Children's Home run by Anna House Limited in Havering

Unique reference number SC058603 Inspection date 13/10/2010 Inspector Joanna Heller Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 20/02/2010 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

This home is a respite care unit for five children and young people with physical and learning disabilities. The building is a detached, adapted house situated in a residential area. The home has five single bedrooms. Communal facilities include a lounge, kitchen and conservatory all of which are well decorated and maintained. The rear garden is secure and in regular use. The home is close to the local shops and is supported by good local transport links. The service provides support to a small group of families at this point in time and places are purchased via the child's local authority.

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Brief description of the service

Young people and children have packages of care varying from every weekend to occasional overnight stays. One young person was on site at the time of the inspection. They showed the inspector around the building, in particular their bedroom and their toys.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This was an interim, unannounced inspection, carried out as part of the annual inspection programme. All key national minimum standards in the outcome area of staying safe were reviewed. In addition, progress on actions and recommendations set at the previous inspection were checked.

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Summary

Young people feel safe and well cared for and benefit from a homely environment. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of young people's individual needs and ensure behaviour management approaches reflect young people's ability and understanding. The service is graded as satisfactory as actions have been set in staying safe, relating to staff recruitment.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the manager was asked to ensure that no more than five young people be accommodated at any time. The manager confirms that this has not occurred, and now holds a clear admission and booking register which details all the young people and the dates they stay. The Statement of Purpose has been updated since the last inspection to reflect current management arrangements. Staff have now completed training in child protection and epilepsy management which the manager was asked to arrange following the last inspection. The home is well on its way towards having 80% of staff trained to National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in caring for children. All staff inductions are now clearly recorded. Fire risk assessments are now in place for each of the young people. Staffing arrangements have changed since the last inspection. There are now two waking-night staff which addresses the previous concerns about staff sleeping

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Improvements since the last inspection

arrangements. Management now have access to business support services for queries relating to personnel management.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the manager was asked to ensure that records of any restraint be clearly recorded in line with Regulation 17. This area has improved and all physical holding is now logged; however, records do not always include all the required information.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The manager fails to ensure that young people are fully safeguarded from unsuitable people gaining employment in the home through robust vetting practices. Prior to employment, references and identity checks are undertaken before staff begin work at the home; however, management do not ensure that a full employment history is provided. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are undertaken on all staff prior to commencing employment in order to judge an applicant's suitability to work with vulnerable children. Where staff who do not have a clear CRB check are employed, there is insufficient information held on how the manager reached this decision, any information obtained, and any risk assessment on the impact this may have on their suitability to work with children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure young people's privacy and dignity are maintained. Personal care is given in private and young people are supported in developing an awareness of the need for privacy. Staff ensure confidentiality is maintained and store records securely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home is able to demonstrate that complaints are effectively responded to, investigated and managed. Young people and their families know how to complain and have confidence in the home's ability to respond to any issues of concern which they may raise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Management ensure staff are aware of what to do in the event of an allegation of a child protection nature being made. Staff receive regular child protection training. Risk assessments are in place for young people which identify their vulnerability and any risks they may pose to others. Activity-based risk assessments are also in place. Where young people over the age of 18 are provided with support and accommodation, risk assessments have not been conducted. This has not had a significant impact on the care of other young people, but has the potential to do so in the future. The care characteristics of young people using the service mean that bullying, as such, is not experienced by young people. Staff address any challenging behaviour through approaches detailed in each of the young people's individual behaviour management plan.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Management and staff ensure young people are well supported and sufficient staffing is in place to safeguard young people from going missing. Young people would be deemed at high risk if leaving the building unaccompanied by staff and missing persons' procedures would be immediately implemented.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and young people living at the home exhibit behaviours which are on occasion challenging. Therefore each child or young person has a highly individualised behaviour management plan which guides staff in how to prevent, manage and calm particular behaviours. Behaviour management in the home focuses on rewarding good behaviour and keeping children and young people active and busy to prevent boredom. Staff recognise that children and young people use behaviour as a way of communicating and seek to offer alternative means of communication and distraction techniques. Sanctions, as such, are not particularly effective with the current children or young people due to their limited understanding of consequences. Staff only use restraint as a means of keeping themselves or the young people safe, and this will usually consist of holding hands or legs to prevent kicking or biting. The records of restraints applied are not sufficiently detailed to give

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

full accountability or aid accurate monitoring. For example, on one occasion the record did not state who was restrained and in others failed to state staff names who either conducted the restraint or were witness to it. The time of day and duration of the restraint were not recorded in most instances.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The building is well maintained and the provider ensures that risks to children, young people and visitors are minimised through the regular checking of appliances and services. The manager ensures that regular checks and servicing of essential fire equipment take place. However, the electrical safety certificate for the building has recently expired.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

This outcome area has been judged purely on the standard of the building. Young people benefit from a well-maintained and welcoming building. Young people are provided with accommodation, furniture and equipment which meet their needs. Young people who are non-ambulant are provided with ground floor bedrooms and an adapted shower room. Bedrooms are single occupancy and young people are able to personalise their rooms with pictures and photos. Where possible, young people are provided with the same room each time they stay. Doors are lockable to maintain privacy, but these locks can be overridden to ensure safety. Communal areas are bright, with photographs of the young people and their artwork adorning the walls. The lounge and conservatory provide sufficient space for five young people and staff. The garden is enjoyed during the summer months with activities such as Easter egg hunts, barbeques, playing on the trampoline and in the paddling pool. A portacabin-

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Achieving economic wellbeing

style structure in the garden provides additional administrative workspace for management. This is linked to the house through an intercom system.

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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

22 ensure any restraint applied is appropriately recorded, and that such recordings are sufficiently detailed as to note the details of the restraint applied, who applied the restraint and how long the restraint was applied for (Regulation 17(4)) 25/11/2010

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Std. Action Due date

27 ensure that nobody is employed to work at the home unless they are of integrity and good character; in particular evidence a comprehensive risk assessment process when employing any staff who have a conviction or caution (Regulation 26(1)(a)) 25/11/2010

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Std. Action Due date

27 obtain for all staff, before they start work at the home, all the information set out in Schedule 2. (Regulation 26(3)(d) 25/11/2010

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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 the electrical safety of the building is checked and certified every 3 years (NMS 26.4)  ensure staff undertake training in protecting vulnerable adults (NMS 17)  ensure there are systems in place to promote the safety and welfare of children; in particular, ensure a detailed risk assessment is in place regarding any risks that a young adult over the age of 18, residing in the home, may pose to young people. (NMS 17)

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