Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

SC396463 Unique reference number 2 July 2010 Inspection date David Morgan 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 8 Inspection Report: SC396463

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is located within walking distance of various bus links which provide easy access to the city centre with its wide range of amenities and facilities. The city has excellent rail links that can help promote contact. The home also offers ready access to a range of religious meetings places.

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Brief description of the service

The home was registered in June 2009 and is a modern detached four bedroomed property set on a corner plot. There is immediate access to a large park. The property is comfortably furnished and has toilets and bathing facilities on both floors. There is a communal lounge and separate dining room with a television, music system and internet linked computer. Each young person has their own bedroom. Currently two young people are living at the home and one was able to contribute to this inspection.

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Brief description of the service

The service provides short to long term care with therapy, if required. It has close links with two other nearby homes operated by the same organisation.

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Summary

This full unannounced inspection finds that the overall quality rating is good. All areas of care are considered. Excellent practice is demonstrated in several areas, including quality assurance and consultation with young people. Although there is no Registered Manager, the home operates well and outcomes for young people are good; this is to the credit of all concerned. Equality and diversity matters are also addressed well. The previous actions and recommendation have been completed. This inspection identifies one action and three recommendations, which aim to raise the standard of fire drills; consistency of admission procedures; development planning, and staff qualifications. 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

At the last inspection, three actions and one recommendation were made. Since then management ensure that new admissions have the correct paperwork or that it is obtained as soon as possible. This helps to be sure that staff are appropriately informed. Staff also receive appropriate training regarding the needs of young people, such as attention deficit disorder. Measures of control are now agreed by management before sanctions are applied; this helps to ensure they are appropriate and consistent.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people are encouraged and helped to stay healthy and avoid unhealthy activities. They are actively engaged in a wide range of activities that help them remain physically fit and are fully involved in planning and preparing a good range of meals. Meals are sociable occasions and good nutritional standards are maintained. Home cooking uses fresh produce and young people have access to fresh fruit. Individual health needs are identified and reflected in thorough health plans. Young people are routinely involved in their written records, which is an important part of keeping them interested in healthy living. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC396463 There are good links with health services that provide any specialist care that may be needed. Young people also receive written information from staff about how to stay well and how to access advice; this is good practice. Each young person has a dentist and doctor. When medicines

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Helping children to be healthy

are prescribed, they are kept and administered to a high standard. Additional issues are also well managed, such as when medication is passed to parents and ensuring it is appropriately recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people are protected well. In the first instance, there is a thorough recruitment process that helps to ensure only appropriate individuals are employed. Additional measures are used to check candidates understanding and attitudes. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding issues and apply their knowledge effectively. This means that issues such as being absent without authority, bullying, respecting privacy and physical interventions are minimised. Young people say: ‘Staff are really helpful and they do their best to help you; they keep you safe’. Young people consider that there are no infringements of their privacy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure that young people know how to make complaints. One young person said: ‘I’ve got two forms in my bedroom and I’d tell T if I had any problems’. Staff have contact with the police and with neighbours to help address and avoid difficulties arising outside the house. There are good records of complaints and other issues.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff routinely discuss incidents with young people afterwards to help avoid a repetition and also to inform new risk assessments. There are effective links with other agencies, such as the youth offending team, to ensure that dangerous behaviours are addressed in a consistent way. Paperwork is kept up to date and accurately reflects individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour primarily through effective engagement with staff. There are good relationships between staff and young people. Positive behaviour is acknowledged and rewarded, where appropriate. Physical interventions are minimal, which is good practice. Young people are made aware in advance of the steps staff will take to keep them safe. There is careful monitoring of the application of negative consequences to ensure they are necessary and relevant. Behaviour management processes, such as the reward process, are adapted to individual young people in order to engage them most effectively.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home provides young people with satisfactory levels of physical safety overall. There is effective checking and servicing of all the processes, such as food and fire safety. However, the fire safety risk assessment is in an inappropriate format and does not sufficiently address night-time practicalities. This shortfall increases the danger to staff and young people from fire although the overall risk remains low. Also, there is no assessment of ligature points, which is necessary to protect young people who may self-harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Individual support is always available because of the good staffing arrangements. These are supplemented by input from management and a wide range of other agencies, including mental health and therapeutic services. This individual support cross-references well with educational support. This is also personalised and includes training at home while young people are awaiting 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC396463 a school or other placement. Training at home includes recognised courses as well as in-house training in practical and life-skills. One young person reported that staff encourage them to take qualifications.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are able to pursue their particular interests and develop skills in a good range of new ones. These events are also used well by staff to address young people's personal, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Sport is a regular part of each young person’s weekly activity plan, as are trips for pleasure and recreation. Local cultural events are attended and days of religious significance are acknowledged. This helps to give young people a positive impression of diverse points of view.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people’s placement plans show in great detail how their needs will be met. Young people are regularly involved in their own placement plans and fully understand the main targets. They are routinely engaged in the decision-making process, too, with support if necessary. Strong monitoring ensures that the focus of care for each young person is maintained. Formal and informal opportunities are taken to explain and address issues, such as racism and sexual health, often by key workers.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This work links well to the direct work undertaken with some families and is in addition to young people's family contact. This is an important process that contributes significantly to positive long term outcomes for young people. Routine contact is also well supported within the boundaries set by placing authorities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Wherever possible, young people move into and leave the home in a planned and sensitive manner. Staff make a concerted effort to make new admissions welcome and provide new bedding and towels and ensure the bedroom is well-presented. However, records do not show that the admission procedures are followed, or the good practice occurs prior to admission. This means that admissions are potentially less effective than possible.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are also encouraged to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run at house meetings and key worker meetings. In addition, the organisation obtains the views of children and young people about broader issues via a youth counsel, which is good practice.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people are prepared well for independence and adulthood. Individual’s difficulties are addressed systematically and this contributes substantially to the ability of young people to become socially responsible adults. The service provides excellent opportunities for learning practical skills around the house. For example, young people are expected and supported to help with certain cleaning tasks, and are involved in kitchen duties too. Young people enjoy a comfortable home, decorated, furnished and maintained to a high standard. There is a good level of personal privacy, too. The property is an important contribution to helping young people feel valued and improving their self-esteem. There is a reasonable sized garden, which the staff have plans to develop with plants and for activities. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC396463

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The organisation provides specific training to staff on equality and diversity issues, which is good practice. Good processes are in place to address the inequalities faced by looked after young people, as indicated in this report. Staff are from a variety of cultural backgrounds and have conversations with young people about racial issues. Along with the direct care, this helps to give young people a positive impression of diversity. The current World Cup football tournament is being used to provoke conversations about other countries, and the same occurs during mealtimes. The location of the home means that young people access a wide variety of community events and facilities. Young people confirm that staff routinely discuss these issues with them.

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Organisation

The position of the organisation on equality and diversity is reflected in the Statement of Purpose and children’s guide. Young people receive a comprehensive guide to the service that also provides additional information. These discussions are adequately recorded in young people’s records. The records themselves are well presented and thorough. They are subject to an effective quality assurance process and show substantial input from young people, which is excellent practice.

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Organisation

The organisation has a particularly thorough and extensive monitoring procedure that includes monitoring of records. It operates at several levels throughout the year and involves the responsible individual, other managers and the home’s managers. Stakeholders, such as parents, are routinely consulted too. One recently reported on the good care provided to their child. There is close attention to detail and this is reflected in practice. A development plan is in place but does not yet identify how the service will improve because a manager is not yet in post. However, in the absence of a Registered Manager, the home is being effectively led by another manager and the deputy manager. A new manager has been appointed.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by an effective staff team who are themselves well supported. Staff meetings, supervision and appraisal meetings take place regularly. The team display a high level of competence although there are insufficient qualified staff. There is good continuity of staff over time and between shifts, which is a significant benefit to young people. Staffing levels themselves are high. The team benefit from a particularly strong training system that is operated centrally. Training is in place to ensure that staff can understand and deal with the various issues presented by 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

2 August 2010 ensure that unnecessary risks to the safety of children accommodated in the home are identified and so far as possible 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC396463 eliminated, with regard to risk assessing night-time fire safety measures and ligature points. (Regulation 23(c))

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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 the procedures for introducing children to the home are followed and that they are recorded (NMS 5.7) • ensure there is a minimum ratio of 80% of all care staff who have completed the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People or have similar qualifications (NMS 29.5) • ensure there is a written development plan for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes or confirming the continuation of the home's current operation and resourcing. (NMS 33.5) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC396463

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