Children's Home run by S P Homes Limited in Lambeth

Unique reference number SC065535 Inspection date 19/10/2010 Inspector Cheryl Carter Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 10/05/2010 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 is a children's home which caters for six young people aged 13 to 17 years. It provides supervised care and support for young people from all cultural backgrounds on a medium to long-term basis. The home is a double fronted house with parking facilities on the drive for up to five cars. The home has easy access to schools, local amenities and transport links.

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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 unannounced interim inspection. The inspection took a focussed approach to assess how well the requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection of the home have been addressed. These requirements and recommendations related to the outcomes 'Being Healthy', 'Staying Safe', 'Enjoying and Achieving' and 'Organisation' therefore, only these outcomes have been assessed during this inspection.

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Summary

Young people's nutritional needs are being met however some additional action and record keeping is needed to evidence what meals young people eat each day. There is detailed record keeping in response to young people going missing or returning late to the home. Equality and diversity needs are satisfactorily met. There are some opportunities for young people to share their views and young people receive some support in their education, though an action is set in relation to this aspect of care. Staff are qualified and experienced and staffing levels are satisfactory.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Three actions were set at the last inspection and two of these are met. Gas safety certificates and portable appliances records are current and now in place. Young people's guide has been revised and produced in a more child friendly format. The home states that they plan to put this on a compact disc so that all children will be able to access the information.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people benefit from easy access to food and drink at any time. Varied and nutritious meals are prepared by staff, in line with young people's choice and cultural preferences. Young people are also encouraged to participate in the preparation of meals with support from staff. Weekly menus are drawn up and meals served are now recorded on children's daily records. The menus still do not reflect the meals actually served to children on the day. Staff have undertaken training in the safe handling and storage of food.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's privacy is safeguarded through lockable bedrooms, bathrooms and toilets. There is ample provision for young people to make telephone calls in private. The confidentiality of information about young people appears to be respected and records are safely stored.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are provided with information about how to complaint and the home has a satisfactory written procedure for dealing with complaints. Complaints are recorded with actions and outcomes but the system for recording the young person's response to the outcome of their complaint is not being used.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are safeguarded in this home and there have been no recent allegations against staff. Young people are protected by risk assessment and daily records. Any accidents or incidents are properly dealt with and fully recorded. Staff have undertaken training in safeguarding, and there are plans to provide updated training in the near future. There is no evidence of young people being bullied and it is made clear in the Young People's Handbook that bullying is not acceptable in this home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people currently placed are regularly missing from the home. Police, placing authorities and parents are kept informed, and staff endeavour to contact young people and to discover their whereabouts. Staff are supported by written guidelines and the records of young people going missing are well maintained. Young people benefit from some attempts by staff to address this aspect of their behaviour with them. Staff are responding to other aspects of young people's behaviour, however the recording is inconsistent. There is an over reliance on monetary sanctions and there is no evaluation of how these sanctions are working. There is no recorded incidents of restraint or frequent involvement of the police. Staff have been provided with training in responding to young people's behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people and staff are protected from fire and other hazards by the proper maintenance of the building and regular checks of fire fighting equipment, gas and electrical equipment and installations and other safety checks. Fire drills are regularly held, however the home does not record the names of staff or young people who participated in the fire drill. Most staff have been provided with training in health and safety, including fire safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a recruitment policy and procedure in place. All staff files are kept centrally in the head office of the service. The home has not employed any new staff since the last inspection. However, the manager assured the inspector that the company now ensures that all new employees' histories are fully explored before their appointments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff group reflects the diversity of young people placed and staff show good understanding of the needs of young people from different racial and cultural backgrounds. The home has a commitment to meeting young people's equality and diversity needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people benefit from some support in getting back into school. Young people have individual weekly planners that include their educational and social activities for the week. However, staff says that young people are often reluctant to participate in group activities and is more interested in going out with their friends. This therefore limits opportunities for supporting young people in accessing broader educational and leisure activities. Facilities for study are provided, including the use of a computer with access to the internet.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity in this home is satisfactory. For example, young people are provided with meals in line with their cultural preferences. Young people also receive individual support from a diverse staff group who can understand and respond to their identity needs.

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Organisation

The statement of purpose has been updated and the Young People's handbook is now more child friendly. The manager says that there are plans to put the Young people's information on to a CD to ensure that all children have access to the information.

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Organisation

Young people are cared for by experienced permanent staff. Staffing levels are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people currently placed. Additional activities, such as shopping, attendance at meetings, court and police stations, are catered for by flexible working on the part of permanent staff.

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Organisation

Staff supervision is not meeting the required standards and appraisals for staff have not yet been completed. The manager stated that appraisals for staff are due to start next Tuesday and the training programme for the next year will be devised following the completion of appraisals. Currently there is one member of staff undertaking Level 4 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and three members of staff undertaking Level 3 NVQ Caring for Children. Already 4 members of staff hold Level 3 NVQ Caring for Children. Some additional training has also be undertaken by the staff team including safeguarding, food hygiene behaviour management and the safe handling of medication.

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Organisation

The home is adequately managed by the registered manager who is aware of day-to- day events in the home. Monitoring visits for the last month have not been carried out by the company. The registered manager says that the company has recently appointed a new person to carry out the visits on behalf of the provider who will carry out the first regulation visit this month. Well organised case files are maintained for each young person and these are safely stored.

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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

14 promote the educational attaniment of young people and encourage them to develop and pursue appropriate leisure interests and activities (Regulation (18) (1 a) (2 b)) 22/11/2010

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure that any measures of discipline used in the home is recorded with the behaviours leading to the use of the measure the name of the person using the measure, the name of the child and the effectiveness of any consequences of the use of the measure and the signature of the person authorised by the rgistered provider to make the record (Regulation (17) (4) (a, b, c, e, f, g)) 22/11/2010

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Std. Action Due date

28 ensure that all persons employed in the home receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal and are enabled from time to time to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform. (Regulation (27) (4)(a & b)) 22/11/2010

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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 that menus reflect all the meals prepared for young people in the home (NMS 10)  ensure that all persons working in the home and as far as practicable children accommodated are aware of the procedures to be followed in case of fire (NMS 26)

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