Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC390167 Inspection date 23/11/2010 Inspector Mark Blesky Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 11/05/2010 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

This is a three bedded children's home in a location just outside a small seaside town. This home is built on two storeys and in 2009 underwent a major refurbishment. A garden is available and the home is close to bus services with a railway station nearby.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This children's home is currently not providing accommodation for children and young people. Our inspection methodology relies on evidence found at the time of inspection and this essentially includes users’ views about the service. As this evidence is not available when there are no children and young people present we have completed a proportionate inspection; the purpose of which is to decide that should an admission be made the service would be able to work to a satisfactory standard.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is the first inspection following registration and no finding on improvement can be made.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are arrangements in place to ensure that all young people are offered nutritious and wholesome foods. Staff design menus with pictures of the food and meals and include the recipe. Healthy eating is promoted by staff who have all undertaken food and nutrition training.

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Helping children to be healthy

Guidance is in place for all staff to support young people with their day-to-day health care needs and their general health. Guidance advises staff that all young people should be registered with a doctor, dentist and optician as soon as a young person arrives.

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Helping children to be healthy

There is secure storage provided in the home for medication and all staff undertake both first aid and medication handling training. Procedures are in place to ensure that all medication monitoring is well managed and all medication coming into the home or leaving the home is accounted for. It was noted that the medicine cabinet could be easily removed from the wall, although it is locked within the office. The cabinet was re-secured to avoid removal during the inspection visit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive training in understanding respect and privacy for young people. Training programmes aim to provide insight into the need for respect and sensitivity towards young people. Confidentiality is also addressed and all staff are made aware of how to protect confidential information. All young people are provided with lockable space to keep personal belongings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a complaints procedure within the home for any young person to use if they are unhappy and wish to make complaint or representation. All complaints are recorded and the young person is kept informed of the progress of any complaint.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provider is the safeguarding co-ordinator and the home's child protection guidance reflects the principles of the local authorities safeguarding procedures. It was noted that an incident that had arisen had been referred outside of guidance and action is now being taken to resolve this.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Anti-bullying procedures and guidance are in the home to protect young people from intimidation and bullying. Any incident of bullying is recorded and action is taken to support the young person affected and prevent further incidents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

If young people are absent from the home without permission or missing the home deploys procedures to search, report and recover the young person. Records are kept of all incidents and risk assessment is undertaken to safeguard young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is detailed guidance and training for all staff to address behaviour management. All sanctions are recorded and staff also use key working and house meetings to guide young people towards acceptable behaviour. The acting manager is responsible for monitoring behaviour management, sanctions, and physical intervention. All staff undertake physical intervention training with mandatory, periodic refresher training.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home maintains fire safety and health and safety and regular fire evacuation drills are scheduled. Risk assessment is carried out where risk is predicted or behaviour raises concerns for safety and welfare. Some minor matters of health and safety were noted and agreed with the acting manager, who took action to address these matters during the inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff are recruited through an established recruitment panel of senior staff. References are requested and statutory checks are carried out on all new staff. A visitor’s book is maintained in the home and no visitor is allowed unsupervised access to the young people or the building.

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Organisation

The home has a written Statement of Purpose and children’s guide which accurately describe what the home sets out to do for children accommodated, and the manner in which care is provided. Both of these documents are available on the home's website. The previous manager has recently left the home and at the time of the inspection, an acting manager is in place.

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Organisation

In the absence of the acting manager, staff are supported by an on call and out of hours service. Extra staff can be deployed in the home in the event of an urgent need for increased staff cover.

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Organisation

There are at least two staff on duty in the home when young people are present. Seven staff work in the home and four of these staff are qualified to National Vocational Qualification in Caring for Children and Young People at level 3 or equivalent. The home has currently not achieved 80% of trained staff in accordance with the national minimum standards.

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Organisation

All staff receive both mandatory training in core elements of childcare along with more specific training to meet the needs of the young people accommodated in the home. Training is discussed with staff during supervision meetings and during staff appraisals.

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Organisation

The acting manager completes regulation 34 reports and maintains systems for monitoring the home's performance in accordance with the Statement of Purpose. The acting manager takes action to address any shortfall in service or to counter any undesirable trends or patterns. Each young person is provided with a permanent and private record of his or her history and progress. Personal files are stored securely in accordance with the homes guidance on confidentiality.

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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

17 ensure the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the children’s home is situated, of any allegation of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the children’s home (Regulation 16.2 (b)) 31/12/2010

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Std. Action Due date

26 ensure that folllowing consultation with the fire authority, that adequate arrangements are made for the maintenance of all fire equipment; and for reviewing fire precautions, and testing fire equipment, at suitable intervals. (Regulation 32.1(c) (iv) (v)) 31/12/2010

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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 that risk assessments (identifying hazards, estimating level of risk to health, safety or welfare from the hazards identified, and that these identify action to be taken both to reduce risks to an acceptable level where practicable and to avoid unnecessary or unreasonable risks) are carried out, recorded in writing and regularly reviewed (National Minimum Standards 26.2)  ensure that 80% of staff are qualified to National Vocational Qualification in Caring for Children and Young People at level 3 or equivalent. (National Minimum Standards 29.5)

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