Children's Home run by Kent County Council in Kent

Unique reference number SC037282 Inspection date 14/07/2011 Inspector Diane Thackrah Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 11/01/2011 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

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Brief description of the service

This children’s home is operated by a local authority and provides respite care for children and young people aged between five and 17 years, who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities and other associated complex needs. Over 100 children and young people stay at the unit on an occasional or regular basis, and a maximum of seven children and young people can be accommodated at any one time. They are cared for by a team of nurses funded by the Primary Care Trust and care staff funded by the local authority.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The unit provides a range of facilities including office space, a kitchen, communal areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, a sensory room and soft play areas. Upstairs, a separate flatlet provides the opportunity for the children and young people to develop some independence and learn life skills. Outside there is a sensory garden and a large grassed area where there are swings, a play house and an adventure area on a safe surface. Off-road parking is available in front of the complex and the unit has its own adapted transport, enabling children and young people to access activities and education in the local community.

p.4

Brief description of the service

Seven children and young people were booked to stay at the unit on the day of the inspection and all were present during the evening.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for young people are good and they enjoy spending time in the home and are happy there. Young people make good progress from their starting points as they are supported to develop and gain confidence. There is a strong emphasis on promoting positive relationships and this helps young people to develop positive behaviour. Staff understand the needs of young people and are well motivated to ensure that these needs are met. Young people are treated as individuals and specific needs are identified and met. The current staffing team is permanent and long standing and this helps to ensure consistency for young people. Positive links have been developed with schools and health care professionals. This helps to ensure young people's positive progress in these areas.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Staff are focussed on good outcomes and understand safe working practices and this promotes young people's welfare. There is strong management and a commitment to improvement and this goes some way to promoting young people's well-being. The previous action set at the last inspection has now been addressed resulting in young people benefiting from well supported staff.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

The strong relationships that young people enjoy with staff ensure that young people benefit from individualised care. Staff are clear about young people's goals as these are clearly detailed in care plans. This helps staff to provide personalised and well planned care which promotes positive outcomes for young people. An example of this personalised care is the arrangements for checking children during the night. This is done on a needs led basis with full input from parents and young people. Bedtimes are determined by young people's age and preference and this helps to promote their individuality. Young people are treated with respect and this helps them to develop a positive self-view.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

The health needs of young people are well understood by staff and this helps to ensure that these needs are met. All young people have a health care plan that is kept under review. There is close liaison with parents and health care professionals such as the child and adolescent mental health service. This helps to ensure that young people's health care needs are kept under review and fully addressed. Staff receive training in a wide range of health care issues which ensures that young people receive support from competent and knowledgeable staff.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are able to make good progress in their education as education is viewed as important. Staff liaise closely with schools to help promote consistency to help them reach their full potential. Young people are able to engage positively in activities in the community. One young person said that they enjoyed going out with staff for walks at the seaside and to the park and this promotes active involvement in community activities. Young people are well supported to develop skills for independence. Young people engage in activities such as washing up and meal preparation. This helps to build young people's confidence and enhances their life skills.

p.6

Quality of care

The quality of the care is good . Young people enjoy warm relationships with staff who are committed to, and focused on, good practice. Young people know what to expect as staff are consistent in the way they treat them. All young people have a clear plan of care that details positive behaviour management techniques. This positive approach helps young people to behave appropriately. Staff are clear that physical restraint is used rarely in this home. They are all trained in de-escalation techniques which help to ensure that challenging behaviour is handled calmly and effectively.

p.6

Quality of care

There are good ways in which young people are enabled to express their views, wishes and feelings. Regular young people's meetings are facilitated and young people enjoy positive relationships with staff. One young person said, 'I can choose what I do on an evening and I like watching the television'. Staff confirm that young people take the lead on planning activities. Young people who do not communicate verbally are supported to make decisions with the use of pictorial documents and Makaton. These measures help to ensure that young people's views inform the running of the home. This also helps to ensure that young people can make a complaint is they wish. Complaints are responded to positively and used, where appropriate, to make improvements to the service.

p.7

Quality of care

Staff are committed to working closely with parents, health and educational professionals in order to offer planned, high quality care to young people. There is a competent and well trained staff team who have developed skills in areas such as the safe handling of medication, tube feeding and first aid. Staff understand the needs of, and are sensitive in the way they work with young people who have autism as they are also trained in this area. Some staff are qualified nurses and provide nursing care to young people who require this. This enables young people to access the support they need to meet their physical, emotional and psychological health needs.

p.7

Quality of care

The proactive and positive approach to education promotes young people's educational attainment. Staff engage with schools and promote attendance. Some young people have a school/home diary which helps to promote consistency for young people. There are varied and enjoyable activities made available which young people enjoy for example, trips out in the local community. There are also purposeful and interesting activities made available in the home such as a spa bath, soft play area, sensory room, two large gardens and a play room. There is space for young people to enjoy privacy and quiet time in their own bedrooms and in the lounges and computer room. Needs relating to young people's cultural background and personal identity are identified and positively addressed. This includes providing a male staff member to provide personal care to some boys, Halal food and wheelchair accessible space, including a kitchen and bathrooms within the home. Any such needs are

p.7

Quality of care

detailed in care plans and kept under review and this helps to ensure that staff meet these needs. The home is situated in a residential area and is easily accessed. It is extremely spacious and a full-time maintenance worker helps to ensure that young people benefit from living in a very well-maintained home.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people are kept safe and are protected from harm. They have a plan of care that clearly identifies any risks and how they can be reduced or safely managed. These risk assessments are kept under review and this helps to ensure that changing needs can be addressed in order to promote young people's safety. Young people do not go missing from the home on a regular basis. Due to the high needs of the young people who use the service all have a risk assessment detailing that the front door of the home will be kept locked at all times. There are clear written polices and procedures regarding young people going missing. These are compatible with the police and local authority protocols, are understood by staff and these measures help to keep young people safe. Staff encourage and create opportunities for positive behaviour by ensuring that young

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

people have a positive experience of the home. This helps to ensure that there is minimal use of restraint. When restraint is used, it is done by trained and competent staff in accordance with the legislative framework, with clear records kept. Bullying is not a major issue in this home. Staff help to keep young people safe through close monitoring and by keeping up-to-date with issues such as cyber bullying. Staff have been proactive in preventing such bullying by talking to young people about this issue.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

There are robust staff recruitment polices and procedures that promote young people's safety. These ensure that staff do not work with young people until a thorough and vigorous checking process has been followed and they are deemed suitable. Training in child protection for staff promotes the effective protection of young people. Young people benefit from living in an environment which is safe and secure. There are regular checks on equipment in the home and on the fire safety equipment which help to promote young people's safety. Fire safety is taken extremely seriously in order to keep young people safe. This includes safe training, regular fire drills and the completion of fire evacuation plans every day to reflect the needs of individual young people. Checks on the home's hoists and lift help to ensure that all young people are able to move around the home safely.

p.8

Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good . The home is effectively and efficiently managed and this promotes positive outcomes for young people. A parent said, 'I am very happy with the service'. Effective measures are in place for continuous improvement. These include a commitment to staff development and on-going staff training. Staff confirm that training opportunities are good. They say that they are helped to develop a wide range of skills to understand and meet the needs of young people. Recent training has included fire safety, passenger safety and moving and handling training. Regular supervision and induction for new staff members helps to ensure that there is a committed and focused staff team. Such measures also help to ensure that staff keep up-to-date with professional and legal developments.

p.8

Leadership and management

Robust quality assurance takes place and this ensures the effective running of the service. This involves regular in-house checks of safety systems and regular regulation 33 visits. The arrangements for consultation with young people and their parents are good. An annual questionnaire is sent out to parents and a separate questionnaire is sent to young people. Questionnaires have been designed to help young people use them easily. The feedback provided is used to improve and develop the service to meet the needs of those who use it. There is good record keeping, including the secure storage of confidential information and this contributes to staff's understanding of young people's lives.

p.9

Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

p.9