Children's Home run by Courtyard Care Limited in Bolton

Unique reference number SC389823 Inspection date 30/03/2011 Inspector Monica Hargreaves Type of inspection Random

p.1

Date of last inspection 27/10/2010 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 home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people of either gender who are aged from five to 17 years and who have learning disabilities.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The home is a detached property situated off a main road in a residential area of the town. To one side and the front of the property, there is an area for car parking. To the other side and the front of the home, there is an enclosed private garden.

p.4

Brief description of the service

On the ground floor of the home are two lounges, kitchen, dining room, utility room, relaxation room, toilet, and manager's office. On the first and second floor are the young people's individual bedrooms, two bathrooms, staff sleep-in rooms and staff office. The home is situated within easy access to local community and leisure facilities.

p.4

Brief description of the service

At the time of this visit there were four young people living at the home.

p.4

Summary

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

p.4

Summary

This was an unannounced, interim inspection. It was arranged to consider all the key standards in the outcome area of staying safe and the progress that has been made towards meeting the recommendations set at the last inspection. Details of these are given in the section below. In addition, specific concerns raised with Ofsted prior to the inspection were considered.

p.4

Summary

This service provides a good standard of care which is supportive of individual young people's needs. Young people's safety and welfare is actively promoted by staff. Their privacy is respected and they are cared for in a way that promotes their personal dignity. Staff encourage positive behaviour in the home and they manage challenging behaviour effectively to protect young people.

p.4

Summary

Good recruitment practices ensure that all new staff are vetted and assessed as suitable. Health and safety matters are well managed and ensure that the home is kept safe for young people, staff and visitors.

p.4

Summary

The standards and regulations assessed during this inspection are all met. No actions or recommendations have been made as a result of this inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

The two recommendations made at the last inspection are both met.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Individual risk assessments cover bullying and show how staff will support young people in order to protect them. This keeps young people safe.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

The organisation is committed to ensuring that all staff are suitably qualified for their role and provides resources and support to enable them to achieve this. There is evidence from this visit that the majority of staff have gained a National Vocational Qualification at Level 3.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff demonstrate their understanding of the importance of respecting the privacy of young people. For example, if young people need support or supervision with personal care this is done sensitively to ensure their privacy and dignity. Young people are able to spend time in private in their bedrooms and staff always knock on their door before entering. Staff have a good understanding of how to manage information that is held about young people in a way that protects their privacy. Young people's files are stored securely in order to maintain good levels of confidentiality.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service has a clear complaints procedure that meets the regulations and standards. This requires all complaints to be investigated and responded to in writing and there is a detailed document that is completed about each complaint that is made. The procedure gives information about agencies outside the home that complainants can contact if they are not satisfied with the investigations that have taken place in the service. There is good evidence that the procedure is followed in practice. There has been one complaint about the service since the last inspection. This was managed in accordance with the home's procedure.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding procedure and are trained in child protection issues. Staff know how to report safeguarding concerns. There is evidence from the way that the responsible individual has dealt with recent concerns that the organisation works to ensure that regulations are fully met. These arrangements mean that young people are protected from abuse. Placing social workers say that they are confident that young people are cared for safely in the home. The service has made good arrangements to ensure that the risk of bullying in the home is minimised. For example, individual risk assessments inform staff about how they should work to protect and support young people and staffing levels are arranged to meet the specific needs of young people. This means that they are properly supervised and therefore protected from the risk of bullying.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the actions they should take if a young person goes missing from the service. Due to the vulnerability of young people staff make sure that their whereabouts are known at all times and that they are not able to leave the service without the knowledge of staff. There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff encourage young people to behave in ways that are socially acceptable. They recognise and reward positive behaviour and develop strategies to minimise challenging behaviour. Individual risk assessments cover issues of difficult or challenging behaviour. Positive handling plans identify potential triggers for young people and record how staff should respond to these in order to manage young people's behaviour in a way that protects them and others in the home. Plans are agreed with placing social workers and where possible with families.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff understand the importance, of and implement, good behaviour management techniques. All care staff are trained in the care and control of young people. This includes training in the use of physical restraint. The training emphasises the use of distraction both before an incident results in a physical intervention and during restraints. There is evidence that staff use the techniques taught in this training and that they follow the agreed positive handling plans. Restraints are carefully recorded and are discussed regularly as part of staff team meetings. These discussions are sometimes chaired by a person who is independent of the home. This provides an additional element of independent scrutiny of care and control in the service, which promotes good practice. If a strategy is used by staff that is identified as part of the training but that has not been written into the young person's positive handling plan,

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

this is discussed in staff team meetings and individual supervision sessions. This ensures that staff are clear about the individual plans for young people. Advanced training in behaviour management has been given to staff in order to ensure that they have the skills they need to support those young people whose behaviour, due to their complex needs, is very challenging.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Placing social workers who visit the home frequently confirm that they have no concerns about the way that staff manage young people's difficult or challenging behaviour. They comment that they regularly see records in the home and that they have frequent discussions with staff about the care of individual young people. They also say that over time, they have seen great improvements in some young people's behaviour. Records also confirm that the way staff work with young people has resulted in less physical interventions over a period of time. This is beneficial to the welfare of young people.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety matters are managed effectively within the home in order to keep young people safe. Gas and electrical installations are regularly checked. There is a range of risk assessments for potential hazards in the environment and activities. Checks on fire equipment are up to date. All members of staff have undertaken fire awareness training and records confirm that there are routine fire drills, which enables staff and young people to practise leaving the home safely in an emergency.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service has good recruitment procedures which ensure that all staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before they start work. Staff also check and monitor all visitors to the home. These systems protect young people as they prevent unsuitable individuals gaining access to the home.

p.7