Children's Home run by First 4 Care Limited in Doncaster

Unique reference number SC390293 Inspection date 15/06/2011 Inspector Debbie Foster Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 23/11/2010 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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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

The setting is registered to provide care for up to three young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties. The ages of the young people will be between 10 and 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

The statement of purpose specifies placements are long-term and the aim of the service is to provide facilities to enable young people to achieve positive changes in their lives.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are making progress in a number of areas within their lives. They benefit from tailored and individual care which incorporates their needs. The staff team are persevering and supportive to enable young people to reach their potential.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people said they have strong and positive relationships with all staff. This has assisted them in building trust and in turn this enables them to work with staff well. Good risk assessing and fire safety practices assist in keeping young people safe. Staff are committed to addressing individual safety and welfare issues with young people. Young people said they are making progress in this area.

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Overall effectiveness

There are opportunities for young people to give their views and these are sought and acted upon. However, there are some omissions within this area, through the monitoring systems and young people's meetings.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are beginning to benefit from the rigorous promotion of education and the encouragement which staff give them to attend.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff work closely with other supporting professionals to meet the range of young people's needs. There are good communication systems. Staff use these well to implement the agreed placement plan aims and the strategies they use to support young people. However, this is not always reflected in the actual written placement plan and supporting documents. The direct work and daily recordings do not always fully reflect the placement plan aims or the work undertaken with young people to document the progress they are making.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff team have experience and express confidence in the management team. Mandatory and other training areas related to the needs of the young people are being provided to the staff. However, two staff have not received behaviour management training. Although, there is a clear monitoring system in place, some shortfalls have been identified.

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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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) ensure that all areas of the placement plan are up to date and clearly set out how, on a day-to-day basis, the young person will be cared for and their welfare safeguarded and promoted by the home. In particular, plan behavioural management, actions in the event of the young person going missing and their contact arrangements (Regulation 12 (a)) 28/08/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17A (2001) ensure that the written record of the measure of control or discipline (specifically the sanctions record) includes all the specified areas as set out in the regulation (Regulation 17(3) (a-i)) 28/07/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all staff receive appropriate training, in particular, behaviour management training (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 28/08/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the regulation 33 visitor consults with young people living at the home about their views and opinions on the standard of care provided in the home. (Regulation 33) 28/08/2011

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 monitor records kept by the home, in particular those relating to young people, to identify patterns and trends, which evidence progress young people are making in line with their plan ( NMS 21.2)  build further on promoting the development of practical independence skills with young people to prepare them for adulthood (NMS 12)  ensure that complaints records are clear and record the full outcome. In particular record the date the complaint was investigated, the action taken and if the complainant is satisfied with the outcome of the complaint (NMS 22)  build further on the behaviour management plans to ensure that they specify in detail all the strategies the staff are to use to assist young people in behaving appropriately (NMS 3)  ensure where any sanction is used it is recorded and young people are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3)  ensure that reference requests ask specifically if the person is suitable to work

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Recommendations

with children and young people (NMS 16)  ensure all staff attain level 3 Children and Young People workforce diploma qualification (NMS 18)  ensure monitoring systems identify omissions and deficiencies and thereby assist in improving on the quality of care (NMS 21)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are satisfactory .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from living in an environment where their health needs are given priority. The home has established good links with a number of health care professionals. This promotes and assists in meeting each young person's diverse needs and improving their overall health. There are links with children's mental health services, the looked after children's nurse and drug and alcohol services. Young people said that they are supported and encouraged by the staff to attend routine health appointments with their doctor, dentist and opticians. Staff are working with young people to eat healthily. Young people say they are involved in planning the weekly menu's, going shopping and preparing some meals.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Medication is recorded and stored securely and it is administered by trained staff. All staff have received training in basic first aid; this enables them to respond to minor medical occurrences appropriately. A young person said the staff keep medication safe for them and make sure they take it at the right time if they need it, which positively promotes young people's health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

There is sufficient access and support for young people to pursue interests. Young people said they may choose to go out with friends most evenings. They have regular opportunities to go ice skating (most weekends), to the cinema and make suggestions for further trips. They have recently been to treasure island and on holiday.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The education of young people is given great importance. Staff have vigorously pursued a number of education options to meet the individual needs for each young person. There has been frequent, liaising with the designated schools and education professionals. The provider has been pivotal in sourcing home tuition to support young people. Young people said staff have listened to their concerns and support their education. There is improved attendance in education by young people. Young people are on a journey to achieve their education potential, with some progress being made.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people said they have regular contact with family and friends. A social worker confirmed that the staff keep them well informed on the outcome of visits and contact with the young people's family. Restrictions on contact have been reviewed and as a result of this, changes have been made to the arrangements. However, this has not been recorded in the young person's case file.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff have started to work with young people to promote independence and assist them in preparing for adulthood. Young people said they are encouraged to keep their bedrooms tidy and sometimes they prepare simple meals. Occasionally, they go food shopping. Staff explained the young people also help to process their own laundry. However, there is little evidence that independence tasks are routinely undertaken by young people in line with their age.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is good . Strong and positive relationships exit between young people and the staff. Young people said that they 'get on with all staff'. Each one named specific individual staff members with whom they can talk to and share any problem that they have. Staff explained how they support each young person with their behaviour and the approaches they use. These reflect overall the individual risk assessments, placement and behaviour plans in place for each young person. Consistency of care is demonstrated well in the care and approach staff use to support young people. All the staff interviewed gave the same explanation of the strategies they use to support each young person with their behaviour. Young people interacted positively with staff, speaking freely, with honest dialogue, joking and making arrangements for support to personal appointments, education and leisure activities. Young people and

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Quality of care

staff are clear about the boundaries in place.

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Quality of care

The home has a number of systems and care approaches to assist in obtaining the views and wishes of young people. Young people explained that they talk with staff daily and readily give them their views on the meals they wish to eat, daily routine and activities. They did say staff listen to them and they are able to go on social and leisure activities that they have chosen. One young person said staff have helped them to complete a review booklet with their views and opinions about their care and what they are hoping for in future. Young people have been invited to attend their statutory review.

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Quality of care

The Independent reviewing officer said the staff consistently complete review reports for each young person's statutory review in good time, which positively assists in reviewing the young person's placement. Other individuals are invited to each young persons care review who are specifically important to the young person. Therefore, young people's views, opinions and feelings are actively sought to influence their care within the home.

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Quality of care

There are young people’s meetings organised on a regular basis but these are not well attended. A young person said, ' I'm always going out and too busy to attend the meeting'. Staff are looking to build on other ways of consulting with young people. Staff recognise the importance of building on young people's self esteem and confidence and there is a focus on the positives. During the inspection staff were heard praising young people, for returning home on time, attending their education and other appointments. A young person informed the inspector that staff had said they 'had done well in their maths lesson' that day.

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Quality of care

Staff handle complaints well. The complaints procedure has been explained to young people. The staff support young people to make a complaints when required and young people have complained to the local authority. Records demonstrate that complaints have been acted upon and concluded. However, the records are not always clear precisely when the complaint has been addressed and if the complainant is satisfied with the outcome of the investigation.

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Quality of care

Each young person has an individual placement plan and other relating documents. These include a behaviour management plan and risk assessments. The case file contains copies of the statutory review minutes and the recommendations made for the young persons care. There are fluctuations in the detail of these records. They do not always explain specifically how care is to be implemented by staff. Some deficiencies have been identified in behaviour management, contact arrangements, when a young person goes missing and education. There is also lack of evidence to show the progress young people are making, through, key work sessions, the daily recordings and the reviewing systems in place.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Staff are aware of the importance of safeguarding young people. Young people said they feel safe when in the home and staff talk to them about keeping themselves safe when out in the community.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The strong relationships staff have built with young people assist in facilitating a culture of openness and trust. This enables staff to engage with young people to discuss safety concerns and bring about their own understanding of the dangers they may face.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Where specific risks have been identified for a young person, the home has compiled written risk assessments. These record what action staff should take to minimise the risk. These have been reviewed and updated at regular intervals. The service has forged strong proactive links with agencies that also work with the young people to address safety issues, for example, youth offending service, police, drugs and alcohol agencies. These measures enable staff to address individual safety issues and assist further in young people understanding how to keep themselves safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have worked tirelessly to address the problem of young people going missing. Strategies have been implemented with young people individually. Over a period of time the level of these incidents has begun to decrease. Young people said how the staff have spoken to them about the dangers and the importance of coming home each evening. Staff and young people continue to work closely with the missing from care officer and other professionals to reduce or stop the number of these incidents. Staff are aware of the individual protocols to follow for each young person, which take into account the local guidance of runaways and missing from home and care procedures. Young people now, rarely go missing and if they do, they return quickly.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have undertaken training in safeguarding children. The service has established safeguarding systems and procedures for staff to follow in the event of an allegation or suspicion of abuse.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people said that the staff are fair and that they receive rewards for positive behaviour. The ethos of the home is to de-escalate any challenging behaviour. Although, staff have dealt with a many challenging situations the strategies and approach to de-escalation has not resulted in any restraints taking place.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Few sanctions have been given. Young people have behaviour plans to assist in giving guidance to staff on how to manage each young persons behaviour. However, deficiencies have been identified in the recording systems. Some sanctions have not been recorded; not all required information has been recorded in the sanctions records including the effectiveness and the young persons comments. There have not been regular formal reviews of supervised spending for young people. The detail in the behaviour plans fluctuates in detail, not all strategies for staff to follow are detailed enough which may impact on consistency in approach.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in a home that responds quickly to any incident of bullying. Young people said there is no bullying occurring in the home and they know staff will address any such behaviour immediately. They said they do argue sometimes between themselves but recognised this is not bullying. Staff are clear that bullying is not tolerated and their responsibility to respond immediately to stop such behaviour. Information on bullying is given to young people on their admission to ensure they understand that any bullying will be stopped straight away and support given to those involved. There are good staffing levels to assist in monitoring young people closely.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is a careful selection and vetting process when recruiting staff to work at the home to ensure they are suitable. Appropriate checks have been undertaken as part of the recruitment process which, include Criminal Record Bureau disclosures and past employers references. However, references did not ask if the person is suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are good health and safety procedures in place. All relevant checks have been undertaken, including the testing of gas and electrical installations and equipment. Clear and accurate fire safety records are held. Young people said they are have taken part in fire drills.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Overall young people are provided with an environment of a good standard. In recent weeks the communal areas have been subject to damage by some young people. The environment is safe. Staff have been working with young people to address behaviours which have impacted on the environment. The registered provider and manager state there is a plan to rectify the damage incurred to the decoration, stained carpets and replacement of some furniture and fittings.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are satisfactory . A proportion the previous actions and recommendations have been implemented since the last inspection. There is a dedicated bound and numbered book for recording any measures of control. A comprehensive written record of training for all staff working at the home is in place. Five staff out of eight have completed the national vocation qualification level three in caring for children and young people. New staff are to complete the level three children and young peoples workforce diploma. However, there two out of eight staff have still to complete the behaviour management training. The service has developed a training matrix and programme. This ensures that all staff receive core, mandatory and other training areas related to the needs of the young people they are caring for.

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Leadership and management

The staff team are experienced and express confidence in the management team. The rota ensures that there is always a balance of experienced staff on duty with those who are fairly new to caring for young people in a residential setting. Routine supervision and staff meetings take place. The frequency of supervision has improved over recent months. Staff said that when they approach the manager with ideas and concerns these are listened too.

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Leadership and management

Young people's file's are securely stored. Young people confirm that they are consulted about their care and can view their files when they wish. Staff maintain case files and information to a satisfactory standard.

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Leadership and management

The statement of purpose reflects the service provided. Young people have a good awareness of what the home is supporting them to achieve whilst living there.

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Leadership and management

The monthly monitoring by the regulation 33 visitor is detailed and covers additional areas to the requirements set out in the regulation. However, they do not always consult with children. Audits are undertaken by the manager in line with the requirements set out in regulation 34. However, these are brief and rarely pick up on omissions and deficiencies.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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