Children's Home run by Leicester City Council in Leicester

SC039025 Unique reference number 17 August 2010 Inspection date Warren Clarke 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: SC039025

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Brief description of the service

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for six young people of either sex, aged 12 to under 18 years. The building from which it operates is on two floors. The first floor provides single bedrooms and bathroom accommodation for young people, staff sleeping-in facilities, office space and a self-contained flat with a bed-sitting room, kitchen and bathroom. The flat is used for preparation of young people moving towards independent living. On the ground floor are two sitting rooms, dining room, laundry and a staff office. The refurbished kitchen is deemed a commercial kitchen. It is, however, used by young people under staff supervision. The young people have freer access to a kitchenette. There is a large meeting room. The home is close to local shops and schools and is easily accessible by public transport. It is approximately four miles from the city centre.

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Brief description of the service

At the time of inspection there were five young people with an average age of 15 years, actually resident. Four of them were seen, and all those present contributed to the inspection.

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Summary

This unannounced key inspection assessed performance against current key national minimum standards relevant to the Every Child Matters outcome framework. The home continues to provide young people a good overall standard of care with some outstanding features in promoting good health and safeguarding from harm and abuse.

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Summary

Key features of the high standard of care include the excellent work done to support the young people's education. This is particularly apparent where there is established disaffection and where young people's emotional difficulties cause them to behave in ways that place them at risk of exclusion from school. The home provides young people with a comfortable environment in which to live and care practices minimise institutionalisation and promote young people's proper development. Young people are skilfully helped to gain insight into their circumstances, to exercise control of their own behaviour and learn to make informed and good choices.

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Summary

The few shortfalls identified include the need to better document actions taken in response to bullying events and redecoration of an area of the home which currently presents as shabby. 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 two recommendations were made to address shortfalls in the staying safe outcome area. One of these was to achieve fuller records of complaints so that they reflect the outcome. The other was to ensure that in practice, and in the records kept, the grounds for any search of a young person's bedroom are clearly explained. Records of complaints now include the outcome and full records are kept of occasions when searches are made of young people's bedrooms for contraband. These actions address the recommendations satisfactorily.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 Catering arrangements in the home are of a high standard. They ensure young people are provided regular varied and nutritious meals and with reasonable choice. Young people are satisfied with the quality of food provided and the quantity. The thoughtful catering arrangements are sufficiently domestic in approach allowing young people to be involved in menu planning and shopping for provisions and, in some instances, preparation of food. Quantities of food in store and the detailed menus demonstrate that the young people benefit from a consistently varied and wholesome diet which takes account of their individual needs. For example, food appropriate for resident young people's religious and cultural needs is routinely provided and the arrangements are flexible enough to cater for vegetarians and those who may need a special diet for reasons of health. Excellent provisions are made to facilitate

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Helping children to be healthy

the preparation of young people who will soon be living more independently and therefore have to cater for themselves.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people say that they feel fit and healthy. This is supported by their lively and robust demeanour. The effective systems for promoting young people's good health and responding to their health needs remain firmly embedded. This is evident in the health care arrangements whereby the young people have ready access to the usual range of primary health services such as medical doctors, dentists and opticians. A remarkable feature of the system is the sound understanding by staff of young people's needs and the evident flexibility of local health services in accommodating the young people's requirements. This is shown particularly in instances where young people do not always cooperate with efforts to keep them well but staff nevertheless persist and the wider health services support them.

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Helping children to be healthy

Careful thought is also given to the young people's emotional health for which some receive specialist support when necessary. Productive use is made of information assembled in relation to the young people's health history to inform their health action plans. These plans successfully ensure young people get appropriate care to address any serious or chronic health problems or minor ailments. They also drive the preventative strategies to promote and maintain good health. In an effective working partnership with the looked after children's nurse, staff work imaginatively to encourage young people to eat healthily, to guide and inform them about the adverse effects of smoking and illicit drug use and the implications of particular lifestyles. Combined, these measures yield beneficial outcomes in that young people become more health conscious and responsible for maintaining their own good health and confident in knowing

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Helping children to be healthy

that they can approach staff with health worries assured of a caring and non-judgemental response.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff have completed training and competence assessment in first aid and safe handling of medicines so that they are able to identify and respond appropriately to any emergency situations concerning the young people's health, attend to minor illnesses and administer medicines efficiently and safely. This is reflected by careful vigilance in situations where young people's health has caused concern and professional medical attention was necessary. A clear, comprehensive medication policy and associated procedures are rigorously implemented in relation to receiving, storing and administering medicines. Safe arrangements are in place to enable young people, subject to risk assessment, to manage their own medicines as part of the process of their preparation for independence. The whole system is successful in preventing errors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 The good facilities provided together with thoughtful care practices continue to promote young people's privacy and preserve their dignity to a degree appropriate to their age. Each young person is allocated his or her own lockable bedroom, all of good size. Young people have sufficient storage to keep possessions private and safe and in having their exclusive bedrooms are able to retreat when they prefer to be alone.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bathrooms and toilets are arranged and very well equipped to ensure that young people can use them in private and without embarrassment. Staff observe usual courtesies such as not entering a young person's room without knocking and waiting to be invited to enter. Young people themselves also observe this protocol. A strict confidentiality code of practice ensures that the young people's personal information is held securely and is shared only with authorised persons. Any search of a young person's bedroom that staff conduct has to be shown as being carried out for good reasons and in accordance with the procedure ensuring no avoidable compromise of the young person's privacy and dignity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The manager and staff successfully establish an open environment in which the young people are able to share their worries, express concerns and have their views heard. Both formal and informal complaints procedures and house meetings provide the young people the means to be heard. The complaints procedure is actively promoted to young people, including information to enable them to approach Ofsted with their concerns. Where complaints are made, whether formal or informal, they are taken seriously, fairly investigated and the complainant is informed of the outcome. The registered provider exercises rigorous scrutiny to ensure that there is openness and fairness in how concerns are dealt with. Young people say they are entirely satisfied with how the system operates, that they know how to complain and would be confident about doing so if necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people regard the home as a safe place and the staff as people who care about their safety. This reflects the strong emphasis placed on protection of young people from abuse, harm and other forms of unfavourable treatment. Staff are provided with the necessary training, clear procedures and guidance to equip them to identify and respond to allegations and suspicion of abuse. In this connection staff work effectively with other agencies and within the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are examples of outstanding work by staff and other authorities such as the police to protect young people whose behaviour causes concern with regard to risk at which they place themselves. For example, the working partnership with the police has in some instances effectively thwarted attempts by exploitative adults to lure young people into risky situations. The manager states, 'we have continued to demonstrate a high commitment to staying safe and have engaged the young people with this. We regularly address our concerns with them in a way that will allow them to make informed choices and recognise risks for themselves.' This is true of how young people believe they are being helped to keep themselves safe including a range of sound measures to prevent and to respond to absences from the home without permission.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Adopting the local authority anti-bullying strategy, the staff have employed this successfully to minimise incidents of bullying. Promotional information is used to raise awareness about the nature and impact of bullying behaviour which remains an ongoing feature of young people's meetings. Young people continue to report that bullying is a rare event in the home. Staff, however, remain vigilant and use risk assessments effectively to aid them in so doing. However, 6 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 while bullying incidents are recorded and demonstrate the seriousness with which they are regarded, the records do not always outline what action was taken to support the victim, help to change the perpetrator's behaviour and to prevent further incidents. Consequently, patterns of bullying incidents and the effectiveness of the responses made are not assessed, leaving some young people with an unclear perception of how some incidents have been dealt with.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All young people benefit from the well-informed and effective management system. In most instances the coherent behaviour management policy is successfully applied in terms of modifying young people's conduct. This is particularly the case where a young person's behaviour places him or her at risk. In maintaining reasonable control and discipline in the home staff are able to act effectively in how they support each young person to modify their own behavioural difficulties. Staff focus primarily on encouraging the young people to behave well and use various rewards to reinforce this. For example, each young person is set weekly goals which may include specific aspects of their behaviour that they need to address. Staff constantly encourage and praise the young people in their efforts, which, when successful, attract a meaningful reward. The young people understand this system and coupled with good

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

relationships with staff are in due course able to conduct themselves acceptably. One of the excellent features of the home's approach to behaviour management is the sparing use of sanctions or punishment. Also, physical restraint, in which staff are appropriately trained, is only used in extreme situations when a young person's behaviour is causing or likely to cause harm to himself or others.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

An extensive range of firmly established health and safety measures is in place and activities associated with care of the young people are risk assessed. Where hazards are identified clear arrangements are put in place to either remove or control them. For instance, all the necessary fire detection and alarm systems, and fire fighting equipment is installed. There are also regular fire drills to ensure that both staff and young people are familiar with the fire evacuation procedure. Other precautions such as those associated with prevention of avoidable accidents and food safety, are being taken and continue to be effectively evidenced by there being no serious accidents or injuries.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The robust staff selection and vetting system in place ensures young people are properly protected from adults who may be unsuitable to be involved in their care or have substantial access to them. This system establishes potential staff member's competence and their overall suitability through satisfactory criminal records disclosure and outcome of other checks. Further effective security measures are in place that deter intruders and control access of visitors.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people express content with life in the home and though some are bereft by the separation from their own homes and families, the home provides some compensations. Systems instituted for planning and delivery of young people's care, continue to take account of their individual support requirements. This is expressed in precise arrangements of care that reflect each young person's sex, race, religion and culture. The home is equipped to support young people to practise their religion. This takes account of any special diet and dress that may needed. Where a young person might need support in connection with his or her identity or overcome personal difficulties such as use of illegal substances or offending, staff know how to make provision for these and, if necessary, where to seek assistance to ensure they provide 7 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 an equal and satisfactory service. Cultural events in the home intended to promote awareness

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and the diverse staff team, are among the practical ways equality and diversity are being demonstrated. Further, staff capitalise effectively on the living arrangements, such as communal dining, group and individual leisure activities both in the home and local community, to ensure that all the young people are included and have opportunities to make and maintain peer friendships.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home provides a stimulating environment with a wide range of books, games and other leisure facilities to both facilitate young people's enjoyment and support their learning. This is underpinned by the clear guidance that staff are given to aid them in the support they give young people. Consequently staff approach this aspect of the young people's care with enthusiasm and have established a culture in which education is valued and individual achievements celebrated. All those of compulsory school age are either settled at school or are receiving some form of compensatory education. Ambition is encouraged and supported and in this regard most of the young people who have recently completed their secondary education, are currently making plans to enter further education and training. Young people are content with the support they are given to make the best of their educational opportunities including

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

space and the necessary resources to facilitate their learning. There are instances where staff have acted as passionate advocates for young people, to ensure that they are treated with equity in the education system and that their potential to achieve is not arrested by over punitive measures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The high standard of care that young people enjoy continues to be supported by a sound assessment and care management system. Staff work productively within the system that plans for each young person's individual care from a sound knowledge of their circumstances and needs. Assessment information is used profitably to yield good outcomes for young people as shown in the care of their health, education, preparation for independence and safeguard from abuse. Young people's progress is kept under constant review within the home and through the statutory looked after children review process. The home demonstrates that it can adapt successfully to young people's changed circumstances such as when they exhibit a higher level of risky behaviour or experience difficulties at school. The manager's own assessment of the home's effectiveness in the care of young people is, 'that all the young people who have lived

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Helping children make a positive contribution

at the home, when they leave are in better shape either physically, mentally or emotionally than when they arrived, even if this is only a small improvement.' This captures the essence of the views expressed by young people, their social workers and staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Recognition of the importance of young people's contact with their families and others who are significant to them, is clearly reflected in planning their care. Where contact is permitted the home facilitates this. Young people have access to a telephone where they are able to make and receive calls in private and have the funds to enable them to do this. Most of the young people currently accommodated enjoy regular contact with their families and friends and have no concerns about the arrangements for this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The arrangements for young people joining the home as residents take account of their likely anxiety and are therefore made with care and sensitivity. Most young people enter the home on a planned basis allowing time for them to be introduced and become familiar with it before 8 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 moving in permanently. Occasionally, young people are admitted in an emergency, but even then they have access to a helpful leaflet with a picture of the home and a summary of the crucial information they may wish to have prior to their arrival. In all instances, the care planning process is informed by a clear aim for a young person's future beyond the home. Young people are therefore incrementally prepared for leaving in a planned way. This takes account of the relationships they make within the home and is managed in ways that do not sever them abruptly. The manager and staff maintain their commitment to the legitimate support of young

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Helping children make a positive contribution

people who leave the home without a firm supportive family and friends network.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The manager and staff have successfully established an ethos of inclusion of the young people both in decision making about their own lives and in the running of the home. There are regular young people's meetings in which they are briefed on developments and their views sought on matters in the home which are likely to affect them. For example, they routinely contribute to the catering arrangements, planning of holidays and leisure activities and the furnishing and adornment of the home. The young people therefore present as relaxed in the home, confident in how they relate to staff and clear about their circumstances and plans for their future. However, a minority of young people who require patient listening say that some staff are not aware of this and often interrupt or interject causing them to lose their train of thought, which causes irritation and frustration. This could not be objectively corroborated, but the manager

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Helping children make a positive contribution

takes it seriously and intends to monitor it.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The home's regime promotes young people's all round development in ways that prepare them for adulthood and, as relevant, with a discrete focus on their preparation to live independently. For instance, young people are being guided successfully to manage intimate aspects of their care such as keeping themselves clean and developing their own styles. Staff provide counselling and guidance that enable young people over time to control their own conduct and make good choices. Young people are encouraged to consider their career options and capitalise on education and training opportunities to this end. Essentially, young people who remain at the home until they move on to semi-independent or independent living are well prepared and reassured of the home's commitment to their continuing support should they need it after leaving.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is maintained in very good order providing the young people a comfortable living environment and quality of life. It is equipped to meet their needs and effectively support their preparation for independence. The home is sufficiently spacious to enable each young person to have his or her own bedroom and a range of communal areas so that they join and withdraw from the group as they desire. Facilities such as kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and laundry are sufficient in number and the way they are equipped to support the young people's care effectively. The home is kept clean and orderly. It is maintained in a good state of decoration and its high standard of furniture and fittings all combine to provide a warm and homely setting. However, this does not apply to the front of the building where paintwork is poor and a decorative tile is missing. Also, scratches on the front door and graffiti in the porch area all

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Achieving economic wellbeing

combine to create a displeasing appearance that belies the rest of the accommodation.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025 Young people continue to be provided with a high standard of all round care underpinned by a clear set of principles as set out in the Statement of Purpose. The Statement of Purpose which is current, accurately reflects how the home is run, complies with relevant regulations and is available to young people, their parents and others who may need the information. Summarised in an appropriate guide for young people, this informs them of the standard of care they may expect and what is expected of them.

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Organisation

Sound management and leadership arrangements ensure that resources are provided and used efficiently. Staff are therefore effective in providing the young people a nurturing environment where over time their needs are met and in which they are making good progress. The home currently operates with its full complement of staff, almost all of whom are experienced and appropriately qualified for their posts and thereby are able to respond effectively to young people who present with complex emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is particularly successful in retaining staff, which has a positive effect in providing young people a reasonable degree of permanence and the continuity and consistency of care that they need.

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Organisation

Established systems of staff support, training and development ensure that staff have access to opportunities to keep them up to date with practice developments in the care of young people. For example, they are provided updated safeguarding training to respond to specific risky situations in which some young people place themselves. There are also regular staff meetings and daily formal briefings, which ensure all staff have the information to enable them to provide the precise individual care the young people need including appropriate responses to their changing individual circumstances. Staff members are as diverse in terms of sex, race and culture as the young people accommodated. Staff consider that they are well supported in their care of the young people and have the time and resources necessary to do their job efficiently.

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Organisation

Robust systems are in place to monitor the running of the home, ensuring the high standard of young people's care is maintained. The manager and registered provider regularly and separately assess the quality of care and have established effective management arrangements to safeguard and promote the young people's welfare. For example, where any undesirable patterns or shortfalls in care standards are identified, these are dealt with quickly. Sound strategic planning is evident. This comes across in the annual development plan that sets objectives to ensure existing strengths are consolidated, weaknesses are addressed and a course is set for continuous improvements.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. This is manifested in the home's equality and diversity policy which influences all aspects of the running of the home and the care of the young people. In essence, young people are provided care of a high standard appropriate to their personal circumstances and needs in an inclusive environment that supports them in a positive self-identity, self-esteem and an optimistic future.

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Organisation

Among the sound arrangements that support the children's and young people's care is efficient organisation of their confidential records, which are kept on an individual basis and include all the information necessary to plan and deliver their effective care and reflect their progress. 10 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025

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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

26 November 2010 ensure that the exterior of the home, namely the front entrance, is maintained in a good state of decorative repair. (Regulation 31 (2)(e))

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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 that records kept of bullying incidents include what is done to support young people who are bullied and alter the behaviour of those who bully (NMS 18.4) • ensure that young people's disabilities are taken into account in the arrangements made to consult them and listen to their views. (NMS 8.2) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: SC039025

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