Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC035049 Inspection date 02/02/2011 Inspector Stephen Trainor Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 25/08/2010 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 children's home is a two-storey detached home set in its own grounds in a residential area of a small village. It is within easy travelling distance of local towns and cities. The ground floor of the accommodation consists of a large communal lounge area, a separate dining room area, a fully fitted kitchen and a staff office that doubles as a sleeping room with its own en-suite bathroom facilities. The upper floor contains two single bedrooms for young people's use, one of which is en-suite, a bathroom with bath, shower and toilet facilities, and another staff sleeping-in room. The home is set in its own spacious gardens and can provide accommodation for three young people of either gender at any one time. Young people are allocated their own individual bedrooms. Three young people were accommodated at the time of this inspection and it was possible to speak to one of them about their experiences.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This interim, unannounced inspection comments on the outcome area staying safe. Progress against a recommendation made during the last inspection was evaluated.

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Summary

All the young people are experiencing stable placements and they are being looked after in a safe environment. There are no concerns relating to physical intervention and sanctions or safeguarding. The missing from home protocol works well and this supports residents who occasionally decide to spend unauthorised time away from the home. Action taken to safeguard residents welfare, including reporting significant events, is coordinated very well. All staff are recruited correctly.

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Summary

The home's Registered Manager has considerable experience and is fully qualified. Practice is at least good with some outstanding features. Management have a clear plan of action to improve the overall judgement. The success of this plan will be evaluated at the next key inspection.

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Summary

Health and safety is managed well. Maintenance is efficient. Young people value their surroundings and the resources within their home. Good standards of care are being provided and staff are knowledgeable about each resident's needs. There is good consultation and communication between everyone connected with the service. Young people are treated fairly. Meetings and reviews take place to monitor progress. Young people's developmental needs are clearly being met. Young people have access to excellent information to support them in their placement.

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Summary

This report highlights a recommendation to support practice developments. More specific risk assessments are needed to support decision making and practice linked to the missing from home protocol and the management of contact arrangements with friends.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A recommendation made at the last inspection had been suitably addressed. Appropriate arrangements are in place for the professional supervision of the Registered Manager.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Arrangements for complaints, safeguarding children, bullying and behaviour management are handled well and ensure that young people feel listened to and protected. Safeguarding policies are clear and staff practice is reflective of the procedural guidance within these policies. Young people have access to complaints information. A children's guide contains contact details of support agencies. A DVD is being produced by the young people. Their views on what it is like to live at the home will be clearly represented. Young people learn to differentiate their behaviour according to the different settings and situations they find themselves in. There is mutual respect and trust between the young people and staff. An excellent atmosphere was maintained throughout the visit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A protocol is established with local police to report young people if they go missing without permission. A generic risk assessment supports the missing person protocol. Specific concerns about residents who go missing for a number of days at a time are not fully captured. Strategies, including back to home discussions and key worker support provides suitable safeguarding support and on the whole have been successful in reducing the number of reports being logged. There is effective use of positive reinforcement as opposed to the use of sanctions and the young people respond very well to praise. There is lots of negotiation between staff and residents and this helps to maintain placements. Staff with key worker responsibilities uphold children's rights as well as providing daily support to help them to achieve and develop.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have received child protection training, in order that they can respond appropriately to allegations or suspicions of abuse. The policy and procedural guidance established at this home is consistent with local safeguarding team protocols. There is access to the policy of each placing authority purchasing services from this responsible organisation. There are established links with local authority designated officers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safe and transparent practice is demonstrated in all the above areas. Staff are knowledgeable about each resident's needs and are able to support these needs on a day-to-day basis. No concerns were highlighted throughout the course of this inspection and the young people confirm that they are safe and happy. There were no incidents relating to physical intervention between inspections.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Relationships between staff and the young people are excellent and this creates a very relaxed environment. Two notifications linking one significant event were forwarded to Ofsted between inspections. The action taken by the home's management provided good safeguarding support. The management of contact, in particular supporting relationships with the surrounding community formed part of the discussions at this inspection. A suitable rationale was demonstrated for the times when contact was allowed. However, risk assessments lack sufficient detail especially if it is not possible to contact social workers to confirm arrangements or decisions reached.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home manages health and safety in relation to the premises well. Certification is held centrally to show servicing and maintenance of the electrical and gas installations, the fire system and portable appliance testing. The fire risk assessment for the premises is reviewed annually. Practise fire drills are carried out and young people are clear about the evacuation procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Personnel information held in-house was to a good standard. A single staffing register is also maintained. This is extra to what is required from a children's home. Recruitment and selection procedures are robust and the young people are looked after by staff who do not start work ahead of being in receipt of an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check. Good information was presented on new staff members. The young people support the selection process followed for new staff. Information on staff is managed sensibly and safely. Vetting of visitors to the home is undertaken, with identity checks being carried out before access is permitted.

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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 individual risk assessments are robust; in particular, establish more detailed information about concerns relating to missing from the home and specific details on how decisions are reached when contact is allowed with members of the opposite sex within the surrounding community. (NMS 26.2)

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