Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Unique reference number SC068789 Inspection date 01/08/2011 Inspector Tola Akinde-Hummel Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 22/11/2010 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

The home is a purpose built short break provision which opened in January 2007. In April 2011 the capacity increased from a four to an eight bedded unit. The unit is run by a local authority. The home provides short breaks, day care and tea visits for children and young people of either gender who have learning and physical disabilities.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

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Overall effectiveness

The change from a smaller unit to a larger one has had an impact on the care provided to children and young people. The home has become short of permanent staff. This means that care to children and young people is at times inconsistent. Young people have experienced a number of staff supporting them who are unfamiliar with their needs. The information provided in care plans is not always up to date or in line with care practice. Therefore children and young people may not reach their full potential due to old or unread information.

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Overall effectiveness

Support to staff and monitoring of their work practice and the quality of care provided to children has lapsed. This means that staff are not always working effectively and efficiently. Staff require regular supervision to ensure they work collectively to provide good care for children and young people in addition to enhancing their own professional development.

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Overall effectiveness

The home requires a more detailed procedure to be followed in the event of a young person going missing from the home. This will minimise any delay in accessing police support in an emergency. The records of agency staff require better organisation. This is to to ensure all information is kept together and shows that the homes recruitment procedure promotes the safeguarding of children and young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people continue to enjoy their short breaks. The opportunities to be creative and utilise the indoor and outdoor space is positive. More activities outside the home during holiday periods will enable children and young people to engage in new experiences and make more use of community facilities.

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Overall effectiveness

Permanent and long term agency staff demonstrate a commitment towards the children and young people and observed relationships between staff and children and young people are positive. Children and young people feel safe within the home and know how to access support if they are worried or concerned.

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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 there is at all times having regard to the size of the children's home the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children accommodated there a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home (Regulation 25(1)) 30/09/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the employment of any persons on a temporary basis at the children's home will not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs (Regulation 25(2)) 30/09/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal; specifically appropriate supervision (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 30/09/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) prepare and implement as required a procedure to be followed when any child accommodated in a children’s home is absent without permission, which has regard to any local authority or police protocols on missing children. (Regulation 16(4)(b)) 29/10/2011

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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 each child's placement plan is monitored by a key worker and reviewed within the home to ensure that the requirements of the plan are implemented in the day to day care of that child (NMS 25.2)  ensure that children pursue individual interests and hobbies. This includes taking part in a range of activities including leisure activities and trips (NMS 7.2)  provide a record of the recruitment and vetting checks which have been carried out on those working for the children's home. (NMS 16.3)

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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

The home provides support to children and young people for short breaks. However two young people are residing in the home on a more permanent basis. The home has managed these young people well ensuring that all health needs are met and they are able to develop a positive self view and plan for their future. Young people are able to maintain contact with their families and their friends are welcomed to visit the home. These young people are actively engaged in the community and are representatives on various councils.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people enjoy their short break. One parent stated, 'they are always welcoming and she is happy to come here, apart from home, there is nowhere else she will stay the night.’ Children also receive day care and tea visits to familiarise themselves with the service before progressing to overnight stays as appropriate. Children and young people are supported by permanent and long term agency staff that care about them and make every effort to help them develop. One parent added, 'the staff here have opened up his world, he gets to the door, runs in and feels very comfortable.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people have access to an arts and crafts room where they can participate in these activities. Creative work undertaken by children and young people is displayed around the home. Children and young people also make use of computer games for singing and sporting activities and use the large garden and equipment for pleasure and exercise. Children young people are not able to fully enjoy activities outside the home at the time of inspection as staff have not planned many activities during the summer period.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Parents and professionals confirmed that service has provided support to children and young people through assistance in an emergency. This allows children and young people in these situations to remain in an environment that is familiar to them.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people come from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of needs. Staff demonstrate an understanding of children and young people's religious and cultural requirements. Staff try to ensure that children and young people are supported with dignity and respect at all times. This can sometimes be a challenge for staff and children when working with unfamiliar agency staff.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is satisfactory .

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Quality of care

Relationships between children and young people, permanent staff and long term agency staff are positive. Children and young people enjoy the familiarity and sensitivity staff have developed with them. One young person stated, 'I like coming to the home chatting to staff and spending time with my friends.’

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Quality of care

Children and young people are currently experiencing a period of change to the service. Two services have merged and are located together. This has meant an increase in the number of children using the service and an amalgamation of staff. Children and young people have to familiarise themselves with new staff in addition to working with an increased number of agency staff. Staff and young people cited the increased reliance on agency staff as the most pressing issue. This has an impact on the quality of care received by some children and young people in some cases. For example, a member of agency staff unable to properly use equipment made the experience of receiving personal care stressful for a young person.

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Quality of care

Care plans outline what kind of assistance is required to properly support children and young people. These have not been reviewed according to the home's own standards. Updated information available to staff is particularly important given a lack of staff continuity resulting from the merger of the service and amount of agency staff working with children and young people. This means that children and young people who have made significant developments in some areas are not fully supported to continue with this progress as information has not been updated.

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Quality of care

The behaviour of children and young people is satisfactorily managed. However staff have missed some opportunities to manage behaviour better. For example, a number of children and young people require a ladder of events to decrease their anxiety. These were not put in place. The impact on children and young people is increased feelings of frustration and feeling unsettled during their short break. This can result in challenging behaviour that then has to be managed by staff that could have been avoided.

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Quality of care

Children and young people are able to make their wishes and feelings known to staff. They can be confident that when they express a wish or a complaint their views will be listened to. These are responded to by the manager and the deputy who will talk to the children and young people individually and seek a resolution. Where there have been concerns expressed about agency staff these have been resolved quickly and staff have not returned to work in the home.

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Quality of care

There are good and safe systems for recording and administering medication. This duty is undertaken by permanent staff and verified by a second staff member.

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Quality of care

The home is comfortable and well furnished. Communal areas are spacious and welcoming. Children and young people have bedrooms and bathrooms with suitable aids and adaptations to meet their needs. The garden is spacious and well equipped for children and young people. The home also has a well used sensory room and art room.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are made to feel safe in the home. The children and young people who access the service can require high levels of support and can display some challenging behaviour. Staff maintain good levels of support to children and young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a missing children’s procedure in place but this is not in partnership and with agreement of the police. However, no young people have gone missing from the home. The staff know, and have had experience of, children and young people who will try to leave the premises and take adequate steps to minimise these risks.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is safe use of restraint when necessary. The home does not use restraint or sanctions as a method of control with young people. The use of restraints are kept to a minimum; however when used, the Registered Manager monitors effectiveness and consequences. Staff receive behaviour management training and are taught de- escalation techniques.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a good record of reporting any concerns about the welfare of children to relevant agencies and where appropriate, they inform parents. One social work professional said, 'the staff alert us to concerns and monitor appropriately.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home is purpose built and any health and safety issues are addressed providing children with a safe environment. Regular health and safety and security checks are undertaken. Fire drills are completed on a monthly basis.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has not recruited new staff since the merger. There are appropriate policies and procedures in place for the safe recruitment of any new staff. A number of agency staff records are inconsistently filed and therefore do not easily confirm that criminal records bureau checks are in place, although the Registered Manager states that all agency staff do have an enhanced criminal records bureau check in line with council policy and practice.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The home has a management and staff team that are committed to meeting the needs of children using the service. The home’s Statement of Purpose reflects the service provided to children and young people. This is clear and gives parents and carers a picture of how the home functions and what they can expect from a short break.

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Leadership and management

The home is using a high level of agency staff recruited through the council’s internal procedure to cover shifts. The staff rotas demonstrate that at times, the number of agency staff exceeds the number of permanent staff on duty. This compromises the care and consistency that children need when receiving support.

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Leadership and management

Team meetings take place and staff voice their opinions about the service they provide. Some staff have not received formal supervision for some time. This means that practice discussions and any professional development needs are not fully addressed in order to properly support children and young people. Appropriate staff training is provided relevant to the work that they undertake with children and young people.

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Leadership and management

Records pertaining to young people are stored securely in the home. Young people and their carers know that their personal information is safe and shared only on a need to know basis.

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Leadership and management

The staff team are aware of issues of equalities and ensure that staff practice in a non discriminatory way. Regardless of race, culture, religion, communication or disability children and young people are given opportunities to explore and experience new things. The staff team are diverse, they embrace difference and respect the children and their families that they work with.

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Leadership and management

Regulation 33 monitoring visits take place monthly and identify any shortfalls in service provision and care provided to children and young people. These are addressed by the manager and the senior staff members and cascaded to staff to improve the overall effectiveness of the service and care provided.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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