Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Hesley Group Limited in Doncaster

SC008015 Unique reference number 28 June 2010 Inspection date Russell Shackford Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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14 December 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 11 Inspection Report: SC008015

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Brief description of the service

This service is a home and school for young people with learning disabilities. The home can accommodate up to 33 boys and girls, aged from 11 years old up to 17 years old. The school is separate to the living accommodation but it is only a short walk across the campus to the classrooms.

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Brief description of the service

Young people are accommodated in a number of houses and flats. Each house has its own name and identity. All houses and flats have a bathroom, kitchen, dining room and lounge. Young people have individual bedrooms. The most recently built property has en-suite bathrooms to the bedrooms. Each accommodation unit has an enclosed garden. The home is set in 14 acres of open countryside, approximately one mile from a village and five miles from the local town centre.

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Summary

This was a full inspection to check on all key standards and related regulations under the Every Child Matters outcome groups for young people. This is an outstanding service. Young people are encouraged to eat healthily and their good health is extremely well promoted. This is an area of outstanding strength. Complaints are well handled. There are very good child protection procedures and practice, which help to safeguard the welfare of the young people. Behaviour management policies and practice are very good. Risk assessments are consistently well recorded and reviewed. Fire safety procedures and practice is good. Education and leisure needs are extremely well met and the home works closely with other services to meet the range of young people's individual needs. This is an area of outstanding strength. Placement planning is excellent and placement plans are extremely well delivered, recorded and reviewed. The delivery

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Summary

of care and support is a notable area of outstanding strength. Staff are sufficient in number and they are very well trained, experienced and competent. The Registered Manager exercises highly effective leadership of the home’s staff and operation, such that the home is organised, managed and staffed in a manner that strives to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people. There is excellent monitoring of the standard of safety and care provided in the home. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. 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 registered person was asked to ensure that a minimum of 80% of care staff have the appropriate National Vocational Qualification at level 3 care award or equivalent qualification. This target has now been met.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Young people are given choices about their food and the food served is both healthy and nutritious. Staff encourage young people to eat healthy foods and snacks. Staff are supported with training around food health, nutrition and hygiene. The staff have a good understanding of food issues that arise out of diversity. This is particularly well managed. The staff are aware of individual young people's likes and dislikes to ensure that they enjoy the food served. Young 4 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 people's health is significantly enhanced by the use of a care support team that assists the staff in menu development and promoting healthy nutritional food. The 'eat-well plate' and the 'five a day' model are used to support this. The menu planning takes account of individual young people's religious and cultural preferences. Freshly prepared food is provided for young people at a time that is preferable to the individual young person. This includes as much fresh,

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Helping children to be healthy

homemade food as possible including sauces. A range of recipe books have been translated into sign and picture formats, to enable young people to be engaged in preparing and cooking food according to their cultural preference. A periodic newsletter highlights the healthy lifestyle approach used and it includes details about shopping for healthy food, catering audits, exercise, advocacy and a looking good, feeling good article. Young people are involved in planning meals and shopping and have access to a well equipped kitchen, where they can prepare drinks and snacks for themselves. Fruit smoothies are often used as an entertaining way of supporting a healthy diet. Individual learning opportunities reflecting care plan targets around health are planned and supervised on a regular basis. Records of young people's food consumption are kept to inform staff and other professionals about individual diets. There is a range of food

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Helping children to be healthy

health information available to support staff in meeting young people's needs. Catering audits are done regularly to help ensure that there is best practice in the different house kitchens. The excellent practice that contributes to young people enjoying healthy, nutritious meals that meets their dietary, cultural and religious needs is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health promotion is an utmost priority at the home. The young people’s health is closely monitored and record keeping is very good. Person centred health action plans are used. There is good training and detailed written guidance for staff on a wide range of young people’s health and medical matters, to make sure that they understand about young people’s health and what their responsibilities are. The home is registered with a health resource unit who provide information, training materials and resources. Healthcare records are up to date and accurate, enabling staff to change their ways of working or to inform health professionals and parents of their children’s health progress. Hospital books are used to ensure that essential information is available at all times. The home has links with a wide variety of specialist health services and there is much evidence of these being used to meet individual young people’s

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people benefit greatly from the exceptional range of healthy activities offered. A dynamic, qualified activities coordinator is employed to plan, develop and deliver a highly comprehensive programme of events that encourages individual interests and involvement in healthy activities. This helps to enhance many aspects of young people's health. Examples highlighted includes an accredited gymnastics club, trampoline club, bowling, action dance, musical chairs, swimming, ice skating, fun running, walking, 'It's a Knockout' style games, gardening and use of a play zone. Young people are encouraged to complete feedback sheets following activities to help improve or change the activities facilitated. All young people are registered on formal youth achievement schemes, which include healthy activities and learning opportunities. Young people's involvement is supported by staff who explore their individual choices, likes and

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Helping children to be healthy

dislikes. Some young people are completing a sports and fitness award course run by the local college. The staff have established very good links and relationships with other schools and community based activity providers. This includes the introduction and teaching of communication methods used by the young people attending. This is a notable area of outstanding strength. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 Strong measures are in place to safeguard young people's welfare. Staff are trained in medication matters to enable them to safely store, administer and record the medication that they are responsible for. Medication is securely stored and records are up to date and accurate. Internal and external medication audits are undertaken and a robust response meets any discrepancies identified. All staff have received training to enable them to provide first aid if necessary. Staff have also received specialist training to meet a range of health and medical needs. Therefore,

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Helping children to be healthy

young people's health needs are met and their welfare is very well safeguarded by the home’s policies and procedures for administering medicines and providing treatment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Young people's privacy is very well respected. Staff demonstrate good understanding of facilitating privacy for the young people. Young people requiring personal assistance have it provided in a manner which maximises privacy and dignity. Parents and young people confirm that this is done sensitively and safely. Details about young people's care are recorded and stored to maintain their confidentiality. Young people have access to a private telephone, which is free to use for reasonable periods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Measures are in place to receive and act upon any complaints. All staff have received training on complaints which ensures that they know what to do if there is a complaint about the service. The young people know how to make a complaint. Staff have explained the procedure and there is also information in the young people’s guide about how to complain. An accessible complaints symbol book is available to young people who can use it to show staff if they are unhappy about something or somebody. A similarly accessible poster alerts young people to use the book. Staff are sensitive to young people's behaviour which may indicate that they are unhappy. The young people also have the support of an independent advocate. The complaints records contain the required details. Therefore, complaints are well handled.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people's welfare is significantly enhanced by the organisations meticulous approach to child protection. The manager and staff have received child protection training and the provider has a good safeguarding procedure for staff to follow, in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. Staff demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures to promote and protect the young people’s safety. There are good links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. An independent safeguard forum has been established and independent safeguard visitors are employed to visit and report on the young people's safety and welfare. All staff have received anti-bullying and awareness training. A young people's council meet regularly to discuss the views of young people. Safeguarding is a standing item on the agenda. Therefore, the welfare of young people is very well promoted,

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

they are protected from abuse, bullying and unauthorised absence and a robust response is made to any allegation or suspicion of abuse. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All significant events at the home have been notified to the relevant authorities including Ofsted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The behaviour management policy promotes the use of praise, encouragement and de-escalation of behaviours. The policy is constructive and reflects the age, understanding and individual needs of the young people concerned. Physical restraint is sometimes used to manage behaviour. Staff are trained in the provider’s policy and authorised techniques. Staff are supported in retrospective analysis of the use of restraint and this is recorded. Staff use clearly recorded 6 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 behaviour management plans. These plans are intensively reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team who offer well designed, progressive strategies for staff to implement. Physical restraint records contain the required details and they are recorded as required in a volume kept for that purpose. There is very good monitoring and analysis of the records to ensure that restraint is always the last resort.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Reducing unnecessary risks to young people is a high priority at the home. Comprehensive written risk assessments enable staff to know what action to take to minimise the risk to each young person during their known and likely activities. These are reviewed regularly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff and young people have been involved in regular fire drills. All staff working at the home have received up-to-date fire-safety training, to enable them to minimise the risks to young people in the event of a fire at the home. Personalised evacuation strategies are recorded for each young person. These take account of the young people's differing responses to the situation. The fire safety check records are up to date and accurate. Therefore, young people's physical safety from fire in the home is well protected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff have been appropriately recruited and undergone suitable Criminal Records Bureau checks. Managers and senior staff have undertaken safer-recruitment training to help ensure that staff are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The young people receive superb personalised support appropriate to their needs. The records contain details of individual support services involved in the health, care and education of young people. The home has links with a wide range of helping agencies and the provider commissions services to fit the young people’s needs. The staff appreciate that the individual young people have a range of needs arising from diversity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All staff have received training around equality and diversity. Themed event days are used to promote diversity. School assembly introduces young people to different forms of religion and cultural differences. A range of community events and visiting speakers promote diversity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is outstanding. It is a very high priority and it is vigorously promoted. Staff make a lot of effort to encourage good school attendance. Young people arrive at school well prepared for the school day. Individual education plans detail young people's targets, and progress is very well evidenced. This includes the use of life books, which use photographs and text or symbols to capture young people's involvement in learning, cultural and religious experiences. Young people learn about diversity through personal health and social education subjects. There is space, resources and facilities at the home, to enable the completion of homework or learning opportunities. Young people can use the school premises and resources during the evening, weekend and school holiday periods. A computer is available for the young people to use for educational purposes. This is supplemented by opportunities for young people to attend

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

night school to improve their computer skills. Therefore, the education of young people is actively promoted as valuable in itself and as part of their preparation for adulthood.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All young people have a rich, varied and imaginative activity plan, which is devised from their own indicated preferences or staff and other party’s knowledge of their preferences. Young people are encouraged and supported to try new activities. Young people benefit greatly from 7 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 the exceptional range of activities offered. An inspiring, activities coordinator is employed to plan, develop and deliver a highly comprehensive programme of events that encourages individual interests and involvement in healthy activities. This helps to enhance many aspects of young people's lives. Examples highlighted includes information technology, football tournaments, musical instruments, playing, cooking, foam sensory experience, bingo, jigsaws, an accredited gymnastics club, trampoline club, bowling, action dance, visits to theme parks, seaside trips, meals out, shopping and use of a play zone.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Themed holiday time events are organised and senior care staff run a variety of clubs to promote play and learning. There is also a good range of books, DVDs and games available for learning and entertainment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Within the activity plan, all young people have the opportunity to gain accreditation in a range of activities, which includes crafts, physical fitness, sport, personal and social skills. Each young person gets accreditation for achieving set targets at different levels, which are incremental. Following external assessment, many young people have been presented with progressive achievement awards. This is done at an award ceremony by distinguished figures, such as the mayor.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Senior support staff organise a range of activity clubs. The staff are motivated to deliver a range of highly innovative activities. Feedback from these clubs is sought and used to help improve or change the activities facilitated.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people's involvement is supported by staff who explore their individual choices, likes and dislikes. The staff have established very good links and relationships with community based activity providers. There is a community cohesion policy and practice which promotes and evidences the range of activities done away from the home. This includes the introduction and teaching of communication methods used by the young people attending. Therefore, young people are able to pursue their particular interests, develop confidence in their skills and are supported and encouraged by staff to engage in leisure activities in and out of the home. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The home's referral system enables the manager to fully assess the needs of the young people concerned and to take into account the likely effects of their admission upon the existing group of residents. Admissions to the home are planned and the child or young person and their family where appropriate are involved in the planning. Young people may visit the home before they move in. There is a young people's guide to the service provided at the home. It is produced in a variety of formats including a DVD. Therefore, young people are able to move into the home in a planned and sensitive manner.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consistently high quality placement plans are used. These are supported by the use of behaviour management plans, communication plans, learning opportunity plans, daily routines, personal care guidelines, contact plans and activity plans. The plans are comprehensively written and staff confirm that they know what action is required of them to meet the needs of the young people. The daily records called narratives reflect the content of the care plan and show the action taken by the staff to meet the identified needs of the young person. Key workers monitor the care plans and produce monthly summaries of progress. Further internal reviewing takes 8 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 place in light of the information recorded. Therefore, young people have their needs assessed effectively and comprehensively and written placement plans outline how these needs will be met and are implemented.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is a system for reviewing the placement plans of the children and young people at the home. This system includes participation in the statutory reviews, person centred planning meetings, care management meetings, best interest meetings and multi-disciplinary meetings. Statutory case reviews have taken place within the required timescales. This ensures that the young people's needs and development are reviewed regularly in the light of their care and progress at the home. The planning and reviewing procedures are a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people’s contact is promoted and facilitated. Staff confirm that young people can keep in touch with people that are important to them and that they can have family come to visit them. A family meeting room and facilities are available.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Any child with communication difficulties is provided with means to make their wishes and feelings known regarding their care and treatment in the home. This includes availability of different adults who understand how the child communicates. Staff describe ways in which young people are encouraged to make decisions about their lives and influence the way that the home is run. This includes key worker sessions, visits from young people's rights and advocacy services and young people’s meetings. A young people's council group represents the views of the young people about matters such as food, activities and how the home is run. Nobody is assumed to be unable to communicate their views. Parents and young people confirm that they feel that their views are important and they are listened to. Therefore, young people’s views are sought and acted upon. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The manager makes every effort to achieve continuity of staffing, such that young people's attachments are not overly disrupted.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is outstanding. Young people are taught day–to-day life skills, according to their level of maturity and understanding. The young people learn skills through taking part in the tasks of running the home, such as shopping, cooking, handling money and completing learning opportunities. They are also given guidance and support with social skills, laundry, clothing care and cleaning. Pathway plan work is done jointly with the placing authority in a timely fashion so as to help ensure that transition planning is effective. Transition planning is recorded and implemented. Staff describe the process as good. Therefore, young people receive care which helps to prepare them for adulthood.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Some of the young people have recently secured funding for new items of leisure equipment such as a pool table and table tennis. They were supported through application and interviews with the youth council. This is a notable area of outstanding strength.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The interior and exterior of the home is maintained in a good state of structural and decorative repair. The home is kept clean and there are homely touches throughout. There is a maintenance and repair programme for the building, furniture and equipment. The garden is well maintained 9 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 and safe. Therefore the young people live in a home that is clean, suitably furnished and kept in good repair and decoration.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. An up-to-date Statement of Purpose is available to inform professionals and members of the public about how care is provided at the home. There is a very good children’s guide available ( KESMITH: It is a guide to the home, not the sop) in a variety of formats. Before admission, the staff provide as much information as they can about the home to young people, so that they know what to expect if they come to live there.

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Organisation

There is a consistent staff team, which has been added to recently to fill vacancies and to broaden the range of skills and experience among its members. There are sufficient staff members at the home and systems are set up to ensure that any shortages or crises can be managed. New members of staff receive very good quality induction training before commencing work with the young people. Staff refer to written guidance frequently during discussion and give examples of how it is implemented in practice. Staff support and supervision is of consistently high quality.

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Organisation

All staff are trained in a wide variety of safety and childcare subjects. The induction programme includes best practice principles and safeguarding systems. An ongoing programme of refresher training is provided in a range of subjects to enhance the staff's competency to meet the needs of the young people. There are good measures in place to ensure that night team workers are included in training. The young people are receiving care from confident, self assured staff that are competent, experienced and qualified to meet their needs. The service continues to provide good opportunities and support for the vast majority of staff to achieve a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People.

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Organisation

The provider undertakes monthly, unannounced monitoring visits to the home. This is to ensure that the care of children can be adapted in the light of information about how the home is operating. Additional, independent visitors concentrate on the quality of safeguarding young people's welfare. Action points are identified to be followed up by the manager. The highly motivated manager has established and maintained an outstanding system for monitoring and improving the quality of care provided in the home. It is supported by members of the management team being routinely rotated to work alongside support staff to provide advice and guidance. Senior managers conduct unannounced inspections of the delivery of care across the entire shift pattern and their ongoing discussions about improving service delivery is well documented. Catering audits ensure that health and safety in the different house kitchens is

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Organisation

to a high standard. Therefore, there is highly effective monitoring of the quality of care, welfare and safety of the young people in the home. This outstanding approach greatly enhances many aspects of young people's care and support.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager is confident and self assured, offering effective leadership of the home’s staff and operation. The home is organised, managed and staffed in a manner that strives to deliver the best possible outcomes for young people.

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Organisation

Recording systems at the home are extremely well organised and information is very easy to retrieve. 10 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015 The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. Examples of outstanding approaches to promoting equality and diversity are detailed in all outcome areas.

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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. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: SC008015

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