Children's Home run by Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited in Devon

SC403234 Unique reference number 15 June 2010 Inspection date Jim Palmer Inspector Key Type of Inspection

p.1

22 December 2009 Date of last inspection .

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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: SC403234

p.3

Brief description of the service

This home is operated by a private company which also operates a number of other homes in the locality. The organisation provides care and education for young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties. Young people placed are from a variety of locations across the country.

p.4

Brief description of the service

It is a large three storey town house situated in a town centre location on a busy road close to all local shops and amenities. A local college is with in walking distance and secondary schools are accessible on foot or by public transport.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home provides planned or emergency long-term care and is staffed in accordance with the current needs of the young people. The home prepares older young people to leave care and live more independent lives.

p.4

Summary

This was the first unannounced full key inspection since the home was registered. Each key national minimum standard was inspected. There were no outstanding actions from the registration visit.

p.4

Summary

The home is well managed and the staff and manager are committed to meeting the individual needs of each young person and the impact they may have on other young people living in the home. The staff display a high level of skill and insight in managing the behaviours of each young person. The promotion of equality and diversity is good throughout the standards inspected. Three recommendations were made at this inspection.

p.4

Summary

The overall judgement is good and each outcome group is judged as good. Four recommendations are made in the being healthy, enjoying and achieving and economic wellbeing outcome groups The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

This is the first inspection of this service since the home was registered. There were no conditions are actions raised at the registration visit.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people are encouraged to plan the menu with staff in weekly meetings. Each young person participates in the preparation of meals and shopping to a budget for household items. Individual preferences and any special dietary needs are considered when meals are planned. Staff support young people in planning a balanced diet, and menu's are retained to ensure a nutritional balance. However, the record of meals actually taken do not always accord with the planned menu. This shows in some cases, a repetitious diet based on high fat intake of items such as sausage, burger and chips. Staff are very aware of the need to advise young people about the importance of a healthy balanced diet and provide advice and guidance. This is a 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC403234 preparation for independence home and staff have a limited ability to control the food actually consumed by young people. Staff display a high level of awareness of the effect of diet on

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

behaviour and try to encourage cooking with fresh ingredients.

p.5

Helping children to be healthy

All young people have personal health plans which identify physical and emotional health needs and any treatment that may be required. Each young person has signed consent for medical treatment and medicines, ensuring that there is no delay in gaining treatment. Young people receive advice on healthy lifestyle choices from staff and specialist health care staff, such as looked after children nurses. The home has good links with child and adolescent mental health services in the local area and services are arranged as necessary either in the local area or in the young person's home area in order to promote continuity of care. All young people are registered with the local doctor, dentist and opticians. They are consulted about their preference of health professional that they are registered with.

p.5

Helping children to be healthy

All medicines are securely kept in a locked metal cabinet. Any controlled drugs administered are signed for in dedicated record books and the administration of those medicines are witnessed, and signed by two staff. The records are regularly audited by the manager and a visiting manager. Despite this, some amendments to records do not hold any explanation or signature of the person making the amendment. One controlled drugs book had two accounting errors. The manager immediately identified the reason for the error.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff are trained in the need to promote confidentiality and privacy for young people. Staff demonstrate awareness of the need to protect information, but of the duty to share information with other professionals in order to safeguard young people. There is a privacy policy which includes information on data protection. Young people hold keys to their bedrooms and staff knock and call out before entering a young person's room. All young people in this home have mobile telephones. They can also access the home home's cordless telephone to make private telephone calls.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The complaints policy is made known to young people and staff. The record of complaints captures all of the information required and is monitored regularly by managers. No complaints are recorded since the home opened.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive regular training in safeguarding awareness; the manager has higher level safeguarding training and monitors staff awareness in supervision. A copy of local safeguarding procedures is available to staff in the home. There are no child protection referrals recorded since the home was registered.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has an anti bullying policy, which is known to young people and staff. Staff receive training in bullying awareness and are vigilant in regard of any bullying incidents. These do occur, however staff display a good awareness of the individual needs of each young person, and how this may lead to incidents of bullying. Bullying is a regular topic for discussion in individual consultation sessions with young people, key-worker meetings and house meetings.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are missing person's policies and procedures in place and these were agreed with the local police. Each young person has an individual plan, this includes information on levels of risk presented should a young person be absent without authority. There are no incidents of 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC403234 absence without authority since the home opened. Staff are aware of the need to notify appropriate agencies of significant events. Detailed information is displayed in the office for staff information.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are supported in developing positive behaviours through the use of a points system and financial reward. This enables young people to agree goals and targets and work towards gaining additional money. They can use this to buy something which is valued by them such as fishing equipment. All staff receive training in behaviour management. All young people have positive handling plans that identifies triggers for certain behaviours, and strategies for managing those behaviours. Young people are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their behaviour. A record is maintained in separate bound volumes of the use of any sanction or physical intervention. No physical intervention is recorded; the book is regularly audited by managers. The records of sanctions imposed is well recorded and regularly audited. There are five entries in the sanctions records since the home opened.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The safety of young people and staff is promoted by the use of comprehensive risk assessments, of the premises, individuals, activities and equipment. These are reviewed regularly. The manager undertakes regular health and safety checks. The fire safety risk assessment is reviewed annually and is up to date. All fire safety equipment is tested regularly by staff in the home and by external contractors. All staff receive regular training in fire safety. The number of fire drills carried out since the home opened exceeds the requirement.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff files are kept at head office and are inspected annually. At the last inspection they were found to be robust. The manager confirmed that no staff start working until all checks are satisfactorily returned.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people are provided with individual support according to their identified needs. Each young person has regular one-to-one consultation meetings and also discusses personal concerns and behaviours informally with staff. The home has strong links with the child and adolescent mental health services and can meet regularly with a consultant psychotherapist if necessary. Not all young people accept the invitation to attend such meeting. Specialists are also available to provide support and guidance to staff. Staff are very aware of the need to allow young people the flexibility to access individual support in a manner and at a period in their development that is appropriate to them.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Each young person is encouraged to undertake an appropriate educational or work experience programme, according to their age. This may include attendance at local colleges, or undertaking work experience. Some young people have comprehensive and personally designed programmes to meet their educational and social needs. However not all young people have an educational or work experience programme that fully engages them during the day.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are encouraged to participate in a wide range of sports and leisure activities in both the home and in the local community. These activities include fishing, dog walking for a local animal charity, ice skating and banger racing. Currently fishing is a very popular activity with each young person. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC403234

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Each young person has a placement plan that identifies their needs and how they will be met on a day to day basis by staff. Placement plans are updated following each review of the placement by the local authority. All young people have placement planning meetings shortly after the placement starts. However not all young people have new placement planning meetings following a change of placement within the company.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged to attend their placement reviews and are supported in this by staff from the home. Most placement reviews take place within appropriate timescales. However if reviews by the placing authority become overdue the manager contacts the authority to remind them that a review is needed.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are aware of the importance of promoting contact with family and other significant people. Contact arrangements are well recorded and staff are aware of those arrangements. Staff facilitate contact by providing transport and supervising contact when necessary.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

New admissions to the home are discussed with other young people living at the home. Young people are offered the opportunity to visit prior to admission. If this is not possible, they are provided with information about the home prior to admission.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people are encouraged to participate in the day to day running of the home, through house meetings, key-worker meetings and in regular consultation. They are also encouraged to participate in their placement reviews and planning meetings.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The home looks after older young people and prepares them for semi-independence. This initially would be an informal process increasing to a more formal programme as young people approach leaving. Young people are encouraged to take greater control of their lives, by managing a budget, taking responsibility for making certain appointments and are encouraged to manage their own behaviours. Young people participate in shopping for household goods, meal planning and preparation. Despite this and the considerable efforts of staff, not all young people have leaving care or pathway plans in place. Not all young people are fully engaged in a day activity programme designed at promoting independence.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people receive a regular clothing allowance and can buy and wear clothing of their preference. Staff will provide guidance and support if requested. Personal toiletries can be purchased from the weekly house keeping allowance.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

The house a suitable for purpose, however the manager said that it can be feel a little crowded at times. It is a large three storey town house situated in a town centre location on a busy road close to all local shops and amenities. A local college is with in walking distance and secondary schools are accessible on foot or by public transport. The home has a modern well equipped kitchen. There is a dining room and lounge with comfortable furniture and a television. The home is furnished and decorated to a satisfactory standard. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC403234 Each young person has their own bedroom in which they can be private. There are sufficient shared bathrooms and toilets facilities in the home. The young people did not want their bedrooms visited during the inspection. The third floor provides office accommodation and sleep in facilities for staff, with a small kitchenette and shower room.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

There is a maintenance programme and repairs are completed speedily however the home does show signs of heavy usage and some damage.

p.8

Organisation

The organisation is good. The home has a Statement of Purpose which accurately reflects what the home sets out to do for the young people it accommodates. The statement is reviewed annually. There is a young person's guide which contains good information on the home, its expectations and details of how to make a complaint.

p.8

Organisation

All staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisal. No probationary staff members are left in sole charge of the home. All staff hold National Vocational Qualification at level three or four or are registered to undertake the award.

p.8

Organisation

The staffing establishment is nine including the manager in order to fully cover the roster. Currently there are seven staff including the manager, some staff are working additional hours. The manager said a new staff member is appointed now and is about to start work. This will leave one vacancy. The home does use agency staff when necessary, but is aware of the importance of continuity of carers for the young people. There are on-call management arrangements which are known to staff outside of office hours.

p.8

Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good throughout the standards inspected. Staff work hard to ensure that all young people's individual needs are well met and they are also very skilled in supporting young people with highly individualised programmes of care.

p.8

Organisation

The quality of the service is monitored each week by the manager and produces a report for senior managers. A visiting manager undertakes monthly monitoring visits to the home. Copies of these reports are held in the home and are regularly discussed in staff meetings.

p.8

Organisation

Young people's case files are well maintained and up to date. Most entries are signed by the author but not all signatures at clear. The home does hold specimen signatures for all staff working at the home.

p.8

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.

p.8

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that the record of menus as served demonstrates the provision of a suitable and varied diet (NMS 10.4) • ensure that an accurate written record of the administration of all medicines is maintained in the home (NMS 13.1) • ensure that all young people are given access to educational facilities in school or college according to their ability (NMS 14.3) • ensure that there is a comprehensive leaving care plan for each young person that accords with the pathway or transition plan for the young person in each case. (NMS 6.1) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC403234

p.9