Children's Home run by Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited in Hounslow

Unique reference number SC409851 Inspection date 11/11/2010 Inspector Rossella Volpi Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 07/06/2010 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 children's home registered to care for up to four young people of either gender between the ages of 13 and 17years. The home is owned and operated by a private provider. The home is located on a residential road not far from local amenities and transport links. On the ground floor there is an office, lounge/dining area, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom for young people. There is also a bathroom for the use of staff that is accessed through the office. There are two further bedrooms, a lounge and bathroom on the first floor and a staff sleeping-in room. There is a garden to the rear of the property that young people can access and parking at the front of the home.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

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Summary

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

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Summary

Young people are well supported with staying healthy and staff understand their needs. Staff have been successful in establishing trusting relationships and in making young people feel welcomed and safe. Young people report that they are clear of what is in place to respond to unacceptable behaviour and consider that the very good relationships with staff have had a positive impact in guiding them in reflecting on their actions.

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Summary

Staff acknowledge the achievements of young people. Some young people consider that the efforts made by the staff, the praise, encouragement and the rewards system have helped them to re-engage with education and improve their opportunities for employment in the future.

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Summary

Supporting contact and working in partnership with families are particular strengths of this home and there is good communication with placing authorities.

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Summary

Young people confirm that they are consulted and feel involved in decision making about day-to-day life at the home and about matters important for their care, education, health and their future.

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Summary

The lack of proper recording, staff qualifications and policies, impinge on the effectiveness of the support that young people may receive.

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Summary

The effectiveness of the monthly reviews by the home is compromised by the lack of analysis of the impact of what has happened since the previous review and of the actions taken. There is very limited exploration of cultural and racial issues, especially for white children. Vetting procedures for staff have some weaknesses, but steps are being taken to address them.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is the first inspection of this home since its registration in June 2010.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people consider that their health is promoted well in the home. They say that they receive the necessary help and they feel able to discuss freely with members of staff of their choice any matter important to them in relation to health and social issues, including alcohol, smoking, safer sex and relationship education.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are supported and guided in maintaining healthy lifestyles, keeping safe and understanding the risks associated with substance misuse. There are links with local health workers to whom the home may refer young people for advice. Smoking or substance abuse are discouraged and, when necessary, young people are supported in attempting to give up, with some good outcomes.

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Helping children to be healthy

The health needs of young person are identified and appropriate action is taken to secure the medical, dental and other health services needed to meet them.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people benefit from a varied, balanced diet with meals that they enjoy and which meet their individual preferences. They are supported to contribute to menus and have opportunities to shop for food and to cook. Staff encourage young people to eat well and guide them in how to prepare healthy meals. The design of the dining area is conducive to young people and staff eating together so that meals can be social occasions.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication is securely stored in the home and a satisfactory recording systems has been developed for its administration. The medication policies and procedures do not contain enough information to properly guide staff in the safe administration of medication. However, the provider is working on this and aims to have a new working policy in place imminently.

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Helping children to be healthy

Steps are being taken to ensure that all staff receive first aid training, but the number of staff already trained is not adequate to ensure that a qualified first aider is always on duty when young people are in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people feel safe and speak highly of staff; they report that they are clear of what is in place to respond to unacceptable behaviour. They consider that the very good relationships with staff have had a positive impact in guiding them in reflecting on their actions. Examples of what some young people said of the home are: 'Nice, warm environment, you feel safe here'. ‘They actually care for you here'. ‘They take complaints dead seriously'. ‘This place is very good'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The privacy of young people is respected, consistently with good parenting and the need to protect them. For example, the home is conducted with due regard for confidentiality; each young person has his single room; there is guidance clear to staff and young people of when room searches may be made.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people know how to complain and say that any concern they raise is responded to promptly. Generally complaints are addressed without delay and the complainant is kept informed of the progress and of the outcome. However, the record of complaints is not clear about how they are investigated and the resolution. There is a complaints policy in place; but it does not contain all the required information to properly guide staff; the contact details for the registration authority are not correct.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people and staff report that bullying is not an issue at present. Young people are aware that staff are vigilant and expected to take quick action to counteract bullying if identified. Staff monitor relationships between young people and respond to any difficulties promptly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people who are absent without authority are protected in accordance with good practice guidelines and there is some success in reducing episodes of such absences. However, the written records do not give evidence that all steps expected to properly safeguard young people are taken on each occasion.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Although some safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, these do not provide clear guidance for staff on how to respond to allegations or concerns that they may have about the welfare of a young person and do not provide clear procedures and information regarding whistle-blowing. Not all staff have received training in safeguarding, although this is planned for the near future. Physical intervention has not been used and this is consistent with the home's ethos on behaviour management. However, there is recognition that staff may need to use physical intervention in an emergency, but they are not currently trained to do so.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour through encouragement of acceptable behaviour and constructive staff response to inappropriate behaviour. The ethos of the home stresses the importance of relationships, establishing trust, making young people feel valued, increase their self- esteem and provide positive role models. There is a move away from sanctions towards rewards only. The sanctions record shows that fines have been inappropriately imposed, although it is reported that this practice has now stopped.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home provides adequate physical safety and security and health and safety checks are conducted on a regular basis. Not all relevant records and policies are in place. For example, the current policies and procedures do not cover all aspects of health and safety appropriate to the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a selection and vetting process for staff and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent young people being exposed to potential abusers. The steps taken to properly vet the suitability of staff have some weaknesses, although there are plans to address them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people consider that they are well supported and that staff understand their needs. They gave examples showing that they are able to approach any member of the home’s staff with personal concerns and they receive helpful responses. Staff ensure that young people whose placement plan requires specialist external services can access them and co-operate in implementing any programme associated with such services. There is good communication with placing authorities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have been successful in establishing trusting relationships and in making young people feel welcomed. Considering that the majority of young people have not been in placement long, this is a significant achievement and the good relationships are a strength of this home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The lack of proper recording, staff qualifications and policies, impinge on the effectiveness of the support that young people may receive. This and the reasons are discussed under the relevant outcome areas in this report.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are well supported to maintain educational placements and provided with structured educational input if they are not in school. The home has facilities for young people to use to aid studying, such as educational books, computer and areas for private study. Staff liaise well with educational establishments and help young people to attend by providing transport and attending meeting at school with young people. Staff acknowledge the achievements of young people. Some young people consider that the efforts made by the staff, the praise, encouragement and the rewards system have helped them to re-engage with education and improve their opportunities for employment in the future.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are no personal educational plans in place for the young people, but management is pursuing this with those responsible in the local authority for their completion.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have their needs assessed and reviewed satisfactorily with care plans for each young person in placement, which outline their individual needs and how these will be met. These are updated monthly or more often if the young person's needs change. Allocated key workers are responsible for ensuring that care plans are kept up to date and management informs each young person's statutory review by attending and completing a report of progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

It is positive that all admissions are planned, with the essential information being required before the young person comes to live at the home. This enables proper consideration that young people are appropriately placed there.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The effectiveness of the monthly reviews by the home is compromised by the lack of analysis of the impact of what has happened since the previous review and of the actions taken. This is noticeable, for example, in risk assessments and in the key workers’ reports; furthermore there is a very limited exploration of cultural and racial issues, especially for white children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are well supported to maintain contact with their family and friends and they say that this contributes to them feeling like they are living in a normal home. They confirm that they get practical support for constructive contact with significant people. Staff are aware of the impact contact can have on young people and support them with the emotional issues that may arise. Supporting contact and working in partnership with families are particular strengths of this home, that has contributed to some positive outcomes for young people regarding behaviour and education.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people confirm that they are consulted and feel involved in decision making about day-to-day life and about matters important for their care, education, health and their future. House meetings take place regularly to give young people the opportunity to raise any issues and for staff to respond and discuss concerns. Young people contribute to their reviews and also have a say in the way the home is run; for example, about activities, décor and the recruitment of staff.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people receive satisfactory care which helps them for the transition into semi- independent living and are supported in developing the appropriate knowledge and skills to make them more competent in everyday tasks. Young people consider that this support is helping them to become more confident; for example, in budgeting, cooking, shopping, general housework, self-help and hygiene. Staff encourage young people to explore training and skills to equip them for work in the future.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is located in a quiet residential area close to local transport and shopping facilities and there is a medical centre close to the home. The home is maintained to a satisfactory standard and provides an environment where young people feel at ease and one that they find comfortable. There is a large garden that young people enjoy and enough private and communal space. Young people are able and encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. Decorations and carpets are looking tired and worn in places, but there are plans to re-decorate the home in the next month and the new décor is being chosen in consultation with the young people resident. There are also plans to remove or replace the trampoline in the garden that young people are attempting to repair.

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Organisation

Young people benefit from a home that is run with their interests in mind. Management is committed to an agenda of improvement, recognises the shortfalls and intends to take appropriate steps to address them.

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Organisation

There has been success in creating the kind of environment where young people feel at ease, able to progress and face their challenges, if they receive the appropriate skilled support to meet their changing needs. The commitment of staff is acknowledged by the positive experiences related by young people in this home and the positive outcomes from some of the care received. For example, young people said: ‘You can be at ease here’. 'In other places I have been staff are very cold, here you feel they are interested in you’. 'It feels like a big family'.

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Organisation

Overall young people receive the care and services they need from a staff team sufficient in number and with varying levels of relevant experience, led by qualified and experienced managers. However, the level of formal qualifications in the staff team is too low to give good assurance that staff are skilled and qualified enough to meet complex needs consistently well. There are plans to increase staff competencies; in the shorter term through specific training and in the longer term with courses leading to qualifications.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. Young people receive support that takes into account their individual needs and their religious believes. There is commitment and success in including families in the care of the young people and plans for their future and in maintaining links with the community young people came from. There is an equal opportunity policy for employment of staff. The exploration of cultural and racial needs is too limited to properly contribute to care planning and reviews.

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Organisation

There is a statement on how the home operates and a children's guide is available for young people. Thus users can be clear of what to expect.

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Organisation

The care of young people accommodated in the home is monitored; but there are gaps in the effectiveness of the monitoring as records are often not well kept and, therefore, do not give proper evidence of the work done and of its impact on the lives of young people.

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Organisation

There are monthly statutory visits conducted on behalf of the provider and a detailed report is written that outlines recommendations or issues of concern. However, there is no evidence that the issues from the reports are acted upon, and the reports are not sent to Ofsted as they are required to be.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Std. Action Due date

13 establish a medication policy, procedures and adequate provision of qualified first aiders to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for the safe storage, administration and disposal of medication (Regulations 20 & 21) 31/03/2011

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Std. Action Due date

27 obtain for all staff, before they start work at the home, all the information set out in Regulation 26 (Regulation 26 & Schedule 2) 31/12/2010

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Std. Action Due date

3 ensure that children have their needs reviewed effectively and comprehensively. In particular, with due regard to matters relating to their culture and race (Regulation 12) 28/02/2011

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Std. Action Due date

24 ensure that the trampoline sited in the garden is safe for young people to use (Regulation 23) 30/11/2010

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Std. Action Due date

1 ensure that the home's policies, procedures and any written guidance to staff accurately reflect the Statement of Purpose and include all matters expected by the national minimum standards and relevant legislation; in particular regarding policies relating to complaints, safeguarding, whistleblowing and health and safety (Regulation 4) 31/03/2011

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Std. Action Due date

29 take steps to enable staff to be appropriately qualified, consistently with the expectations of the national minimum standards and to receive suitable training in safeguarding and physical intervention (Regulation 27) 31/03/2011

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Std. Action Due date

32 ensure proper monitoring and any necessary remedial action of the home's records; in particular those relating to complaints, disciplinary measures and children's unauthorised absences. (Regulation 34) 31/01/2011

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