidance and training to help them keep young people safe. However, not all of the staff team have completed all of the required training. Some of the records used to demonstrate that young people are cared for safely need to be completed in better detail. Young people are supported in their employment and education and are encouraged to give their views about how the home is run. The building provides a homely environment for young people to live in. The home is well organised and has a very well qualified and experienced staff team. The quality of care provided at the home is regularly monitored. 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

Six recommendations were made at the previous inspection visit. To help keep young people safe, the use of sanctions at the home has been reviewed. This helps to ensure that any measures used are relevant to the incident requiring a sanction. The system used for recruiting staff has been improved to effectively demonstrate that checks are completed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

To help ensure that children live in a home which is properly organised, the manager has improved the system used to monitor the quality of care provided to children. A clearer record is also kept of the monthly supervision provided to staff. Previous recommendations regarding the notification of significant events and some recording within the restraint log have not been fully implemented. These are re-stated in this report.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people receive good help from staff to meet their health needs. They are encouraged to be involved in menu choice. They can shop with staff and can prepare food as they choose. The food provided is varied and menus include healthy choices including examples of food from a variety of cultures. The staff team keep a good record of the food eaten by young people each day. This helps monitor and ensure that they are eating and drinking sufficiently. Young people spoke positively about how they are involved in menu choice. They confirm that they receive enough to eat and drink. Young people also gave very positive examples of the incentives staff use to encourage and support them choose a healthy lifestyle. 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC394909 The staff team are provided with regular training to ensure they can administer both medication and first aid treatment to young people safely. Some medication records do not contain sufficient

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Helping children to be healthy

detail to demonstrate that medication is disposed of safely when no longer needed. Young people confirm that they have access to the health services they need. Staff monitor and record young people's attendance at routine appointments and additional specialist health services. The manager and senior staff members also regularly monitor these health records. This helps to further ensure that young people are receiving the right help in meeting their health care needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. There are good arrangements in place to help make sure that children are cared for safely. Young people are aware of the purpose of their care records and can contribute to them. Staff receive guidance and training in record keeping and safe storage. Room checks take place, if this is necessary to help keep children safe. A record of these checks is kept, but these do not always indicate clearly that young people are aware that a check has taken place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Any visitors to the home are supervised by the staff team to ensure that all young people are safe. Thorough checks are completed on staff team members to ensure that they themselves are suitable to work with children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

To help keep children safe and protect them from abuse, safeguarding training is provided to all staff. Detailed guidance and reporting procedures are in place. In addition, detailed risk assessments are completed for each young person. There are clear procedures in place to use if young people are ever missing. These help to ensure that they are found and kept safe, as quickly as possible. Staff complete written reports following any absence, including all the known circumstances. However, some reports do not contain all of the details of the absence needed to help inform and minimise any future risks to children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people confirm that they feel safe living in the home and they can raise any concerns that they may have with staff. Young people also say that they know how to make a complaint if necessary. Training has been provided to help staff protect young people from bullying should it ever occur at the home. Training is also provided to staff in how to use physical restraint to keep children safe and in how to record any incidents that occur. Refresher training has been arranged and is imminent. However, some staff training is now out of date. Restraints are rarely necessary, however, when they have occurred, some records have not been completed in sufficient detail. There is also agreed guidance for staff to follow if sanctions are imposed. This helps ensure that the sanctions used are fair. The staff team use a range of incentives to help promote positive behaviour by young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff use risk assessments and health and safety checklists to ensure the home is a safe place for young people to live. Routine checks are undertaken on the safety equipment. The staff team are trained to know what to do if there is an emergency and they practice this regularly with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC394909 Young people living at the home receive good levels of close individual support. Young people confirm that they have regular discussions with their key workers about their progress and any help that they may need. The staff team provide each young person’s social worker with regular updates on their progress with their care plans. They also encourage and help young people to participate in a range of hobbies and interests in the local community.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff team also provide young people with good help in meeting their educational and employment needs and work closely with schools and employers to help achieve this. Daily travel arrangements are supported and school attendance is monitored to ensure that young people are participating fully. The staff team also liaise directly with teachers to ensure that young people can still complete their work even if their personal attendance at school is disrupted for any reason.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people each have an agreed care plan. The staff team maintain detailed records of the care and support they provide. This helps to demonstrate how the care plans are being followed. Young people are supported by staff to give their views on the care they receive. They are encouraged to attend the regular meetings to review their progress. Key workers prepare detailed written reports to help inform these meetings. The staff team also work closely with placing social workers to help ensure that when young people come to live at the home they are admitted safely. Young people describe very positively how staff had helped them to settle and feel welcome in their home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The arrangements for young people to maintain contact with their family and friends are discussed and agreed both with them and their placing social workers. A written agreement is completed to confirm the arrangements and the staff monitor and record contact as it occurs to help keep young people safe. Any concerns that may arise are reported promptly to placing social workers. Contact arrangements are then reviewed and modified as necessary.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people receive good support and encouragement to give their views about how the home is run. They can talk individually with their key worker and other staff team members at any time. Regular house meetings involving all young people take place. A good record is kept of the individual ideas and suggestions that young people have made, including those implemented.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The staff team help young people to practice the skills they will need to live successfully and independently when they are older. They provide good support in this and liaise with placing social workers to help ensure that written pathway plans are completed. They work to help ensure that young people receive good advice and support when moving towards independent living.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. It provides a homely environment for young people to live in. Young people receive good support to help them further personalise their own bedroom space. The staff team monitor the furniture, fittings and equipment at the home and work to ensure that the home remains both homely and safe. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC394909

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a Statement of Purpose which is regularly reviewed and updated. A young people's guide informs young people of the service they can expect. This also gives good detail of who to speak to if they need any further advice.

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Organisation

The staff team working at the home are well qualified and experienced in working with children and young people. Newly recruited staff members are provided with good induction training. The training needs of all staff are regularly monitored and discussed and they are encouraged to continue to add to their qualifications. Staffing levels at the home are good. These are regularly monitored and adjusted to help ensure that the needs of young people living at the home are met on a daily basis.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Guidance and training for staff working at the home helps to ensure this.

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Organisation

The manager has good systems in place to monitor the home's records and to create monthly reports and recommendations. Young people's files are well maintained and presented. They contain the information needed by staff to care successfully for young people.

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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

1 July 2010 ensure that each entry in the restraint log is completed in sufficient detail. (Regulation 17.4)

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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): • maintain a clear record of how medicines have been disposed of when each course of medication ceases (NMS 13.2) • ensure that room search records are completed in sufficient detail to demonstrate that young people are aware that a search has taken place (NMS 9.8) • ensure that the missing persons records include full details of each event (NMS 19.6) • ensure that all significant events occurring at the home are notified (NMS 20.1) • ensure that all staff receive training in the use of the permissible restraint measures outlined in the home’s policy. (NMS 22.8) 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC394909

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