Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Herefordshire

SC062223 Unique reference number 1 June 2010 Inspection date Dawn Taylor Inspector Key Type of Inspection

p.1

16 February 2010 Date of last inspection .

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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: SC062223

p.3

Brief description of the service

This home provides seven places for young people of either gender aged from 11 up to the age of 17. Young people admitted to the home have significant care needs and behaviour problems. Young people are able to attend mainstream education but the majority of those placed attend the company's registered school based on the same site. This children's home is in a large detached property surrounded by spacious grounds on the outskirts of a small town.

p.4

Summary

This inspection was a full, unannounced inspection visit. The outcome groups relating to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, positive contribution, economic well-being and organisation were assessed.

p.4

Summary

This home has been judged as good. The outcome groups relating to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, positive contribution and organisation are judged to be good. Economic well-being is judged to be satisfactory.

p.4

Summary

Young people were present during the inspection and participated in the inspection process.

p.4

Summary

The service provided at this home continues to develop and strengthen. The Registered Manager's enthusiasm for driving the service forward is resulting in a cohesive staff team who work effectively to identify and meet young people's needs. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

There were no actions or recommendations made at the last inspection.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people continue to receive good healthcare and support that meets their needs and promotes healthy living. Health education is addressed in school, key worker sessions and through notice board displays in the home. There is a clear commitment to developing young people's awareness of being healthy and living a lifestyle which will improve their chances of good health in adulthood. The Registered Manager is proactively involving outside agencies, such as the fire department, to enhance education on key topics.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The home's staff work effectively and creatively with the company's therapy team. In addition, young people have access to music and art therapists through education. The therapy team are available to young people and the staff team and attend staff meetings on a regular basis where they provide valued support and insight. They are also due to run child development and key worker training for all staff.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are effectively assessed, identified and met. They are clearly set out in individual healthcare plans. These ensure staff are knowledgeable about individual's needs. Young people confirm staff use every opportunity to engage them in discussions about 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC062223 health and social issues. Staff are enabled to do this because they receive appropriate training, which includes first aid, drug awareness and the safe handling and storage of medication, which helps them learn about safe administration practices.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Safeguarding practice and strategies continue to be strengthened. The staff team at this service support a challenging group of young people who at times present high risks. The Registered Manager is actively working in partnership with other agencies and is proactive in monitoring patterns and trends of behaviours to ensure the home can meet individual's needs.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff team are knowledgeable and their working practice reflects the home's established policies and procedures. Young people and staff are confident in the systems in place to promote privacy, enable young people to complain, safeguard young people's welfare and manage unauthorised absences.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff receive training with the Local Safeguarding Children Board on an ongoing basis. The Registered Manager has completed level two and level three training. This continues to be supplemented by the company's own computer-based course, 'Foundation for Growth', which all members of staff have to complete. This increases staff's competence in dealing with allegations of abuse and helps ensure young people's welfare is protected.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are actively encouraged to improve their awareness and understanding about how to keep themselves safe and to develop strategies for improving behaviour and coping with difficult situations. Since the last inspection the use of physical intervention and consequences are consistently low but incidents of unauthorised absence have increased. The Registered Manager has been supported by the organisation in addressing and resolving any concerns.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Fire safety precautions, such as fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are in place and the manager ensures regular checks are made of this equipment to ensure young people are protected in an emergency. Young people are regularly involved in fire escape practices so that they know how to leave the premises quickly and safely. Risk assessments are comprehensive and regularly reviewed and audited by the home. All staff are appropriately trained in health and safety matters.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is careful selection and vetting of staff prior to them working in the home. For example, the sample of staff files evidence that all the matters set out in Schedule 2 of the Children's Homes Regulations have been met. This ensures that the young people are protected from people who are not suitable to work in the home.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All young people continue to receive good individualised support. Young people identified as having particular needs receive help, guidance and support when needed or requested, for example music lessons and access to specialist medical consultants. Young people felt that if they expressed an interest in an activity staff would support them to access it. Staff contribute positively towards helping young people to develop their maturity and raising their self-esteem 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC062223 through key worker meetings and day-to-day discussions. Staff recognise the inter-dependence between health needs, educational achievement and social experiences. Staff focus and emphasis is on better outcomes for young people and balancing safeguarding issues with developing independence skills. However, young people have DVDs and games that are certified as suitable only for over 18s. This gives young people access to material that is not appropriate to their

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Educational support for young people is good. Young people at the home will generally access education at the company's school, based on site. Individuals may also access local mainstream schools or other education provision. There is regular contact between staff at the home and education staff. Young people attending the organisation's school have a daily education report where points are earned. Staff are positive in their approach to education and its value for young people. The education of the young people is promoted and all young people attend school. Educational information is retained on the young people's files and ensures that staff have relevant educational information.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people are able to make meaningful contributions to their current placement and future through placement plans, review meetings and regular key worker sessions. The success of these systems in meeting individual's needs is monitored by the Registered Manager in supervision, staff team meetings and Regulation 34 visits.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people confirm that they are given good support when they move into the home. Staff are aware of their role and responsibilities and are sensitive to each young person's needs and circumstances. Each young person entering the home is given a welcome booklet, which tells them what services they can expect from the home and how they will be cared for. Young people stated that they found staff, 'informative, helpful and approachable', when they first arrived, which helped them settle in.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged to participate and share their views and opinions about any aspect of the support and care they receive. The home promotes consultation with young people and they regularly participate in key worker meetings, which ensure their individual needs are identified and met.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Positive contact with family is strongly promoted by the staff team who are proactive in making practical arrangements such as transport. These arrangements are well understood by the young people and all outcomes of contact are fully recorded in their files. Young people felt that staff on the whole are, 'sensitive when supervising contact', and good at helping young people present their views to social workers about contact arrangements.

p.6

Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. The promotion of economic well-being is satisfactory. Staff have in place a suitable programme to help prepare young people for leaving care. Young people's placement plans give a focus on developing life skills and staff are able to adequately assess immediate needs and also help young people to understand the longer-term future beyond care. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC062223 The standard of this accommodation is satisfactory, providing a clean living environment. Ongoing refurbishment, redecoration and general maintenance ensure that young people are provided with a comfortable place to live. Extensive work to the outside of the building demonstrates the organisation's commitment to improving quality. It is a large detached house set in spacious grounds, and provides ample space for communal and individual activity, for young people to be creative, and for relaxation. Staff work hard to make it feel homely but

p.6

Achieving economic wellbeing

décor and furnishings are tired and have suffered from damage caused by the young people.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

All young people have their own bedrooms with lockable doors. Young people have personalised their own space with pictures, posters and photographs. However, some rooms need decorating and have ill-fitting curtains, broken equipment and furniture. Staff sleep-in arrangements are appropriate and adequate but rooms have been used for storage of old and broken furniture.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

The Registered Manager is aware of shortfalls and the home's annual development plan identifies actions required to improve the standard of accommodation.

p.7

Organisation

The organisation is good. The Statement of Purpose and children's guide clearly set out what care the home will provide and how this will be provided. Both documents are presented in a form that is easily understood by young people and families. They include all information required by Schedule 1 of The Children's Homes Regulations.

p.7

Organisation

Young people state that a key strength of the service, 'is the staff team and in particular a number of experienced members, who are good at listening and sorting situations out'.

p.7

Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Specific needs relating to the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of young people are considered when drawing up individual care plans. Staff receive training that helps them to understand the company's policies. This is linked to the legislation relating to equality and diversity and helps staff to develop professionally.

p.7

Organisation

Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. There are systems in place to ensure levels of accountability in the absence of the Registered Manager. The staff team are working towards a target to achieve 80% of staff who have the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. New staff complete an induction programme and are subject to probationary periods to ensure that they are competent for their role. Young people receive care and support from experienced staff who are able to access relevant training to meet their needs.

p.7

Organisation

Young people's individual case files are reviewed regularly and kept up to date. They are confidentially stored and are arranged in a manner that makes them readily useable by staff and yet accessible to young people. Young people are fully aware that they can have access to their records and confirm that staff support them to look at their files and make comments on daily records. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC062223

p.7

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.

p.8

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure the home is decorated and furnished to a standard that creates a pleasant domestic environment, appropriate to the number, gender mix, disability, age, culture and ethnic background of the young people being accommodated (NMS 24.2) • ensure videos, games consoles and computer games are watched/played only by children of the intended age range. No home shall have any videos or games certified as suitable only for over 18s. (NMS 15.8) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC062223

p.8