Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Whinfell School Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC066821 Inspection date 16/02/2011 Inspector Helen Walker Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 13/07/2010 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 school is an independent residential school registered with the Department for Education for nine boys between the ages of 11 and 19 years old. It is also registered as a children's home. It provides education and care for boys with autistic spectrum disorder and behavioural difficulties associated with language and communication. The school offers both 52 week and 38 week placements.

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Brief description of the service

The residential accommodation is on two sites. The main school is sited in a large Victorian semi-detached house. The accommodation provided on this site has been registered as a children’s home to accommodate a total of five young people. It provides accommodation for young people in single bedrooms, all with hand washing facilities. There are separate bathing and showering facilities. The large dining room doubles up as a games room and can accommodate a pool table.

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Brief description of the service

A separate house on the other side of the town provides accommodation for four young people aged between 16 and 17 years old.

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Brief description of the service

The school is situated on the edge of the town centre and young people on both sites have access to all the facilities.

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Brief description of the service

At this time nine young people live in the two houses. Five young people took part in 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, the key national minimum standards in the all outcome areas are considered. The recommendations made at the previous inspection were followed up and the outcome noted in the improvement section of this report.

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Summary

The home is effectively managed and young people benefit from a caring, consistent and qualified staff team. The ethos of the home is to provide young people with a supportive environment in order for them to reach their potential. Young people say they enjoy living in this home.

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Summary

Staff have a good understanding about keeping young people safe from harm and they know how to respond, in the event of any allegation or serious concern about a young person's safety. Young people's health needs are positively promoted and a healthy lifestyle is encouraged. The home is comfortably furnished and provides homely accommodation for young people. Two actions and two recommendations have been made to further promote the well- being of the young people. The actions relate to the reasonableness of sanctions given and for written sanction records to contain required information. Recommendations are for the provider to ensure there are no fire or safety hazards in the home. Also that young people's personal education plans and statement of special educational needs are current to assist staff to promote and understand young people's educational needs.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The physical intervention record now contains the full name of the staff member carrying out this measure. Staff are aware that physical intervention is not used as a means to enforce compliance with instruction.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At least one night-time fire drill takes place every twelve months. This helps to ensure young people and staff are familiar with the fire evacuation process during the hours of darkness. The electrical installation in the home is checked at regular intervals by a qualified person, to confirm this is in good order.

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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 for a healthy diet. A cook is employed at the main home site and is well informed about young people's dietary needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people say they are listened to about their food choices and they enjoy their meals. Healthy snacks are readily available and young people help themselves to fruit. Mealtimes are social and inclusive occasions. Staff support young people who require assistance at mealtimes, whilst being mindful to encourage independence skills, such as using cutlery.

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Helping children to be healthy

At the additional site the young people live in a home that provides more opportunities to learn skills for independence such as shopping and cooking.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are well considered. They have good advice and guidance about health and social matters. As appropriate to the needs of the young people, the staff ensure information to promote young people's well-being is available. This includes advice from professionals about sexual health and relationships, also smoking cessation.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people confirm they have regular check-up visits to the dentist and optician, and see the local doctor as necessary. This enables their routine health needs to be met. More specialist advice is available to the young people, for example, the looked after children's nurse and the children and adolescent mental health service. To benefit the physical well-being of young people, staff encourage them to take regular exercise. Young people choose to attend activity adventure holidays and participate in sports such as football and cycling.

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Helping children to be healthy

The home has guidance in place for the safe storage, administration and disposal of medicines. Staff are qualified to administer first aid treatment as needed. Medicines are securely stored in the home, out of the reach of the young people. Good monitoring of medication records helps to ensure staff maintain accurate information about medication kept in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good systems are in place so that young people's privacy, dignity and confidentiality is respected. For example, staff knock on bedroom doors before entering and also ensure young people have privacy when using the bathroom facilities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home's complaints procedure is made known to parents, carers and others involved in the home. There have been no complaints in the period since the last inspection. Staff know young people's different communication needs which helps to ensure young people are listened to. Young people also have contact with people who are independent of the home, for example, an independent visitor, contact with family, friends, and health and education professionals.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff take all reasonable steps to keep young people safe from harm and are aware of child protection procedures. They are confident to respond appropriately in the event of any allegation or serious concern about a young person's safety. Young people say they feel safe living in this home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are made aware that bullying is not tolerated. At this time, young people say there is no bullying but sometimes there are disagreements. They say staff are quick to sort these matters out and emphasis to them that the behaviour is unacceptable.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff undertake training in managing challenging behaviour and have a range of appropriate techniques and skills to assist them. Young people consider staff treat them fairly. However, some sanctions show young people's inappropriate behaviour is not fully considered to ensure the most appropriate and meaningful response is given. Additionally, the sanction records are not completed in a way that includes relevant information as required by regulations.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are no issues relating to young people missing from the home. However, should this happen, staff know and follow the home's procedures to enable young people's safe return to the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety monitoring systems support staff to help to provide a safe home environment for young people. However, a safety hazard exists with the use of electrical extension leads in some of the rooms. In particular, the cable trails along the floor and is a potential trip hazard to those who use the rooms. Additionally, some young people have furniture in their bedroom which has yet to be checked to confirm to fire safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Thorough recruitment and employment procedures help to confirm staff are suitable to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people have a good level of support from staff and other agencies, such as health and education. Young people feel staff listen to their views and their opinions are valued. Staff understand and recognise the needs of young people with limited verbal communication. For example, some young people make their views known with the use of pictures or objects of reference.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people consider staff are readily approachable; in particular their key worker will discuss matters on a one-to-one basis. Young people say staff assist them to attend college and participate in community activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a very positive approach to education and its value for the young people. A school is on site to the rear of the main house. Although the school is run by the provider, not all young people who live in the home receive education in this setting. Good access to college courses provide young people with appropriate education to meet their needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education reviews take place to establish the educational needs of the young people. However, not all young people have a relevant personal education plan or an up-to- date statement of special educational needs. This means staff do not have full information to assist them to promote and understand young people's current educational needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people enjoy their leisure activities both in the home and out in the community. There is an emphasis on personal choice and young people are encouraged in their abilities and interests. Different activities are offered and young people attend events and a youth club in the local area. Both houses are well- equipped with books, games, toys and electronic play equipment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's placement plans contain information about their individual care needs and are linked to risk assessments and plans for behaviour management. Staff are aware of the young people's individual needs and how these are to be met. Young people have their needs assessed effectively prior to admission which means good consideration is given to the appropriateness of the placement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Systems are in place for young people's placement and care plans to be reviewed at timely intervals. This means young people's placements are considered to ensure the service continues to be suitable for them. Good consultation processes enable young people and parents to make their views known. Their views are considered which assists to improve positive outcomes for the young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff understand the significance of contact between the young people and their family and friends. Young people say staff fully promote contact and they appreciate how much staff support them with this. This enables young people to maintain links with those that are important to them outside of the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are able to move into and leave the home in a planned manner. Good practice enables young people to have a gradual introduction to the home. The process is managed at a pace that is appropriate to individual young people and staff recognise that for some young people this involves more visits to the home. The ethos of the home is to provide long-term placements with continuity of care. Young people comment about the good introduction and initial visits to the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff work well with young people, to enable their views to be heard. Arrangements enable young people to contribute to decisions about their care and the home, for example, leisure activities and menus. An independent person calls at the home on a regular basis to listen to and support the young people to be heard. This level of consultation helps to improve young people's quality of life.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Staff support young people well with the transition process and in to adulthood. The young people's disabilities are such that most require continued support as they move into adulthood. Staff take account of young people's abilities and encourage and assist them to participate in activities that are part of everyday life at the home. Young people say they have help to learn skills such as shopping, preparing meals and making snacks. Other young people help to keep their bedroom tidy, clear the dining table after a meal and gain confidence to pay for their own items in shops.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

There are times when young people reach the age of 18 years and continue to live at the home. This is an exception and the Registered Manager endeavours to ensure the transition to adult services is planned and undertaken within appropriate timescales.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The registration of this home covers two individual houses. The two houses are located in a popular country town. The school is part of the main house and has a cook. Both houses have the benefit of domestic staff. The main home is currently undergoing major refurbishment to increase the size of the house. Decorations and furnishings in the home are of a good standard. Overall, given the refurbishment in the main house, the environment is homely and welcoming.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people have their own bedroom and the option to personalise it, which reflects their individuality. Communal and private areas in the home allow young people the opportunity to spend time with others or by themselves.

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Organisation

The home is well-managed and offers a very good level of stability to young people. To support the work of the home and deputise for the Registered Manager there is an experienced deputy manager in post. A consistent team of staff helps to provide continuity of care to young people.

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Organisation

The home has an appropriate Statement of Purpose that provides information about how it operates. A young people’s guide provides a useful introduction to the home. The home operates in line with its Statement of Purpose.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Young people are listened to and treated as individuals. Staff help to improve the life chances of young people, particularly through the promotion of education and health. The ethos of the home is to provide young people with a caring and supportive environment in order for them to reach their potential.

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Organisation

Staff interact well with the young people. Young people were seen to be comfortable and happy in the presence of staff. Young people say they are well looked after and feel settled living in this home.

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Organisation

Staffing levels are appropriate to meet the assessed needs of the young people. At least 80% of staff who work at the home have a relevant childcare qualification. Additionally, they can access short courses that cover specific needs of the young people. This helps to inform and support staff in their work with the young people.

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Organisation

Staff meetings occur on a regular basis and discuss 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 Registered Manager monitoring the necessary records and monthly visits to the home by a person nominated by the provider.

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Organisation

Additionally, young people's family and professionals involved with the young people are asked to comment on the care given at the home. Responses are few but indicate staff are supportive, caring and attentive to young people. These systems give the Registered Manager an overview of how the home is running and help to maintain good standards of care.

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Organisation

Young people's progress is appropriately and permanently documented. Records are securely stored 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

22 ensure any sanction imposed is reasonable, in particular that the sanction is appropriate and effective (Regulation 17.1) 07/03/2011

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Std. Action Due date

22 maintain a written record of the use of any measure of discipline, in particular that this gives the name of the person using the measure (Regulation 17.4) 07/03/2011

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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 the risk of fire and other hazards in the home, in particular that there are no trip hazards and furniture complies with fire regulations (NMS 26.1)  ensure each child's file contains a current copy of their personal education plan and any statement of special educational needs. (NMS 14.2)

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