Children's Home run by N H Care Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC365366 Inspection date 12/10/2010 Inspector Suzanne Young Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 28/09/2009 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 is a small three bedded children's home. The home caters for young people who have autism as a learning disability.

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Brief description of the service

The home consists of a lounge/dining room, kitchen and a downstairs toilet. Upstairs has three individual children's rooms of varying sizes, a bathroom and a sleeping in room which also serves as an office for staff. A grassed area and patio is at the rear of the property.

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Brief description of the service

The home has links to public transport and there is a range of activities available both locally and across the city.

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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

This inspection was an unannounced key inspection visit. All key standards were inspected. The inspection focused on areas related to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, achieving economic well- being and how staffing and management arrangements supports the operation of the home. The inspection also considered the capacity of the home to ensure all young people have equal access to services and equality of opportunity.

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Summary

The home is judged as outstanding in all outcome areas. The home provides an excellent standard of care to young people ensuring that outstanding outcomes are achieved for them. The home has a good focus on meeting young people's individual needs. The home demonstrates an outstanding commitment to ensuring young people are able to enjoy their lives, achieve their potential and are able to participate in the decisions affecting them. Staff in the home develop excellent relationships with young people.

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Summary

The agency has some minor shortfalls in relation to its décor and storage of files. These do not seriously impact on the outcomes for young people.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection six recommendations were made. All have been complied with. Health planning, placement plans and contact arrangements are now fully recorded on young people's files. Staff files meet requirements and over 80% of the staff team have completed the National Vocational Qualification Level three in the Caring for Children and Young People. The patio area to the rear of the house has now been replaced with a soft play area.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home delivers excellent health outcomes for young people. Staff meet the young people's health needs, promote healthy diets and lifestyles and administer medication safely.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are given varied, nutritious meals prepared from fresh ingredients. Young people are encouraged to shop and participate in food preparation. Meals are planned and prepared in line with the specific dietary needs of the young people. Meals are also developed in discussions between staff and young people during their weekly meetings. As a result, all young people have meals which reflect their individual needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are provided with excellent guidance, advice and support on health and personal care issues appropriate to their individual needs and wishes. They benefit from an informed and planned approach to meeting their needs which includes successful partnerships with families and other health services. Young people have comprehensive health plans and risk assessments in place which details how their health needs are to be met. These cover all aspects of health needs including any specific requirements around communication, religion and culture. These are reviewed on a monthly basis to ensure they are accurate and to ensure the staff are knowledgeable about the health care needs of the young people living in the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home ensures that the welfare of young people in relation to medication is safeguarded through effective recording and auditing systems. Staff ensure this is extended for when young people go on home visits through partnership arrangements with family members. Protocols are in place for the use of covert medication as agreed by parents and the placing social worker. Staff complete training in first aid and the administration of medication to young people. Staff also receive specific training in autism awareness to develop their knowledge in this area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home provides an environment that is safe and secure and which provides excellent arrangements for the promotion, protection and care of young people. There is a range of policies and procedures to promote their safety and welfare. Systems are in place to help protect young people from bullying and unauthorised absences. Due to the level of staffing, supervision of the young people and their disabilities, unauthorised absences and bullying behaviour is not an issue within the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff in the home are trained and competent to safeguard children and young people from abuse. Safeguarding procedures are readily available in the home for staff to access if needed. As a result young people are protected from harm and staff are able to respond to allegations or suspicions of abuse appropriately. Staff complete detailed individual and environmental risk assessments which are reviewed and updated on a monthly basis. These enable staff to be well informed about each young person in their care. These assessments also underpin the care afforded to young people ensuring safety and welfare is promoted at all times. Young people say they feel safe in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are further safeguarded as clear systems are in place to manage complaints. Although there have been no complaints made since the last inspection young people know how to complain if they are unhappy about something. Staff have developed a complaints document in an alternate form of communication. This is an excellent tool to gain young people's views, to aid communication and give young people meaningful access to the complaints procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Comprehensive behaviour management systems are in place that encourages young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour. All young people have a 24 hour management plan in place, which is in line with the management strategies used in their schools. This ensures consistency with regards to managing the young people's behaviour and avoids unnecessary stress or anxiety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive training in de-escalation techniques and physical intervention although emphasis is placed on rewarding positive behaviours. Staff develop highly supportive, respectful relationships with young people. They engage and encourage the young people to behave in an acceptable way through positive reinforcement. As a consequence there has been no recorded use of physical intervention or sanctions having been used in the home since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are effective systems in place to maintain good standards of health and safety within the home. These ensure young people live in a home where their health and safety is fully protected. Risk assessments are completed and regularly reviewed in relation to fire and potential environmental hazards. All the fire systems are tested regularly and fire evacuation drills are undertaken in access of requirements. Night time drills are not taking place as these would cause extreme stress and anxiety among the young people. To alleviate any risks the manager ensures that all staff including night waking are trained in fire safety and evening drills are conducted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff recruitment records are well organised and clear. New staff do not commence employment in the home until all the relevant checks have been carried out.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff provide excellent individualised support to young people. Young people receive personalised care and support that matches their needs and requirements. These are identified through effective placement and care planning. Each young person has a care plan in place detailing their needs and the individual support to be offered. These plans are comprehensive and cover all aspects of young people's needs. These include their cultural and religious requirements and communication ability. The detail of the plans ensure that staff are well informed about what young people require to achieve to the best of their ability.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff actively support young people in school. They have excellent contact with teachers through a home-to-school book in which staff and teachers can communicate any issues required. Staff work closely with teachers to mirror positives achieved in school. Staff also visit schools to observe the young people if needed to obtain full and accurate care details. Young people's achievements are celebrated by having merits and certificates displayed in their bedrooms. Pictures of young people enjoying various activities are also displayed throughout the home giving positives messages to young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have created a photograph book showing the young people engaging in different activities such as visiting hospitals for check ups. This is an excellent tool for working with the young people to reinforce positive images to alleviate anxiety and stress.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are encouraged to be actively involved in the local community. Each young person has an activity plan in place which involves inside and outside of the home. Young people are involved in many activities in the local community including being members of the local tennis club and enjoying trips to local festivals and religious events. This is excellent in helping young people to develop their own identity and become active participants in their communities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have their needs assessed effectively and comprehensively. Written placement plans outline how these needs will be met and implemented. These ensure young people in the home are appropriately placed in relation to their needs. The working practices between staff at the home, parents and social workers support outstanding outcomes for young people living in the home and ensure their needs continue to be addressed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All young people are admitted to and leave the home in a planned and sensitive manner. The manager and staff ensure that all relevant information is received prior to making a decision about the suitability of any referral. The planning for transition is excellent and often occurs over a prolonged period working in partnership with parents and social workers to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved. Young people are able to remain in the home after the age of 18 if this is considered in their best interests.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact with family and friends is actively promoted by staff who work in partnership with family to provide care that meets the needs of young people. As a result of this,,,,,,,, staff have strong relationships with the young people and their families. Staff have developed strong links with external advocacy groups to offer independent support for young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are excellent practices and systems in place to ensure young people can communicate their views and opinions about the care and support they receive. The home links in with school to develop a comprehensive communication package for each young person. The home has access to communication methods which are consistent with those used at school. Communication within the home is focused on visual images which enable the young people to express themselves and be heard. All documents regarding young people's meetings, activities, menus and information displayed around the home are developed in picture format.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are also regularly consulted via questionnaires. These are very positive regarding the care given to their children by staff at the home. Staff also support and advise parents regarding the support that is available to them through autism networks.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff support young people in the transition to adulthood as young people learn about how to look after themselves in preparation for leaving care and adulthood. Young people over the age of 16 years have pathway plans in place, developed by the social worker, staff team and parents. The staff work with the local authority and parents when young people begin the transition to adult services. They work with young people to develop skills in personal care, handling money and making choices about their future.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is warm and comfortable. The décor is welcoming although some of the paintwork looks in need of repainting. The home is appropriately furnished. Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms, including photographs and pictures. Communal areas are bright with pictures of the young people engaging in various activities displayed throughout the home. Bright jigsaws that have been completed by young people are displayed on walls around the home.

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Organisation

The organisation of the home supports outstanding outcomes for the young people living there. Young people are benefiting from a well organised and managed home. The Registered Manager has procedures in place for careful monitoring and controlling the activities of the home and ensuring quality performance. The home has recently obtained an award in recognition for its standards and performance.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. The Registered Manager and staff are committed to ensuring the home carefully meets the individual needs of each young person living in the home. Young people are also provided with equality of opportunity to achieve their aspirations. Staff are skilled at supporting young people to participate in and outside the home so that they may lead enjoyable lives. Care planning takes into account issues and concerns around ethnicity, religion, disability and cultural needs.

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Organisation

The service provided by the home is clearly and accurately described in the Statement of Purpose and young people's guide. The young people's guide is specifically geared to the individual needs of young people using different forms of communication such as symbols and pictures. The guide has also been developed in an electronic form to make it more accessible and user friendly to young people. These help ensure that all the young people living in the home have access to information about the service they will receive.

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Organisation

The home has clear deputising arrangements in the absence of the Registered Manager. The number of staff on duty is always enough to meet the needs young people and support their welfare and protection. Staff are competent to meet the needs of the children and young people. There is a comprehensive training programme that provides staff with the skills and knowledge to support young people. Over 80% of staff have completed the National Vocational Qualification in Caring for Children and Young People at level three. All agency staff have a period of induction and are taken from a small core group who are known to young people. This ensures consistency is maintained.

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Organisation

The home maintains excellent, comprehensive records which provide a full record and reflect the individuality of each young person. These however are not being kept locked in a secure environment which could compromise confidentiality.

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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 the décor of the home is maintained to a standard which create a pleasant domestic environment (NMS 24.2)  ensure children's individual files are kept in a secure environment. (NMS 35.1)

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