Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC386003 Inspection date 22/08/2011 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 23/09/2010 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

This home is run by a private company and provides care and education for up to four young people aged between 12 and 16 years old. The home is registered to care for young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from being cared for by a helpful, friendly and committed staff team who have a good knowledge base and sound values. Education is given a very high priority and actively promoted. Young people are also encouraged to become involved in a range of community-based activities, which in turn helps to develop their self confidence and social skills. Young people feel listened to and feel they can talk about any problems or concerns they may have. Young people and members of staff have a warm, caring and positive relationship which is based on mutual respect. Young people are relaxed, friendly, polite and confident.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is pleasant and welcoming and meets the needs of the young people. Feedback for this inspection from social workers, staff members and young people themselves is extremely positive. There are good examples of individualised care, and outcomes for young people have improved significantly since they came to live at the home, particularly in relation to their confidence and self esteem.

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Overall effectiveness

Each young person has an individualised behaviour management plan, care plan and risk assessment in place. The plans and risk assessments are regularly reviewed. Members of staff take time to explain the content of plans and risk assessments to young people. However, some documents are not written in an age-appropriate manner. Some young people will not therefore, fully understand what it is that the home is trying to achieve for them, and how they can work toward meeting their own needs. Also some young people’s health plans have not been kept up to date to ensure that health needs are supported consistently.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has a Statement of Purpose in place which explains what the home wants to achieve and what services it provides but this lacks some details concerning the skills, qualities and experience of members of staff. The independent visitor does not always elicit the opinions of family members about the care the young people receive

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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

(2001) interview, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home. (Regulation 33 (4)(a) 30/11/2011

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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

 review each young person's behaviour plan to ensure they fully understand what the home is trying to achieve for them (NMS 3.6)  review the home's Statement of Purpose and young people's guide to ensure they fully describe the staff team and recent changes made to national minimum standards (NMS 13.1)  review each young person's health plan to ensure they fully reflect all health services being provided. (NMS 6.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

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Outcomes for children and young people

All the young people living at the home are encouraged to learn new things and to experience new activities. Recent activities undertaken with young people include a holiday away from the home, bike riding and swimming. One young person said, 'I had a good time on holiday, I enjoyed go-karting. When I'm at home I like playing on the PC or the Wii.' One young person has also expressed an interest in doing more cookery, which includes planning what to cook and purchasing the relevant ingredients. This helps young people to learn new skills, grow in confidence and to develop their self esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Each young person has their own key worker. Young people who returned inspection questionnaires said that the time they spend with their key workers was ok. The key worker system is well organised and helps young people feel listened to, and to make their needs known. One young person commented, 'staff listen to me', another said, 'the staff are friendly'. Young people enjoy very warm, caring and positive relationships with staff members which are based on mutual respect and understanding. All young people are included in the home's social group and activities; this helps to avoid exclusion and feelings of isolation. Young people are relaxed in the company of visitors and are both friendly and welcoming toward them. Young people receive consistent levels of support to learn new things and to develop their self-confidence and independence. The home has a system in place which it uses to help young people learn more about independent living and healthy eating.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to take part in meal preparation and to prepare snacks. This helps to develop their independence and to prepare them more fully for adult life.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Each young person has an individual health care plan in place, which outlines what their health care needs are and how they will be met. However, the involvement of all healthcare professionals in each young person's care is not fully recorded. All members of staff are not fully aware of each young person's health care needs, and how they are to be met. As a consequence, young people may not receive appropriate health care at times when they need it.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The education of young people is given a very high priority. Attendance at school is actively encouraged and supported. All young people living at the home are in full- time education. Young people receive certificates for achievement and for the attendance. School reports for three young people were looked at and were extremely positive. One young person said, 'school's ok'. One social worker said, 'I'm more than happy with how he's progressing, he's got clear boundaries and expectations. I think he enjoys knowing what's expected of him.' Staff offer ongoing help and advice to young people to help them achieve their targets and to ensure they have the best possible life-chances as they move into adulthood.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's files contain all the necessary educational information, including statements of special educational needs. This helps members of staff to understand the educational needs of the young people better and to promote their continued improvement.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Where appropriate, young people are actively supported and enabled to remain in contact with their families and friends. This helps young people to maintain relationships with those who are important to them and to maintain a sense of identity. In addition, regular contact with family members promotes the possible return of young people to their family homes.

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Quality of care

The home provides a very warm, comfortable and supportive environment in which young people can develop both physically and emotionally. The home's care planning systems are good with individual needs identified. Records are maintained and any changes in need are acted upon. Regular monitoring of care plans enables members of staff to evaluate the care they provide and to identify any changes which may be necessary. Young people are aware of what a placement at the home is meant to achieve and what their individual goals are. One young person said, 'I've made progress since coming here'. This means that the individual needs of young people continue to be met.

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Quality of care

Young people’s health and welfare is fully promoted and they are encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle. Members of staff are aware of each young person's strengths and weaknesses and they provide a friendly supportive environment in which they can mature, develop their independence and learn new tasks. Members of staff display an extremely warm, friendly and committed approach to caring for young people. This helps young people to feel safe and secure.

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Quality of care

Any young people who are ill or suffer accidents are quickly attended to. Members of staff encourage young people to lead an active lifestyle and to take regular exercise. One young person spoken to said, 'I like the activities we do'. There are written records in place to show that young people eat a healthy, well balanced diet, which helps to keep them healthy. A fruit bowl was freely available for young people to access if they wish.

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Quality of care

Written records are maintained of all medication administered to young people. The home has a positive approach to working in partnership with all health care professionals. Members of staff are in regular contact with health care staff to ensure that young people only take prescribed medicines when it is absolutely necessary and regular reviews of medication are carried out. Overall, there is a very good approach within the home to promoting the health and well-being of young people, which helps to ensure their welfare.

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Quality of care

The home has a thorough and clear admissions process for young people. Members of staff work hard to ensure each young person enjoys a positive experience whilst living at the home and is able to develop socially, physically and emotionally.

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Quality of care

The home has a detailed complaints process in place and young people are encouraged to voice their concerns. Members of staff said they listen to what young people have to say and that they try to resolve any issues they might have promptly. One young person said, 'I can make a complaint if I want, I can talk to anyone'. Young people are fully able to make their needs known and to raise formal complaints if they are unhappy about anything. This helps them to feel safe and listened to.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy living in a small busy town and are able to participate in a range of purposeful and enjoyable activities, which includes shopping trips and visits to local leisure centres. Each young person has their own bedroom and they are encouraged to make them as comfortable and personal as possible. There is a television in the lounge where young people can relax. One young person said, 'it's ok here. There's things to do outside but if I want to stay in and watch television I can do that as well'. The home also has a dining area where members of staff and young people can socialise, enjoy a meal together and talk informally. This helps young people to develop their social skills.

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Quality of care

Relationships between members of staff and young people are extremely warm and friendly. Members of staff strive to provide an environment in which young people can be happy and flourish. One young person spoken to said, 'I know staff care about me and want what's best for me. They're all ok really'. Young people feel comfortable at the home and understand that members of staff are there to help them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are clear systems in place within the home to safeguard young people. Risk assessments have been carried out in the home and these are regularly monitored and updated in line with changing circumstances or behaviours of young people. Members of staff take time to explain the individual risk assessments to each young person and to help them to understand the process more thoroughly. However risk assessments are not written in an age-appropriate manner. Young people do not fully understand risk assessments as well as they might do. Young people are however protected and kept safe from harm. A social worker said, 'I'm confident that my young person's absolutely safe here. At the moment I don't feel they could do more than they are doing'. There have been a small number of occasions when a young person has been missing from the home. The home has policies and procedures for dealing with missing children. Young people are responded to

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no safeguarding concerns at the home since the last inspection. The manager and all members of staff are trained in safeguarding. They receive regular refresher training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. This helps to keep young people safe and protected from potential abuse.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Members of staff promote a culture of positive behaviour within the home. Young people are supported to take responsibility for their actions and have been fully involved in determining what sanctions should be applied for specific behaviours. Where absolutely necessary, sanctions are used to help promote positive behaviour, but staff primarily encourage young people through reward systems. The use of restraint or holding of young people within the home is seldom, if ever, used. Written records show that the use of restraint has been used only in circumstances to protect the young people from harm. Each young person has a behaviour management plan in place. Members of staff take time to explain the behaviour plans to each young person and how they work. Behaviour plans are not written in an age-appropriate manner so that young people do not understand their behaviour plans as well as they might do. Young people are however, helped to develop more appropriate ways

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Safeguarding children and young people

to deal with any stress, anxiety or difficulties they may be facing.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home's manager ensures that all safety checks needed within the home are undertaken to ensure the safety of young people, visitors and members of staff. The manager also ensures that appropriate and regular checks of the home's fire systems, smoke detectors and emergency lighting are carried out. Young people understand the fire evacuation process and practise fire drills including those at night. Full written records are maintained by the home's manager. Risk assessments are available with regard to the general building and also in relation to the young people themselves. Risk assessments are clear and regularly reviewed. Young people live in a safe environment and their safety is protected.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected by the home's recruitment procedures and are kept safe from potential abuse. The home's recruitment process is thorough and helps to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with young people are employed. Visitors to the home are asked to identify themselves on arrival and to sign the visitor’s book.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The home at present has no registered manager but the acting manager is in the process to putting in an application to Ofsted. The home meets the aims and objectives set out in its Statement of Purpose. However the Statement of Purpose does not clearly describe the skills, qualifications and experience members of staff have in looking after young people. Placing authorities will not, therefore, appreciate the full range of expertise contained within the staff group.

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Leadership and management

The young people's guide to the home is clearly written and provides important information, which young people may need. The young people's guide does not include the contract details for the Children's Rights Director. Young people know what they can expect from living at the home, although not the names of all those who they can speak to if they are worried about anything.

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Leadership and management

Young people's files are detailed and well ordered. Written information retained within the home provides a record of each young person's life there as well as the help and support carried out by staff members. House meetings involving the young people take place at regular intervals and their opinions are listened to. Young people and staff members discuss activities that the young people may wish to try as well as different meals they might like to sample. This helps young people to develop their confidence, self-esteem and to experience full range of life experiences.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring visits from someone independent of the home take place every month. The person undertaking these visits talks, where possible, to young people and members of staff. These visits help to ensure that the home is run properly and that young people are well cared for. The visiting officer doesn't always speak with the parents or relatives of young people. The opinions of family members about the care the young people receive are not borne in mind. Young people contribute to improving the quality of their care.

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Leadership and management

The organisation demonstrates a commitment to training. Members of staff receive training in a number of areas which help to safeguard and protect the welfare of children. Written records indicate that, where training is not up to date renewal dates have been identified and a plan is in place to ensure staff attendance. The home's manager ensures that all members of staff receive formal supervision on a regular basis. One member of staff said, 'we get regular supervision but we're also able to ask the manager things whenever we like, her door's always open. The staff team here are great as well, we all support each other; it's a good place to work.’ In addition regular staff meetings are also held. This helps staff members to feel supported in their work.

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Leadership and management

The home's manager provides effective management and has systems in place to ensure that the quality of care is regularly monitored. Any problem areas which may be identified are attended to and appropriate action taken. The home has a development plan in place. The home's owners, the manager and members of staff are fully aware of the home's strengths and weaknesses.

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Leadership and management

Staff members are enthusiastic and motivated and are encouraged to create new opportunities for the young people living at the home. One young person spoken to said, 'all the staff here are alright.’

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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