Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Unique reference number SC033723 Inspection date 24/08/2010 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 07/01/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 Crispins, 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.

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About this inspection

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 outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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Brief description of the service

This is a purpose-built children’s home, which is operated by a local authority. The home is situated at the head of a cul-de-sac, on a residential housing estate. It is within easy reach of a number of local amenities, which provide a wide range of facilities that the young people living at the home are able to make use of.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides medium to long-term care for up to five females, between the ages of 10 and 17 years with emotional or behavioural difficulties .

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Brief description of the service

Each young person has a single, first floor bedroom. There are two staff sleeping-in rooms. There is a choice of bathing facilities and toilets. On the ground floor there is a dining room with conservatory attached, separate lounge area and a domestic kitchen. There is also a laundry room and two offices.

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Brief description of the service

There are gardens to the front, side and rear of the property, but the back garden has a steep incline. There is no designated parking.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

The purpose of this unannounced full inspection was to evaluate whether the service is meeting the national minimum standards.

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Summary

There are many good aspects to this home. There is an experienced and committed staff team who speak very positively about the young people they care for and have a good understanding of their needs. There is a good approach to behaviour management which the young people respond well to. A service improvement plan has been produced which sets clearly defined targets to ensure the service continues to improve.

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Summary

One minor shortfall was identified at this inspection; the Statement of Purpose does not contain a staffing policy to inform what the staffing arrangements are.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were no recommendations or requirements made at the last inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are provided with healthy and nutritious meals and they are encouraged to help with meal preparation. Some individuals are on a supported living scheme in which they are given monies to buy food and prepare their own meals. This is done on an individual basis dependent upon the young person's ability and support required. For example, some individuals will be given enough money to buy food for a couple of meals whilst others may have the full week’s money.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are well attended to; there is good support on sexual health issues and appropriate support given to ensure their emotional needs are met. The home holds a weekly 'girls group' in which a range of topics are discussed. This raises young people's awareness and builds their self-esteem. All the girls are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians and the outcome of each appointment is recorded. Young people are discouraged from smoking.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication records are in good order and staff ensure that young people are can access with appropriate non-prescribed medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home maintains two complaints records; one for minor grumbles the girls may have and another for formal complaints. There have been no formal complaints made although there have been a number of minor issues raised which have been appropriately responded to. An individual from a children's rights organisation visits the home monthly to support the young people who may raise any concerns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good awareness of safeguarding issues and will take appropriate action if any concerns are highlighted. In particular there are strategies in place to ensure young people are equipped with the necessary means to return to the home at all times. Staff make telephone contact with individuals if they do not return to the home when expected. Staff have regular contact with young people who are persistently missing and will arrange to meet these individuals outside the home to ascertain that they are safe and well. Appropriate meetings are called to determine strategies for some individuals to ensure that purposeful communication is maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people confirm that there is no bullying in the home. In general they all get on well together. Bullying is discussed during key work sessions and residents meetings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a good approach to behaviour management; staff have embraced the behaviour management training they have received and concentrate on de-escalation techniques. There has been one restraint recorded since the last inspection, this is a minor hold to prevent a situation escalating. There are very few sanctions recorded; these are appropriate. Each young person has a crisis management plan setting out triggers to behaviour with strategies in place to manage these behaviours. This ensures a consistent approach. Staff talk positively about the girls and it is clear that they are committed to helping them and work hard to ensure that young people engage with the support available.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risk assessments are in place for each young person, these are individual and identify known risks with strategies in place to minimise them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There have been no new staff employed since the last inspection. The identity of all visitors is checked to ensure only suitable people have access to the young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home has access to services that help meet the needs of the young people. For example, a social worker from the therapeutic social work team is to attend staff meetings once a month to offer support and guidance to the team in how best to work with some individuals. The youth offending service supports young people who are involved in criminal activity. The looked after children nurse visits the home and offers guidance on a range of issues including sexual health. Staff undertake regular key work sessions which are recorded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff endeavour to get the young people to their place of education and strategies are in place to encourage their attendance. Some individuals have very good attendance and there are support mechanisms in place to maintain this; for example, a school mentor has been appointed who the young people may go to if feeling under stress. The home is proactive in ensuring personal education plans are in place and that these documents are relevant. This ensures staff are aware of the educational expectations of the young people and are able to offer support where required. Some young people have achieved well and are continuing with further education.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A number of the young people arrange their own leisure time but still enjoy participating in activities with staff, for example, going to the theatre. Some young people are enabled to enjoy horse riding. Young people were enthusiastic participants in a music group organised by the local authority. The young people have recently been on holiday which was enjoyed by all.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are good care plans in place which are individual to each young person, setting out their needs with good guidance to staff to ensure that these needs can be met. These plans are reviewed monthly by the key worker and the young person and brought to the staff meeting to ensure all staff are able to have an input and are aware of the contents to ensure a consistent approach.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Child care reviews are held regularly. Staff produce a detailed report for the review outlining the progress of the individual. Some young people run their own review and decide who will attend and where it is to be held; this is good practice which empowers young people. If young people do not wish to attend their meeting, the key worker ascertains their views and advocates on their behalf. Reviewing officers write directly to these individuals to ensure that they are fully aware of what has been discussed. Contemporaneous notes are taken at the meeting to ensure decisions taken may be promptly implemented.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are of an age where they arrange their own family contact. Staff endeavour to monitor situations where it is deemed not in the best interests of the young person to have such contact.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The Registered Manager undertakes an impact risk assessment on all potential admissions. However, despite having reservations about the impact some admissions may have on the group, this is not always taken into consideration by senior managers when placements are made. However, risk assessments are in place identifying potential risks with strategies in place to help minimise the risk. Staff visit potential admissions in placement and these individuals visit the home prior to moving in.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Regular residents meetings are held and young people confirm that they are listened to.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Some young people are working towards living independently. This is a relatively new venture for the home but one which is developing. Some individuals have a weekly allowance and buy their own food and other personal requisites. This is done on an individual basis dependent upon the capabilities of each young person. There is a written plan with clear expectations of the young person to take increasing responsibility for themselves. All young people are encouraged with meal preparation; they are responsible for keeping their rooms tidy and manage their own laundry. The home is well maintained and decorated to a good standard creating a homely environment for the young people. Young people personalise their own bedrooms which are pleasantly decorated.

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Organisation

There is a an informative Statement of Purpose in place. It tells interested parties what they can expect from the home., although it does not contain a staffing policy. The home has produced a child friendly young person's guide, again this is an informative document clearly explaining to new young people what they may expect when they come to live in the home.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Young people's individual needs are identified and staff work hard to address these needs. Inappropriate derogatory language is challenged to ensure young people are aware of socially acceptable behaviour. The staff team reflect the ethnicity of the group of young people and appropriate support is given to ensure that cultural needs are addressed.

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Organisation

The home is almost fully staffed, having a shortfall of seven hours. This is an enthusiastic and competent staff team who are clearly committed to the young people they care for. There are sufficient staff on duty to ensure young people are well supervised. All staff have attained national vocational qualification at level 3 or equivalent, or are working towards this qualification. Some staff have a social work qualification or a relevant degree which further enhances the knowledge of the staff team.

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Organisation

There are good training opportunities for the team, for example, staff have attended, behaviour management training, child protection, substance awareness, grooming and sexual exploitation, life story training and eating disorders. The management team have also had training, for example in, working together to safeguard children, supervision and planning for children and young people who go missing.

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Organisation

There are good monitoring systems in place, including the regulation 33 visitor who visits the home monthly and produces a report. The Registered Manager undertakes a schedule 6 monitoring to ensure the home functions effectively. A service improvement plan for 2010-2011 has been produced to which all staff have contributed, to ensure that the home continues to develop.

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Organisation

Young people's files contain all the relevant information and are easy to follow.

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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):

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Recommendations

 ensure that the staffing policy is set out in the Statement of Purpose. (NMS 30.2)

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