Children's Home run by Care Afloat Ltd in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC006013 Inspection date 14/10/2010 Inspector Sharon Lloyd Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 29/01/2010 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 a three bedroomed semi-detached house with a garden that provides domestic style accommodation. It is owned and operated by a private provider. It provides care and accommodation for one child or young person between the ages of eight and 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

Accommodation is provided over two floors. To the lower floor there is a lounge and a kitchen that includes a dinning area. Upstairs, there is one large bedroom for a child or young person and two small bedrooms for staff. One of the staff bedrooms doubles as an office. Staff use the same bathroom as children and young people.

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Summary

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

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Summary

The home has good procedures that promote children's health and well-being. There are two minor shortfalls relating to the medication procedures and two recommendations for good practice have been made. Staff follow good policies and procedures that keep children and young people safe. They effectively promote children and young people's education and provide opportunities for enjoyment and learning. They follow good placement plans so that they meet children and young people's identified needs and they work closely with other professionals in this.

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Summary

Children and young people like living in the home and say they feel well cared for and safe. The organisation and management of the home is good with minor shortfalls relating to staff supervision and monitoring. The promotion of equality and diversity is good.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection, three recommendations were made in relation to staying safe. Two of these related to the complaints procedure and have been addressed. A new complaints procedure has been implemented and covers all the information identified in the standard. Staff are clear about the difference between a complaint and an allegation of abuse and know how to respond to both.

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Improvements since the last inspection

One recommendation related to improvements needed in the security of the premises. This has been addressed by the installation of window restrainers on upstairs windows. This means that the home provides a secure environment that keeps children and young people as safe as possible from the risk of intruders.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children and young people are encouraged to plan, shop for and cook healthy meals that include foods from other cultures. A record of menus shows that healthy meals are planned. The home keeps a record of actual meals taken and this shows that current young people miss a lot of meals and have a very poor diet. This is because children and young people on preparation for independence programmes are expected to carry out these tasks for themselves, with support from staff. The home is aware that young people need more support during the transition to work and adult life and is looking at how it can provide this better, so that the young people return to having a healthy, balanced diet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good health plans identify children and young people's health needs and guide staff in how to meet them. The home ensures that children and young people have their health needs reviewed regularly and encourage them to attend appointments with medical practitioners, dentists and other health professionals. Children and young people are offered specialist health advice and treatment in accordance with their needs. This includes their mental health and sexual health needs. They also receive counselling and support in relation to drug and alcohol addiction.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff follow good medicine administration procedures. However, the home cannot evidence that it carefully assesses whether young people who are allowed to self medicate are sufficiently mature and responsible to do so. Where children and young people repeatedly refuse medication, this is returned to the pharmacy, but the prescribing practitioner is not made aware of it. This means the home cannot be fully confident that children and young people receive the medicines and treatment they need.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and young people report this is a safe place to live. They say that staff look after them very well and describe good health and safety routines that staff follow to keep them safe. These include regular fire safety drills, tests and good security measures. The home's records support their views and demonstrate that children and young people's safety is prioritised. Very good safety measures are regularly monitored and reviewed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff respect children and young people's privacy and protect their confidential information. They listen to children and young people and address any complaints immediately so children and young people are confident that staff care about them and want to help them. Staff know what to do in response to an allegation or disclosure of abuse and are confident in the whistle-blowing procedure. Staff are trained in the safe use of restraint but there have been no restraints at the home since the last inspection. Additional measures of control are used appropriately and successfully to help children and young people gain control and develop better social skills and more acceptable behaviour. Children and young people display confidence in the staff team and feel they are treated fairly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home reports children and young people who are missing from home in accordance with an agreed protocol based on a risk assessment of the needs of each young person. There has been a very high number of missing from home reports relating to young people currently living at the home. However, in most instances young people return of their own accord, within a few hours. Staff offer the young people an interview with an independent person, but this is never accepted. Young people are clear that there is nothing about the care provided that leads to them to staying out late.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Robust recruitment practices ensure that full and comprehensive checks are taken up on new staff. A visitor's book is maintained and visitors to the home who are not subject to clearance by the Criminal Record Bureau are supervised in the presence of children and young people. This ensures that as far as possible, children and young people are kept safe from potential abusers. There are some minor shortfalls in information in some of the staff files relating to longer serving members of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home supports children and young people through key worker sessions. It arranges specialist professional support in line with their assessed needs. Staff respond to the children and young people's developing interests and support them to make decisions and choices.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff support children and young people who have been out of school for long periods to re-engage with education through the company school. This enables children and young people to receive the education they need and achieve the best they can in public examinations such as GCSEs. Copies of personal education plans, school reports and statements of special educational needs are available to help staff to provide each child or young person with the level of educational support they need. Children and young people receive advice and support to enter the workplace through apprenticeships or attending college for further education. The home continues to support young people through this transition phase and works closely with colleges and employers to provide additional support, as needed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children and young people are encouraged to follow their dreams and to have high aspirations. For example, the home pays for young people who are interested in music to have instrument lessons and helps them to develop self esteem and confidence in their abilities. Staff encourage young people to participate in a wide range of activities. Young people make friends locally and those friends who are not deemed to be a bad influence are made welcome at the home. Through this, the staff encourage children and young people to develop relationships with peers and to stay out of trouble.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children and young people's needs are assessed and outlined in detailed placement plans. These guide staff in how to care for children and young people and address their needs. They are based on the local authority's plans for children and young people, copies of which are held on file. Children and young people benefit from having their progress continually monitored and reviewed. Targets are set under the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcome areas so children and young people always have something to work towards. Once these have been met consistently for several weeks, new targets are introduced. This encourages the development of new skills and interests and children and young people make good progress in all areas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home encourages children and young people to maintain constructive contact with their families and where possible, to re-establish previously disrupted relationships with family members. Children and young people confirm the home enables them to maintain phone contact and have visits with family in accordance with their needs and wishes. Staff are available to support or supervise contact either at the home or at the family home, in accordance with children and young people's needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children and young people have good relationships with the staff team. They avail of the many opportunities to contribute to decisions made about their day-to-day care and their long-term future.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Children and young people learn self-care skills and are encouraged to do increasing amounts for themselves as they approach leaving care. Staff keep their progress under review and provide help with practical tasks to young people who need more time and support to adjust to the adult world.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Children and young people live in a home that is well maintained, comfortable and homely. Staff encourage them to personalise their bedrooms so they feel relaxed and at home. They have good access to public transport and local amenities.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff consider children and young people's diverse needs in their placement planning and as far as possible, put in place the means to address them. These include, religious, ethnic, cultural and identity needs. For example, members of the staff team are of the same racial origin as young people and this is important to them where few representatives of similar race live within the local community. The staff encourage interests in individual culture and associated music. Young people are taken to the nearest large city to embrace the culture, have hair cuts and buy suitable skin care products and clothes. The home enables children and young people to mix with peers from diverse backgrounds, including those with learning and physical disabilities. Children and young people learn tolerance and understanding through this opportunity.

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Organisation

The Statement of Purpose is regularly reviewed so that it accurately reflects the care and services provided at the home. A children and young people's guide is given to all young people when they first arrive at the home and staff make sure they know what they can expect from the home.

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Organisation

The staff team is experienced and well trained. Eighty per cent of the team are appropriately qualified in the residential care of children and young people. This means they have the skills and competencies to provide children and young people with high quality care that meets their needs and promotes their good progress in all areas of development. They work well together and provide a consistent approach to behaviour management so that children and young people soon learn what is expected of them. Cover for staff holidays and sickness is provided from within the team and by a few relief members of staff from other homes within the company. Young people say this is good because they know the staff really well.

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Organisation

Young people express a high degree of satisfaction in the way they are looked after and the help and support they receive from staff. They say they have managed to turn their life around since coming to this home because the staff are here for them and support them: The staff are here for you, they're not against you. You just need to focus. They are really great and help you do well'.

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Organisation

Although systems are in place for staff to receive one-to-one supervision in line with the national minimum standard, there have been a few occasions when they have not received it. This means they do not always receive the level of supervision they need to ensure they continue to provide high quality care at all times.

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Organisation

Children and young people's records are well maintained and contain all the required information. Children and young people are encouraged to contribute to the record by signing incident sheets. The home's records are well maintained and monitored. Any shortfalls are picked up through the good quality assurance systems. These highlight shortfalls in the operation of the home and the quality of care provided to children and young people. Action plans are drawn up to make sure shortfalls are addressed. However, records do not show that the required action has been taken so the home cannot demonstrate that the good monitoring is effective in bringing about improvements within 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

 demonstrate that children and young people who keep and administer their own medication are assessed by staff as sufficiently responsible to do so (NMS 13.9)  report any frequent refusal to take medication to the prescribing practitioner (NMS 13.2)  demonstrate that you have taken action to improve provision in line with any shortfalls identified through quality assurance processes (NMS 33)  ensure that all staff receive at least one and a half hours of one-to-one supervision from a senior member of staff each month and that newly appointed staff receive one-to-one supervision fortnightly during the first six months of their employment. (NMS 28.2)

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