Children's Home run by Lifetime Opportunities Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC411046 Inspection date 02/01/2011 Inspector Sarah Oldham Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 26/07/2010 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 is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people of either gender, aged from seven to 17 years old who have learning disabilities.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a modern detached bungalow and is situated in a quiet residential area with access to public transport routes to local towns near by. Young people have their own bedrooms, one of which has an en-suite and a ceiling track hoist. There is a lounge, dining room, kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. The office is situated at the front of the building. There is an enclosed garden with play equipment including a swing.

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Brief description of the service

One young person was present for part of the inspection.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This unannounced key inspection reviewed how well the home supports and provides care to the young people. All the key standards were inspected and all five outcomes for young people were assessed.

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Summary

The home provides a good standard of care and support to the young people. Comprehensive placement plans are in place for young people and clearly identify how their needs will be met including health, education and leisure. Staff work closely with a wide range of outside agencies in order to meet the full range of young people's complex needs. Staff relationships with young people are caring and very supportive. Some minor shortfalls have been identified in relation to ensuring that planned menus are recorded and dated appropriately, risk assessments with regards seat restraints when travelling in cars are in place and ensuring that there are clear arrangements for staff to deputise when the manager is not available.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable. This is the first inspection following registration of the home in July 2010.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff encourage and support young people to maintain healthy diets. They are involved in the planning of the menus, taking into account their specific likes and dislikes. Menu planning is undertaken using pictorial formats to enable all young people to understand and engage with this process. However, some menus are not dated and it is unclear when these menus have been served. Staff and young people undertake shopping on a weekly basis. All staff responsible for the preparation of food have undertaken food hygiene training and appropriate storage of food is adhered to.

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Helping children to be healthy

All young people are registered with a doctor, dentist and optician. Comprehensive health care plans are identify all individual health care needs and how these needs are to be met. Records are maintained of health care appointments and the outcome of these. Staff are aware of any changes in individual health care needs and provide appropriate support to meet these changes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication storage is robust with good procedures for stocktaking. Staff have received appropriate medication training. Medication administration records are in place and demonstrate that medication is administered as prescribed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Policies and procedures to promote the privacy of the young people are in place and known to staff. These include information to support individuals with their personal care. Staff are aware of the importance of supporting the privacy of the young people and are aware of the procedures to follow when entering a room in an emergency. Although young people need support to use the telephone they have access to make and receive telephone calls in private.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a clear complaints procedure in place. This procedure is also available for young people in a pictorial format and staff have discussed with the young people, how to make a complaint. Staff are aware that due to limited verbal communication of some of the young people, it is important to be aware of their non-verbal communication, including sign language, facial expressions and body language. The complaints procedure is also available to parents, carers and placing authorities and is included within the Statement of Purpose.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are currently no issues within the home regarding bullying. However, staff are aware of the issues and the impact that bullying can have on young people. Pictorial information regarding bullying is displayed on the young people's notice board on what to do if they feel they are being bullied. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place in relation to a young person missing from home. Staff are aware of the procedure to follow. There have been no incidents of a young person missing from the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage and support young people's good behaviour. Individual plans are in place for young people regarding managing positive behaviour. These are known to staff and kept under review to ensure that they are appropriate for each young person. Staff have received training regarding physical intervention. This is only used when a young person is at risk of harm. Since the home opened there have been no incidents where a physical intervention has been used. Information regarding sanctions is available in a pictorial format. This allows young people to understand why the sanction has been made and for them to record their views about the sanction. There have been no sanctions implemented since the home was opened in July 2010.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are looked after within a safe environment. The home has a comprehensive fire risk assessment in place and the fire drill is known to the young people living there. All staff have had information and training in the procedures to follow in the event of a fire. Individual risk assessments are in place for young people and the activities that they take part in. However, a risk assessment regarding the use of a safety harness when travelling in a car has not been undertaken to ensure that this is the most appropriate support for young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Recruitment procedures in place ensure that staff have the necessary checks, including an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau disclosure, prior to commencement of employment at the home. Visitors to the home are required to sign in and identification sought to promote that the safety and well-being of the young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Individual placement plans are in place and these inform the level of support that young people require to ensure that they have the opportunity to access a range of educational, leisure and recreational resources. Staff have a good understanding of specific needs and support young people to achieve their full potential. Excellent links are maintained with schools. All young people are in full-time education. Contact and support from other agencies, such as health and education actively contribute to the well-being of young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff support young people to have the opportunity to experience a wide range of leisure and recreational facilities. The staff ensure that young people with limited or non-verbal communication have access to appropriate communication aids to effectively enable them to communicate their wishes and views.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home has detailed placement plans in place for individual young people. The plans are person-centred allowing young people to be involved in their placement plans. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the placement plans and they are implemented consistently to provide continuity of care and support to the young people. The plans are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to be appropriate. The home has developed good links with placing authorities, parents, carers, and other professionals involved in providing support. Consequently, the ongoing review of placement plans is completed in consultation with the appropriate people. Placement plans and reviews are explained to the young people in accordance with their understanding and abilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact arrangements are recorded within placement plans and staff are aware of individual contact arrangements. Young people are supported to maintain positive links with people outside of the home. Any restrictions to contact are known and adhered to.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff gain the views of the young people in a number of ways; individually on a daily basis and in young people's meetings. They use various communication methods to ensure that the wishes and views of all the young people are taken into account.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff support young people to develop independence skills in accordance with their age and abilities. This is clearly demonstrated through placement plans, reviews and information received from placing social workers.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home provides good quality domestic style facilities. It is furnished and decorated to a good standard providing a comfortable and homely environment. The enclosed garden provides a safe play area. Young people have single bedrooms which they are supported to personalise and decorate. The home has a lounge, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, one with ceiling track hoist and en-suite facilities, bathroom and laundry room.

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Organisation

Young people, parents and placing social workers have good information about the home. The home has a Statement of Purpose in place, which accurately reflects the aims and objectives of the home and facilities and services available. Young people have information presented in a child-friendly and pictorial format, which provides an idea of what it is like to live at the home. Young people have a planned introduction, to experience life at the home and the facilities that it provides.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Young people receive an individual service in the home which is designed to meet their personal needs. All staff have a good knowledge of the young people they are working with ensuring their needs are consistently met.

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Organisation

The staff team at the home have experience and knowledge of providing care and support to young people with complex needs. This means that young people receive support from staff who have necessary skills and experience to meet their needs. All staff working at the home have completed their six month probationary period. Ongoing training is provided to staff, including training relating to autism, epilepsy and communication systems enabling them to provide a holistic level of care and support. Not all staff have a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. Those staff who do not have this qualification are registered to commence this training within the coming year.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are adequate to meet the needs of the young people currently living at the home. The manager also works shifts to ensure that the staffing levels are appropriate. Staffing changes at the home are minimal, consequently young people receive continuity of care from a member of staff that they know. Recruitment for staff is ongoing; to provide 1:1 staffing at all times and to appoint a senior team leader to deputise in the absence of the manager.

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Organisation

Quality assurance systems are in place to monitor the performance of the home against the Statement of Purpose and to maintain good standards of care. This includes the manager monitoring the necessary records and visits to the home by a senior member of the company. Reports from these visits are kept at the home and provide information about how well staff are delivering care and support to young people. These reports give the manager an overview of how the home is running and brings to light any issues that require action to be taken. They are also forwarded to Ofsted in accordance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2001.

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Organisation

The manager has the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to manage the home. There are suitable on call arrangements in place when the manager is not on duty. The manager provides appropriate supervision and support to staff members. Regular staff meetings are held and records are maintained.

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Organisation

Documentation relating to the young people is kept in good order. Young people's files contain all the necessary information for staff to provide the appropriate care and meet the needs of the young people.

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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 records of menus demonstrate a suitable and varied diet (NMS 10.4)  ensure that risk assessments are in place with regards all known activities (this relates to the safety harness used for car travel) (NMS 26.2)  ensure there are clear arrangements in place for staff to deputise in the registered person's absence and that they have at least one year's relevant supervisory experience. (NMS 29.2)

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