Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC063498 Inspection date 18/10/2010 Inspector Sharon Lloyd Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 20/01/2010 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 service is managed by an independent company who provide a number of small children's homes. The house is an end terraced property, situated within two miles of a shopping centre and all required leisure facilities. It provides accommodation for one young person and is staffed in accordance with the young person's assessed needs.

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Summary

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

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Summary

The home provides children and young people with good support in all outcome areas. This means that children and young people make good progress in all areas of their development. Their health, safety and welfare are safeguarded and promoted. They receive good support with their education and enjoy a range of leisure activities. They are consulted and listened to and develop self esteem and new skills. The home is well managed and a competent staff team provide good consistency of care. There are four recommendations, three of which relate to staying safe and one to organisation. No actions are required.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Two actions were required and three recommendations for good practice were made following the last inspection. One action and one recommendation referred to staying safe. All staff have attended refresher training in child protection and safeguarding within the last year and know what to do should a children and young people approach them with an allegation or a disclosure. The complaints policy has been reviewed so that it contains guidance about the role of Ofsted for complainants.

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Improvements since the last inspection

One action related to placement planning. The placement plan addresses children and young people's diverse presenting needs. It identifies where there is a need for specialist input and works with the placing authority to secure the help young people need.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Two recommendations related to the organisation of the home. Each member of the staff team is suitably qualified, having completed an appropriate induction programme and National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in the Care of Children and Young People.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children and young people enjoy and thrive on a good and varied diet, including foods from other cultures. They have the opportunity to plan, shop for and prepare meals. Fresh fruit is freely available and children and young people assist the staff team in growing their own fruit and vegetables, in the garden and on an allotment. Staff know and follow good procedures for the safe storage and preparation of food.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children and young people report they are well looked after when they are ill and their good health is promoted through attending appointments with their G.P., dentist and optician. Children and young people's health needs are identified and plans are put in place to meet them. Where there are gaps in a child or young person's health history, these are followed up with the Looked After Children nurse. Children and young people are offered the opportunity and encouraged to have previously-missed vaccinations so they are better protected from future ill-health. Staff promote good sexual health and ensure children and young people are well informed about safe sex. Specialist health advice and treatment is sought as necessary.

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Helping children to be healthy

The staff team is well trained in the particular health needs of the children and young people they look after. They have up-to-date training in emergency first aid so know how to respond in the event of an accident or injury to a child or young person. They ensure children and young people receive the treatment they need by following good procedures for the safe storage, administration and disposal of medicines.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff respect children and young people's privacy and protect their confidential information. Children and young people feel safe in the home and recognise that staff care about them. Room searches are carried out as necessary and children and young people appreciate that this is done for their protection. They know how to make a complaint but report they do not need to and can approach staff with any matters of concern. They are confident that the manager and staff do their best to help them and keep them safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff know what to do when a child or young person makes an allegation or a disclosure of abuse and take action to protect the child or young person. An anti- bullying policy is in place and staff and young people report there is no bullying in the home. Staff take action to address any issues of bullying in the community where children and young people living at the home are involved or victimised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a protocol with the local police that promotes the welfare of children and young people who are missing from home. Although there has been a high number of missing from home incidents in the last 12 months, this has reduced recently as the young person currently living at the home has become more settled. On return to the home, the child or young person is not always seen by their social worker or by an independent person to consider the reason for their absence. This means that children and young people do not always have the opportunity to raise any matters of concern about the home with someone independent of the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Serious events are notified to the placing authority so that they are kept informed of children and young people's progress. Not all serious events have been notified to Ofsted so that Ofsted is not able to meet its safeguarding function by ensuring that the home has acted appropriately when dealing with serious events. Effective and consistent behaviour management techniques help children and young people to learn self control and improve their social skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Routine health and safety checks ensure the home is a safe place to live. Risk assessments relating to the premises and to children and young people's known activities and behaviours guide staff in their responses to hazardous situations and events. Staff and young people know the home's fire safety measures and practise fire drills regularly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Visitors to the home are recorded and are supervised in the presence of children and young people. Good recruitment procedures ensure that as far as possible, children and young people are protected from contact with potential abusers. However, the home does not always require a recent photograph of new staff applicants to further secure the safety of the children and young people in the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children and young people receive individual support in line with their needs and wishes. The home ensures they are referred for specialist support where needed. This includes professional services that help children and young people to develop their identity in relation to their gender, health, sexual orientation and other needs. The home provides advice and guidance to children and young people who are at risk of sexual exploitation. It liaises with placing authorities to arrange professional support where necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff support children and young people with their education and provide an educational programme during normal school hours for children and young people who are not in school or alternative education. They encourage children and young people to work hard and make the most of their education. They liaise well with schools and teachers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Friendships with peers are nurtured and staff encourage children and young people to bring their friends to the home so they can get to know them. They also encourage children and young people to participate in a range of activities and interests that help them to develop skills, co-ordination and self confidence. Time spent in the home is relaxed and includes typical activities enjoyed by most teenagers, including electronic games, arts and crafts, chatting with staff, watching TV and listening to music. Birthdays and special events are celebrated with attendance at concerts, special meals and parties.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home has comprehensive placement plans that effectively guide staff in how to care for children and young people. Individual, diverse needs are identified and assessed and clear plans are in place to meet them. The home produces reports for statutory reviews and makes good contributions that assist the local authority in reviewing progress made and developing future plans. Good arrangements are in place to support children and young people who are moving into or leaving the home to make this transition as easy as possible.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff assist children and young people to make their views known and encourage and support them to participate in meetings that are about them. Children and young people contribute their views to planning menus, activities and holidays. They are consulted about their education and receive good advice and support from staff relating to all aspects of their lives. Children and young people have good relationships with the staff team and feel comfortable in approaching them with concerns.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children and young people are very well supported to maintain contact and develop relationships with their family and friends, where this is in their interests. Children and young people report they are happy with the arrangements in place.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Children and young people receive a good balance between nurturing and support to develop self-care skills. The home works with placing authorities to develop pathway plans that map out what each young person needs to learn in preparation for independent living.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is domestic in style and indistinguishable from surrounding properties. It is well located in a residential area and has easy access to public transport and through that, local amenities. Children and young people live in well maintained accommodation that is comfortable and pleasantly decorated. They are encouraged to personalise their own bedroom and to contribute their views to any redecoration of the home.

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Organisation

The home is well run by a manager who is suitably qualified and experienced and manages this and two other homes for the company. He is assisted by a deputy who takes responsibility for some of the day to day tasks. Good monitoring arrangements ensure that the home operates in accordance with a clearly written Statement of Purpose. This is available to social workers and placing authorities. Children and young people receive a young people's guide either before or as they begin their placement. It provides them with all the information they need about the home, including how to make a complaint. Staff spend time going through it with them so that young people know what to expect from the home.

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Organisation

The provider inspects the home each month and reports on the operation of the home, highlighting any shortfalls in records and areas for improvement. There is some duplication between this report and that completed by the manager each month. The provider's report does not always give adequate focus to the views of children and young people, their parents and staff. Nor does it demonstrate that an assessment of the physical condition of the premises, furniture and equipment has been made.

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Organisation

The current young person is assessed as needing one to one staffing and this is what the home provides. Young people are looked after by a staff team that is well trained and very well supported and supervised. All members of the team are experienced and appropriately qualified. They work very well together to provide good consistency of care. Children and young people make good progress as a result of the clear and consistent boundaries and the nurturing environment they provide.

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Organisation

Records are well maintained and children and young people have the opportunity to contribute to them by commenting on serious incidents that occur. They are invited to read comments made by staff so they know what is included in their record. Their confidential files are stored securely.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The home identifies and puts arrangements in place to meet children's diverse needs. For example, staff help children and young people to build their self-esteem through acceptance, tolerance and education. They encourage and enable young people to attend support groups aimed at meeting their own particular needs.

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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):  ensure serious events are reported to Ofsted in line with Schedule 5 (NMS 20.1)  ensure children who go missing are visited by a person independent of the home when they return so that the reason they went missing can be expolred (NMS 19.4)  include up-to-date photographs of staff in personnel files (NMS 27.1)  ensure that visits carried out by the provider meet the requirements of Regulation 33 and focus on the aspects of care listed in the national minimum standards. (NMS 32.2)

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