Children's Home run by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in Blackburn with Darwen

SC360599 Unique reference number 6 August 2010 Inspection date Graham Robinson Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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22 January 2010 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: SC360599

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Brief description of the service

This adolescent support unit is one of a range of facilities provided for children and young people by the local council. The unit provides two main services. The first is to provide short- and long-term intensive community-based support. The second is to provide respite accommodation from Friday evenings to Tuesday mornings only. Both are purposely flexible to meet individual needs.

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Brief description of the service

Each young person accessing the service lives at home with parents or carers who retain overall responsibility for them. Therefore, not all young people fall into the category of being looked after. However, they all have an allocated social worker.

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Brief description of the service

The overall aim of the service is to maintain young people in their own communities and avoid the need for long-term residential care. It is only the respite service that is registered with Ofsted and is the focus of this inspection.

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Brief description of the service

The unit comprises of two semi-detached houses which have now been made into one. It has four bedrooms for young people as well as two staff sleep-in rooms. There is a lounge, dining room, kitchen and games room, as well as two bathrooms and two separate toilets. In addition, there is also a separate office and a meeting room.

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Brief description of the service

It is situated in a residential area and is accessible via the motorway. It is close to a main bus route and other local amenities. Places of worship for all denominations are within easy reach. Transport is provided by staff who are designated as essential car drivers.

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Summary

At this unannounced, full inspection all the key standards were inspected. This is a unique and outstanding service. The unit is well organised and works flexibly to meet the needs of young people. Young people understand the purpose of the unit, are consulted prior to services being offered and contribute positively to its ethos and working practices. As a result of this, challenging, disruptive or unsafe behaviour rarely occurs.

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Summary

The organisation and management of the unit are outstanding, underpinned by a highly motivated staff group, working with a combined sense of purpose and a team-centred approach. There has been little recent staff turnover which contributes towards the general stability of the unit and the consistency of practice achieved. A particular strength is the ability to provide flexible and reactive packages of support to young people and their families, based on their specific needs and circumstances.

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Summary

No actions or recommendations have been made as a result of this inspection. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding throughout the standards inspected.

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Summary

The unit has made progress since the previous inspection, significantly in the areas of positive contribution and economic wellbeing. Both have moved from good to outstanding. The outcomes noted as outstanding at the previous full inspection, have been maintained. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC360599

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Improvements since the last inspection

No actions or recommendations have been carried forward from the previous inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The health needs of young people are being promoted positively. The arrangements and responsibility for young people's health care remains with parents and carers, although the unit supports any ongoing health issues a young person may have. Appropriate health documentation taking account of a young person's health needs and history is in place. The unit has excellent links with a range of community-based services designed to promote good health, which impacts both practically and positively in some of the work undertaken with young people. Most staff are trained in dealing with health emergencies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Any prescribed medication brought to the unit by young people is stored securely in a locked medical cabinet. Appropriate records of any prescribed and non-prescribed medication administered are kept up to date and are properly maintained. Written consents for any health and dental care that may be required whilst a young person is attending the unit, are obtained.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people have no concerns and provide positive feedback regarding the choice and quality of food. They confirm they are consulted individually and collectively, allowing them to contribute towards the planning of menus. Information about food preferences and dietary needs is gathered and this is taken into account when meals are planned, prepared and served. There is a good mix of traditional and cultural dishes and young people have access to fresh fruit. Healthy eating is promoted positively and this is reflected in the record of meals served and with a variety of information displayed around the unit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Privacy is not an area of concern to young people. Each bedroom is single occupancy and is fitted with a privacy lock. Young people are provided with their own key for the duration of their stay. Bedrooms also contain a lockable facility to store valuables. Staff acknowledge the need for privacy and their working practices reflect this.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Whilst not testing it since the previous inspection, young people understand the complaints procedure and how to access it if necessary. Information is contained in the guidance provided to young people, with copies available in their bedroom. Young people speak positively about staff and are confident any issues or concerns they may have would be dealt with quickly and fairly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The safety and rights of staff and young people are protected. Since the previous inspection, no safeguarding issues have been raised as a direct result of any young person staying at the unit. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place and the unit has developed and maintains excellent links with other external agencies, charged with safeguarding responsibilities. All staff have received appropriate training in basic safeguarding matters, with some receiving training in more specialised areas. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC360599 Bullying is not an issue of concern to young people, but it remains an area that is discussed and monitored regularly. A variety of information about bullying is made available to young people, who confirm that staff are quick to intervene, should a situation arise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour management issues are not problematic in the unit. This is partially explained by having good levels of consultation and agreements with young people and their families, prior to overnight respite care being provided. This is reflected in the extremely low number of serious incidents, sanctions, physical interventions and incidents of young people missing from care. The structures and boundaries in place are accepted by young people, who view their respite time as being positive.

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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 that identify risks both in and away from the unit. They are reviewed and, if necessary, updated annually. Appropriate service contracts are in place for fire, gas and electrical equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive appropriate checks and clearances before they take up their duties. A system to re-check longer-serving staff every three years is in place. Recruitment procedures meet with current requirements and recognised good practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. A main purpose of respite care is to provide support to young people and their families with the intention of maintaining a young person's home base and where necessary, place of education. The flexible arrangements based purely on individual need are designed to achieve this. Underpinning this are the excellent links and working practices developed by the unit with other locally-based services.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Positive feedback from young people, staff and other professionals, along with documentation that highlights the areas of individual work undertaken, provides evidence of this. Whilst not directly responsible for providing or organising education, the unit works cohesively with educational establishments to promote and support young people educationally.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

As well as individual work with staff to address certain issues, young people are involved in planning and participating in a programme of meaningful activities. Leisure time is structured and well organised with young people taking part in variety of activities, many of which are community-based. Young people speak positively about the support they receive and the range of activities they are involved with.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The unit's planning documentation is produced in a unique format, reflecting the service provided. Initial referral documentation linked with others produced when respite commences, provides an excellent insight into the individual needs of young people along with the plans and strategies designed to meet them. For example, a number of the documents used such as individual target plans, are now being completed in more depth and include greater detail than previously reported. Personal likes and dislikes, cultural and religious needs are accounted for. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC360599 Statutory reviews take place regularly for the minority of young people categorised as looked after. Young people confirm they are well supported by staff and have appropriate understanding of the reviewing process. Relevant records and minutes of past reviews are retained on a young person's file.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Good levels of contact are maintained with parents, carers and other professionals, with thorough records of all contact being kept up to date.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people speak positively about the way they were consulted and introduced to respite care. For most it is a planned progression to supplement the community support being provided. The procedures in place to receive young people into the unit are good. Young people are welcomed and appropriate information is readily available to those visiting for the first time. Young people feel staff deal well with admissions and are satisfied with the procedures in place.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consultation between staff and young people is an ongoing process immediately a young person arrives at the unit. More formalised systems, such as young people's meetings, take place regularly. There is also a secure box where young people can make suggestions, privately if they wish. The consultation processes adopted by the unit are outstanding and this is underpinned by positive feedback received from a number of social workers who have young people attending the unit. Positive relationships were observed between staff and young people.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. Young people experiencing overnight care only do so for short periods and bring their own clothes and personal requisites with them. Pocket money and savings are the responsibility of parents and carers, although the cost of activities undertaken is covered from unit funds.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The unit is bright, clean and tidy and the standard of repair, fixtures, fittings, décor, furnishings and equipment has been judged as outstanding. A number of areas have benefitted from being decorated since the previous inspection, providing a more welcoming environment. Bathrooms and toilets are modern and have working privacy locks in place. Young people speak positively about staying in the unit saying they are comfortable and well looked after. They are at ease within their surroundings.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The Statement of Purpose, revised and updated recently, meets with regulatory requirement and provides an accurate insight into ethos and functioning of the unit. Young people are given access to a comprehensive guide which provides information and an accurate assessment of the service. The guide includes a newly introduced version of the units Statement of Purpose, now produced in a child-friendly version.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. Individual needs for young people and their families are identified and addressed positively. Equality and diversity values are incorporated into the ethos and working practices adopted by the unit, which are fully supported by a diverse staff team. Evidence within the unit is plentiful to support this view, with photographs, displays and a variety of documentation available. For example, the entrance hall has a multi-lingual welcome sign and a comments tree that provides an opportunity for people 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC360599 to post their thoughts and views about the unit. Another example of outstanding practice occurred last year, where staff and young people organised and ran a cultural awareness day.

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Organisation

Staff are well supported with staff meetings, formal supervision and appraisal taking place consistently, within the recommended timescale. The staff group are experienced and highly motivated, continuing to work flexibly to meet the diverse needs of young people and the services provided. There are excellent opportunities for training to take place and all staff have either completed or about to complete National Vocational Qualifications. Professional development is documented in personal development plans which are in place for each staff member.

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Organisation

This is a unique service that requires dedication, excellent organisation and the need for staff to work together with a team-centred approach, for the outstanding standards noted previously, to be maintained. The manager and staff have been able to do so, with outstanding feedback received about the service, along with the evidence accumulated during the inspection process, showing that this has been achieved.

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Organisation

There are excellent systems in place to monitor the unit both internally and externally. These monitoring exercises are carried out consistently, within the required timescale. Monitoring reports are thorough and contain strong elements of quality assurance.

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Organisation

Young people's case files embrace the five Every Child Matters outcomes. They are kept up to date with evidence of regular monitoring taking place.

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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

There are no recommendations. 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC360599

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