Children's Home run by Pear Tree Projects Limited in Durham

Unique reference number SC007608 Inspection date 23/12/2010 Inspector Mick Earl Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 24/03/2010 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 a large detached house with extensive gardens at the front and back and provides care for up to three young people.

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Brief description of the service

On the ground floor, there is a kitchen and breakfast room, living room, quiet room and music room. On the first floor, there are three large bedrooms and each young person has their own single room. There is also a staff sleep-in room, which acts as the office.

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Brief description of the service

There is a family-sized bathroom and toilet also on this floor. On the second floor of the house, there is an attic room, where young people can enjoy hobbies and activities.

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Brief description of the service

There is easy access to the town centre where there are shops, leisure and transport facilities.

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Brief description of the service

There were two children present who helped with this inspection.

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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

National minimum standards were sampled in the staying safe outcome area and checks made on actions from the last inspection. This identified that the home has strengths these include: supporting privacy and confidentiality; supporting equality and diversity; providing individual support; supporting young people's education and home contact and safe staff recruitment.

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Summary

There are some areas for improvement and these include: ensuring fire safety checks and tests take place at the right times; having systems in place to consult with young people, their parents and placing authorities; ensuring the Statement of Purpose contains all of the required information; ensuring each young person has a health assessment and health plan in place and confirmation of the suitability of the homes safeguarding procedures.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were two actions raised at the last inspection. The registered person was asked to ensure that each young person has a written placement plan agreed with the placing local authority. This action has been met. They were also asked to ensure that the systems are in place to monitor the home and provide for consultation with children, their parents and placing authorities; this action has not been met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Two of the young people's files looked at do not contain formal health assessments or health plans. These are needed to make sure the young people's health needs are being looked after by the home.

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Helping children to be healthy

All of the files looked at had signed copies showing that parents had given consent for staff to give young people medication and administer first aid.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff enable young people to have the privacy that they need and they can make and receive telephone calls in private. They have lockable bedrooms and young people confirmed that staff always knock before entering their rooms.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Complaints are handled effectively. Young people are aware of how to raise formal complaints and when they do so, the staff and the manager take appropriate action.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive ongoing training on how to safeguard young people. The staff know how to respond to allegations, suspicions or evidence of abuse and the staff and manager respond appropriately to concerns that young people may raise. The manager of the home said that the home's own child protection procedure has been completed and submitted to the Local Safeguarding Children Board but no response has been received.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff let the young people know that bullying is not tolerated and there have been no recorded incidents in the home. Suitable measures are in place should any young person fail to return to the home on time. Such occasions are recorded appropriately and the staff inform the relevant agencies as soon as an event occurs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear procedures and guidance for members of staff regarding how they should manage the behaviour of young people and they have received training in the safe restraint and holding of young people. The format for recording restraints contains all of the right information and there have been no recorded episodes of restraint since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are clear systems in place to keep young people and adults safe from the risk of fire and other potential hazards. This includes carrying out a range of risk assessments and providing information for young people. However, the records do not show that fire alarm tests take place at the right times. This could put young people, staff and visitors at risk. Staff take part in regular fire training and there are good arrangements for carrying out regular checks of gas and electrical appliances. Appropriate arrangements are in place to ensure that staff recruited to work with young people are suitable and safe.

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Organisation

The home's Statement of Purpose still needs to be updated to contain all of the required information.

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Organisation

The latest version of the guide given to young people now includes information on how they can contact an independent person not connected to the home.

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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

33 ensure the systems in place to monitor the home provides for consultation with children, their parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34 (3) (1)) 31/01/2011

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Std. Action Due date

26 ensure that the registered person takes precautions against the risk of fire to include the regular checks and tests of the fire 10/01/2011 alarm system and fire equipment. (Regulation 32.1)

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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 the in-house safeguarding procedure is available and has been submitted to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (NMS 17)  ensure each child has a clear written healthcare plan within their placement plan that includes all the elements listed in this standard (NMS 12.2)  ensure the home's staffing policy is set out in the Statement of Purpose. (NMS 30.2)

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