Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Unique reference number SC032083 Inspection date 03/11/2010 Inspector Elizabeth Taylor Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 17/03/2010 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 accommodates two young people, aged from 10 to 17 years of age, with emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home is maintained by a company who operate other children's homes throughout the country. The house is detached with a garden and is situated in a rural location. Farm buildings are sited close to the house. Young people attend mainstream school although the home is also registered to provide education on site if necessary.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This unannounced, interim inspection focussed on standards relating to staying safe and progress with a previous recommendation. A young person contributed briefly to the inspection process.

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Summary

A child-centred approach continues to guide developments within the home. Young people are settled and they benefit from a good standard of care. A nurturing environment has been established which promotes young people's safety and development. Young people individual needs are effectively met by detailed plans for their care which are implemented in practice by staff. Young people are generally encouraged to behave acceptably through positive measures such as praise and rewards. However, opportunities for them to redeem a sanction are limited.

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Improvements since the last inspection

One recommendation was made during the previous inspection visit. The manager was asked to ensure records contained evidence to demonstrate young people's progress and achievements. New documentation has been implemented. This takes the form of a planner which identifies practical tasks and persons responsible for acting on them, including both staff and the young person. The tasks relate to objectives in young people's plan of care and are regularly evaluated for their effectiveness in meeting young people's individual needs and supporting their development. The additional information provides comprehensive evidence to show the contribution made by staff to meet young people's needs and the effectiveness of their placement in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's right to privacy, confidentiality and dignity is promoted by staff. For example, information about young people is securely stored and staff ensure any personal information about young people is only discussed with known and approved persons. Suitable locks are fitted on bathroom and bedroom doors. Staff respect young people's need for privacy and balance this well with the need to also ensure they are adequately supervised at times. Staff's practice is consistent with good parenting.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is an effective system in place for young people to raise issues or complaints. Weekly house meetings take place which enable young people to talk about any issues they may have. Complaints forms are also available to young people though they prefer to talk informally to staff to resolve any matters. This is effective in practice as only one formal complaint is recorded since the last inspection. This complaint was not about the home but in respect of a young person not receiving a service from their placing authority. Young people are supported to access support from independent persons and agencies when necessary. This shows staff are responsive to young people's needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The majority of the staff team are trained in child protection procedures and safeguarding young people. Newly appointed staff were due to complete this training as part of their induction process. In the meantime, new staff are rostered to only work alongside experienced staff members. The home's child protection policy and procedure provides clear guidance for all staff. This is signed by all staff as evidence they have read and understood it. Detailed risk assessments for each young person also inform staff what to do in the event of a safeguarding concern. These measures ensure staff act appropriately to keep young people safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are given written information about bullying and are advised about such matters in their one-to-one sessions with their key workers. Whilst relationships between the young people are cordial most of the time, there are instances when they resort to name calling and play-fighting with one another. Staff act quickly to intervene so situations do not escalate and have implemented an incentive scheme to try to stop such behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are very settled and absences from care rarely occur. Appropriate and timely action is taken to report any absence and all significant persons are notified. Staff take additional measures to try to protect young people who are absent. These include maintaining phone contact with them, visiting their friend's addresses and looking around the area where they were last seen. Staff follow clear protocols and record information well. Young people have the opportunity to discuss the reason for their absence and staff regularly discuss with them the importance of keeping themselves safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Relationships between staff and young people are positive and nurturing. Staff encourage young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour through clear and consistent guidance and boundaries. This is promoted via positive adult role modelling. Keyworking sessions are also used effectively to challenge young people's inappropriate behaviour and to discuss alternative ways of managing anger and solving problems. Young people's efforts and achievements are celebrated and they are rewarded for such. Sanctions imposed for unacceptable behaviour are infrequent but are properly recorded when they are applied. They are mostly proportionate and consistently applied. However, young people are not consistently offered an opportunity to amend matters by positive means such as reparation or restitution. Physical intervention is rarely used other than to protect a young person or others from risk of harm.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good attention is given to routine maintenance, checks and servicing of equipment in the home. Weekly checks on fire equipment and installations are carried out. Regular fire drills involving staff and young people also take place to ensure they respond well in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Robust staff recruitment procedures are in place. This ensures all staff who work with the young people are suitable to do so. Additionally, there is a robust approach to the vetting and supervising of visitors which also helps ensure young people are kept safe.

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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

 encourage reparation and restitution as positive measures of control. (NMS 22.3)

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