Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

SC032697 Unique reference number 9 June 2010 Inspection date Stephen Graham Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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24 September 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 8 Inspection Report: SC032697

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Brief description of the service

The home provides long-term residential care for six young people of either sex, aged from 10 to under 18 years of age. One of the places is reserved for an emergency placement. The home is a two storey property and is within a short walking distance of a range of local amenities. Young people benefit from individual bedrooms, shared bathrooms, a lounge, kitchen, dining room and study room as well as a large enclosed rear garden.

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Summary

The purpose of this visit was to conduct a full unannounced inspection which examined all key national minimum standards.

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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, some records need to be completed in better detail to demonstrate how staff keep young people safe. Young people are supported in their employment and education and are encouraged to give their views about how the home is run. Young people are directly involved by staff in choosing furnishings and equipment and make suggestions about how the home is decorated and presented. The building provides a homely environment for young people to live in. When damage occurs to the home the staff team respond promptly and work quickly to repair it. The home is well organised and has well qualified and experienced staff members. The quality of care provided at the home is regularly monitored.

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Summary

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

To help keep young people safe, room search records have been improved to clearly indicate that the young person is aware that a search has occurred and the reasons for it. The staff team also ensure that any instances of bullying occurring at the home are recorded in the bullying log. The restraint log has been improved to include the duration of any restraint undertaken. However, the recommendation that missing person records include sufficient detail as to why social workers have chosen not to speak to young people following an absence has not been fully met. Therefore, the previous recommendation is re-stated in this report.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people living at the home receive good help from staff to meet their health needs. They are encouraged to be involved in menu choice by the staff and the cook. One young person described how the staff, ‘ask us what we like and advise us’. The food provided is varied. Menus include healthy choices and examples of food from different cultures. However, the record of the food eaten by young people is not always completed in sufficient detail to help demonstrate they are eating and drinking sufficiently. Positively, young people themselves confirmed that they receive enough to eat and drink. The staff team encourage and support young people to access a range of healthy activities such as swimming and attending a local gym. The staff team also encourage them in choosing a healthy lifestyle and regularly organise trips out to the countryside for walks and activities. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697

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Helping children to be healthy

The staff team are provided with regular training to ensure that they administer both medication and first aid treatment to young people safely. Young people living at the home confirmed that they have access to the health services that they need. The staff team have good links with a broad range of local health services and help young people in their attendance at routine appointments as well as with any additional specialist health services they may require. One health professional described how staff, ‘encourage and support the young person to access appropriate services and professionals’. The manager at the home also monitors health records to help 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. There is guidance and training for staff about how these records should be written and kept safely stored. Room checks take place, if this is necessary, to help keep children safe. The staff team keep a clear record of any checks that have been necessary and their outcomes.

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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 when visitors are present. 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 also in place. Detailed risk assessments are completed for each young person living at the home. However, in one example the assessment in place required updating. There are clear procedures in place which are used if young people are ever missing. These help to ensure that they are found and kept safe as quickly as possible. Written reports are completed following any absence, including all the known circumstances. However, some reports do not contain confirmation as to whether children have been spoken to by an independent person or their own social worker following their return to the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people confirmed that they can talk to staff if they ever are unhappy. They also said that the staff team help them learn about how to keep safe. One described how they were ‘always getting advice’ about this. Training has been provided to help staff protect young people from bullying. 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. However, some records of these incidents are not completed in sufficient detail as they do not always record the time the event occurred. There is agreed guidance for staff to follow if sanctions are imposed. The staff team regularly 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

Risk assessments and health and safety checklists are used by staff to help ensure that the home is a safe place for young people to live in. 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. However, the records maintained of the fire drills provided do not indicate whether any have been held at night.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 Young people living at the home receive good levels of close individual support. They have regular discussions with their key workers about their progress and any help that they may need. Social workers visiting the home describe how they are provided with regular updates on the progress made with young people regarding their care plans. The staff team also encourage and help young people to participate in a range of hobbies and interests in the local community. One professional with links with the home described very positively how: ‘Young people are consulted on what activities they wish to take part in. Funding is secured from a variety of streams to encourage young people to take part in positive activities. Staff encourage the young people to access the gym and other recreational interests.'

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people also receive good help in meeting their educational and employment needs and the staff team work closely with schools, employers and local educational and employment initiatives to help achieve this. Daily travel arrangements are supported where possible and school attendance is monitored. If arrangements are disrupted for any reason, staff work to engage young people in a programme of educational activities at the home as a short-term alternative. The home has its own education room which helps young people with their school and college work through the good space, resources and equipment it provides. Young people themselves were able to confirm that they felt they have enough space and are given enough help and resources to help them do their school and college work.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people living at the home each have an agreed care plan. The staff team work closely with placing social workers and provide them with regular updates of the progress being made with each care plan and the outcomes being achieved by young people themselves. Young people are encouraged by staff both to give their views on the care they receive and to attend the regular meetings arranged to review their progress in person. Key workers record the views expressed by young people and use these to help 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.

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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 by the staff at the home. 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, with arrangements reviewed and modified as necessary.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people receive regular support and encouragement to give their views about how the home is run. House meetings are arranged and all young people are encouraged to attend these and to give their views. A record is kept of these meetings and the individual ideas and suggestions that young people have made; records also describe how their good ideas have been implemented.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The staff team provide young people with good support to help them practice some of the skills they will need to live successfully and independently when they are older. They liaise with 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 placing social workers and staff from leaving care services. Written pathway plans are completed to help young people prepare for 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 furnish their bedrooms in a style they enjoy and to 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.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a Statement of Purpose which is regularly reviewed and updated. However, some of the information it contains, particularly with regard to admissions procedures, needs to be updated to ensure it remains accurate. There is a young people's guide which is clearly presented. It contains good information which helps young people understand how the service is provided and who to speak to if they need any further advice.

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Organisation

The staff team working at the home are very experienced in working with children and young people and are well qualified. The ongoing training needs of all staff are reviewed regularly. They are encouraged to continue to attend a variety of additional training events and to add to their current childcare qualifications. Staffing levels 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 help to ensure this.

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Organisation

The manager and senior staff use the systems put in place to help monitor the home's records and to create monthly reports and recommendations. Young people's files are very well organised, 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 October 2010 ensure that the record of the use of restraint is completed in full detail on each occasion and includes the time the event occured. (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): 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697 • ensure that the record of menus (as served) demonstrates the provision of a suitable and varied diet (NMS 10.4) • ensure that young people are seen by someone independent of the home following any absence without consent. Where this is not possible, record the reasons and agree these with the placing authority (NMS 19.4) • ensure that the risk assessments used during any emergency admissions are specific to the home (NMS 26.2) • ensure that the fire drill record includes an indication of any fire drills held at night (NMS 26.8) • provide an accurate description within the Statement of Purpose of the facilities available at the home to admit young people in an emergency. (NMS 1.1) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC032697

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