Children's Home run by Shropshire Council in Shropshire

Unique reference number SC382730 Inspection date 03/02/2011 Inspector Jacqui Gosling Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 14/05/2010 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

The home provides short-term placements for four young people of either gender, aged between 11 and 16. Placements are normally for 12 weeks but up to a maximum of 16 weeks in exceptional circumstances. The home aims to provide an accurate assessment of all young people based on the staff team’s observations while the young person is living at the home. Staff work with the young people using a restorative approach, where appropriate, to enable them to take responsibility for their own actions, thereby, developing a positive atmosphere and building stronger relationships between all in the home. Currently four young people are living here.

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Brief description of the service

The home has six bedrooms, four for young people and two for staff sleeping in. All but one staff sleeping in room has en-suite toilet and shower facilities. There is a large well equipped bathroom, which provides a choice of bathing options for young people. There are two offices, a staff office downstairs and the manager's office upstairs. There is a lounge with television and DVD player, a computer and quiet homework room, a kitchen and a dining room. The home is set in a rural location and has a large garden for young people to play in.

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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 random inspection that concentrated on checking all key national minimum standards under the 'Every Child Matters' area of staying safe. During the home's last key inspection that took place on 14 June 2010, five recommendations were made and the home was judged to be good across all outcome areas. Two young people participated in the inspection.

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Summary

The outcome judgement for staying safe at this inspection is satisfactory. The home has well established regimes in place for the effective assessment of risk and staff take all reasonable precautions to ensure that young people, staff and visitors are safe at all times. However, a number of shortfalls were identified in respect of how staff record complaints and the missing person procedure does not comply fully with national minimum standards. Portable appliances have not been inspected annually as required.

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Improvements since the last inspection

During the last inspection that took place in May 2010 five recommendations were made. The staff have been proactive and fully addressed all of them.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Written permission is obtained from a person with parental responsibility for each young person for the administration of appropriate non-prescription medication as part of young people's placement plan. These procedures ensure young people’s health needs can be promptly met. Young people are now given medication as prescribed for them, for the time prescribed and there are no unexplained gaps in the paperwork. This ensures their health needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Although no room searches have taken place since the last inspection, the system now in place complies with national minimum standards. This ensures young people's right to privacy is respected.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Placements plans now include information regarding young people's individual identity in relation to gender, disability, religious, racial, cultural or linguistic background or sexual orientation. This ensures staff can provide care that respects young people's individual needs. All of the young people currently living here have had their statutory reviews within required timescales. This ensures the care plans for young people are up to date.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Information held on behalf of all young people is correctly stored in lockable facilities. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to promote privacy and confidentiality and their practice is consistent with the home's guidance. There is appropriate guidance regarding the circumstances under which room searches can be carried out. The home maintains a room search log book, although there have been no such searches since the last inspection. Some young people commented, 'I feel safe here because they treat me fairly'. The facilities and arrangements for showering and bathing ensure the young people have their privacy respected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a clear complaints policy and the procedure in place to record any concerns is made known to young people when they come to live here. However, on some occasions, this policy has not been followed and young people’s complaints have not been recorded in the correct format. Young people are able to contact an independent advocate if they wish.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation ensures staff are suitably trained and understanding their role and responsibilities regarding protection and safeguarding. The procedures in the home fully comply with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. Young people know that bullying is not tolerated and they say they ‘that staff will intervene to ensure they are protected from bullying by others’ should the need arise. If young people leave the home without permission, their safety is promoted when their whereabouts are unknown as staff will follow the agreed reporting procedures for these circumstances. However, on some occasions not all required information is recorded, for example, the time a young person went missing or the time of their return. There are also times when young people do not see a person independent of the home when they return.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are assisted to develop appropriate behaviour through encouragement and constructive staff responses to inappropriate behaviour. Behaviour management strategies have as their prime objective the creation of a safe, supportive environment. The majority of staff have completed the required training to ensure that should a physical intervention become necessary it is consistent with guidance. There is positive interaction between the staff and the young people and lots of friendly banter

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home that provides for their physical safety and security. There are risk assessments for all aspects of the safety of the premises and grounds including serious incident planning, their behaviour and their activities which are updated as required.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The records kept in the home show that procedures are in place to protect young people from fire. Staff and young people undertake fire drills in excess of requirements. Relevant certificates show that the home has the required public and employee insurance. Regular servicing and maintenance is completed on all gas and electrical equipment. Emergency lighting, fire alarms and fire fighting equipment are checked at part of the manager’s Regulation 34 monitoring. However, the required testing of all portable appliances is overdue.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are effective systems in place to ensure all staff that work with the young people have successfully passed all the checks that are required. This careful selection and vetting of staff ensures young people are not exposed to any potential risks. All visitors to the home are monitored and required to sign the visitor’s book.

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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 maintain a record of all complaints made by children and young people in the home and any action taken as a result. (Regulation 24) 03/05/2011

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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 portable appliances are tested annually (national minimum standard 26.8)  ensure written records are made of the circumstances of all incidents of absconding and ensure on return the young person is seen by a person independent of the home (national minimum standards 19.4 and 19.6)  ensure all staff receive training in the complaints procedures, specifically what constitutes a complaint. (national minimum standard 16.6)

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