Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Unique reference number SC008269 Inspection date 17/11/2010 Inspector Michelle Oxley Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 10/02/2010 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

The home is registered to provide care for three young people, of either sex, between the ages of 10 and 17 years with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The service provides medium- to long-term residential care and is owned by a private company.

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Brief description of the service

The home is located in a residential area that has easy access to local facilities and public transport. The house consists of a lounge, dining room, study and kitchen on the ground floor. Young people's bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. There are gardens to the front and rear of the house.

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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 short notice inspection is to assess the home's performance in relation to key national minimum standards across the 'Every Child Matters' outcome areas. The actions and recommendations set following the last inspection are also followed up.

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Summary

The home provides a good standard of care to young people. Positive relations between staff and young people serve to support young peoples care needs well. Young people's health needs are also well supported as staff are exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled in providing care for young people who have a particular need. Good support is given to young people in relation to establishing and maintaining further education opportunities.

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Summary

Following this inspection there are two good practice recommendations made.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection there were two actions and two recommendations made. These have all been fully met. Health and safety risk assessments regarding restraint within the confines of the house have been devised as required. The lone working risk assessments have been updated in line with the requirement set. The sanctions book now records all the required information as recommended following the last inspection. Young people now record their views following restraint or disciplinary measure as recommended.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people enjoy the food provided at the home. They are able to make decisions about the food they eat. The staff team ensure that a balanced and nutritious diet is provided particularly in relation to specific health needs. The menu offers a good choice of world foods and staff encourage young people to try new dishes. The staff team do most of the cooking with young people helping out. Food is sourced from the local green grocer and supermarket. Meal times are sociable occasions with staff and young people sitting together at the dining room table.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health information is held as part of the placement plan. Written information about health care provides good, clear direction to staff about how to meet young people's health needs. The home has developed links with other professionals and agencies such as the diabetes nurse and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The team receive training to help them to support the specific health needs. They display a good deal of knowledge which enables them to provide excellent support to the young person. Advice about health promotion is available to young people at home. Staff gave informal advice on a day to day basis and health information leaflets regarding, safe sex, smoking, drugs and alcohol are at hand in a communal area.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home deals with a small amount of medication. This is held securely in a locked cabinet. A record made of all medication dealt with is maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff respect young people’s privacy and personal space. Young people say that they can have time alone in their rooms, staff do not enter their rooms unnecessarily, they always knock and ask to come in. Young people can use the phone in privacy they have their own mobile phones for which they receive top up. They say they can use the home's land line to keep in touch with family and friends. Bathrooms, bedrooms and toilets are fitted with privacy locks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are given clear information about how to make a complaint when they move in to the home. They know who they can go to and where to access a complaints forms. The system enables young people to post complaints out to senior managers external to the home. Young people say that they can also raise complaints at the weekly house meeting, or by approaching staff directly. A suggestion box is also in place, this enables young people to post comments anonymously. The complaint log contains one recent complaint which is currently being investigated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures to ensure that children and young people are protected are in place. Staff are able to state how they would proceed should they receive and allegation or suspect a young person was being abused. Written guidelines, which are up to date, have been devised for staff to follow, and these are displayed on the office wall. However the safeguarding policy held in the home's policy manual has not been updated in line with national and local procedure, but there is good evidence that this is in hand. Practice at the home verifies that the team have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures, although formal training in this area has not been recently updated, in order to ensure that practice reflects more recently implemented safeguarding arrangements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying at the home is prevented by the early identification of problems. Young people and staff talk openly about the issue of bullying at weekly meetings. The team ensures that they talk to young people about bullying when they move in. An atmosphere has been created where bullying is known to be unacceptable.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home's procedures to deal with absences without authority are robust. Staff know what to do if a young person goes missing. They ensure that all the relevant people are contacted. Incidents of absences and actions taken on each occasion are tracked back because staff maintain good records.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The approach to behaviour management is good. The team operate a system which focuses on building positive relationships and rewards positive behaviour. Physical interventions are not routinely used at the home, none of the current group of young people has been restrained since moving in. The restraint log provides a detailed record of incidents and interventions. There have been seven low level restraints used since the last inspection nine months ago. Sanctions are occasionally used, recent sanctions involve a verbal reprimand. The home has a list of approved sanctions devised by young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are systems in place to vet staff and visitors. All visitors to the home are required to show identification and to sign in and out. Staff recruitment records and checks are held at head office and a copy is sent to the Registered Manager at the home. Records held at the home are not comprehensive in every case. Verification of Criminal Record Bureau checks are held by the manager, but not on each person's personnel file.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Positive steps are taken to ensure that the building is safe. Fire safety equipment checks are carried out at the required intervals. A health and safety report had been carried out. Electrical appliances are tested and the gas and electrical installation checks are up to date.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff team treat young people as individuals. Staff are approachable and young people feel that they have good relations with the team. Young people's individual needs are set out in their placement plan and are met in practice. Each young person has two key workers who help them to address any problems or concerns. Key workers take time to listen to young people's views and where possible provide help. Areas of risk are assessed and recorded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people receive good support with education. All young people currently living at the home are attending further education colleges. Each young person is attending a vocational course which will underpin their chosen career path in the future. Young people receive a bus pass from the home so that they can to college.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are engaged in a range of leisure pursuits consistent with their interests. Staff arrange activities such as playing pool, going to the cinema or watching a band. Young people enjoy attending but are also encouraged to participate in activities independent of staff and consistent with their age group. The home has a games room where young people can watch tv, play on the games station or use the homes computer. Social networking sites are permitted within the context of good security measures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have their needs reviewed and assessed on an ongoing basis. The quality of care planning at the home is very good. Plans are devised in line with the stated targets of placing authorities and in consultation with young people. These provide detailed direction to the staff team. Young people attend reviews which are held in line with statutory requirements. Requirements of previous reviews are incorporated into placement plans. The team prepares a report for the review.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home encourages a culture of consultation and cooperation with young people, families and the local authority. The team develops links with parents and interacts with placing officers on an ongoing basis to keep them up to date. Young people feel that they are listened to. They have developed positive relations with the team. Residents meetings take place every week and young people are encouraged to air their views.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The team support young people‘s relationships with their family. Where appropriate, contact is encouraged and supported by staff who make families welcome at the home. The arrangements for contact are set out in the placement plan and adhered to in practice.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people receive good support to help them to make the transition to adulthood and independence. They are involved in a wide range of activities such as cleaning their room, washing clothes and using public transport independently. The manager has devised a detailed programme which targets skills development in this area. The programme can be adapted to suit individuals and covers a wide range of subject in order to help young people to develop their skills. The programme has recently been introduced and has not had sufficient time to fully embed, but the work carried out so far has had a positive impact.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The house is well maintained and furnished to a very good standard. The property is modern and spacious. Young people have single bedrooms which they can personalise. There is a communal lounge, dining room, games room and kitchen. Bathroom and toilet facilities are sufficient to meet the needs of young people. Outside there is a garden big enough for ball games and similar activities.

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Organisation

A Statement of Purpose in is place this has been updated to reflect changes in the staff team and to provide information about staff skill. Young people receive a welcome document when they move in and this provides important information about the operation of the home.

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Organisation

The staff team is made up of a mixture of long term, established team members and new staff who commenced work at the home more recently. New staff undergo an induction process and work along side experienced staff. All new employees have experience of working with young people although not directly in a care setting. The team on duty during this inspection said that they felt that the current team work well together and that the skill mix provides good support to young people.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are currently sufficient to meet the needs of young people living at the home. The team work a 24 hour shift including some waking night duties. The rota is arranged so that waking night staff get to spend time with young people during the evening. A programme of staff training is in place which covers all mandatory training, plus national vocational qualifications. Additional training can also be requested or is provided where it is identified as a result of young people's needs. Staff receive good supervision from the managers.

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Organisation

The administration of the home is efficient and well organised. The home is monitored by the manager on a monthly basis and relevant records are signed by her. Young people's files contain all the required information, they are held securely.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity within the home is good. Young people are respected as individuals and needs identified are supported.

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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 staff receive updated safeguarding training (NMS 17)  ensure that copies of staff records held at the home contain evidence that all the requirements of Schedule 2 have been met in every case (NMS 27).

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