Children's Home run by Coventry City Council in Coventry

Unique reference number SC414347 Inspection date 31/03/2011 Inspector Jackie Callaghan Type of inspection Key

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Date of last inspection 06/08/2010 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 home is located in a suburban area close to the city centre, in a post-war housing development which is on a bus route. It is near to shops, churches and schools (both primary and secondary). The building occupies an end-terrace position and is indistinguishable from the neighbouring dwellings. It is of two-storey construction.

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Brief description of the service

The home is a five bedroom detached house. Downstairs comprises of an entrance hall, lounge, separate dinning room, staff office, kitchen and conservatory. There is also a downstairs toilet. On the second storey there are two young people's bathrooms and a third separate bathroom for staff. Each young person has their own bedroom. There is a staff sleep-in room and a further small staff office.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides up to a 12-week short term placement for young people who are aged 10 to 17 years of mixed gender. The home aims to assess young people's needs holistically in line with the Department of Health framework. Two out of three young people currently living at the home actively contributed to the findings in this report.

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Summary

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

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Summary

The purpose of this unannounced key inspection was to assess all the key standards of the children's home's national minimum standards. This is the homes first inspection since the home opened.

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Summary

Young people are appropriately cared for and their health needs are well addressed. However, not all young people have written consent to receive first aid and non- prescribed medication. Young people are given good guidance on health and diet related issues. Suitable systems are in place to ensure young people live in a safe environment and are protected from abuse. However, the recording of physical interventions does not on every occasion identify the staff member using the restraint or the signature of the person making the record.

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Summary

Good care planning systems are in place and young people receive individual care and support from staff. However, young people's meetings minutes do not contain enough detail to show that active feedback is being given to the young people following consultation. Young people are assisted to maintain good contact with their families and friends. The home is suitably managed and provides a good standard of accommodation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is the home's first inspection since registration.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are given guidance and information on which foods are healthier for them and encouraged to follow a healthy diet. Young people say 'we get to choose what we want to eat on our menus'. Fresh fruit is readily available for young people and staff discuss dietary and food related health issues with them. Young people help to do the shopping and prepare meals, and can make snacks and drinks for themselves if they wish. The dining area is suitably maintained and can accommodate all young people and staff at mealtimes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's individual health needs are identified and assessed through a health plan. This is recorded in a clear and accessible way to ensure young people are able to participate in identifying their own health needs. Individual health plans, that cover all required areas, are in place for young people. Good records are maintained of any health appointments young people attend. Records also detail if they refuse to attend and any significant illnesses, accidents or injuries they may have. Staff provide individual support to young people when necessary, and assist and support them to address personal hygiene needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

All medication is securely stored. Written records are kept of all medication, treatment and first aid given to young people and if they refuse to take prescribed medication. Consent to administer first aid and non-prescribed medication is routinely sought. However, one young person has yet to receive written consent from a person with parental responsibility. This potentially places this young person at risk of not receiving first aid or homely medications swiftly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This provision shows good commitment and skills in promoting young people’s welfare and for safeguarding them. Young people benefit from a staff team that knows them well, enjoy being with them and make young people feel at ease. There are systems in place for protecting young people who are absent from the home without permission. A young person stated 'the home is quite nice and I feel safe, yes I would say it is good living here'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The privacy of young people is respected and information is confidentially handled. Staff are aware of those young people who enjoy quiet time in their rooms. However, a good balance is achieved between respecting young people’s wish for privacy and encouraging their participation in activities so as to appropriately mix with their peers. All the bedrooms are single and young people have their own key. The home has received three external complaints. All complaints have been appropriately dealt with and fully resolved. Staff encourage young people to express their views and concerns and let them know that these will be taken seriously. There is good supervision and leadership to ensure that staff work according to clear guidelines set to protect young people, reinforced by training and periodic discussion. Consequently, staff are aware of what to do should there be a situation that poses risks to young people, or an allegation or suspicion of abuse. Furthermore, the open

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

atmosphere, partnership with other agencies and accessibility of senior management are all important safeguards contributing to keeping young people safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of the reasons for young people’s behaviour and of the appropriate ways to respond. There are well developed individual behaviour management plans and risk assessments. Measures of control and discipline are based on establishing positive relationships and take account of the needs of each individual young person. Sanctions or physical interventions are rarely used, as staff successfully rely on distraction techniques or taking the young person away from the group to calm them down. However, the current recording system does not clearly define the difference between who is the staff member using the restraint and who are the staff members witnessing the intervention. This document is not being routinely signed by the person making the record. Although the incident sheets that are completed at the same time do differentiate between staff and is signed, these sheets could go missing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people and staff know that bullying is not tolerated. Young people receive clear messages that bullying behaviour will be challenged and that these issues are discussed openly within the home to ensure everyone is protected. A young person said 'we fall out from time to time but not sure that is bullying. Staff are also quick to intervene so that stops it from escalating'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good attention is paid to ensuring that the premises are kept safe. For example, there are regular tests of the fire alarms, routine maintenance of the home's installations and appliances and periodic fire drills. There is careful selection and vetting of staff working at the home and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent young people being exposed to potential abusers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The placement plan for each young person addresses how their individual needs should be met. Good staffing levels ensure young people have access to individual support at all times. Staff are highly committed to supporting and enabling young people to develop their skills and socially acceptable behaviour.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are taught to respect each other and staff work unwaveringly to enable them to reach their full potential and to get the best out of life. As a result, young people are given opportunities to learn new skills and try out new activities. This includes accessing community activities and resources which help to increase young people's self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are positive in their approach to young people's education and see learning as an integral part of life at the home. School attendance is good and staff have developed strong links with the schools. This includes ensuring all school reports are obtained and incorporated into young people's placement plans.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people's placements are supported by good plans and appropriate looked after children documentation. Plans show that staff have a thorough awareness of the differing needs of the young people and how these are to be met. Young people have appropriate opportunities to add to their own plans and comments are systematically recorded.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people have regular reviews and these are recorded. Young people are able to move into and leave the home in a planned and sensitive manner and all say they have a basic awareness of what is planned for the future.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people say they are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives. Young people are actively encouraged to communicate their views in regular discussions with their key workers, during group meetings and on an informal basis every day. Staff visibly show that they value the views and opinions of young people. However, staff are failing to comprehensively exploit the formal consultation recording systems, for instance, young people's meeting minutes. Currently they do not detail action taken to demonstrate that agenda items covered at prior meetings have been addressed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

In accordance with their care plans all young people are encouraged to maintain contact with members of their families. Staff clearly understand how important communication and contact with their family is for the young people and fully support their contact arrangements.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

One young person's pathway plan is in development as the initial assessment has been completed. Basic life skills assessments are completed and young people are encouraged to take part in their laundry and personal care.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is located in a residential area and the young people have good access to transport, education facilities, health care provision and leisure activities. Individual communal rooms are domestic in style and this supports young people in learning how to live with others. Rooms are decorated, furnished and maintained to a high standard. Young people say they are able to have some say in personalising their bedrooms. The home does provide ample space for the number, age and gender of the young people living here. Both the interior and exterior of the home are maintained in a good state of structural and decorative repair with an ongoing maintenance programme.

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Organisation

The home has an appropriate Statement of Purpose and this includes a range of information regarding the home. There is an appropriate young people's guide that covers the main areas of life at the home. This includes how to make complaints to a range of differing organisations.

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Organisation

There is a clear staffing structure with clear lines of accountability in the home. The Registered Manager has currently being off work for an extended period of time. Two of the existing staff members are acting up to sharing responsibility of certain management tasks and one of the local authorities senior managers is taking oversight of the mangers role. All of these individuals are appropriately qualified, skilled and experienced to provide leadership to the staff team and young people.

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Organisation

Staff are well supported within the home. Regular staff meetings are recorded and these cover a good range of information, including the development of the young people and general staff notices. Staff duty rotas and the manner in which staff are deployed confirm that the home keeps sufficient staff on the duty rota at all times, but to do this requires the occasional use of relief staff. The staff team is made up of a range of experienced and qualified staff with the overwhelming majority holding National Vocational Qualification in Caring for Children and Young People at level 3.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. All of the home's recording systems take account of potential needs in relation to a young person's diversity such as identity, race, culture, religion and sexuality. There is regular Schedule 5 monitoring, in order to sufficiently provide appropriate quality assurance checks. Each young person has a permanent private and secure record of their history and progress. As a result, young people's needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality.

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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 that written permission has been obtained for each child from a person with parental responsibility, for the administration of first aid and non- prescription medication (NMS 13.4)  ensure the bound book that records the use of physical restraint clearly shows on every occasion the name of staff member(s) using the restraint and the signature of the person making the record (NMS 22.9)  develop young people's meeting minutes to show that active feedback is being given to young people. (NMS 8.5)

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