Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

Unique reference number SC390576 Inspection date 15/06/2011 Inspector Susan Mullin Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 29/09/2010 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 home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four young people, of either gender with emotional or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private organisation.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

This is an outstanding service with many notable features. Safeguarding young people is at the heart of this service and the staff work particularly hard to ensure young people at high risk of harm, are kept safe and secure.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's welfare is significantly enhanced by the strong relationships between staff, young people and their peers. Young people are being looked after by a competent, well-trained team of staff. Young people live in a very stable home and they are fully consulted about their day-to-day care and support. Young people are very happy with the home and the staff that work with them.

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Overall effectiveness

Two surveys were completed by young people, who did not indicate anything negative about the home. A social worker explained to the inspector that he was very happy with the support and care provided to a young person he placed there. He was very impressed with the effective and informative communication the home maintains with him, in regard to the young person’s progress in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Excellent and informative care plans are maintained in the home. Each young person has their care assessed individually, which is then implemented into comprehensive care plans, which are evaluated regularly. All staff are fully aware of any changes made to the plan and staff meetings ensure that they monitor any progress made. Young people complete a monthly feedback form which captures the feelings and opinions of the care they receive. The home works closely with a wide range of agencies to support young people in all aspects of their development and future plans.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are very well supported by the registered manager and the registered person who strive for continual improvement.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people thrive in the care of dedicated staff who have an genuine commitment to young people's welfare and well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff actively support young people in developing further contact with family members where appropriate and this ensures that each young person knows their family is valued by the home. Young people who have less family contact are given support by the staff and strive to provide an environment that is nurturing and protective, reflecting all aspects of a caring family home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Educational attainment is promoted through the registered provider’s education policy and the home’s commitment to ensuring young people have realistic opportunities to achieve. Age appropriate education is sought, that is designed to build upon each young person's academic abilities and interests. All young people in placement have exceptionally good attendance at school and continue to make very good progress. The educational achievement of young people is superb, taking into account both their attainment and their progress from their starting point at the time of their placement in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff help young people make friends and connections in the local community. Young people build peer relationships outside the home, attend activities and local community events. This has helped young people develop a sense of identity in their local community and build positive networks of support and friendship that will help them into adulthood.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding . Staff provide healthy, nutritious meals that meet young people's dietary needs and fresh fruit is always available for the young people to help themselves to. Staff are knowledgeable regarding young people's likes and dislikes and endeavour to develop menus around this, while encouraging young people to try different foods. Young people have opportunities to contribute to the planning and preparation of meals within the home with the assistance of staff, especially as part of developing their skills for later life. In addition, they also enjoy a variety of foods that reflect diverse cultures and traditions. One young person says that the best thing about the home is 'the food - staff make nice meals here'.

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Quality of care

The staff have developed strong relationships with young people based on mutual trust and respect. One young person stated 'I like the staff here - they are OK'. Young people's views are sought and valued by staff who facilitate regular residents' meetings. Young people are encouraged to add agenda items and raise any house issues that they may have.

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Quality of care

Staff work hard with young people, recognising their unique characteristics and individual strengths. There is a positive approach taken by staff; they are clear about social and behavioural boundaries that are expected but equally they are clear about each young person's needs and how they learn about what is and is not acceptable. As a result, staff are aware of their responsibilities to educate and focus on acceptable and improving behaviours that can be rewarded and praised. This makes this home a safe and comfortable place to live, as expectations about behaviour and conduct are clearly communicated in a way that has a positive affect on young people.

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Quality of care

Young people's care and support is also clearly focused on their overall plan of care, matching the placing authorities aims and objectives in relation to future plans and placements. The home's manager and staff have a strong focus on organising themselves around young people and their needs which supports improving outcomes for each individual. Key workers show a good level of commitment and coordinate support for young people, provide individual key working sessions and liaise with appropriate agencies in terms of more specialised needs. Young people's understanding of their behaviour is helped further by being able to access qualified therapists employed by the registered provider.

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Quality of care

One of the main strengths of the service is their Positive Intervention Programme, whereby young people at high risk of harm can go on an outdoor expedition to reflect on problems of the past. This can last from two to seven days where the staff give the young person the opportunity to develop through experience and responsibility.

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Quality of care

Excellent, clear and comprehensive care plans are in place for each young person and these are regularly updated and detail all aspects of young people's individual care, future plans and contact arrangements. Young people say that they are involved in their own care plans and regularly record their comments in them.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to be physically active and lead healthy lifestyles that include joining the gym and taking part in outdoor activities. Young people are actively discouraged from smoking and offered professional support if they want to stop. Young people's health needs are clearly identified and services are consistently provided to meet them. Dentist, doctor and regular health checks are all organised for each young person at the home. Specialist medical appointments are made where required. The home's systems for the administration of medication are robust and all staff have received training in this regard. Weekly audits are undertaken to check medicine stock levels and ensure medication is administered as prescribed.

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in a family style house in a residential area of a large town. This gives young people ample opportunities to use the local shops and amenities. Staff help young people budget their allowances and ensure they choose toiletries and clothes that reflect their personal taste. Young people are given set monies and encouraged to earn daily incentives. Young people value these incentives; they enjoy their extra money and benefit from the good daily structure in their lives.

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Quality of care

The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard creating a pleasant environment for young people to live in. Staff take great care to keep the home clean and well maintained. The investment and care of the house helps young people feel valued and worthwhile. Facilities such as consoles and satellite television are provided for young people's free time. Each young person has their own room which is furnished with good quality furniture. Young people can choose paint and help decorate their rooms, to make their private space more personalised. Young people say that they enjoy the privacy and space of their own rooms. This is reflected in the pride in which young people take in keeping their rooms tidy and clean.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people continue to receive excellent care and support that promotes and safeguards their welfare. Staff are confident and able to understand their role and level of responsibility in terms of child protection and safeguarding practice. Operational policies, procedures and staff guidance are used effectively to promote young people's safety and welfare. Young people spoken to said that they feel safe in the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's privacy and confidentially is respected by all staff. Staff are sensitive and aware of the need to only disclose or share information that is needed, to meet young people's needs. Staff in the home respect each young person's dignity and privacy extremely well. There is a house phone that enables young people to make private calls and this is made available on request for young people to take to any part of the house. Keys are provided for rooms and staff always knock before entering young people's rooms. This ensures that each young person has a private secure room in which to enjoy their personal space.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is an atmosphere of trust and respect in the home. Open communication is strongly encouraged through regular resident's meetings. Young people learn to live together peacefully while maintaining separate interests and friends outside the home. The home has a very clear complaints procedure that is given to all young people in their information about the home. There have been two complaints since the last inspection, both resolved in line with the homes policy and procedures. Young people say that they know how to complain if they were unhappy about anything.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say that they live together reasonably well, where there are few instances of bullying. Staff help young people maintain this by providing extremely consistent boundaries that are well understood by everyone. They encourage a sense of right and wrong by giving honest feedback and showing a genuine appreciation of good behaviour. This results in the improved behaviour of young people. Clear routines and meaningful consequences help young people develop good discipline and structure into their lives. As a result of this, young people show very good social awareness and are polite and considerate to visitors.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding is the paramount priority within the home and this influences everything that is undertaken within the home. Young people are provided with appropriate levels of staffing. A key success of the home is the way in which staff are able to engage with young people about matters that are significant to their safety and protection. Important areas are covered that are part of the home's approach to managing risks and raising young people's awareness. The welfare and safety of young people living at the home is consistently promoted by the policies produced by the registered provider. These policies recognise regulatory requirements and good practice in areas of child protection that include countering bullying, effective behaviour management and safeguarding children. Staff know how to access statutory guidance including the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. They are also trained how to recognise and report signs of abuse. The

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Safeguarding children and young people

registered provider makes available regular staff development opportunities to ensure that staff are trained to look after young people safely. Staff are aware of triggers, which may result in a young person absenting themselves from the home. Staff respond appropriately to instances of young people going absent without authority and work closely with other agencies to minimise any risk. The protocol for young people missing from the home is carried out in accordance with agreed individual plans, which provide good guidance for staff to follow and help keep young people safe. The home has a good rapport with local community police officers who visit and offer young people advice on personal safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Resident numbers, individual care needs and risk assessment influence the home's staffing levels to establish and ensure that an appropriate, safe level of support is always present. Staff regularly receive statutory training in effective behaviour management. This includes the reasonable application of an accredited form of physical restraint where it may be necessary as a last resort. Any behavioural incidents or applied sanctions are reviewed by the home's manager and young people's feedback will help evaluate the safety, transparency and effectiveness of these practices.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home confirms positive responses to the potential dangers to looked after children by producing a comprehensive range of risk assessments that cover all aspects of safety in the living environment, for example, the risk from fire and household hazards, or from young people's behaviour and recreational activities. Risk assessments are particularly effective because they are reviewed regularly and take into account daily tasks and any changes affecting the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are kept safe and secure as the home provides good security and safety including the monitoring of visitors and staff. Appliances and fire prevention equipment are checked rigorously to ensure they work well and provide a safe environment that is free from hazards. Fire prevention equipment is maintained well and the required drills are carried out throughout the year, which all staff and young people attend.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's welfare is promoted very well by written procedures that are implemented consistently by staff to protect young people. These include carrying out rigorous checks to ensure staff are suitable to work with young people. Careful monitoring of staff includes highly selective recruitment, clear induction training, child protection training and regular supervision. This ensures that staff have a thorough knowledge of safeguarding and know exactly how to implement the safeguarding procedures, to ensure that each young person is protected from potential harm. Records show clear reporting and detailed chronology that all procedures have been fully adhered to.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding . The home is extremely well managed and young people receive a very good service from a professional, experienced, well-trained, diverse and competent team, who are all qualified to the necessary level consistent with their role and responsibilities. This results in all staff being very familiar and knowledge about each young person's needs and care and support is maintained at a consistently high standard. Staff are also supported very well in their professional development through attendance at courses and participation in national vocational qualifications. A regular programme of team meetings and supervision structure ensures that young people are cared for by staff who feel valued and supported.

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Leadership and management

The home's Statement of Purpose provides comprehensive information about what services young people can expect to receive from the home. The young people’s guide to the home is informative and produced in a suitable format.

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Leadership and management

The home's manager has clear processes in place to monitor, audit and evaluate the quality of care being provided and reports any shortfalls. In addition, external monitoring visits are carried out by senior staff who provide information about the home's operation. This ensures that staff's practice is openly reflected upon and continually adapted to meet the individual needs of the young people at the home.

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Leadership and management

Each child has a permanent and private file, which is comprehensive, well organised and shows a clear record of each young person’s progress. Young people are made aware of the contents of their files and know they can request access to them should they need to.

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Leadership and management

The service provides an environment where differences are acknowledged and prejudice or discrimination on any grounds is actively challenged. Staff positively promote difference by recognising and meeting young people's individual needs. High expectations of good relationships and consistent staff practice have resulted in cohesion and respect within the group of young people. Clear plans for each young person are explicit and identify how their needs are to be met .

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from superb care and attention that fully meets their individual needs.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is outstanding .

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