Children's Home run by Choices 4 Children Limited in Lancashire

SC400880 Unique reference number 9 July 2010 Inspection date Helen Walker Inspector Key Type of 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: SC400880

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Brief description of the service

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people of either gender, who are aged from four to 17 years. The home provides care for children with learning disabilities.

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Brief description of the service

The property is a converted farmhouse, set in 13 acres of grounds. It is located in a semi-rural area, but is within easy reach of shops, schools, public transport and various leisure and community facilities.

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Brief description of the service

There are four bedrooms on the first floor for young people in addition to their own bathroom. There are separate facilities and sleeping arrangements for staff members. On the ground floor there is an open-plan lounge and dining room, conservatory, kitchen and a staff office. An enclosed garden with play equipment is situated to the rear of the home.

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Brief description of the service

There were three young people living in the home at the time of the inspection. All talked to the inspector.

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Summary

At this full, unannounced inspection, the key national minimum standards in the all outcome areas were considered. The actions and recommendations made at the previous inspection were followed up and the outcome of them noted in the improvement section of this report.

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Summary

The home provides a good level of care to young people who use this service. Young people's health needs are positively promoted and a healthy lifestyle is encouraged. The staff understand the need to keep young people safe from harm. They are fully aware of the action to take in the event of a concern or allegation in relation to the welfare of a young person.

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Summary

Staff are supportive, caring and have a good understanding about young people's individual care needs. The home environment is relaxed and welcoming. Some of the young people have limited communication abilities. However, the staff take time to listen, support and encourage them to give their views.

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Summary

Education is part of the daily routine of the home and is considered an important aspect of young people's lives. Liaison between staff and young people's schools and colleges is very good.

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Summary

Two actions and two recommendations to ensure the young people's welfare is fully promoted have been made in relation to the following matters: the monthly visitor's report does not currently meet regulations or give a full overview to report on how the home is running; staff receive safeguarding training but this is not specific to young people with disabilities; bathrooms are in poor condition although the manager confirms there is a planned programme of refurbishment; although some young people are able to contribute to their placement plan the staff do not readily involve them with this. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880

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Improvements since the last inspection

The majority of the actions and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Risk assessments detail how identified risks will be reduced or eliminated so that staff have clear strategies to manage young people's behaviour. The manager monitors records of the home to identify any areas where action needs to be taken to improve the running of the home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have undertaken fire prevention training and are aware of fire safety in the home. Employment records evidence that all required information, including employment history, is obtained prior to staff working in the home. Young people have regular house meetings which give them a forum to express their views. An independence plan now enables young people to have aims and goals in relation to adulthood and leaving care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Young people's care plans show how the staff care for them on a day-to-day basis. Bedroom and bathroom doors have suitable locks which allow young people to maintain their privacy. A deputy manager has been appointed to act in the absence of the manager.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Working arrangements for night shift duty are acceptable to staff. Most staff have a relevant childcare qualification and have worked at the home for a period of 18 months or more. They have a good understanding of the young people's needs and are competent to care for them. On-call arrangements are in place for the manager or responsible individual to take on sleep-in night duty shifts. This is in the event of staff being disturbed during the night due to young people's behaviour.

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Improvements since the last inspection

An action and a recommendation made at the last inspection in respect of bathroom facilities and the monthly visitor's report remain outstanding.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people enjoy healthy and nutritious meals in the home and their food preferences are known to staff. Staff understand the importance for young people to have a good choice of well-balanced meals so that they have a varied and healthy diet. Snacks such as fresh fruit are plentiful and available for young people to help themselves. Staff encourage young people to learn skills such as preparing food or setting the dining table. Young people said they recently enjoyed helping to make sausage and mash for tea. Young people's safety in the kitchen is fully considered and tasks are appropriate for their age and understanding.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has a suitably furnished dining area. This gives young people the opportunity to sit at the dining table and have meals in a social environment with the other young people and staff. Young people also talk of visits to restaurants and cafes for meals in the company of staff and other young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff positively promote the young people's good health. Contact with various health professionals provide young people with access to specialist services, for example, the chiropodist and community health nurse. All young people are registered with local health services so that their routine health needs are met. Health plans show young people's more specific health needs are very well-considered and that staff are aware of how to meet them. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880 Staff follow procedures for administrating and storing medicines in the home. Medication is securely stored and records are monitored to confirm appropriate practices are in place. This helps to ensure medication is handled and administered properly. Staff are qualified to administer first aid treatment as needed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Good systems are in place so that young people's privacy and confidentiality is respected in the home. For example, staff knock on bedroom doors before entering and ensure young people have privacy when using the bathroom facilities. Young people have an individual bedroom which provides them with their own personal space.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of the need to keep young people safe. They receive training and are familiar with safeguarding guidance which helps to protect the young people from harm. However, staff have yet to undertake more specific safeguarding training to support them in their role of caring for children with disabilities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures are in place for any complaint to be dealt with appropriately. There have been no complaints made since the last inspection. Staff have a good awareness about how the young people express their feelings, which is important as some of the young people who use this service have limited communication abilities. Agencies, such as advocacy, health and education, are involved with the young people, which allows for their well-being to be considered by people independent of the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying is not an issue and no young people have been missing from the home. Young people say they sometimes have disagreements with the other young people but there is no bullying. Staffing levels provide young people with supervision appropriate to their individual needs, which minimises the risk of young people going missing from the home, as well as protecting them from bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff help young people to develop socially acceptable behaviours. Incentives to encourage young people to achieve and be respectful to others are part of everyday life in the home. Incentives include opportunities for trips to the seaside, theme parks and also more local events. The manager monitors records and staff practice, to help to ensure staff manage young people's behaviour positively and fairly. Records show no physical interventions and few sanctions have occurred since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home environment is well-maintained with systems in place for health and safety checks to be carried out. Young people and staff are aware of the fire evacuation procedures and know what to do in the event of a fire in the home. Risk assessments are on file and familiar to staff. These cover the relevant areas of risk in the home and also individual risks associated with the young person, for example, use of the play equipment and safety in the kitchen.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Recruitment and employment checks are carried out by the provider to verify staff are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880 Young people receive good support from staff. All staff take on responsibility to support and meet the needs of the young people. Staff understand young people's individual needs and use information from their care plans to inform them in their work and to provide good care. Staff encourage appropriate social friendships and at the time of the inspection all the young people were eager to attend the weekly visit to the local youth club.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is actively promoted by staff. All young people attend school or college on a full-time basis to enable them to attain to their educational potential. Staff consider education to be an important part of a young person's life. Additionally, they promote young people's learning through play and activities with visits to settings outside the home, for example, the science museum. This enables young people to develop their skills and knowledge in the wider community. Staff have established good links with teaching staff. The use of 'home to school' books means staff have an overview of what the young person has done during the school day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home has facilities to support the young people's learning, such as books, board games and quiet areas in the house. Young people have a computer in the home with internet access and can use this for homework or in leisure time. Internet safety is well-considered. The external area of the home provides good open space to play ball games and there is plenty of outdoor play equipment such as, football nets, trampoline, bicycles and climbing frame.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people's care plans contain information relating to their individual care needs. These are linked to aims and goals of the placement which show the progress of young people's care. Staff present are knowledgeable and aware of the plans and their implementation. However, there is nothing to show how young people are involved or made aware of their care plans.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Information from young people shows staff listen to them. Staff consult with the young person in a meaningful way prior to a review to obtain their views about the placement. Written outcomes of review meetings are well documented and outline staff responsible for taking actions. This enables a young person's care plan to be updated and the suitability of the placement considered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff enable young people to make choices about contact with family and friends, in line with their care plans. Staff actively promote contact so that young people continue to have positive links with those that are important to them outside of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Admissions to the home are usually planned and wherever possible involve a visit by the young person to meet staff, young people and see the home. Young people who leave care from this home tend to continue to have support into their adult life. Staff work with young people for them to have a planned ending to their placement in the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are asked their opinions about issues that affect their daily life and future. This includes their views about aspects of the running of the home such as, menus and activities. Young people said it is, 'fun living here, food is good'. They look forward to the resident's meetings, which give them a forum to have their say about a range of issues. Young people personalise their bedrooms with their choice of wallpaper and bedding. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880 Staff listen to the young people to make the accommodation more homely, for example, young people who prefer a smaller bedroom have the option to change from a larger one. This level of consultation helps to improve young people's quality of life.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people are well supported to develop practical living skills appropriate to their age and understanding. Staff help young people to participate in activities that are part of everyday life at the home, such as tidying their bedroom, washing crockery and shopping.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Each young person has an independence plan which outline tasks and goals to help them as they move towards leaving care. For example, staff encourage young people to learn to fasten buttons and zips.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is a large farmhouse type property. Parts of the land that surround the house are enclosed and provide a secure garden and play area for the young people. A very good selection of suitable outdoor play equipment and a patio area are available to the young people.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home environment is comfortably furnished with recent decoration and furnishings in the lounge area. However, the bathroom facilities and decoration show signs of wear and tear. The manager confirms a programme of refurbishment for the bathrooms to bring them up to the required standard.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a Statement of Purpose which has been reviewed and is up to date. A young people's guide to the home sets outs the routines and care staff provide. This information is in written and pictorial form. Recent photographs of the home provide young people with an accurate view of the accommodation and facilities. Young people and their parents are offered the guide prior to admission which ensures that they can make an informed choice about the home.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Male and female staff care for the young people and take the opportunity to improve their life chances, particularly through support in education and health. Disability is not seen as a barrier in providing young people with experiences available to others.

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Organisation

Young people are well cared for by a staff team who have a good understanding of their needs and follow plans to enable these to be met. The majority of staff have a relevant childcare qualification with access to ongoing training to increase their competency and skills. This includes training in valuing diversity and in autism. Staff meetings occur on a regular basis and discuss the work of the home and care of the young people.

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Organisation

There are appropriate staffing levels in the home to supervise and take account of the young people's known needs. At this time there is consistency of care with a permanent staff team employed. With the exception of a recently employed staff member, all have worked at the home for over 18 months. A deputy manager is employed to support and cover in the absence 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880 of the manager. Staff consider they are properly supported by management in their work with the young people.

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Organisation

Systems are in place to monitor the performance of the home. They include the manager monitoring the necessary records and monthly visits to the home by the responsible individual. However, the manager and responsible individual jointly complete the monthly report which does not provide a clear overview of how the home is running.

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Organisation

Young people's progress is appropriately and permanently documented. Records are securely stored and contain good evidence of young people's history and development.

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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 July 2010 ensure a monthly unannounced visit is carried out by the provider and an individual written report prepared on all the areas set out in the regulation (Regulation 33) 16 August 2010 ensure staff working in the home receive appropriate training to meet the needs of children living in the home, in particular that of safeguarding relevant to children with disabilities. (Regulation 27.4)

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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): • seek the views of individual children on the content and implementation of their placement plan (2.5) • ensure the bathrooms are decorated and furnished to a good standard. (NMS 24 & 25) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC400880

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