Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Unique reference number SC025739 Inspection date 13/10/2010 Inspector Mark Kersh Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 09/03/2010 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 and accommodation for up to four children and young people of either gender, aged from 6 years old up to 17 years old. Children and young people are supported to stay at the home until they move into more independent accommodation.

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Brief description of the service

The property is a four bedroom, detached house in a quiet residential area. The first floor of the home has individual bedrooms for children and young people, a bathroom, a staff sleep-in room and office. On the ground floor is the kitchen with a dining area, utility room, playroom, lounge, shower room and another staff sleep-in room and office. At the rear of the house is a car parking area and a separate garden, with a lawn and raised bed for growing vegetables. To the front is an enclosed garden and some on-street parking. The home is close to all public amenities and schools are within walking distance.

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Brief description of the service

There are two young people resident at the home. One young person was present for part of the inspection visit and participated in the inspection process.

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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. This is a good service in most respects with some outstanding features, particularly in the outcome areas of enjoying and achieving and positive contribution.

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Summary

The safety and welfare of young people is well promoted. The manager and staff are child-focused and are committed to helping young people to achieve positive outcomes through individualised care and support packages. Working in partnership with other agencies and professionals is evident and benefits young people. Effective placement planning details individual work with young people. This is also done in line with their risk assessments. Equality and diversity are well promoted in all aspects of the home. There are sufficient staff that are qualified, experienced and well managed. There is a robust quality assurance system which ensures standards remain high.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the previous inspection two actions and one recommendation were made. The two actions were in relation to safeguarding. There are systems in place which ensure prompt referrals are made to the local authority and young people's placing authority should there be any suspicion of abuse. The home keeps a written record of any suspicion of abuse and of any outcome following strategy meetings. These steps further safeguard young people and the previous actions are complied with.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The recommendation was in relation to young people having an opportunity to talk to someone who is independent of the home, following their return from being absent without authority. This is in place and ensures young people can raise any concerns they may have and reasons for being absent with someone not connected to the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are provided with a nutritionally balanced and appealing menu, taking into consideration their likes and dislikes. Young people are actively involved in the purchasing, preparation and cooking of meals. All food is purchased locally and is fresh. Young people experience foods from other cultures through visiting restaurants and attending well planned themed evenings. All staff are trained in food hygiene and can prepare and cook meals safely. Young people's food intake is recorded daily for monitoring purposes and any concerns in relation to food consumption are discussed with local professional health advisers. Young people and staff participate in exercise, either in the home or at local leisure facilities.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's individual health plans provide detailed information of past and current health matters. They are an effective way for staff to monitor, arrange appropriate appointments, and ensure young people receive professional services for specific health needs. Young people are registered locally with doctors, dentist and opticians. Thorough health assessments are carried out and reported on by the looked after children's nurse. Psychology services are also used in relation to health and social issues.

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Helping children to be healthy

Procedures followed by trained staff for the storage, administration, recording and disposal of all medication ensure young people are only given medication as prescribed for them. Staff routinely audit all medication kept in the home and the records for administration. This ensures that medication is accounted for at all times. All staff have received medication and first aid training and can respond to minor injuries or illnesses before seeking professional health advice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's right to privacy is maintained as information held on their behalf is correctly stored in lockable facilities. Staff demonstrate well their awareness and responsibility to uphold confidentiality and are professional about sharing confidential information and records. Young people have access to telephones and can make and receive calls in private. Young people's welfare is clearly promoted through the home's complaints policy and procedure. Young people receive information which is easily understood and say they know what to do if they have a complaint about the care they receive in the home. There have been no complaints made by young people following the previous inspection. There is an effective system in place to record any concerns made known by social workers and other professionals or external complaints. For example, should a neighbour complain. The complaints record book shows two external

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

complaints being received, both of which are recorded in detail and have a satisfactory outcome for the complainant concerned.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safeguarding issues are promptly responded to. Appropriate action is taken to involve external agencies charged with protecting young people. Strategies identified from risk are within young people's behaviour management plans and staff fully understand how to protect young people and keep them safe. All staff are trained in safeguarding and are familiar with their safeguarding responsibilities and duties.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are no current issues in relation to bullying either inside or outside of the home. Young people who are absent without authority are supported to return to the home safely and discuss any reasons they may have for their absence. This is carried out with an independent person. Where concerns have arisen, professional meetings have taken place to implement strategies or agree overnight stays for young people. Systems are in place for notifying appropriate authorities in relation to significant events and are understood by staff, which further protects young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff are trained to manage young people's behaviour safely. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort to prevent injury to young people and staff. Sanctions imposed for inappropriate behaviour are fair, and their impact is carefully considered to review their full effectiveness in practice. However, not all sanction records include young people's comments or signature in relation to their agreement of the sanction being imposed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a safe environment, where safety systems are tested regularly. There are comprehensive risk assessments in place and daily health and safety observations carried out and recorded by staff. There are regular fire alarm testing and fire evacuation drills taking place. These steps ensure young people, staff and visitors are safe from risk from fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The recruitment for the right types of staff is a high priority for the home's manager. Recruitment practices are rigorous and ensure staff are vetted and police checked, to assess their suitability to provide care. Young people are involved in the recruitment process, with their observations and views being considered by the manager.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff meet a diverse range of individual needs exceptionally well. Their approach is open and they share a commitment to ensure an understanding of young people. Staff do not make assumptions about religious or cultural needs and practice is impressive and supportive in relation to the promotion of religion, race, culture and gender. Young people receive excellent support from staff. Where advice is lacking staff consult with external support agencies for guidance to meet specific identified needs of young people. Young people are fully supported to participate in the home's daily decisions and their views are listened to. Key workers meet regularly with young people and produce informative detailed reports with identified goals and targets to achieve.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff display a similar commitment to promoting young people's education and actively seek to encourage training through local colleges. Young people of school age have good attendance and for those young people who have left school, support is being provided to find suitable training opportunities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are supported to maintain their hobbies and interest and enjoy annual holidays together with staff. Young people's interests are ascertained on a regular basis through discussions with each other and staff. Any activity considered to be a likely risk is assessed with trained professionals carrying out activities and supervision of young people. There are excellent resources within the home for young people, such as computer access, arts and craft materials, newspapers, magazines and books.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Assessment of young people's need is rigorous and planning documentation is effectively used daily by staff. Key areas of need within placement plans can be cross referenced to other written information and provide a good history and present progress made by young people. Plans address specific needs arising from cultural or religious needs. Young people actively contribute to their plans and where external support is identified this is provided for them. Excellent use of all information is made by producing chronology reports; these inform significant people in young people's lives of their progress or identify areas where more support is needed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's assessed needs are reviewed within statutory timescales. If areas of concern are identified outside statutory timescales, reviews are requested to address particular concerns. Young people say they actively contribute and are involved in their review meetings, and consulted before, during and after their review.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are at the forefront of practice in this home. They are actively consulted and involved fully in decision making about their lives and how the home is run. Young people participate in champion groups and represent other looked after young people in meetings with key professionals. The manager is considering ways of how to formally consult with significant people in young people's lives, which will provide feedback of how the home is viewed by those not working there.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people know their arrangements for maintaining contact with significant people and friends. Where young people have difficulties in relation to contact or no contact at all, staff ensure emotional support is provided to them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Admissions to the home are planned. This allows young people the opportunity to visit and meet staff and other young people. There have been no new admissions for some considerable time. There is excellent information available to the current young people accommodated and this is available should any admission be made. It informs them of the services and support they can expect to be provided with in the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people are supported, to develop independent living skills appropriate to their age and understanding. Young people are involved in a number of areas and undertake practical daily living tasks, such as doing their own laundry and keeping their own bedrooms tidy. The planning of meals, budgeting and consideration to supported living is being explored by young people with support from staff.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people are provided with good quality domestic style facilities, with a standard of decoration and furniture which creates a pleasant atmosphere. Young people are able and encouraged to personalise their own bedrooms. Young people design the layouts of notice boards and information within their play room. Young people are satisfied with the arrangements in place for their own private space.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

There are sufficient toilet and washing facilities to meet the needs of young people and staff. The home's washing facilities offer suitable protection for young people and staff to wash, knowing their privacy will be protected from unwanted intrusions.

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Organisation

The home has a Statement of Purpose, which mostly describes how young people are cared for. It shows the experience of some of the current staff team and demonstrates their individual achievements in successfully obtaining a recognised qualification in social care. The Statement of Purpose needs to include the correct names of all staff currently working in the home. Staff are very experienced workers who undertake their duties both professionally and competently. Young people receive good information in the form of a children's guide. This document is easily understandable and provides them with information in relation to the care they can expect to receive in the home.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. This is evidenced through practice, supporting policies, procedures and the individual placement plans. Young people receive an individual service which is tailored to meet their personal needs. The staff have a good knowledge of the young people's needs and are working with them to ensure the right support and care is being provided. The staff team are qualified, well organised, attend supervision regularly and positive about their work, and they are passionate and committed. They provide young people with a nurturing environment, with very good levels of personal support. Young people say they are happy with their care and do not believe there is anything that staff can do better. The home's training records show that all staff have completed mandatory training. Records show that staff have access to relevant training to help them strengthen their knowledge and skills. The home is staffed in

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Organisation

such a way that young people are able to form trusting relationships with the same staff, which underpins many of the positive things about this home.

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Organisation

The manager of the home analyses the home's administrative systems to ensure that staff work to high standards. The conduct of the home is monitored by senior management who visit each month and report on their findings, following discussions with young people and staff. These systems combined enable the manager to take appropriate action if any issues are identified.

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Organisation

Young people's case files are set out well and provide a good account of the services they receive and the progress they make. Young people have access to the information written about them. Young people's achievements, celebrations and participation are evident within their files.

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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

1 include in the Statement of Purpose details of the current staff group and their roles. (Regulation 4.1) 29/10/2010

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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 when disciplinary measures are used, young people are encouraged to write or have their views recorded and sign their names against them if possible in the records kept by the home. (NMS 22.14)

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