Children's Home run by Hertfordshire County Council in Hertfordshire

Unique reference number SC379199 Inspection date 24/08/2011 Inspector Ann-Marie Born / Jennie Christopher Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 15/03/2011 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 is a local authority long-stay children's home registered to accommodate six young people from the age of 13 to 18 years. The home's premises can accommodate wheelchair users and young people's bedrooms have en-suite facilities. Young people have access to communal space and educational facilities. The home is situated in a residential area close to local amenities. The home and grounds are secure and parking is provided.

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Brief description of the service

The service is in the process of registering an additional bed with Ofsted which will allow a maximum of seven young people to be accommodated.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people make excellent progress from their starting points in a number of key areas, notably educational achievements, reducing challenging behaviours, developing independence and life skills and keeping safe. Young people are extremely positive about their care, support and experiences and are able to draw very favourable comparisons from previous experiences which supports them to settle and feel safe. One young person said 'wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.’ However young people's views following episodes of being missing or having their rooms searched are not always recorded and so their views may not be fully captured.

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Overall effectiveness

The strong and committed management team support a caring, enthusiastic staff team who maintain a focus on young people's needs and are genuinely motivated to help them achieve and succeed. However not all significant events are fully recorded or reported, Regulation 33 reports are not being received by Ofsted in a timely fashion and not all staff recruitment records are being held within the home. In addition an electronic surveillance device in the form of an alarm that that is being used as a safeguarding measure does not have a written policy that sets out how it should be used.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are supported to maintain positive, appropriate and fulfilling relationships with their parents, important family members and friends. Young people are able to use excellent weekly residents’ meetings and effective key worker sessions to share their feelings. A young person said ' we can tell them if we want different food, things to do and they listen. It’s really safe here and they know where I am and what I’m doing.'

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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) ensure that Ofsted is supplied with a copy of all monitoring visit reports. (Regulation 33) 23/09/2011

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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

 ensure that where any sanctions, disciplinary methods or restraint are used children are encouraged to have their views recorded on the records kept by the home (National Minimum Standard 3.18)  ensure that where electronic devices are used to monitor children, there is a written policy that sets out how they should be used, how they promote the welfare of children, how children will be informed of their use and how legitimate privacy of children will be protected (National Minimum Standard 10.5)  ensure that all significant events relating to the protection of children 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 (National Minimum Standard 24.1)  ensure that a written record is kept which includes details of the action taken and the outcome of any action or investigation following a notifiable event (National

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Recommendations

Minimum Standard 24.2)  ensure that the children’s home has a record of recruitment and vetting checks which has been carried out on those working in the home. (National Minimum Standard 16.3)

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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 make significant progress in all aspects of their lives, including the cessation of criminal behaviours, which they themselves can recognise. One social worker said 'She has done really well. She has started to think about her behaviour and consequences.' Young people receive excellent support to develop a positive self view and recognise and build confidence in their abilities. Innovative practice enables them to develop extensive self-care skills as they prepare for a successful transition to independence and adult life. These include being responsible for their own laundry, basic household maintenance and decorating, sewing and cooking, as well as understanding banking and direct debits.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Education is highly valued and as a result young people achieve excellent personal goals such as re- integrating to mainstream education placements, achieving full- time attendance in school and positions of responsibility, for example, being head girl, and sitting national GCSE qualifications. One young person said that he was annoyed when staff made him get up for school and that he had to attend then added 'but course I go and it's good.' Young people are therefore able to maximise opportunities, gain on lost time and achieve positive results.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from varied and innovative opportunities to socialise and learn from leisure and educational activities. The well-equipped education unit has a space where young people are able to create pieces of art to hang on the walls of the home. Positive friendships within the community are promoted and young people's friends are welcomed in the home. Young people's contact arrangements with significant family members are fully promoted and the building and maintaining of those relationships is a major strength. For example, the Registered Manager met with a parent away from the home to reassure him that his presence would be welcomed but to ensure that he understood boundaries, and the home supported a young person in having a holiday with their sibling. Young people fully benefit from the sense of stability and community this gives them in their home and promotes an atmosphere and feeling of belonging.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are able to express their feelings in a variety of forums and in day-to- day living. The committed and enthusiastic staff team understand each young person's family histories and experiences and support them to express any concerns, anxieties and worries as well as celebrate any achievements. Comprehensive genograms and memory boxes help young people make sense of their lives and continue an ongoing record for the future. Young people fully benefit from the security, stability and sense of consistency this provides both now and for their longer-term relationships and in to adulthood.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Exemplary practice ensures young people enjoy positive health and lead healthy lifestyles. There is a nurturing and educative approach to help young people understand the benefits for them of enjoying good health, for example, how diet improves behaviour, skin and hair. In addition equality and diversity is promoted by the recognition of the need to be aware of specific conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and the purchase of specialist hair products. Young people demonstrate good awareness of their health needs and progress in key areas in their health plans. Enthusiastic forward-thinking staff members make good use of specialist knowledge and develop individual therapeutic programmes to support each young person and respond to changing needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people understand the value of respecting their home,each other and building a comfortable and safe home for them all to share. They offer each other support in their weekly team meetings as well as sharing activities together. They are fully aware that food is not to be wasted and that they will be responsible for replacing broken items. The innovative and resourceful Registered Manager has involved young people in raising funds for charitable organisations such as a local hospice and one that provides support for children in other areas of the world. Young people will be able to see how their contribution has made a difference and further develop their sense of achievement and worth.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Excellent care plans are comprehensively updated on a regular basis by the link worker together with the young person. All cultural and religious needs are identified and addressed. A social worker said 'She’s thriving there; she said she loves the staff, those are her words.' Young people feel involved and consulted about all aspects of their lives and their plans from the start of the introduction process to the home. As a result they quickly settle in and want to stay long term, which the majority of young people do. A social worker stated 'the admission process made all the difference in this being a success because he felt that they wanted him and he would be safe.’.

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Quality of care

The manager and staff have high aspirations for the young people to succeed and achieve whilst also feeling comfortable and happy. A staff member said 'It's a lovely environment. Very homely and the atmosphere is relaxed.’ Strong, supportive and nurturing relationships are built between staff and young people which enables inappropriate behaviour to be challenged and positive behaviour to be built upon and celebrated. A staff member said 'Reinforcing when they are right as well as when they are wrong, so there is focus on both.' The strength of the relationships keeps any difficulties in perspective and allows for positive progress through challenging periods. As a result young people learn more positive ways to communicate their feelings and emotions resulting in a decreasing number of incidents. A parent said ' they give her support if she has any worries. They’ve got her to talk to them which isn’t easy to do.' Young people learn to behave respectfully, show consideration for

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Quality of care

each other's cultural, religious needs and differences and develop tolerance from the warmth, encouraging and positive responses they receive from staff.

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Quality of care

Young people's needs are the central focus for all staff members and they are consistently consulted in planning and day-to-day arrangements, for example, requesting who supports them as key worker, choosing colours and decorations in the home and being involved in choosing purchases for the home. An excellent complaints procedure is fully understood and implemented by young people and staff members. Staff effectively address disagreements between young people and each other or with staff before they reach the formal complaint process. As a result, young people learn how to manage relationships and conflict in a positive manner.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy and benefit from the excellent facilities provided within the large, purpose-built, yet homely setting. Each young person has their own en-suite bedroom that they can personalise to their taste and the use of a number of shared rooms including a lounge, computer room, games/art room and spacious outside space. The home is fully wheelchair accessible. The home is in a residential neighbourhood and easy access to public transport and close to all local amenities.

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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

Young people feel safe in the home where safeguarding is a priority. Young people's safety and welfare is very important and central to all practice. Young people are supported to learn how to keep themselves safe and understand the risks and potential risks that behaviours and actions may lead to. Where particular risks are indentified prompt communication takes place with social workers to consider appropriate responses. A social worker stated 'she’s safe there and they are very good at keeping in contact with me.' Staff spend a great deal of time talking through any identified concerns to develop young people's own understanding of risks and the reasons adults are worried. As a result young people's risk-taking behaviours reduce and they feel cared for and protected. A parent stated 'there’s always enough people for her to talk to, I would say she’s completely safe there.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

There has been a positive reduction in the number of episodes of missing from the home. An independent reviewing officer commented 'the fact they’ve held on to him for as long as they have when he always used to abscond is an achievement.' Staff respond quickly to any missing episodes and look for the young people whilst following locally agreed protocols. Young people are welcomed back to the home with ‘open arms’ and staff are genuinely concerned for them if they are missing. Young people support each other to remain in the home and share their experiences with new residents to encourage them to stay. However, young people are not able to record their views on the records kept following such occasions.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's individual vulnerabilities are understood and staff employ vigilance and strategies in line with risk assessments. Praise, rewards and incentives promote positive behaviours; sanctions are not punitive and are regularly monitored by the Registered Manager and head of care who comment upon their efficacy and whether they are appropriate. Room searches are employed and an electronic surveillance alarm is being used to safeguard young people from entering each others rooms. However young people are not able to comment upon their responses to room searches and there is no policy in place with regard to the electronic surveillance. Physical interventions are rarely used, accurately recorded and quickly cease to be a strategy with young people once they settle in the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Robust recruitment, vetting and supervision processes ensure that young people are cared for by suitable and well supported staff. Young people are involved in preparing questions and sitting on panels in the recruitment process and 'taster shifts' with potential staff give young people the opportunity to comment upon new recruits. This further enhances young people's ability to develop social and life skills. However, not all the required documents relating to staff members are held on the files within the home.

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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 is effectively managed by the innovative and committed manager with the support of the enthusiastic and experienced head of care. The manager is aware of the new standards and regulations and is working to put these in to practice. Records show that regular visits under Regulation 33 of the Children's Homes Regulations are being carried out and young people are being consulted. However, these are not being received at Ofsted in a timely manner. The Registered Manager actively monitors the quality of care provided under Regulation 34, Schedule 6 and uses the information gathered positively to further benefit the young people in the home. In addition she ensures that the report is appropriately disseminated. A parent stated 'I think it’s very well managed and run.'

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Leadership and management

The provider meets the objectives detailed in their Statement of Purpose which gives clear and comprehensive information to interested parties as to the services that will be provided. It also gives specific details of special provision that will be made available for the cultural, religious and language needs of any young person accommodated within the home. In addition there are details of a Black and Asian workers support group.

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Leadership and management

The young people's guide can be individualised and promotes the use of positive behaviours. Racism and bullying are marked as discussion points in young people's meetings. It can be made available to young people in other formats and languages to meet their needs.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from high staffing levels and the care and attention they receive from the well supported and committed staff team. The majority of staff members either hold or are enrolled on the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 or higher qualification and are taking further training.

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Leadership and management

All records are clear, contribute to the understanding and development of a young person's life, are up to date and are securely stored in locked cabinets. The majority of significant events relating to young people in the home are comprehensively and accurately recorded and notified to the appropriate authorities. However, this is not always the case.

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Leadership and management

Young people have close, positive and productive relationships with both the manager and head of care who know them well. The manager is building upon strengths within the staff team and has identified the areas of development and planning that are needed.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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