Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Southampton

Unique reference number SC407783 Inspection date 26/07/2011 Inspector Anna Williams Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 08/03/2011 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 home is run by a national private organisation and provides accommodation for an associated residential special school. The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people aged nine to seventeen years who have emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties. The home promotes social inclusion and aims to provide each young person the opportunity to develop their maximum potential through the delivery of an extended curriculum that is based on education and care.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Young people make satisfactory progress in relation to their starting points. Young people are valued as individuals, their needs assessed and a personalised package of care and support is provided. Young people feel safe and supported by the staff team. Young people are given opportunities to learn new skills and experience community activities, which help to increase young people's self-esteem. Staff are committed to supporting and enabling young people to develop independent living skills and develop socially acceptable behaviour. However, there have been some changes to the staff team since the last inspection which has led to some inconsistencies in the quality of care provided.

p.4

Overall effectiveness

Areas for improvement identified include: obtaining formal feedback on a regular basis from young people, families and professionals; staffing levels and the experience of senior staff; providing regular supervision; ensuring risk assessments are updated regularly; the recording of complaints; disposal procedures for medication; and ensuring that Schedule 5 notifications are completed for any serious accident to a young person.

p.4

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.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there are suitable arrangements for the safe disposal of any medicines received into the children's home 05/09/2011 (Regulation 21 (1))

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that if any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30 (1)) 05/09/2011

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation. (Regulation 24 (5)) 05/09/2011

p.5

Recommendations

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

p.5

Recommendations

 ensure that the overall number, competence and deployment of staff and number, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, can fulfil the home's Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the home (NMS 17.1)  ensure the deputy of the registered person of the home (or the person designated to deputise for the registered person in his/her absence) has at least one year's relevant supervisory experience (NMS 17.4)  ensure staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff (NMS 19.4)  ensure that clear arrangements are in place to ensure appropriate management of the home when the registered manager is absent (NMS 21.5)  ensure the views of the child, the child's family, social worker and independent reviewing officer are sought regularly on the child's care, (unless in individual

p.5

Recommendations

cases this is not appropriate) (NMS 1.4)  ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed. (NMS 10.8)

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are satisfactory .

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have care plans which are detailed and individualised to meet their daily care needs.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health needs are identified and met. Young people are encouraged to participate in a range of positive activities that contribute to their physical and emotional well-being and health. Young people say that they like the food prepared at the home and contribute to creating the menus. Young people are supported to attend appropriate health care appointments and medicals. This sound practice ensures the health needs of the young people are identified, supported and addressed.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's attendance and progress at school is satisfactory. Individual education and learning plans are on file to inform staff practice and detail educational targets for the young people. Staff encourage the young people to attend school, and receive daily verbal handovers from educational staff on achievements and progress made.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people maintain contact with their families and people in their lives who are significant to them. Young people fully understand the contact arrangements in place. Young people say they have made good friends in the local community through their attendance at local sports clubs and events.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people learn independent living skills through undertaking tasks around the home and receiving guidance with money management. Young people receive allowances which means the young people take responsibility and use their own choice when purchasing their own clothes and toiletries. Young people are supported and encouraged to develop their self image and identity.

p.6

Quality of care

The quality of the care is satisfactory . Young people and staff enjoy positive and constructive relationships with each other. Young people are supported to develop socially acceptable behaviours. Young people enjoy spending time with each other and staff and getting involved in a range of activities. Young people describe how through activities and clubs they have learnt new skills and made new friends.

p.6

Quality of care

Young people receive a sound level of support. Individual needs are set out clearly in placement planning documents, which also provide an adequate level of guidance to staff. Young people are involved in the review of their placement plans and this ensures young people can contribute and make their views known about their own plan.

p.7

Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to discuss their feelings and views about the running of the home through house meetings. Young people confirm that within these meetings their views are heard, and choices can be made about forthcoming activities and menus.

p.7

Quality of care

Young people know how to complain, and have confidence that staff will effectively respond to issues they raise. The home maintains a log of young people's complaints, and a separate log of any external complaints. The external log has one entry since the last inspection. The entry in this log does not demonstrate what action was taken in response to the concern, or what the outcome of any investigation was. There were further records seen which indicate that people significant to the young people in the home have made contact with the home and organisation, raising a number of concerns about the quality of care. However, these contacts were not logged in the complaints log. Consequently, it is unclear if family members raising anxieties about the quality of care have been given a clear and appropriate response, and how the home has taken into account and acted upon lessons learnt from any worries raised.

p.7

Quality of care

Medication administration within the home is compromised by the large amount of medication awaiting disposal within the medical cabinet. The presence of medication prescribed to young people who have subsequently left the setting remaining within the cabinet, risks possible confusion around medication being administered. Staff undertake on-line medication training on a regular basis to refresh their knowledge.

p.7

Quality of care

The home is decorated, maintained and furnished to a satisfactory standard. Young people confirm they like their rooms and the living space. There are some areas of the home with damage and where repair work is required. An ongoing maintenance programme is in place to address these areas. This ensures the young people are provided with a home that is appropriately designed and maintained.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

The service is satisfactory at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people confirm that they feel safe and comfortable living in the home. Young people report that bullying is not an issue in the home. Staff are aware of the particular vulnerabilities of the young people in the home, and follow care plans and risk assessments to manage and minimise risks. However, some risk assessments have not been updated to reflect significant events which have taken place in young people's lives over recent months, and this means staff may refer to out of date information and guidance. Staff undertake on line child protection training, and have refreshers within team meetings to refresh knowledge.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Young people understand the rules of the home, and the sanctions and reward systems in place. Staff receive appropriate behaviour management training and have a clear understanding of the individual behaviour management plans. Young people are supported to manage their own feelings and to take responsibility for their actions through staff promoting and rewarding acceptable behaviour.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Young people who go missing from the home are protected as far as possible through procedures which have been agreed with the local police. Young people say staff talk to them about the reasons for going missing and how to keep safe. This means that young people are protected by agreed multi-agency procedures, and a proactive approach from the home to reduce the frequency of such episodes.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff recruitment practices are established to ensure the protection of young people. New staff are suitably vetted and do not commence employment in the home until all relevant checks are complete and satisfactory. Visitors are checked upon arrival, sign into the visitors book and are supervised in the home as appropriate.

p.8

Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's safety is supported by sound health and safety routines. Routine testing of fire equipment occurs, and fire drills are undertaken on a regular basis. Young people confirm they know what action to take in a fire or an emergency. Equipment within the home is serviced and checked at appropriate intervals. Safety is further enhanced by all staff undertaking training in fire safety.

p.8

Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are inadequate . The leadership and management of the home is not fully effective because of inappropriate staffing levels, a lack of regular staff supervision, and a lack of contingency plans to address issues arising.

p.8

Leadership and management

Since the last inspection, there have been a number of staffing changes within the home with long standing members of the team leaving and new staff starting. There have been senior appointments of staff from within the organisation, however, some staff now deputising for the manager do not have at least one year's relevant supervisory experience.

p.9

Leadership and management

Since the last inspection, the manager was on sick leave for a month and staff report being unclear on who had overall management responsibility for the children's home in the absence of the manager. The gender balance of the team was weakened when some male members of staff left, and this was impacted further with the male manager being away, leaving a female only team for a period of time. The staff team was also short staffed for a number of weeks, leading to staff undertaking long hours. Rotas demonstrate that staffing levels were not consistent with risk assessments in place for the young people. Staff are not receiving supervision on a regular basis as described in the Statement of Purpose. The impact on young people is a staff team lacking in a suitable gender balance for a currently male only home, lacking in staff consistency and support, which all impacts on the quality of care given in order to meet the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose.

p.9

Leadership and management

Staff undertake a comprehensive on line training programme, which includes refresher training at relevant intervals.

p.9

Leadership and management

There are records of regular visits under Regulation 33 of the Children's Homes Regulations, and clear evidence that young people are consulted during these visits. The manager has a system in place to monitor the matters in Schedule 6, however, the manager does not have a robust formal quality assurance system for obtaining feedback from parents, placing social workers, independent reviewing officers or other professionals. Some feedback from parents and social workers is sought through informal verbal contact, however this is inconsistent and not written in house records. This means the manager does not obtain regular formal feedback which can be monitored and used to proactively help shape and improve the home and outcomes for young people.

p.9

Leadership and management

Records are stored securely in order to protect young people's information, and the records contain relevant information which contributes to an understanding of the young person's life.

p.9

Leadership and management

A number of significant events have been notified to Ofsted and to other relevant parties without delay. However, records within the home show that a serious accident sustained by a young person was not notified to Ofsted appropriately. This was a serious accident and notification to Ofsted would have confirmed that the young person was being supported appropriately.

p.9

Leadership and management

The requirement from the previous inspection has been met. The recommendations from the previous inspection have all been met, with the exception of the recommendation around complaint recording and this is now a requirement.

p.9

Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

p.10