Children's Home run by The Together Trust in Stockport

Unique reference number SC025745 Inspection date 19/01/2011 Inspector Monica Hargreaves Type of inspection Random

p.1

Date of last inspection 04/08/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Brief description of the service

This children's home is owned and managed by a charitable organisation and provides a short breaks service for up to five young people of either sex. Young people who use the service are aged from five to 17 years and have autistic spectrum disorders and/or challenging behaviour.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home is in a residential area. It is close to a small shopping centre and there is a range of local amenities within a short distance. It has sufficient communal and private space for the number and needs of the young people cared for. There is an enclosed garden to the rear that is suitably equipped to allow young people to use it for play.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home currently provides a service to 37 individual young people at different times.

p.4

Summary

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

p.4

Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection. All of the key standards in the outcome area of staying safe were assessed. Recommendations made at the last inspection were considered. These relate to staff qualifications, decoration of some parts of the home and some areas of record keeping. Information about these is given in the section below.

p.4

Summary

Due to the limited nature of this inspection, the overall judgement for this service has not been changed at this visit and, therefore, remains as good.

p.4

Summary

The arrangements to promote the safety and welfare of young people who use this service remain excellent. Young people are cared for in a home that is kept safe. Their privacy and personal dignity is respected. They are protected from abuse and bullying and they are supervised appropriately so that they do not go missing from the home. There is a very effective process for identifying and minimising potential risks. Staff support young people to behave in socially-acceptable ways and difficult or challenging behaviour is managed at the lowest level of intervention necessary to protect young people and staff. The arrangements for vetting new staff and visitors are sound.

p.4

Summary

No actions or recommendations have been made as a result of this inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

All of the recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

A risk assessment has been undertaken to identify how staff monitor the home and supervise young people, to ensure that they are protected from bullying.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

All of the bedrooms used by young people have been redecorated and new carpets and flooring have been fitted in bedrooms and the hall and stairs. These refurbishments have improved the overall presentation of the home.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

The Statement of Purpose has been reviewed and updated. This provides clear written information about how the home works and how young people are looked after.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, care staff have continued to work to complete a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 and there are now sufficient qualified staff at the home to meet the required target of 80%.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Staff are aware of their responsibility to contribute to transition planning and to help to prepare young people for adulthood. They work closely with parents, young people and local authorities to ensure that appropriate plans are in place and young people are supported as they move into adult services.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The privacy of young people is respected when they stay in the home. Young people have individual bedrooms where they can spend time in private. Staff have a very good understanding of the need to ensure personal dignity when assisting young people with personal care and they ensure that information that is held about young people is kept confidential.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Complaints are very well managed through a clear and robust complaints process. Information about how to complain is given to young people in a format that is appropriate to their needs and staff have a very good understanding of how individual young people make their views known. They communicate very regularly with parents and carers so that concerns are identified at an early stage and can be resolved.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected from abuse and cared for safely because risks are clearly identified and there is a robust safeguarding procedure. Staff are trained in child protection issues and they have a very good understanding of the individual needs of the young people they look after. They also demonstrate a very clear understanding of their responsibilities in relation to identifying, reporting and managing safeguarding concerns in order to protect young people.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Bullying is not an issue in the service. The risk of this occurring between young people is fully assessed and managed very effectively, so that all young people are protected. Young people are supervised appropriately because staffing levels are excellent. Short breaks are arranged to ensure that young people do not stay in the home at the same time as other young people they do not get on with. These systems promote the welfare of the young people who use the service.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service has a clear protocol for managing unauthorised absences, although there have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home. Excellent staffing levels ensure that young people are well supervised and not able to leave the home without the knowledge of staff. Young people are also supervised appropriately and protected when they go out on activities.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage and support young people to behave in socially acceptable ways. Difficult or challenging behaviour is managed very well. Behaviour support plans are put in place for individual young people when a concern is identified. These record possible triggers and detail the strategies that staff employ to help young people to behave appropriately and to minimise the possibility of behaviour becoming challenging. Staff are trained to respond positively to challenging behaviour and there is good evidence to confirm that incidents are managed very well and with the lowest level of physical intervention needed to protect young people and staff.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety matters are also managed exceptionally well. Risk assessments are thorough, regularly reviewed and updated, to ensure that potential hazards are identified and that management strategies are put in place to eliminate or minimise them. These robust systems address all aspects of the individual young person's care needs as well as environmental and other hazards. The home has a clear schedule in place for the checking and servicing of all equipment and installations at the required intervals. Records show that these are up to date. Staff complete daily visual checks on the home and action is taken to rectify any problems that are identified. Young people take part in regular fire drills so that they learn how to leave the building in an emergency. These arrangements ensure that the home is kept safe for young people who use the service.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected by the home's robust procedures for vetting staff and visitors. All staff are subject to detailed checks that are completed before they start work. The identity of visitors is checked and their whereabouts in the home are monitored during their visit. These systems protect young people from unauthorised individuals gaining access to the home.

p.6