Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Barnsley

Unique reference number SC363630 Inspection date 17/12/2010 Inspector Debbie Foster Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 30/04/2010 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 detached property, positioned in a residential area. This home's function is to care for young people, implementing consistent boundaries with them. This is to allow them to address their challenging behaviour and to resume age-appropriate control and responsibility for their own lives.

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Brief description of the service

The home has a lounge, kitchen, dining room, two bathrooms with toilets, and all bedrooms are single. The house is set in its own grounds with car parking and a separate building, where education can be provided.

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Brief description of the service

There is access to some local shops, public transport and the home has access to a vehicle.

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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 focusing upon the outcome group staying safe. Additionally the four recommendations made at the last inspection in April 2010 have been reviewed to see if they have been implemented.

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Summary

Young people have taken part in this inspection.

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Summary

This is a satisfactory service. Staff identify and meet young people's safety needs effectively. This is achieved through safeguarding measures and individual protocols being followed for each young person.

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Summary

Short falls have been found in some records, including complaints and incident reports. New staff are working with young people before they have received physical intervention training. Monitoring systems within the home have not identified all omissions and deficiencies in staff practices and recordings.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the registered person was asked to address areas relating to staying safe and organisation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Action has been taken on the following: a record is kept of all staff undertaking fire instruction, including agency staff. Refresher first aid training has been provided to staff at regular intervals to ensure all staff are competent in this area.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The following recommendation has not been fully implemented; not all staff are receiving supervision at the required frequency in line with the national minimum standards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people have their privacy and confidentiality respected. The identity of visitors is checked and files are stored securely in a locked cabinet in the office. Young people can make telephone calls in private. A young person confirmed they have a key to their own bedroom, enabling them to keep their own possessions safe. Another young person has lost their key to their bedroom. A replacement key is on order.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are effective measures in place to ensure that young people are safeguarded. Staff are conversant with the circumstances under which child protection procedures should be invoked and all staff have up-to-date training in relation to safeguarding, with some receiving advanced training in this area. The home has clear detailed safeguarding procedures which are available for staff to refer to and use. There are strong links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Specific measures and protocols are also in place to keep young people safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

On admission young people are advised of the complaints procedure. Young people explained the procedure to the inspector to indicate they are fully aware of how to make a complaint if they wish to. Three complaints have been made by young people since the last inspection. Although, one complaint has been recorded to show that prompt action is taken to investigate the complaint. Two further complaints have not been promptly recorded in the central log. The manager has taken action to address these complaints but has not recorded this fully to show the complaints have been investigated thoroughly and an outcome concluded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear policies, procedures and information on how to deal with bullying. This information is accessible to staff and young people. Staff are aware of potential bullying behaviour and monitor young people closely. Support is given to young people on the issues relating to bullying. Staff and young people are clear that bullying is not acceptable. A young person said the staff have responded straight away when they have reported a bullying incident. However, no direct care work has been undertaken with young people to stop and eliminate bullying occurring.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The safety of young people is given importance. Staff respond appropriately to protect them when they go missing without authority. There are specific protocols in place for individual young people, and staff are clear on the action to take. Young people are aware of the circumstances when they will be reported missing and the action staff will take to try and protect them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Managing behaviour positively is a priority. The sanctions and restraint records contain the required information. Good behaviour is promoted and encouraged consistently by the staff team. Staff's approach to caring for young people is to have clear, detailed boundaries, incentives and rewards in place, which are discussed and agreed with the young people individually. The incentives for young people have been put in place to encourage and support their positive behaviour. Overall this approach is working well for individual young people. This has brought continued improvements for individuals over a period of time. However, not all new staff have received physical intervention training before working closely with young people and dealing with challenging behaviour. One incident report did not detail de-escalating techniques used by staff to diffuse a challenging situation. This incident escalated in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

seriousness. The monitoring systems within the home have not identified these omissions.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home provides young people with a safe and secure environment. Their safety is supported through the practices of staff, for example, risk assessments are in place, which cover a wealth of areas and detail the supporting safety measures to be implemented. Staff have a good awareness and implement the strategies and safeguards to reduce risks identified for individual young people. However, there are no risk assessments in place on bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Fire records indicate that weekly checks on the system and appropriate fire instruction and training have taken place. Fire drills have been conducted on a frequent basis and involve the young people and all staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The vetting and recruitment procedures for staff continue to be robust to ensure young people are prevented from being cared for by unsuitable staff. Staff recruitment files contain all the required information and all relevant checks on the person are undertaken, including Criminal Records Bureau checks, references and a full employment history. Additionally the provider has incorporated other relevant good practice guidance including requirements from other legislation relating to safe vetting and recruitment of staff. This includes requiring staff to sign disclaimers checking whether they are disqualified from caring for children. This has built on further safeguards to ensure suitable staff are employed.

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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

16 ensure complaints, the action taken and the outcome are recorded as they occur to show the complainants views are taken seriously (Regulation 24 (5)) 28/01/2011

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure all staff are appropriately trained before working with young people, with particular reference to behaviour management and physical intervention. (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 20/12/2010

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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 protocols being used by staff to address bullying issues are recorded within risk assessments and the accompanying direct work undertaken with young people is also recorded (NMS 18.2, 18.3 & 18.5)  ensure that incident reports record accurately the conversation and dialogue between staff and young people in dealing with and the diffusing of challenging behaviour (NMS 22)  ensure all staff receive supervision at the required frequency in line with the national minimum standards (NMS 28.2)  ensure that monitoring systems identify omissions and deficiencies in the practices and recordings in the home. (NMS 32 & 33)

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