New Park Project (The)

Unique reference number SC065046 Inspection date 25/03/2011 Inspector Sharron Escott Type of inspection Random

p.1

Date of last inspection 30/06/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Brief description of the service

This setting is a small children's home owned and operated by a private provider. The property is a detached house which is indistinguishable from other properties in the area. The home is within walking distance of local shops and amenities and has easy public transport links to other town centres nearby.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The property consists of four bedrooms for children and young people, one office which doubles as a sleeping-in room for staff, a further sleeping-in room, lounge, dining room, kitchen, two bath/shower rooms and toilets and a garden. The home caters for up to four children and young people aged between eight and 17 years old for short and longer term care who are unable to live with families or in foster care. The home opened on 24 November 2005 and is one of three children's homes operated by the same provider.

p.4

Brief description of the service

At the time of this inspection there were four children and young people accommodated in the home.

p.4

Summary

The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

p.4

Summary

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

p.4

Summary

This interim inspection was unannounced. This inspection covered the national minimum standards in the Every Child Matters outcome area of staying safe. It looked at the progress to meet shortfalls identified at the last inspection in June 2010.

p.4

Summary

The service is judged to be continuing to be operating at a satisfactory standard overall. Children and young people live in a stable, effectively run home that is organised around individuals needs, and prioritises and seeks to improve their life experiences. The manager and staff team are committed to providing children and young people with a positive residential experience, promoting their participation and consultation in matters relating to their daily living and well-being. The appointment of a new manager and deputies within the home since the last inspection have contributed to new administrative systems being reviewed, that will provide further opportunities for staff to input detailed information on all documents relating to the children and young people.

p.4

Summary

The children and young people were present during this inspection, and stated they enjoyed living in the home and feel their wishes and feelings are considered by the care team. Positive relationships are established with key workers, children and young people; however local authority care plan changes has resulted in negative engagement and high levels of absence without authority with the children and young people currently in placement.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last key inspection the Registered Manager was asked to address two actions and 4 recommendations

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

The first action related to ensure all information is available on each member of staff's file as specified in Schedule 2, specifically evidence that an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check has been undertaken. The home has made satisfactory progress by ensuring these are now on file within the home. The second action related to the manager submitting an application for registration; this has been met and references are currently in the process of being taken. Three out of four recommendations has been fully met; however the record of notifiable events still require full details recorded to show that the reporting to the appropriate authorities has taken place. This recommendation is restated in this report.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and young people's privacy and confidentiality is promoted by staff who clearly understand an effective policy. Children and young people have their own keys to their bedrooms and say the staff respect their privacy and always knock before entering their room. There are facilities available for the children and young people to make and receive calls in private, or they may use their mobile telephone subject to risk assessment and in accordance to their care and placement plans. Individual documents relating to the children and young people are stored in a secure cabinet within a locked office.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The central log identifies no complaints have been made since the last inspection. The children and young people state that they do not have any complaints but if they did they felt they would be listened to and they do not have any issues. One young person said "I kinda like it here, I do not have any complaints". The management confirmed that low level dissatisfaction are responded to immediately.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safeguarding awareness is covered as part of all staff induction and, additional to this, the manager and deputies at tending a two day safeguarding course provided by the local authority. Additional training for the core staff team is refreshed by the management following their attendance on this training course. Safeguarding contact addresses and numbers for the Local Safeguarding Children Board is available on the notice board, identifying who they need to contact should they have a concern. This is also supported by the home's reviewed on-call policies and procedures.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour management strategies and clear effective policies underpin good staff practice. Children and young people are supported and encouraged to develop positive behaviours by the use of individualised rewards and incentives rather than sanctions. They have been actively encouraged to identify their own sanctions and this is proving to be a positive contribution to their engagement. The documents relating to sanctions requires further improvement to ensure the manager can record the appropriateness of the sanction and the subsequent action taken. The training records evidence all Staff are trained in a method of physical intervention. The use of any intervention is recorded clearly in a separate bound document. These documents hold all information required, including a description of the method used and all relevant agencies informed.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff team are appropriately trained when a child or young person should be absent without authority. The home's log book currently identifies high levels of absent without authority. The manager has informed me that she has met with the local police to discuss and agree appropriate strategies and reporting procedures. Follow-up meetings with the child or young person's local authority social workers is currently being planned.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A detailed fire risk assessment is on file including gas and electrical safety checks, these are carried out at recommended intervals. However, the central file does not evidence the names of staff members, children or young people who have attended. A night time evacuation has not taken place within the last 12 months. This has a potential risk that children,young people and staff members will not know the correct drill in the event of a fire at night. Fire safety systems are installed and maintained.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation recruitment process ensures all necessary checks are completed prior to a member of staff starting work. All records are held at head office and the manager has a supporting summary document in-house for reviewing. Three staff records were checked during this inspection, all meeting the regulatory requirements.

p.6

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.7

Recommendations

 ensure the registered person records any comment on the appropriateness of individual uses of sanctions, together with any subsequent action taken (NMS 22.11)  ensure at least four fire drills, including evacuation of staff and children from the building and fire drills held at night. take place within a 12 month period, and are recorded; in particular naming the staff and young people involved (NMS 26.8)  keep a written record following notifiable events including details of any actions taken such as reporting to appropriate authorities. (NMS 20.3)

p.7