Children's Home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Knowsley

Unique reference number SC356929 Inspection date 25/10/2010 Inspector Sonya Robinson Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 23/06/2010 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 provides residential accommodation for up to three looked after young people who have complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Brief description of the service

On the ground floor of the premises there are two lounges, a kitchen, separate dining room and a staff office.

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Brief description of the service

Children’s bedrooms are all single and are located on the first floor. There is an outside area to the rear of the property that is large enough for relaxation and socialising. Parking facilities are situated to the side of the property.

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Brief description of the service

Young people and staff present participated with this inspection.

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Summary

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

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Summary

At this unannounced full inspection all key standards were inspected. The focus of the inspection was to find out how well the home meets the needs of young people living there.

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Summary

Young people's welfare is enhanced by positive relationships that exist between experienced staff and young people, and between young people and their peers. Young people are encouraged to eat healthily, they are kept safe and they are provided with support from professional services outside the home. Staff are well supported by the Registered Manager who is effective, enthusiastic, and has a strong commitment and focus on improvement. The promotion of equality and diversity is good throughout the standards inspected.

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Summary

The vast majority of standards are met and there is one action and three recommendations made at this inspection, which reflects the good standard of care offered by this home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection an action required work to be done to the interior and exterior of the home. This has been complied with. The significant refurbishment undertaken has included some repair work to the lounge ceiling along with the redecoration of the lounge; the ground floor has also had new floor covering throughout; the bathroom has a received some attention with new tiled walls creating a more homely environment. Young people were involved in choosing the colour scheme for the lounge. This helps them to feel included and valued. Consequently the young people say that the home is warm and safe.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The Registered Manager was also asked to ensure that at least four fire drills, including the evacuation of staff and children from the building and fire drills held at night, take place within a 12 month period. This has been completed and maintained.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's dietary needs are catered for in a way that promotes good health. Young people are actively involved in choosing food for the weekly menu. Fresh produce is used in the preparation of meals and fresh fruit and drinks are always available. All staff are trained in food hygiene; this ensures that staff's awareness of the importance of hygiene is raised. Effective monitoring and detailed records ensures young people receive adequate quantities of wholesome and nutritious food, which is properly prepared and served to staff and young people. Meal times are positive social occasions where staff and young people eat together and discuss the daily events. Young people say that the food is good and they were observed helping themselves to drinks during the inspection. Young people's are able to choose food for themselves and diversity is encouraged through sampling different cultural foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff encourage activities for young people which positively promote the importance of taking regular exercise, for example young people are members of local leisure centres and enjoy swimming and rock climbing. Young people's health needs are identified through regular assessments carried out by staff. Young people are involved in the development and review of their health care plans. This ensures that young people have a clear understanding of the aims of the plan, and hopefully work together with staff to achieve optimum health. However, not all young people's health care plans are fully up to date.

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Helping children to be healthy

Professional services assist young people to understand and to deal with specific health issues. Young people attend regular appointments with local health services. Young people's health and welfare is closely monitored by staff ensuring their good health is promoted. Staff are trained in the administration of medication, and drug awareness. All medication is stored securely, preventing young people from unauthorised access. Clear records ensure all medication is accountable, administered appropriately and disposed of safely. Staff are trained in first aid and can respond to minor injuries, along with seeking the appropriate professional medical advice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are sound procedures and good care practices that keep young people safe in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to preserving the dignity and privacy of young people and they have a good understanding of safeguarding issues, which ensures that young people are protected from abuse. Training for staff is kept up to date and detailed policies and procedures guide them in their work. Staff are sensitive to gender issues. The registered person provides guidance for staff and young people about when it may become necessary to search a young person's room. However, documentation was unable to be located to show whether any had occurred since the previous inspection. Clearer systems would enable trends or patterns to be identified and any appropriate action taken.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service has a well-developed complaints procedure and all complaints are responded to promptly. Young people know the complaints procedure and they are confident that any complaint will be taken seriously. The manager has introduced a quality assurance document for young people, parents and social workers; this is to gain the views of all involved with the young person's placement, and identify complaints or concerns. This ensures that young people feel that their views and opinions are valued.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are quick to intervene should a bullying situation arise, and issues relating to bullying are handled well, ensuring young people feel safe. Good staffing levels ensure that young people are well supervised. Individual risk assessments and placement plans allow staff to manage any concerns that might arise between young people. There is a clear protocol for staff to follow in the event of an unauthorised absence, which ensures that young people are properly protected. Any significant events that may have occurred regarding the young people have been reported to the appropriate authorities. This provides further safeguards for the young people placed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Relationships between young people and staff are good. Staff have a positive view of the young people they work with. They promote and reward positive behaviour and support young people well, which minimises the likelihood of incidents developing into episodes of challenging behaviour. All staff are trained to diffuse difficult situations. Young people say that the staff are fair in their use of sanctions. Individual risk management and behaviour support plans clearly show how staff will work to promote behaviour that is positive and to lessen the risk of behaviour becoming challenging. Restraints are only ever used as a last resort and in very clearly defined situations. The infrequency of such incidents indicates that the strategies that staff use work well and that young people benefit from the way in which they are cared for. Health and safety matters are managed well, so that young people benefit from

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

being cared for in an environment that is safe. All staff have attended training on health and safety, providing awareness of potential hazards to both staff and young people. Risk assessments of the environment, activities, as well as on individual young people, are regularly reviewed so that information is kept up to date and accurate.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home's procedures for the recruitment and selection of staff are robust. All staff are thoroughly vetted before they are appointed, to ensure that they are safe to work with vulnerable children and young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The manager and staff are effective at helping young people to enjoy and achieve in life. The individual needs of young people are identified and any specialist needs are met by external support. Each young person has a key worker who monitors the young person’s progress and provides individualised support on a regular basis. This ensures that issues affecting the young people can be safely addressed and young people are closely monitored and their wishes and feelings taken into account. Staff work closely with parents and with other professionals so that care is consistent.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is actively promoted and plays an important part in the lives of young people. Their educational needs are identified in written plans and there are clear arrangements for meeting their needs. Staff see education as important and support and encourage young people to learn and study. Young people know that they are expected to attend education and conform with this expectation. They also have access to books and educational materials to aid their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people say they enjoy their spare time and to take part in a full and wide range of leisure activities within the home and local community. Young people are encouraged to follow their particular interests, such as Christian based activities, attending leisure centres, bowling, cinema and pamper evenings. Young people as a result are able to build confidence in their abilities and make friends with young people from different social and cultural backgrounds.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The planning material produced by the home is comprehensive, with evidence to show regular review and updating. The documentation identifies individual needs and contains plans and strategies to address those. Young people speak with insight about their own plans and confirm they have access to them as well as discussing and reviewing them regularly with staff. The plans cover all the required areas as laid out in the standards, which includes individual needs, religious and cultural issues.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Statutory reviews are taking place within the required timescale. Young people are able to describe their participation in the process with understanding and feel well supported by staff at these times.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact agreements, arrangements and records form part of the planning documentation. All young people have suitable arrangements which include both family and friends. Young people confirm that visitors to the home are made welcome. Staff make sure that the arrangements for contact promote and safeguard young people’s welfare, working closely with young people’s families to ensure that contact is a really positive experience for young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Tried and tested procedures are in place for both moving into and leaving the home. Young people confirm they are provided with appropriate information on admission and that staff provide excellent support during the process.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The levels of consultation in the home are outstanding. As well as regular young people's meetings and key worker sessions, excellent levels of communication exist between staff and young people. Young people say “the staff are amazing”, “it’s a safe place to live and it’s warm and homely.” This translates into outstanding relationships being forged.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff prepare young people for adult life. Young people are encouraged to take more responsibility for themselves, suitable to their age and understanding. They routinely learn skills, such as shopping, planning meals, cooking, using money and household tasks. They are also encouraged to develop their personal care, organisational and social skills.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Each young person has their own room which is decorated and furnished to a good standard and personalised to individual tastes. Young people are responsible for keeping their rooms clean and tidy as part of their independence plan. However, staff do support them with this and make sure that the rooms are in good order.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The service provides a good standard of accommodation for young people. It is homely, decorated and furnished to a good standard. This home enables young people to have privacy and provides appropriate areas for education work and meeting with friends and family.

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Organisation

The service has a clear Statement of Purpose that sets out how young people will be cared for when they stay at the home. The young person's guide to the service is produced in a child-friendly format, giving young people a clear and detailed picture of how the home works and who will be looking after them during their stay. This information is also available on the company's website to allow young people to access information about the service who may be living some distance from the home prior to admission, or for those young people who are placed at very short notice. This enables young people to feel more at ease on their arrival to the home.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are good, which ensures that young people are properly supervised and they are able to take part in activities. Rotas allow staff sufficient time to undertake individual work with young people, to attend regular team meetings and to complete necessary paperwork. Staff demonstrate a clear determination to promote inclusion for young people and to encourage them to develop their skills.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager and staff also demonstrate a strong commitment to reviewing and improving the service that is offered to young people and their families. Team meetings are used to look at practice issues and the needs of the young people. There is discussion with parents and professionals from other agencies about the care that young people are given and there are robust systems in place, which enable managers within the home and the wider organisation to monitor the quality of care that is given to young people.

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Organisation

However, some information relating to staff was not available on this inspection as the key holders for a locked cabinet held in the office were away from the service. The inspector has been informed that spare keys will be held at the organisations head office in order that this does not occur again.

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Organisation

Information that is held on young people is thorough, so that their needs can be met. All information that is sensitive is securely stored so that confidentiality is maintained. This information is easily accessible to all staff which helps to ensure that care is consistent and in line with the young person's care plan.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager of the home is experienced and competent. She is currently undertaking a professional qualification in the care and management of staff and young people. A placing authority social worker said, "I am impressed with the standard of care and the commitment of staff" and other comments state that the home is "very good, no concerns about the care that the home provides".

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff are provided with a good range of training, including mandatory courses in safeguarding, first aid and the administration of medication. This ensures that staff are able to take advantage of this knowledge to further promote the welfare of the young people. All staff appointed to work at the home are required to have, or to work towards, a qualification in caring for children and young people. Young people's rights are respected and actively promoted. The service demonstrates that the individual care needs of young people are identified and that direct work with young people is undertaken. Their care needs are routinely monitored through robust systems. This ensures that the individual care needs of young people are met.

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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

34 provide Ofsted with the information necessary for inspections. (Section 31 of Care Standards Act 2000) 30/11/2010

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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 each child has an up-to-date health plan that fully identifies their physical, emotional and health needs (NMS 12.2)  ensure appropriate records are in place for documenting any instances of room searches (NMS 9.8)  ensure that the manager of the home has professional qualifications relevant to working with children and management which must be national vocational qualification level 4, or equivalent. (NMS 34.3)

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