Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Unique reference number SC042652 Inspection date 26/08/2010 Inspector Monica Farrimond Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 30/11/2009 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 children's home looks after three young people aged from eight to 17 years with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

It is a semi-detached house close to the centre of the town. The location of the house enables young people to access facilities in the community easily: It is close to bus stops, a railway station, local schools, shops, youth groups, leisure centres, the beach and parks.

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Brief description of the service

Three young people live at the home and one of whom contributed to the inspection.

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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 full inspection all key standards were inspected. Young people's welfare is promoted by positive relationships that exist between experienced staff and young people, and between young people and their peers. Young people are encouraged to eat healthily, they are kept safe and they are provided with support from professional services outside the home. Staff are well supported by the Registered Manager, who is effective, enthusiastic, and has a strong commitment and focus on improvement. The promotion of equality and diversity is good throughout the standards inspected. No actions and only one recommendation is made following this inspection, which reflects the high standard of care offered by this home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The one recommendation from the last Inspection relating to storage of confidential information has been fully complied with.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's dietary needs are catered for in a way that promotes good health. Young people are actively involved in choosing food for the weekly menu. Fresh produce is used in the preparation of meals and fresh fruit and drinks are always available. Staff encourage young people to eat well and takeregular exercise. All staff are trained in food hygiene; this ensures that staff and young people's awareness of the importance of hygiene is raised. Effective monitoring and detailed records ensures young people receive adequate quantities of wholesome and nutritious food, which is properly prepared and served in an attractive manner. Young people's choices of food are promoted and diversity is encouraged through studying different cultures and sampling different cultural foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are identified through regular assessments carried out by staff. Health plans are detailed and provide staff with a clear understanding of the needs and support young people require. This ensures that young people have a clear understanding of the aims of the plan, and they are able to work together with staff to look after their health. Professional services assist young people to understand and to deal with specific health issues. Young people attend regular appointments with local health services. Young people's health and welfare is closely monitored by staff ensuring their good health is promoted. Staff have developed a good understanding of a wide range of health needs which helps them to review plans.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff and young people are trained in the administration of medication and drug awareness. All medication is stored securely, preventing young people from unnecessary access. Clear records ensure all medication is accounted for, administered appropriately and disposed of safely. All staff are trained in first aid and can respond to minor injuries, prior to seeking professional medical advice. Accident records are kept within individual young people's files.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good policies, procedures and work practices are in place that ensure young people's right to privacy and confidentiality is upheld. All young people have their own individual single bedrooms with appropriate locks on the doors. On very rare occasions it has proven necessary to search young people's possessions or rooms. All such searches are appropriately recorded and the documentation used is thorough.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The complaints policy, procedures and documentation are comprehensive. Staff receive training in the complaints procedures and know how to assist young people to make a complaint. Young people are given good information on the various ways they can make a formal complaint including the contact numbers of outside agencies they may make a complaint directly to if they wish.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are no current child protection issues or concerns. Good child protection policies and procedures, regularly reviewed and updated, are in place, and all staff receive regularly updated child protection training. Good records are maintained of any child protection referrals made and any subsequent investigations. These actions show the home takes suitable measures to ensure staff have a good working knowledge of policies and procedures that protect young people from abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Suitable policies and procedures are in place on bullying. The home has bullying risk assessments but these are generic, not individualised, which devalues their worth. Potential issues are not identified. It is not currently an issue or concern for young people, who state they are not bullied at the home. They say care staff would deal with any such issues brought to their attention.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good policies are in place that detail action for staff to take should a young person go absent without permission. The home has formed good working links with the local police, and appropriate procedures are followed if a young person goes missing. Incidents of absence without authority are infrequent and most that have occurred relate to specific young people, whom staff are working with to address these issues. All incidents are formally recorded and documentation used for this is good.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A good behaviour management system is in place, based on working positively with young people and encouraging, praising and rewarding acceptable behaviour. Unacceptable behaviour is addressed and fully discussed with young people, and they are given advice and guidance on ways to avoid repeating such behaviours. On isolated occasions sanctions are imposed and young people may be asked to pay towards any costs their behaviours have incurred. The home aims to enable young people to see that their behaviour has consequences. Young people say that staff are 'very fair' and that sanctions are not imposed 'very often'. Staff are aware of the types of sanctions they can and cannot use and these are clearly detailed in policy documents. Young people have a good awareness of the types of sanctions and rewards used. All sanctions imposed are suitably recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

On rare occasions it has proven necessary to use physical interventions with young people. All young people say that such interventions were done fairly and had no complaints about them. Staff meet with young people involved at a suitable time afterwards to discuss the incident and how such incidents may be avoided in the future. All staff receive regularly updated training in the home's preferred method of physical intervention. All such incidents are fully recorded and reported to placing authorities and, where applicable, parents/carers. The documentation used for recording physical interventions meets requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are sufficient baths, showers and toilets to fully meet young people's needs and the doors on all such facilities have suitable locks fitted to afford privacy. Staff with the responsibility for overseeing health and safety issues and compiling risk assessments have received appropriate training for this role. All care staff receive risk assessment and health and safety training. Relevant risk assessments are in place and are reviewed at least annually. Individual risk assessments are compiled on each young person and reviewed monthly. All fire drills, fire alarm tests and fire safety equipment checks are up to date. All electrical appliances are checked annually. No health and safety hazards were observed during the inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Suitable staff recruitment procedures, which meet with regulatory requirements, are in place. Staff recruitment files contain relevant information to show all required checks have been carried out before staff commence employment. This shows the home takes all reasonable measures to ensure staff employed are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The comprehensive knowledge that staff gain about a young person prior to placement in the home enables them to provide young people with good levels of individual support. Full information about all young people is obtained prior to placement and is developed into care and support plans. These are kept up to date. Staff work very closely with parents and with other professionals, so that care is consistent.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a positive attitude towards the value of education and make sure that young people's educational needs are promoted when they use this service. There is a good exchange of information and support from staff at the home with educational facilities. Staff also provide young people with opportunities to extend their learning, through educational activities during their stay at the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people benefit from being involved in a number of activities. These include trips to educational places of interests as well as healthy activities, such as going to the local gym, and horse riding, which promotes young people's confidence and experiences. The needs and wishes of each young person are taken into account when activities are planned.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Assessments and risk assessments are undertaken on young people prior to, or shortly after their stay at the home. From this information, staff in consultation with parents and placing social workers, develop detailed care and support plans. All plans are regularly reviewed by the home and also through the formal local authority reviewing process. The admissions process is thorough, so that placements can be planned, with due regard to the needs of all young people currently accommodated. This ensures that the home is the appropriate placement for any individual young person and that the home itself runs smoothly. Staff also work closely with parents and agencies who are concerned with the care of a young person, to support young people when they move on from a placement at the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff know the children and young people well and they are able to communicate effectively with them. This enables them to make sure that young people can make their views known in the interactions of daily life. It also enables young people to be supported to make choices about all aspects of their care. Relationships between staff and young people are positive. Staff have regular communication with parents and families and welcome them into the home, so that parents feel they are fully involved. Contact with family and other significant people in the young people's lives is promoted.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The manager and members of staff encourage and support young people to take responsibility for their actions and to develop adult responsibilities. Basic skills in relation to independence are facilitated. Independent living plans are well used at the home and young people's progress towards independent living is closely monitored. Young people experience an environment that is well designed and pleasant. It is decorated and furnished to a good standard. The home provides suitable facilities for young people to study, with sufficient learning materials available to them.

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Organisation

The service has a clear Statement of Purpose that sets out how young people will be cared for when they stay at the home. The young person's guide to the service is produced in a child-friendly format, giving young people a clear and detailed picture of how the home works and who will be looking after them during their stay.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The manager of the home is experienced and appropriately qualified. The service is effectively managed and well run. Staff are provided with a good range of training, including mandatory courses in safeguarding, first aid and the administration of medication. This ensures that staff who care for the young people are knowledgeable and encourages a professional approach to their work. All staff appointed to work at the home are required to have, or to work towards, a qualification in caring for children and young people.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are good, which ensures that young people are properly supervised and they are able to take part in activities. Rotas allow staff sufficient time to undertake individual work with young people, to attend regular team meetings and to complete necessary paperwork. Staff demonstrate a clear determination to promote inclusion for young people and to encourage them to develop their skills. Staffing levels are sufficient to achieve this.

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Organisation

The staff also demonstrate a strong commitment to reviewing and improving the service that is offered to young people and their families. Team meetings are used to look at practice issues and the needs of the young people. There is discussion with parents and professionals from other agencies about the care that young people are given and there are robust systems in place to monitor the quality of care that is given to young people, and ensure that the quality of the work is of a high standard.

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Organisation

Information that is held on young people is thorough, so that their needs can be met. All information that is sensitive is confidentially stored but still accessible to all staff, which ensures that care is consistent and in line with the young person's care plan.

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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

 carry out regular, recorded risk assessments of the times, places and circumstances in which the risk of bullying is greatest, and takes action where feasible to reduce or counteract the risk of bullying. (NMS 18)

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