Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Unique reference number SC390577 Inspection date 18/01/2011 Inspector Helen Walker Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 15/10/2010 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 home provides care and accommodation for one young person of either gender, aged from 10 to 17 years old. The home is a three bedroom detached property situated in a residential area of a large town. The accommodation is over two floors. The ground floor has an open plan hallway with the following rooms leading from this; lounge, schoolroom, cloakroom with toilet, kitchen with dining area and utility room.

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Brief description of the service

On the first floor is the young person's bedroom with fitted furniture and a hand washbasin. Also on the first floor are the house bathroom and two staff bedrooms. One staff bedroom incorporates the office. Externally the home has a garage and driveway to provide off-road car parking. The front garden is grassed with a pathway which leads to the rear garden. The rear garden has a patio area with a split level lawn, mature trees and shrubs. The home is close to local amenities with good access links to public transport.

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Brief description of the service

One young person lives in the home and contributed to the inspection process.

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Summary

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

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Summary

At this full, unannounced inspection, all the key national minimum standards are considered. The action and recommendations made at the previous inspection are detailed in the improvement section of this report.

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Summary

The acting manager is competent and experienced to ensure the home is run effectively in the absence of the Registered Manager. Staff have a very good understanding of young people's individual needs and provide relevant support and advice to benefit their well being.

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Summary

Young people's health needs are positively promoted. Contact with health professionals is good and the services of a clinical psychologist employed by the provider enable young people to access therapeutic support.

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Summary

Staff are aware of safeguarding practice and familiar with guidance to assist them in their work to keep young people safe from harm. Young people are positive about the care they receive.

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Summary

Young people benefit from living in a homely environment which is pleasantly decorated, spacious and comfortably furnished. An action and recommendations have been made to promote further the well-being of young people. These relate to: young people's pathway and placement plans; staff training and qualification; ensuring adequate heating in the home and repairs to the house rain gutter.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to ensure young people's files contain details of any measure of control, restraint or discipline. This information is now noted in young people's files and shows evidence of the measures taken.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Young people are empowered to make contact with an advocate so that they have access to someone who is independent of the home. Agreement on any restriction on communication is now sought from the placing authority and recorded in young people's placement plan.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection a recommendation was made for 80% of staff to have a relevant childcare qualification. This has yet to be achieved. However, an ongoing programme of training is in place for staff to obtain this qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff understand the importance for young people to have a good choice of well- balanced meals so that they have a varied and healthy diet. Although staff encourage young people to eat healthily, this is not always young people's choice. However, staff introduce young people to different foods and assist them to prepare meals. This enables young people to make informed decisions about the food they eat.

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Helping children to be healthy

Meals are eaten at the dining table situated in the lounge/dining room of the home. Young people and staff have mealtimes together This routine helps to develop young people's social skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are well promoted. Young people have access to the necessary health professionals, including the local doctor, dentist and optician.

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Helping children to be healthy

Health information is available in the home and contact with health professionals and agencies provides young people with good advice and guidance. This includes information about drug and alcohol misuse and smoking cessation. Staff take the opportunity to discuss different health matters with young people, for example, sexual health and relationships. This helps to increase young people's knowledge and understanding in these areas.

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Helping children to be healthy

Specialist services are identified where appropriate and include support from a psychologist employed by the organisation. Additionally, this service advises and provides staff with guidance on appropriate strategies to support and work with young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff have a good awareness about the administration and storage of medication. Staff are qualified to administer first aid treatment as needed. Medication is stored securely in the home and records are monitored to confirm appropriate practices are in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Confidentiality is managed effectively and personal records are securely stored. Young people have an individual bedroom which provides them with their own personal space. They have access to a telephone in the home which allows them to make calls in private without reference to staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of the need to keep young people safe. They receive training and are familiar with child protection guidance. Staff work exceptionally well with specialist agencies to assist them to protect and promote the welfare of young people. Staff are keen to ensure young people have access to an advocate so that independent advice is readily available to them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The complaints process is effective and known to the young people. All complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Young people are kept informed and made aware of the progress of any complaint. Individual sessions with staff and house meetings give young people a forum to have their say. Young people are listened to, their views taken account of and acted upon as necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff know the procedure to follow in the event of a young person missing from the home. This process helps to support young people's safe return to the home. There are no recent episodes of young people missing from the home. Young people are aware that bullying is not tolerated and staff confirm this is not an issue in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety monitoring and relevant safety checks of equipment in the home are routinely carried out to ensure this is safe to use. Young people and staff are aware of the fire evacuation procedures and know what to do in the event of a fire in the home. However, the rain gutter to the rear of the house leaks on to the patio area and in freezing weather this presents as a safety hazard.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage young people to develop appropriate and acceptable behaviours. Staff receive training to assist them to deal properly with challenging behaviour. However, some staff have still to undertake training to support them to use safely the restraint and physical intervention techniques.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff know and follow young people's care plans and individual risk assessments; as a result, they respond and manage young people's behaviour positively. Thorough recruitment and employment procedures are in place which helps to confirm that staff are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people receive a good level of individual support from staff and other relevant professionals. There is regular contact with services, such as those relating to health, which benefit the young people. Individual discussions with young people cover topics, such as, smoking cessation, and sexual and social relationships. Additionally, more specialist support is regularly available with access to therapeutic professionals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff assist young people to participate in leisure activities and maintain hobbies of their choice. Education is seen as an important part of young people's lives and for those of school age staff understand the need to encourage school attendance. An education room is situated on the ground floor of the home. This is registered as a school and inspected by Ofsted. At this time the education room is not in use.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people who have left school receive significant help to obtain employment or training. Staff support actively young people to seek and find appropriate occupation. Where young people are unable to obtain employment then voluntary work is promoted. Staff work really hard to ensure young enjoy this type of work and whenever possible that it benefits the local community.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The home has a range of facilities to support the young people's learning, such as books, board games and quiet areas in the house. Young people have use of a computer with internet access.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have their needs assessed effectively prior to admission to the home which means good consideration is given to the appropriateness of the placement. Opportunities exist for young people to have input into their placement plans through discussion with staff and more formally, the statutory review process. However, the plan does not fully cover the contribution made by staff to ensure the objectives of the placement are met. For example, there are no details to show the staff actively support young people to seek out training, education and work experience.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Statutory looked after children reviews take place at timely intervals. Staff provide a detailed report for the review meeting to inform fully the placing authority of the young person's progress in the home. The outcome of the review meeting is made known to the young person. The acting manager takes action as necessary to comply with the decisions of the meeting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are enabled to make choices about contact with family and friends. Contact is promoted actively and done so in line with placement plans for the young people. This enables young people to continue to have positive links with those that are important to them outside of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Good systems enable young people to move into and leave the home in a planned way. Wherever possible, planned placements occur and involve a visit by the young person to the home. This allows young people to meet staff and consider a placement at this home. Staff try to ensure young people are prepared adequately for leaving the home through a planned ending to the placement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are asked their opinions about issues that affect their daily life and future. This includes obtaining their views about aspects of the running of the home, for example, the choice of carpet and decoration of their bedroom, menus and activities. Young people made a request for a pet and currently have ownership of a small reptile. This level of consultation helps to improve young people's quality of life.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people receive good support and care from staff who teach them practical skills, such as, managing their laundry, making meals and cleaning. This ensures they are knowledgeable about carrying out these tasks. Staff take account of young people's age and ability to ensure they feel able to participate in the home's independence programme.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

As part of preparing for independence the young people have good support about health matters. Staff help young people to understand the advantage of good health and to arrange and maintain contact with health professionals. Staff promote and encourage young people to continue education, training and to benefit from employment.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

However, there are no formal leaving care plans from the placing authority for young people who are over the age of 16 years. Without leaving care plans there is nothing explicit to show how the young people will be adequately prepared for transition to adulthood and independence.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy spacious and homely accommodation that is decorated and furnished to a very good standard. However, the heating in the home is inconsistent and at times the ground floor is much cooler than the first floor. Young people have their own bedroom which is decorated to their choice and reflects their individuality.

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Organisation

In the absence of the Registered Manager a competent and experienced deputy manager is now in charge of the home. A regular team of staff work in the home and this helps to provide continuity of care to the young people.

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Organisation

There are appropriate levels of staffing to supervise and take account of the young people's known needs. Any additional duty shifts are covered by permanent staff and on some occasions by 'relief' staff employed by the provider. This benefits young people with consistency of care and enables them to be looked after by staff who are familiar to them.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose reflects what the home offers and the care provided. Young people have useful information with details about the routines of the home and how they are to be looked after.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Young people are treated as individuals and their needs are well considered. Staff help to improve the life chances of young people and promote their positive involvement in the local community.

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Organisation

Staff receive training to enable them to carry out their roles effectively. Some of the staff have yet to obtain a relevant childcare qualification, to help them in their understanding of caring for the young people. However, there is an ongoing programme of training for staff, to enable them to obtain the appropriate qualification.

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Organisation

Staff meetings occur on a regular basis and discuss in detail the work of the home and care of the young people. Systems are in place to monitor the performance of the home. They include the acting manager monitoring the necessary records and monthly visits to the home by an independent person. These systems give the acting manager and provider an overview of how the home is running and help to maintain good standards of care.

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Organisation

Staff are knowledgeable about the young people's individual needs and relationships present as relaxed and caring.

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Organisation

Young people's progress is appropriately and permanently documented. Records are stored securely and contain good evidence of their history and development.

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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

6 ensure the plan for each young person who is beyond school leaving age, to support them towards adulthood, is consistent with the placing authority's Pathway Plan (Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000) 14/02/2011

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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 positive steps are taken to keep children, staff and visitors safe from hazards, in particular repair to the rain gutter (NMS 26.1)  ensure all staff in the home are trained in and follow in practice the registered person's policy relating to restraint and physical intervention (NMS 22.8)  ensure the placement plan for each child sets out the contribution made by staff to ensure the objectives of the placement are met (NMS 2.1)  ensure a satisfactory maintenance programme for the home, in particular that the heating arrangements are adequate (NMS 24.3)  ensure a minimum of 80% of care staff have the appropriate NVQ at level 3 care award or equivalent qualification. (NMS 29.5)

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