Children's Home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

Unique reference number SC068000 Inspection date 18/11/2010 Inspector Mick Earl Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 06/01/2010 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

This children's home provides care and accommodation for up to three children, of either sex, aged 12 years to 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

The home is located on a housing estate within walking distance of the town centre. The ground floor is made up of a lounge with a television and computer, a dining area with a computer game console, a kitchen, and toilet facilities. Upstairs there are bedrooms, a bathroom and the staff office. There is an enclosed garden with outdoor furniture.

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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

National minimum standards were sampled in all of the outcome areas and identified the home has some good strengths. These include supporting privacy and confidentiality, supporting equality and diversity, providing individual support, supporting young people's education and home contact and safe staff recruitment.

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Summary

There are a number of areas for improvement and these include the provision of the required amount of supervision for all members of staff, the provision of fire training and recording fire safety checks and tests, the recording of sanctions, the recording of accidents and medication, the monitoring of Schedule 6 issues, the provision of an annual development plan.

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Summary

There were three young people present during this visit and they all said that they enjoyed living at the home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were two actions raised at the last inspection. The Registered Person was asked to ensure that any child protection concern is referred immediately to the local authority, and they were asked to ensure that all health and safety risk assessments are regularly reviewed. Both these actions have been met.

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Helping children to be healthy

The day to day healthcare needs of young people are appropriately met. The manager and members of staff encourage the young people to eat a healthy diet and they have the opportunity to cook meals and be involved in the shopping for the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people living at the home are registered with a local doctor, optician and dentist and each young person has a healthcare plan which provides information about medicals attended, accidents that occur and all immunisations received. Some of the accident records require more detailed information on how the accident occurred. Members of staff working at the home promote a healthy lifestyle and discourage young people from smoking.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff receive training in the safe handling and administration of medication, and first aid, although the records in the home did not include certificates to confirm which members of staff had completed first aid training. There are systems in place for safe handling and administration of medication, however it was not clear on some records why medication had not been administered. This means that it is not possible to confirm that young people receive all of the correct medication prescribed for them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people’s privacy is promoted. They have their own bedroom and there are sufficient bathrooms and toilets to meet the needs of the young people living at the home. Staff make sure information about young people is handled confidentially and stored securely. There are policies and procedures in place to help ensure this happens. However, when a room search is carried out the record made does not show that the young person has been informed of the search nor does it include their views.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear procedures for managing complaints appropriately and ensuring young people are listened to. Staff make sure young people are aware of who they can go to if they have any complaints or concerns. The home has received no complaints since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has satisfactory procedures for safeguarding young people from abuse. There are suitable arrangements for making sure that staff receive child protection training. This helps staff protect young people from abuse and ensure they respond appropriately to any allegation or suspicion of abuse.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people benefit from being looked after by a team of staff who create an atmosphere where bullying is known to be unacceptable. The home has a clear anti- bullying policy and there is guidance in place for staff on countering bullying behaviour. They try to help young people to develop an understanding and tolerance of people’s diverse needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff take appropriate action when young people go missing or are absent from the home without permission. The records show that a person independent of the home sees a young person on their return. There are suitable policies and procedures in place and each young person's assessment includes the risk of them going missing without permission.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage and support young people to develop and maintain socially acceptable behaviour. They give positive messages to young people to reinforce acceptable behaviour. Sanctions in the home are appropriate and the system for recording them is clear. However not all sanctions are recorded in the logbook. There are clear procedures and guidance for staff regarding how they should manage the behaviour of young people. Staff have received training in the safe restraint and holding of young people and the records show that there are very few incidents in the home. This helps to show that young people are being physically managed by members of staff in a safe way.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear systems in place to keep young people and adults safe from the risk of fire and other potential hazards. This includes carrying out a range of risk assessments and providing information for young people. However, the records do not show that fire alarm tests and equipment checks take place at the right times. This could put young people, staff and visitors at risk. Staff take part in regular fire training although the training for some staff is out of date. There are good arrangements for carrying out regular checks of gas and electrical appliances.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has appropriate procedures in place to help make sure it employs suitable people. This includes carrying out Criminal Records Bureau disclosure checks on new staff before they start work at the home. There are suitable arrangements for monitoring and managing visitors to the home and these help ensure that they do not have inappropriate access to young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people receive the individual guidance and support that they need. Each young person is allocated a key worker who takes responsibility for making sure that their identified needs are met.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people living at the home have an education placement and members of staff actively support, encourage and promote their attendance. Regular attendance helps to promote the self-esteem and life chances of young people. The individual needs of the young people living at the home are well met by staff who provide high levels of individual support. Young people have access to educational materials both at the home and via local community facilities. Staff liaise with educational professionals establishing good communication so they can provide support, help and advice to young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home provides a range of equipment, books and toys and the young people said that they are involved in trips, sports and activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's needs are fully assessed effectively. Records describe the young people's needs and how these needs are to be met by the staff, and care plans are present on the young people's files. The home keeps a record each time they request any missing information from the placing authority. This helps to show that the young people's needs are being met effectively in a timely manner.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Each young person's key worker reviews their progress with them on a regular basis. The young people attend their statutory reviews, which take place the appropriate times. Young people's contact with friends and family is agreed at the start of their placement and monitored at their review. This helps to promote their social well- being.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The young people receive appropriate information, when they come to live in the home and the likely effects of any young person's admission on the existing group of young people is considered as part of the admission process. There are planning and support systems in place to help young people moving towards independent living.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to contribute to the way the home is run. The children's rights worker visits the home to consult with the young people and there are regular house meetings. Staff and young people record the meeting minutes for future reference and to check that progress is being made on these matters.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home has systems in place to assist young people to prepare for adulthood. They encourage and support young people to develop the knowledge and skills, within their abilities, that they will need for independent living and formal pathway plans are put in place when appropriate.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy homely accommodation that has recently been redecorated and is furnished and maintained to a good standard. They said that they liked living in the home and are able to help in the choice of some of the decor. Members of staff help to maintain the building and to keep it clean and tidy. Young people living at the home are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and to help keep their home clean and tidy.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The young people receive an individual service, designed to meet their personal needs and preferences. Staff have a good knowledge of the young people and they work hard to make sure their needs are being met at all times. Members of staff support and enable young people to participate in community activities on an equal basis.

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Organisation

The Statement of Purpose accurately describes what young people can expect from living at the home and records show that it is reviewed and updated each year.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by members of staff who are supported appropriately by the manager of the home, however the supervision records could not confirm that staff receive regular formal supervision each month. Confirmation of the times and duration of the manager's supervision was not included in the records held in the home. Supervision details are needed to show that the work of staff members is being monitored by the managers of the service and that staff are looking after young people in a safe way. Regular staff meetings take place, which give members of staff the opportunity to discuss individual young people and to seek advice and support from colleagues as well as the manager.

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Organisation

Young people receive the care and services they need from competent staff. Most members of staff are trained, or are undertaking training, to a minimum of the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. A record of all training received by members of staff is maintained. The records and staff comments confirmed that not all mandatory training is up to date.

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Organisation

There are systems in place to allow the manager to monitor the home's records and to create monthly reports and recommendations. However, no written evidence was available to show that the shortfalls in several areas had been identified and acted upon. The home could not produce a copy of he annual development plan during the inspection.

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Organisation

Young people's files are well presented and are kept in good order. They contain the information needed by staff to care successfully for young people.

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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

13 keep an accurate record of all accidents occurring in the children's home or to children while accommodated by the home (Schedule 4.4) 20/12/2010

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Std. Action Due date

26 ensure that the registered person takes precautions against the risk of fire to include the regular checks and tests of the fire alarm system and fire equipment (Regulation 32.1) 20/12/2010

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Std. Action Due date

26 ensure that the registered person makes arrangements for persons working in the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention (NMS 32.4) 03/01/2011

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Std. Action Due date

29 ensure that all staff receive appropriate formal one to one supervision each month (Regulation 27,4,a) 20/12/2010

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Std. Action Due date

33 ensure that the registered person monitors and acts upon all areas identified in Schedule 6. (Regulation 34.1) 03/01/2011

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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 records show when medication is refused by the young person (NMS 13)  ensure records in the home confirm which members of staff are trained in first aid (NMS 13)  ensure the record of room searches includes how the young person has been informed about the search (NMS 9)  ensure that all sanctions are recorded in a dedicated bound and numbered book. (NMS 22.10)  ensure that there is a written development plan available for the home (NMS 33.5).

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