Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC377825 Inspection date 10/08/2011 Inspector Carole Moore Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 06/12/2010 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

This children's home is part of a large organisation operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who have learning disabilities and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from outstanding levels of support, encouragement and praise. Staff provide a nurturing and homely environment in which young people develop and thrive. Young people's views are taken into account in the running of the home and there are many opportunities to integrate with community events and activities. There are sound relationships between staff and young people. The support provided contributes effectively to increase confidence and self-esteem; young people are happy and proud of their achievements. Young people enjoy the wide range of activities available to them and support in pursuing personal interests. They recognise that house rules are in place to protect them and keep them safe. However, young people need to fully understand the purpose and content of their placement plans and the reasoning behind any decisions about their care.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are trained and supported in their roles and their enthusiasm is evident. Robust monitoring systems provide the Registered Manager with information to continually develop and improve the care provided and the outcomes for young people.

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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

 ensure that children understand, within their level of understanding, the purpose and content of their plan and the reasoning behind any decision about their care. (NMS 25.1)

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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 flourish and make significant progress in most aspects of their lives. The staff team have high expectations and provide encouragement, incentives and celebrate any progress. Consequently, young people respond well and develop a positive view of themselves and their achievements. Key workers support young people in understanding their family and cultural background with life story work, photographs and sometimes specific therapeutic assessment is arranged. This helps young people in making sense of their past, to enable them to think about their current placement and their future plans.

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Outcomes for children and young people

There is a thorough approach to promoting the physical, emotional, and psychological health of young people and they are cared for in a warm, caring, nurturing environment with firm and consistent boundaries. Young people are in good health because staff ensure that all health needs are properly assessed and visits with the doctor, dentist and optician are well planned and take place. Young people are fit and well and enjoy participating in a variety of activities. Young people eat well and enjoy their food. Young people are actively encouraged to get involved with cooking and help cook meals with staff support, supervision and guidance. Young people say they like the food and have access to lots of fresh fruit for snacks. Young people are currently in good health and do not require any medication.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people attend college and work placements and are making good overall progress in relation to their starting points when they first moved in to the home. Young people know and understand that they can talk to staff if they have a difficult day at their educational placement. Staff have excellent links with the colleges and work in partnership together, this helps young people to meet their educational and workplace targets.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are making a positive contribution to their home and the wider community. Young people are encouraged to help keep their home clean and tidy which helps develop key skills related to cooperation and responsibility. For example, young people prepare and cook their meals and they receive lots of praise and encouragement for their efforts. In addition, young people are encouraged to pursue their interests.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people keep in touch with family, friends and other significant people in their lives and visit their family and previous placements in accordance with their placement plan. Staff facilitate some very complicated contact arrangements and young people confirmed that they are really happy with these arrangements.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people receive excellent support to develop independence skills to equip them for adult life. All certificates and any evidence of achievements are collated in a personalised folder for young people to take with them when they leave this placement. Within the home young people are expected to do tasks to contribute to the running of the house as well as the added bonus of earning extra pocket money for specific tasks. The staff team have developed an independence booklet that clearly takes young people through the areas they need to develop with pictures of their achievements. Most young people who have moved on from the home into adult life have made a successful transition into adulthood.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from a competent and proactive staff team who are able to meet their needs and support them throughout their placement. Relationships between staff and young people are friendly, positive and good natured. Young people are encouraged to express their feelings and emotions without infringing the rights of others. Staff are consistent and effective with teaching young people models of good behaviour, such as courtesy and respect, which promotes personal, social and emotional development. Equally, staff help young people when inappropriate behaviours occur to understand the outcome of their action.

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Quality of care

Young people feel that their views, wishes and feelings are actively sought and that they can influence the running of the home. Young people participate in weekly house meetings and key worker sessions and are able to plan what meals they would like to eat and what activities they want to do. Staff welcome constructive suggestions and young people's participation is good because they are confident in expressing their views. In addition, all young people have regular meetings with their key worker to discuss their recent progress, success, problems and concerns. Staff are exceptionally good with helping young people to understand why it may not be possible in all cases to act upon their wishes.

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Quality of care

Young people understand how to make a complaint because making a complaint is made as easy as possible; complaints are rarely made. Young people said, 'If we are not happy we talk to staff.'

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in line with their individual placement plan and these plans are comprehensive and well detailed. These plans include any additional services and support that arise out of a young person's disability, ethnicity, race, sexuality, faith or belief. There are clear targets set to assist with their personal, social and academic achievements. There is good support for young people in attending their review meetings where they are encouraged to express their views and share their achievements through displays of photographs and certificates. There is a clear system of measuring the outcomes for young people and this is carried out on a regular basis. Although, young people said they are aware of and have read their placement plans, they are not shared in a way that they understand the reasoning behind any decision made about their future. Monthly summaries are shared with the social workers which explain how effective support and guidance has

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Quality of care

been delivered. Social workers said, 'Communication with the home is excellent. We are always updated on the young person's progress.'

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Quality of care

The home provides a healthy environment where young people are able to access the services and support they need to meet their physical, emotional and psychological health needs. Young people have access to a psychologist for an initial assessment of need and then referrals are made to the children and adolescent and mental health service. As a result, young people can get the treatment and support they need. Staff are trained on the management of medication and personal hygiene and sexual health matters are discussed individually.

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Quality of care

Staff are proactive and consistent in supporting the educational achievement of young people, engaging with the colleges and successfully promoting their attendance and achievements.

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Quality of care

A range of purposeful and enjoyable activities are available relating to the young person’s cultural background and personal identity. Young people are encouraged to pursue their interest and hobbies such as rugby, football, fishing and attendance at the local gymnasium. This is encouraging young people to take responsibility for their physical health and fitness. At a practical level, the home has a range of computer games and consul equipment, access to a television, pool table, darts and board games.

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Quality of care

The accommodation provides a pleasant, warm and comfortable home that young people enjoy living in. Furnishings and décor are of a high standard and there is an ongoing development plan for further improvements. Young people's bedrooms are personalised to their own taste and requests for any changes to the accommodation are dealt with promptly. There is a large garden at the back of the property with ample opportunity for outside activities and there is a separate games room at the end of the garden.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people report that they feel safe at the home. They may not always like the house rules and staff supervision but they generally acknowledge they are in place for their safety. Young people can have free time if they display sensible behaviour. Each young person has a risk assessment where vulnerabilities are identified with measures in place to reduce known risks and promote their safety. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding, senior staff at an advanced level. As a result, they demonstrate a sound understanding of the action to take should they have any concerns about a young person's safety or well-being.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home works well with local agencies to keep young people safe. Staff are clear about what to do if a young person should go missing, though this rarely happens. The home has clear protocols with the local police and the placing authority. This home has been proactive in inviting the local community police to visit socially, enabling the young people to build up some positive relationships and have a better understanding of the law and the role of the police.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff communicate clear expectations regarding boundaries that help young people to begin to understand consequences for their behaviour. The training staff receive is based on redirection and purposeful intervention to calm a situation quickly. Restraint is only used when felt really necessary to ensure safety. Young people respond well to the house rules as indicated by the low number of sanctions and high number of rewards. Detailed behaviour management plans are in place providing staff with guidance on managing difficult situations. Staff work well as a team and form positive relationships with the young people. The atmosphere at the home is relaxed and the emphasis amongst the staff team is to defuse any potentially difficult and challenging situations. Staff meetings and supervisions enable staff to discuss strategies and provide a consistent approach to the young people which has produced excellent results.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Individual behaviour support plans are well thought out documents involving young people, their parent/carer and social worker who sign to say they are in agreement with the plan.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are robust procedures for the recruitment and selection of all staff. These ensure that everyone is thoroughly vetted before they start work. All visitors to the home are required to provide evidence of their identity and to sign a 'visitors' book. These systems help to protect young people as they ensure that unauthorised individuals are not able to gain access to the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The environment is physically safe and appropriately secure, taking account of the needs and characteristics of the young people cared for. All young people have their own lockable bedroom and this promotes their right to privacy and personal space. There is a rigorous approach to health and safety matters. This is underpinned by policies, procedures and training that alerts staff to their roles and levels of responsibility. As a result, young people benefit from a safe environment and this has a positive impact upon their welfare.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding .

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Leadership and management

The home is effectively and efficiently managed. The manager and staff team have a clear vision and deliver good care for young people because of the effective environment, culture, communication and performance of staff. Staff morale is high and this is because the Registered Manager gives a strong focus to improving performance and there is a strong drive by staff to achieve this. The senior team stimulate the enthusiasm of staff and channel their efforts effectively. The home demonstrates a capacity for continuing improvement based on its track record and performance. The whole team understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home and discuss areas for further development. The recommendation from the previous inspection has been addressed and there is now a comprehensive programme of independence in place.

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Leadership and management

The provider meets the aims and objectives in the Statement of Purpose. It comprehensively addresses equality and diversity and there is a strong commitment to anti-discriminatory practice. Young people are provided with an environment where boundaries and expectations are clear and staff practice is consistent. Young people, staff and placing authorities are clear about the aims and objectives of the home and what services and facilities it provides. Young people benefit from effective management. There are various systems to monitor the quality of care which includes monthly visits by another manager within the organisation. They have also adapted the quality assurance process to fit the new inspection framework which is very forward thinking. There is a clear written development plan in place, which incorporates the surveys received from young people, parents and other professionals and this helps to shape the service. In

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Leadership and management

addition to the monthly monitoring, the quality assurance systems seek the opinions of young people, parents, families, professionals and placing authority social workers. Feedback received during the inspection from professionals involved with the service include comments such as, ‘I’ve been impressed with the way the whole staff team have engaged with the young person and the improvements the young person has made.' Feedback sheets completed by young people and their parents state that they feel safe, listened to and cared for.

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Leadership and management

Records are clear, up to date and stored securely, and contribute to an understanding of the young person’s life. All significant events relating to the protection of young people accommodated in the home are notified by the registered person of the home to the appropriate authorities and appropriate action is taken following the incident.

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Leadership and management

Staff are supported and guided to fulfil their roles and provide a good quality service to young people. Staff members feel supported in their work through regular supervision, excellent training opportunities and clear policies and procedures to support them. The training programme devised by the organisation ensures that mandatory training is available and refresher training is planned. Professional development is encouraged. New members of staff follow a planned induction and report that they are very well supported and always have someone to approach with any questions.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is outstanding .

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