Children's Home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Unique reference number SC035222 Inspection date 29/11/2010 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 26/04/2010 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

Care and accommodation is provided for up to three young people aged 11 to 17 years. The home is semi-detached with an enclosed rear garden. The house has two floors. On the ground floor there is a lounge, dining room, kitchen, quiet room and staff office/sleep-in room. On the first floor there are three bedrooms, a family sized bathroom and a separate toilet.

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Brief description of the service

The home is situated within a residential area and is near to local shops. The home is close to local bus routes which provide easy access to the town centre with its larger shops and leisure facilities.

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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

All five outcome areas for young people and organisation were looked at as part of this unannounced key inspection and were all found to be outstanding. One recommendation has been made as a result of this inspection.

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Summary

Members of staff care very much about the young people who live there, they want them to have every opportunity to develop their independence and to have the best life chances possible. Young people are treated with dignity and respect. Young people were observed to have a warm, friendly, open and honest dialogue with members of staff and appeared relaxed and comfortable in approaching them with their worries or concerns.

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Summary

Members of the staff team are very knowledgeable, skilled and fully committed to delivering a high quality service to young people. Monitoring processes are very good and ensure high standards are maintained, with any shortfalls addressed quickly to improve provision to young people. There are clear systems and procedures for keeping young people safe and for their health and welfare to be promoted and their needs met. Young people and members of staff actively share ideas about what the home does and how high standards and quality can be maintained.

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Summary

At the time of the inspection, three young people were present at the home, two of whom spoke with the inspector and participated in the inspection process. Both young people appeared relaxed, at ease and happy to be at the home. There is an excellent rapport between young people and members of staff.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the home's manager has improved the system for undertaking fire drills. The name's of all those taking part in the fire drill is now recorded.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are fully involved in helping to plan menus and are given full choice regarding the food they eat. Menus offer a wide variety of meals which reflect international cultures. Young people are encouraged to develop their independence skills through planning personal menus, budgeting for meals and shopping for food items. One young person said, 'I can do the shopping and things like that, but sometimes I can't be bothered, I get lots of encouragement to do it though'. The home has developed a book of recipes young people can follow in order to ensure they continue to eat a healthy diet once they have left the home. This is commendable. A well-stocked fruit bowl is available for young people to help themselves. Young people living at the home enjoy a consistently healthy, well- balanced and nutritious diet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people living at the home are registered with a local doctor, dentist and optician. The attendance of young people at medical appointments and health checks is closely monitored, supported and encouraged. This helps to ensure they remain fit and healthy. Young people also receive specialist help and advice, where necessary, from specialist health services. The involvement of specialist healthcare services is fully recorded within each young person's care plan. One young person said, 'they've been good at getting me to my appointments and made sure I have everything I need.' The health needs of young people are identified and their good health is consistently promoted.

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Helping children to be healthy

A well stocked first aid kit is available at the home and all members of staff have attended a suitable course in first aid and in the safe handling and administration of medication. An audit of the medication administration records has been undertaken; all records have been completed accurately. Young people living at the home are protected by the home’s medication administration systems.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Where appropriate, young people are supported and enabled to keep in touch with their families and friends. All personal information relating to the young people in the home is stored safely and securely. Young people living at the home are treated in a warm, friendly and respectful manner. Each young person has their own bedroom which they are able to personalise in a style of their own choosing. The home has policies and procedures in place, which explains what action members of staff should take, when it is necessary to search a young person's bedroom. A room search log is maintained and there has been one room search carried out, since the last inspection. Young people have free access to advocacy services which are independent of the home if they are unhappy about anything. The young people's guide to the home is both thorough and comprehensive and contains information for young people about who they can complain to if the are unhappy about anything.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are policies and procedures in place for dealing with complaints in an effective and timely manner. There has been one complaint made, from a neighbour, since the last inspection. Written records show that the complaint was fully investigated and resolved quickly. Training in the complaints process is provided for all members of staff. Young people living at the home have free access to complaints information. One young person spoken to at the time of the inspection said, 'I can talk to everyone about anything and they always listen'. Young people know how to complain if they feel the need to do so.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A copy of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures is available in the home and the home has policies and procedures in place relating to child protection. There have been no child protection referrals made since the last inspection. All members of staff working at the home have undertaken formal training in child protection. Young people living at the home are protected from exploitation and abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has policies and procedures in place with regard to countering bullying. Countering bullying training is provided for all members of staff, and is updated every two years. A countering bullying risk assessment has also been carried out. With regard to being bullied one young person said, 'we fallout and have disagreements but I wouldn't call it bullying.' Members of staff work very hard with young people to help them develop their understanding and tolerance of others. Young people are fully protected from being targeted by bullies.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has policies and procedures in place, with regard to what action members of staff should take if a young person is absent without authority. There have been a number of occasions, since the last inspection, when a young person has been absent without authority. However, the trend in being absent without authority is reducing. Young people are responded to positively on their return from being absent without authority and are helped to feel safe and secure.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has policies and procedures in place, relating to the safe holding or restraint of young people. Members of staff have received appropriate training in how to hold a young person safely. Training is reviewed and updated at regular intervals. There have been no occasions, since the last inspection, where it has been necessary for members of staff to hold or restrain a young person. This is commendable. The home also has policies and procedures in place, relating to the sanctions that can be used to help young people improve their behaviour. All sanctions given to young people appear to be reasonable, and include an opportunity for the young person to offer reparation as a means of reducing or removing the sanction imposed. All written records for recording restraints and sanctions are retained within a separate bound and numbered book, used specifically for that purpose and fully comply with national minimum standards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are robust systems in place to ensure that young people, members of staff and visitors to the home are kept safe and free from hazards. Health and safety risk assessments are carried out at regular intervals and regular fire drills are carried out. Records relating to fire drills were examined and it is clear that at least one fire drill is carried out at night. Written records also show who has participated in the fire drill. Young people are protected from fire and other hazards within the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a very stable, consistent and committed staff team. There have been no new appointments within the home since the last inspection. There are however, good recruitment and selection processes in place. Safety checks are carried out to ensure the suitability of each applicant. Each member of staff has provided references from previous employers or those that know them. The files are very well ordered and include an up-to-date photograph of each member of staff, to help ensure proof of identity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The individual help and support each young person receives at the home is exceptional. Each young person has their own link worker and meetings between them take place at frequent intervals. Link workers attempt to build positive relationships between the home and the families and friends of young people. Link workers regularly review each young person's care needs in order to ensure changing needs are highlighted and appropriate services provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Not all the young people living at the home attend school, college or training. However, the home's manager and members of staff put great emphasis on young people achieving their maximum potential. Staff members offer daily practical support and ongoing encouragement to help ensure young people develop their independence skills. In addition, young people are encouraged and supported with their hobbies and interests. Young people are encouraged and assisted to develop their own identity and community presence.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Each young person has a thorough and detailed placement plan, which outlines what their needs are and how they will be met. The admissions process is thorough and takes into consideration the wishes and feelings of young people already living at the home. Staff members talk regularly with young people, to discuss issues affecting their lives, to make them feel safe, at ease and to see if they can help in any way. Young people living at the home are appropriately placed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The needs of young people are regularly reviewed. The manager and members of staff regularly attend review meetings with partner agencies, changing needs are quickly highlighted and appropriate action is taken. Where necessary, the home's manager will request a review be organised to help quickly resolve any issues.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people living at the home have contact with family members and, where appropriate, contact is both supported and monitored by members of staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home has a comprehensive admissions policy and procedure; this includes arrangements for young people to visit the home before a placement is agreed and their wishes and feelings will be discussed. The home's admission's procedure also includes discussion with the young people already living there.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence how the home is run through link worker meetings and young people's meetings. Where possible, consultation between the home, parents of young people and placing social workers takes place in order to try and improve the service offered to young people. The relationships between young people and members of staff are excellent.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The pathway plans for young people who require them are in place. However, it is unclear what the planned targets are for the young person, how they are to be measured and what the arrangements are for them when they come to leave the home. In addition, issues around finance have not been considered. Young people may not receive the care they need to prepare them and support them into adulthood. However, the manager and members of staff work extremely hard to encourage and support young people to take responsibility for their actions and to develop adult responsibilities. Each young person has their own individual daily living plan. They are encouraged to participate in activities of daily living and to learn independence skills. Employment opportunities are discussed with young people and support is given where necessary to help them achieve their maximum potential. In addition, the home has developed an individually tailored booklet for those who are

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Achieving economic wellbeing

moving on to more independent living. The booklet is excellent and contains comprehensive practical help, tips and advice.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people live in a home that is decorated, furnished and maintained to an exceptionally high standard. The house is kept clean and tidy and young people treat the fixtures and fittings within the home with great care and respect. Two young people spoken to during the inspection said, 'it's a lovely home'.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. Members of staff support, enable and encourage young people to develop their own individual identity and to be tolerant of others. The home’s Statement of Purpose accurately describes what services young people can expect from living there. The staff profile clearly reflects that each member of staff has attained at least the minimum qualifications necessary for their role. The Statement of Purpose is reviewed at regular intervals to help ensure the information provided is accurate and up to date.

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Organisation

Young people receive the care and services they need from competent staff. All members of staff are trained to a minimum National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. This is very good. There are clear arrangements in place for members of staff to deputise in the absence of the manager. Staff rotas have designated handover periods built into them and the hours worked by each member of staff is recorded.

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Organisation

Staff are sufficient in number, experience and qualification to meet the needs of young people. The home's rotas ensure that, where possible, there is a mix of both male and female staff on duty. No agency staff are ever employed to work in the home. Staff sickness and holidays are generally covered by existing staff members working extra hours. This helps to provide consistency of care to young people.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by staff who are fully trained, competent and committed to meeting their needs. A record of all training received by members of staff is maintained within the home. Mandatory training is updated at regular intervals in order to ensure staff retain and enhance their skills.

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Organisation

The care of young people living at the home is monitored regularly. A system is in place to ensure performance is monitored and any patterns or issues requiring action are highlighted. One of the people responsible for monitoring the performance of the home is an elected member of the local authority. This helps to ensure that the authority takes its responsibilities as a corporate parent seriously and the needs of young people remain paramount.

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Organisation

The needs of young people are recorded to reflect their individuality and daily records are maintained. Information relating to the care young people receive is stored securely. Young people, or their parents, are able to access this information within the home if they request it.

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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 each young person who is eligible has an up-to-date and comprehensive pathway plan in place. (NMS 6.1)

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