Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children's Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

SC398480 Unique reference number 1 July 2010 Inspection date Andrew Hewston Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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23 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: SC398480

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Brief description of the service

The home is set up to accommodate up to four young people aged between 12 and 17 in a large detached property that has pleasant views over the locality. The staff team cares for young people from a range of backgrounds, including young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

Each young person has their own room and one of the rooms is set up to help young people develop independence skills. The home has a large communal lounge, two smaller lounge areas and an education room. There is also a pleasant large kitchen and a dining room that is regularly used.

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Summary

This was an unannounced key inspection. It focused on the key standards under each of the Every Child Matters outcome groups, plus organisation. It followed up on recommendations made at the last key inspection. All young people were spoken to during the inspection.

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Summary

The inspection shows that young people are very well cared for by a committed and enthusiastic staff team. Recordings show that staff have a strong awareness of the needs of the young people and how these can be supported. Young people are consulted on all areas that affect their levels of care. Robust and well known recording systems help to show that the care given to the young people is of a high standard. Young people are confident and open about the care that they receive and are very positive about this in the majority of cases. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last inspection of the home highlighted three recommended areas to develop good practice. All of these areas have been appropriately responded to. Appropriate health plans are now in place and placement plans give an excellent picture of the needs of the young people and how these are to be met. Contact arrangements are clear within placement plans.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The home ensures that young people's health is prioritised throughout their placement. All young people have very good health plans that highlight specific areas of need, linked to how these are being worked with. This planning promotes the development of a healthier lifestyle for the young people. Staff support and record young people's attendance at appointments with health professionals ensuring any health issues are responded to. Young people are fully supported by a range of professionals both within the organisation and externally. Sufficient staff are trained in the use of first aid to respond to incidents involving the young people. Information relating to specific health issues is available for the young people within the home, either through staff or on a notice board.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication is appropriately stored and administered within the home. Some staff have not completed training in medication administration, but there are sufficient staff that have 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 completed this to meet the needs of the young people. Medical advice is sought relating to none prescribed medication to ensure that it meets the needs of the young people sufficiently. Weekly medication audits are completed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Young people are kept safe within the home through robust systems and a caring staff team.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Privacy arrangements for young people are appropriate. Young people have private access to the home's telephone in addition to their own mobile phones in the majority of cases. Staff respect young people's privacy within their own rooms and where room searches are completed these are fully recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are aware of how to make a complaint to the staff team if they are unhappy. Information regarding complaints is within young people's handbook and through key working meetings. When complaints are made they are fully responded to and recorded. Young people state that they do not normally use the formalised system due to their confidence in the staff team, because "staff normally sort stuff out if you are unhappy". This is done either through key worker meetings or the weekly young people's meetings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Arrangements are in place to support the safeguarding of young people. Information relating to the local safeguarding board is available and the referral process is known by staff through training. Staff are seen to support young people effectively where safeguarding concerns are raised, through structured staff interventions and multidisciplinary meetings. Young people state that the home is a safe place to live in.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has information available for young people and staff with regard to bullying behaviour and how this is responded to. Young people state that bullying is not a problem within the home and that staff respond to problems between individuals. Systems are in place to respond to young people that absent themselves from the home without permission. Reporting protocols are in place and have been developed with consultation with the local police. This ensures that young people's safety is supported while decreasing any perception of wasted police time. All incidents of absence without permission are recorded within a dedicated system and includes thorough discussions with the young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff promote positive behaviour both within the home and outside. Young people receive praise and rewards in response to highlighted good behaviours. A sanctions and restraint system is robust with regard to incidents of negative behaviours. Young people are aware of their expected behaviour and state that when they have been involved with either restraints or sanctions that they have been fair and appropriately applied. All staff are trained in the use of behaviour management techniques and receive refresher training on a regular basis. Detailed behaviour management plans are in place to ensure that behaviours are responded to in a consistent manner by the staff. All recordings of behaviour management are fully completed and referenced within the home's records as well as individual files.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are kept safe through thorough risk assessments of areas that they are involved in, including activities and areas around the home. Health and safety checks are completed on a regular basis and fire safety checks and drills are in line with expected timescales. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 The organisation’s staff recruitment checks were inspected on the 10 May 2010 and show that there are robust procedures in place that ensure the safety of the young people. All checks as required under the regulations are appropriately carried out. Where issues have arisen these are discussed within the recruitment process, responded to and recorded. Checks against the ‘disqualification for caring for children regulations’ are also completed as part of recruitment procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people are supported through a good range of highly individualised plans. Different professionals, both internal to the organisation and externally, work to support the young people. Young people have access to an independent visitor and young people receive support within reviews from advocates where appropriate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All young people attend full time education and this is fully supported by the staff team. Staff also support young people within the classroom environment when required. Education and behaviour plans are linked between the school and home environments to ensure consistency across these two areas. Young people have educational statements and personal education plans and these are reviewed on a regular basis including an input from the care staff team.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are involved in a wide range of activities both within the home and externally. Young people are able to discuss differing activities that they enjoy and how staff have supported them with individual interests. They are able to discuss achievements that they have gained within activities with pride. Staff take young people away on holidays both within the UK and abroad on a well organised basis. Activities are well planned for on a weekly basis, although young people state that there are occasions where staff "are more interested in doing paperwork than being with us".

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Planning for young people within the home is of a high quality. Staff have a good awareness of the needs of the young people and these are clearly identified within placement plans. Placement plans also signpost the reader towards additional information within young people's files to support the care of the young people. Young people have a good awareness of their plans and there is a good consultation document completed by the young people with regard to their plan.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people have an input into their reviews, either through attendance or completion of pre review documentation. One young person stated that they "need to make sure I have my say, I want to stay here until I'm 18". The staff ensure that reports written for the review are circulated to the attending professionals and parents prior to the meeting. This allows all parties to have a good awareness of the young people's development. Minutes of all reviews are available for staff and young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact arrangements are clear within placement plans. Staff and young people are able to discuss differing contact arrangements to support young people keeping in touch with their families. Staff offer practical support to both young people and families with regards to ongoing contact. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 Young people are well supported when leaving the home and a plan is in place for the next young person due to leave the home. This plan fully supports their reintegration back home, with additional support for the family organised through the placing authority.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people are supported with making decisions about their lives and the running of the home through regular house meetings and good key worker meetings. Minutes of young people's meetings show that young people are able to discuss a good range of topics relating to living at the home. Key worker meeting records show that young people are able to discuss differing areas of their life on a one-to-one basis regularly.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people are able to be supported with the development of their independence through the use of a self contained flat within the home. The home has a good independence living skills programme although the evidence of this being used successfully is not available.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The house is well looked after throughout, by both staff and young people. The house has a very homely atmosphere, is well decorated throughout and is pleasantly furnished throughout. All young people have an input into how their rooms are decorated and their rooms are personalised with photographs and pictures. Damage to rooms is responded to swiftly by the maintenance team to decrease any further damage.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The organisation of the home is strongly led by an effective manager. The needs of the young people are responded to by staff that are very aware of the needs of the young people and how these can be met. Staff show a high regard to the individual care given to the young people.

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Organisation

The home's statement of purpose and young people's guide are reviewed on a regular basis and give a good awareness of the purpose of the home and how young people are supported while living there. The statement of purpose includes a staffing policy in line with the expectations of standard 30. The home is well staffed to meet the needs of the young people and additional support is given and received from staff at another of the organisations' homes.

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Organisation

Staff are fully supported through robust supervision arrangements and effective annual appraisals that highlight staff training needs. The organisation's training department ensures that all staff have regular updates of basic courses including safeguarding and restraint. At least 80% of the staff have achieved the NVQ Level 3 in the Caring of Children and Young People.

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Organisation

There is a robust system for monitoring recordings and incidents within the home. This is achieved through a staff monitoring tool as well as the managerial regulation 34 monitoring procedures and external monitoring through the regulation 33 visitor. The manager ensures that any areas highlighted needing responding to are rectified in a timely fashion.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff attempt to give a full range of information to young people with regard to different religions within young people's meetings. Staff respond 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480 to young people's needs on a highly individualised basis and challenge young people who do not accept others differences.

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure staff administering medication have completed training that is updated on a regular basis (NMS 13.1) • ensure staff support young people's activities and outside interests. (NMS 15.1). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC398480

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