Children's Home run by Woodside House Care Ltd in Blackburn with Darwen

Unique reference number SC357455 Inspection date 11/01/2011 Inspector Elaine Clare Type of inspection Random

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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

This home is a private children's home owned and managed by a family partnership. It is situated in a small industrial town close to local amenities. It is registered to provide accommodation for up to four young males, aged from 10 years old up to 17 years old, with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is outstanding.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This unannounced, interim inspection took place on a weekday. No actions or recommendations were made as a result of this inspection. Staying safe was addressed.

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Summary

The setting continues to provide an outstanding level of care for young people across all the Every Child Matters outcomes. The overall aim is to offer a family atmosphere and environment, which allows vulnerable young people in crisis stability and care, giving them an opportunity to settle and achieve. Staff aim to provide maximum protection for young people and work very closely with other agencies to ensure their safety at all times. Education attendance and achievements are excellent. The home is very well maintained. The management is sound and very experienced with exemplary support from senior management in the company. Monitoring of the home is excellent and outcomes for young people evidence the effectiveness of the manager and the staff team.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection no actions or recommendations were made.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's files and sensitive information concerning them are kept securely in locked cabinets. Staff show a high regard for privacy and maintaining levels of confidentiality. The home has policies covering privacy and confidentiality that include young people's records and staff discussing information with other professionals. The home also has a clear policy on young people's rights to access their records.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people have access to a robust complaints procedure. The right of a young person to make a complaint is made clear to them on admission with information in the children's guide. There are no complaints logged since the last inspection. The Registered Manager and staff are well-informed of the company's complaints policy and procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has very clear procedures to responding to child protection and safeguarding issues. Staff work in accordance with the company's own policy that works alongside the local child protection and safeguarding policy. Training is provided to staff during induction and subsequently through the company's well- structured training programme. Advice is available for staff at all times from senior management via an on-call managers' rota system. Records are robustly monitored by the manager and Regulation 33 visitor. The Registered Manager and service managers have a wealth of experience in child protection and safeguarding. The commitment, communication and awareness shown by the organisation in protecting and safeguarding young people continues to be excellent.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home where bullying is taken seriously with a zero tolerance approach. The response to bullying is made clear to young people on admission and during key workers' sessions if necessary. Current young people are very understanding of each other with no bullying concerns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Each young person has written information for staff to follow if they should go missing or leave the home without permission. Records show that no incident of absconding has ever taken place. This stability is as a result of the hard work staff have put into each young person's behaviour management plan.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Each young person has a comprehensive behaviour management plan in place that is drawn up by staff and the young person. The number of physical interventions and sanctions recorded is very low as a result of the support and guidance given to young people. This has resulted in excellent outcomes. Young people do present with challenging behaviour at times but the staff team work well together and provide a consistent approach to dealing with any difficult behaviour. Staff work hard to build positive relationships and provide a warm and caring environment where young people feel at ease to express themselves with the knowledge that staff are supportive. Staff work extremely hard to gain each young person's trust with excellent outcomes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home where health and safety procedures are robustly adhered to. All areas of health and safety are regularly checked and recorded. Fire safety is of a high standard and young people know what to do in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation has a robust and thorough recruitment process that ensures all necessary checks are completed prior to a member of staff starting work. Young people are actively involved in the recruitment process and are encouraged to give feedback to the recruitment panel. The vetting of visitors is robust.

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