Children's Home run by West Sussex County Council in West Sussex

Unique reference number SC037454 Inspection date 23/11/2010 Inspector Paul Taylor Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 24/11/2009 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 service is a five bedded mixed gender children's home. The service is currently aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and under 17 years old who have difficulty living within a family environment.

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Brief description of the service

The home is situated in a residential area close to all the amenities a town can offer. The house provides a comfortable living environment and is purpose built. The home is situated in a large residential estate which has a population which is multicultural. On the ground floor the home has communal rooms, a kitchen, offices and a games room. The first floor rooms consist of bedrooms and bathrooms.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is outstanding.

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Summary

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

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Summary

At this unannounced inspection all the key standards were assessed. Five young people were living at the home at the time of the inspection and three of them took part in the inspection by meeting with the inspector.

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Summary

The young people's views are seen as central in the running of the home and it is clear that they have numerous opportunities to voice their thoughts and feelings to a variety of different adults. The young people feel fairly treated and acknowledge that the staff want what is best for them.

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Summary

Care planning is of an excellent standard and the staff team constantly reflect on practice and how to improve their care and support for the young people.

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Summary

Rigorous monitoring of the home by both the manager and external managers underpins the high quality of service offered to the young people.

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Summary

One recommendation was made as a result of this inspection. This relates to ensuring that key workers keep a record of how a pathway plan is being progressed and implemented by a placing social worker.

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Improvements since the last inspection

No recommendations were made at the last inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The young people are offered a varied and healthy diet. They are able to prepare snacks and meals and this enables them to develop their life and independence skills. Young people's opinions about the food are very positive. 'The food is good and we get to make choices' was a comment made by one young person. Any specific dietary needs are met by the home, whether these are based on health, culture or religion.

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Helping children to be healthy

Each young person has a detailed health plan in place which outlines their health history and needs. Good liaison with a looked after children (LAC) nurse ensures that their health needs are promoted robustly and efficiently. Emotional health is promoted with the oversight provided by the psychologist who works in the home on a weekly basis. The young people's emotional and psychological well being is promoted to a particularly excellent standard.

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Helping children to be healthy

The staff encourage the young people to lead healthy lifestyles and take regular exercise and enable the young people to have access to support and advice in relation to issues such as smoking cessation and alcohol misuse.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has a rigorous system for ensuring that the administration of medication is closely monitored and regularly audited by a member of staff. Subject to a risk assessment, young people who are assessed as being able, are permitted to keep and administer their own medication.

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Helping children to be healthy

The promotion of health for the young people is achieved to an excellent standard.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Privacy is valued and respected by the staff team and sensitive information is stored securely. The young people are also made aware of the circumstances when room searches may occur. A record is made should this happen. Members of staff always knock on doors before entering rooms. Young people are able to make telephone calls in private by using the home's land line or by using mobile telephones.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are given clear details of how to make a complaint should they wish. Young people are aware of how to complain and to whom. Information is further contained in the young person's guide, while details of agencies to whom they can complain are displayed in communal areas around the home. The young people are confident that they can resolve issues through discussion with the staff on duty. One young person reported that 'we can always speak to the manager or another member of staff.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All members of staff receive child protection training and are up-to-date with child protection procedures. Additionally they have access to local safeguarding procedures. They are clear as to their obligations in the event that they have concerns about a young person's well-being. Detailed records are maintained on any child protection concerns and how they have been pursued and resolved. The home's approach with regards to ensuring that any child protection matters are addressed, is rigorous and involves close liaison with all agencies.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people report that bullying is not tolerated in the home. The staff encourage the young people to resolve any issues by meeting and discussing with staff support. The staff team are very aware of group dynamics and relationships and strive to de- escalate tension and disputes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a clear policy in place for the staff to follow in the event that a young person goes missing. The young people are aware of what the process is if they are out without permission. The home's approach to this issue is rigorous and robust. The manager ensures close liaison with local police officers in order that individual protocols are known and followed. He also shares information about young people's specific vulnerabilities while missing, with the local safeguarding team, in order to ensure that their practice promotes the safety of each vulnerable young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Each young person has an individual behaviour support plan is place. These plans identify what strategies are appropriate in assisting the young people to manage distressing or challenging situations which may lead to aggressive and disruptive behaviour. Rules and routines are made clear in the young person's guide and sanctions imposed for transgressions are clearly recorded. Each young person is able to make comments about the fairness of sanctions imposed and feedback from the young people was very positive. 'I don't like them but they're fair when I get them' was a comment made.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All members of staff receive training in the method of physical intervention used in the home. Records of incidents involving physical restraint are clearly maintained and checked for veracity by the manager and assistant manager on a regular basis.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Thorough risk assessments are made with regards to the premises and activities in which the young people partake. They are regularly reviewed and updated. The approach to risk management means that young people are able to take part in activities and outings with the support they need. Fire drills occur regularly and all fire safety equipment is checked and serviced when required.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a comprehensive recruitment process. No members of staff work with the young people until all the necessary checks and references have been confirmed. Additionally the young people are also involved in the recruitment process, being able to interview prospective members of staff and then giving feedback about their impressions to the recruiting panel.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people's safety and well-being is valued, seen as paramount , and promoted and to an excellent level in the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Each young person's individual needs are planned for and met in a detailed and thorough manner. External specialist input, such as advice from a psychologist, is accessed by the staff team where needed. Additional specialist support, such as access to translators and advocacy services are also made readily available. The support offered to the young people ensures that all their needs can be met to a very high standard.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is valued and promoted in the home. Those young people who have an educational placement are assisted and encouraged to achieve high levels of attendance. The home maintains close liaison with each young person's educational setting and this ensures a consistent and supportive approach. The approach towards education by the staff team gives the young people a chance to have a positive experience of education despite often having had negative experiences prior to coming to live at the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are able to meet with friends in the community as well as having access to numerous activities both in and out of the home. Examples of activities offered include cycling, horse riding, trips to a gymnasium as well as drives in the car and shopping trips. The young people have also had the opportunity to go on holiday together and this enabled them to partake in activities such as water skiing and abseiling. During the year short camping trips are also offered to the young people. There is a clear culture within the home to try and enable the young people to partake in positive activities which will develop their confidence and experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Thorough assessments are made on all relevant and available information regarding the physical, social, behavioural and emotional needs of each young person. Such assessments are incorporated into plans of care which highlight the individual needs of every young person in line with looked after children (LAC) placement planning. Care plans clearly guide staff in caring for the young people and these plans are regularly reviewed and updated. The quality of the plans enables the staff to provide an excellent standard of care to the young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Formal reviews occur regularly in line with looked after children guidance. These outline placement plans and each young person's progress and well-being. Additionally each young person's individual progress is reviewed regularly in team meetings and by key workers completing monthly reports. The monthly reports, which are shared with the placing social workers, give an excellent overview of each young person's life in the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The particulars of any agreed contact arrangements are recorded in detail and are made clear to the staff as well as the young person concerned. Additionally members of staff will regularly contact family members, where appropriate, to keep them informed of each young person's progress. Members of staff will also assist young people during contact visits if that is required. Staff are very aware that contact with families and loved ones can, in some cases, be stressful and upsetting. Close and sensitive support is provided when it is needed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Wherever possible all placements are planned in advance, although robust assessments of individual needs means that young people can be accommodated at short notice. Young people are able to visit the home prior to admission and the rules and expectations are explained to them. Additionally each young person is provided with a hand book prior to admission in order to prepare them as much as possible for life in their new home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are given every possible opportunity to express their views and to contribute to the day-to-day running of the home. House meetings take place regularly. Issues discussed at house meetings include menus, activities and behaviour. Where issues are raised by the young people, they are taken forward and are discussed at staff meetings. A response is then delivered formally to the young people at their next house meeting. Young people also have opportunities to voice their opinions in key work sessions and during informal day to day interaction with members of staff. They all report that the manager is very approachable and that they can voice their thoughts and feelings to him. It is clear that the views of the young people are seen as an essential part in the running of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Interaction between the staff and the young people is relaxed, good humoured and patient. The staff work hard to ensure that the young people feel listened to and that their views and feelings are valued and seen as important. One young person reported that 'At the end of the day I know that the staff want what's best for me.'

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Sound procedures are in place to support young people as they approach adulthood. The staff are fully aware of the need to consider any life skills work or the necessity to liaise with relevant agencies, such as the housing department, if a young person is due to leave care at any point in the near future. Additionally an occupational therapist works at the home once a week and gives advice and support to the staff team and young people with regards to gaining independence and developing life skills. Such a robust approach also ensures young people are given every opportunity to engage in the process as early as possible and to contribute to any proposed plans. Goals are in place which enable the young people to develop their independence skills and which also give the young people an awareness of how they are progressing and what skills they need to build upon. Attention to detail in this process is excellent.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is comfortable and has an ongoing and active refurbishment program. The young people are actively involved in 'owning' their environment and do so by decorating the home and furniture, maintaining a herb and vegetable garden and looking after the home's chickens. Young people have personalised their rooms and parts of the home by decorating it with their hand prints and by staining furniture as well as helping with painting and decorating.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose is up to date and accurately reflects what the home intends to achieve. There is a young person's handbook, which explains what it is like to live in the home. These documents are checked regularly by the responsible individual to ensure that they are up to date and accurate.

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Organisation

All members of staff receive regular formal supervision, appraisals and ongoing informal support from managers and colleagues. There are regular team meetings to discuss the running of the home and the young people's behaviour and progress. A psychologist is available during these meetings to give advice and support with regards to issues concerning the young people. This approach ensures that the care provided to the young people is measured and carefully thought through. Policies and procedures, which are regularly reviewed, are readily available.

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Organisation

A good variety of training is offered to the staff team on a rolling basis. The training ensures that they have the knowledge and skills to enable them to deliver an excellent standard of care. Over 80% of the staff team have achieved a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. The induction process is thorough and ensures that all new members of staff are very well supported and prepared to work in the home as well as having a good understanding of the routines and systems.

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Organisation

Practice is monitored by an external manager who carries out regular visits to assess the standard of care provided. The manager in turn also regularly checks all the areas outlined in Schedule 6, such as restraint and sanctions, medication, accidents, child protection issues and admissions and discharges. Additionally the home carries out an annual review of the services it provides and collates information in this research from the young people, staff, carers and professionals. This review outlines areas of good practice and what areas need to be reviewed. The overall monitoring of records carried is of an excellent standard. The quality of monitoring ensures that the standard of care is rigorously and constantly assessed and reflected upon, to ensure that the young people are being cared for to an excellent standard.

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Organisation

The young people's care plans are very well organised, regularly reviewed and updated and are subject to thorough checks by the manager. This ensures that those caring for the young people have up to date and relevant information available to guide them in their care of the young people. All information is securely stored. One file did not carry updated reports on the progress being achieved in the completion of a pathway plan. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. Each young person's individual needs are known and met by the staff team. Differences, especially in culture and race, are seen as an opportunity to learn from each other and a chance to enjoy variety and develop understanding. The cross section of a multicultural staff team and a mixed culture of young people ensures that tolerance is promoted and embedded in the culture of the home.

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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 a record is made of how any plan, being prepared by a placing social worker for a young person, is being progressed and completed. (NMS 35. 2)

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