Children's Home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Hampshire

Unique reference number SC412476 Inspection date 31/08/2011 Inspector Brian Mcquoid Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 13/12/2010 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

The home offers small group living to four young people with learning disabilities. It is located in a suburban setting on the outskirts of a city on the south coast. The home, a detached chalet bungalow, has been extended and refurbished to meet the requirements of a residential home. All young people are accommodated in their own rooms.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

The home's overall effectiveness is good with positive outcomes being achieved for young people. Young people are being very well cared for in an environment where they are happy to be living, where they are safe, and where their needs are well met. Parents and placing social workers comment very favourably on the care the home provides for young people. Young people enjoy positive relationships with a staff group who thoroughly enjoy their work and who operate very effectively as a supportive team. Staff have a good understanding of safe working practices and ensure young people are suitably protected from harm at all times. High staffing levels contribute very effectively to the provision of individualised care and enabling young people to access community facilities. Young people are very much valued as individuals, are treated with respect and are consulted as much as possible about matters affecting them. They were observed being afforded choice in their everyday

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Overall effectiveness

lives and they have lots of opportunities to do things they enjoy doing. Young people make good progress in relation to their behaviour and in developing their levels of independence. Their school attendance is extremely good and staff work closely with all external professionals involved with them. The home provides a very good standard of accommodation which is well suited for its purpose. There is effective monitoring of all aspects of welfare, with the requirements of Regulation 33 and 34 being met. The home's acting manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has plans to develop the provision. The home’s stated aims and objectives for young people are being met well.

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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

Outcomes for young people at the home are good, with parents and placing social workers very happy with the care provided and the progress made by individual young people. 'Overall a wonderful place with a homely atmosphere and caring staff', and 'I love it, it is a brilliant home and my son has made good progress, particularly in relation to his behaviour' are two examples of comments made by parents. Young people's attendance at school and college is excellent with reports showing they are doing well and making good progress while there. Staff have achieved good working relationships with the educational establishments attended by young people and this has enabled consistent working practices to be achieved across the settings. Staff have developed good relationships with young people which have enabled them to work successfully with individuals on increasing their levels of independence and acquiring life skills. All young people enjoy regular contact with members of their

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Outcomes for children and young people

family. This includes visits home, overnight stays, and in one instance weekly visits to the home by a parent to spend time with their child. Parents spoken to commented very positively about their communication with the home and their relationships with the staff caring for their children. Placing social workers likewise were very positive about their visits to the home and reported being very happy with the care being provided for young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home provides a healthy environment where staff actively encourage and support young people to lead healthy lifestyles. Staff work closely with external agencies to successfully address the physical, emotional and psychological health needs of young people. Healthy meals are provided and young people are encouraged to try new foods. Young people enjoy lots of opportunities to do things they enjoy doing. Social interaction is encouraged and good use is made of local and wider community facilities. Observations saw choice being provided for young people as much as possible and staff supporting them successfully to develop their levels of independence. Staff provide good support to ensure successful transitions for young people moving on from the home.

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Quality of care

The home provides a good quality of care for young people within a caring and supportive environment. Young people were seen to relate extremely well to staff and to enjoy positive relationships with them. Staff members successfully encourage and support the development of positive behaviours and are acutely aware of the individual needs of young people. Observations saw staff being able to communicate effectively with all young people. The views of young people are sought as much as possible on matters affecting them and staff regularly ask them how they feel about living in the home. This was confirmed during a conservation with one young person. Parents and staff routinely advocate for young people and represent their views, with independent advocates also being appointed whenever necessary. Choice is provided as much as possible for young people during their everyday lives and this was observed taking place.

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Quality of care

Comprehensive care plans support the delivery of individualised care for young people and identify their needs in all areas of their lives and how these are to be addressed. Staff work in close partnership with parents and external professionals involved with young people and deliver good quality care in accordance with young people's individual placement plans. Individual plans are regularly reviewed and young people are consulted and involved in the care planning process as much as is possible.

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Quality of care

Staff have good access to specialist services which ensure that the physical, emotional and psychological needs of young people are met. Links with schools and with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service were clearly seen to be benefitting one young person. Young people have lots of opportunities to pursue a wide range of both purposeful and enjoyable activities, both within the home and in the wider community. Observations during the inspection saw young people preparing to attend a barbecue at one of the sister homes within the company.

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located and designed, providing an environment which enables the aims and objectives for young people to be achieved. The accommodation is of a very good standard and is being well maintained. Individual rooms are provided, with young people and their parents being consulted about décor and furnishings. Young people enjoy good access to both local and wider community facilities. Individual records showed all young people to have excellent attendance records at school and college, and to be making progress. Staff work very closely with schools and provide very good support for young people in relation to their school attendance and educational achievement. Increasing independence levels and acquiring life skills are also areas where staff are proactive and being successful in their work with young people.

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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 is good provision at the home for ensuring the safety and well-being of young people. Parents and placing social workers spoken to all reported feeling happy that young people were safe while being cared for at the home. Young people enjoy an environment which is suitably safe and secure and within which they can feel safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are clear guidelines to follow should a young person go missing, however, there have been no such incidents since the home opened. High staffing levels ensure young people are supervised appropriately at all times and include two to one staffing for some young people while out in the community. Staff are very aware of the differing vulnerabilities of individual young people with all aspects of safeguarding being given a high priority and young people's welfare being paramount at all times. Safeguarding training is routinely provided for all staff who are acutely aware of safe working practices and their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Observations saw staff being very vigilant in ensuring young people's safety. Comprehensive and up to date policies and procedures support and promote safe practice in all aspects of care provided. Health and safety, and fire safety matters are very effectively addressed and there are robust procedures for the

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Safeguarding children and young people

management of risk which are effectively implemented. This includes detailed risk assessments for the premises, for individual young people and for all the activities they undertake, both within the home and in the community. Staff successfully encourage and support young people to make positive developments in relation to their behaviour, with praise and positive reinforcement being routinely used. Observations saw young people respond positively to staff who were seen to deal with any challenging behaviour in a calm and supportive manner. Sanctions and the use of physical interventions are at a very low level with the relevant records being maintained as required. Procedures for the selection and recruitment of staff employed at the home are robust, being appropriately implemented, and provide suitable safeguards for the welfare of young people.

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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

Leadership and management of the home is good. The manager's post was being recruited to at the time of the inspection with a senior staff member assuming responsibility for the day-to-day running of the home and support and oversight being provided by a senior manager from within the organisation. Observations and conversations with parents and placing social workers showed the home to be operating very effectively and to clearly meeting the stated aims and objectives for young people. Clearly defined staffing structures ensure the day-to-day running of the home operates smoothly and that there is close monitoring of the welfare of individual young people. The home is well resourced, there is an ongoing development plan being implemented and a good awareness of the home's strengths and weaknesses. The recommendations from the home’s one previous inspection report have been satisfactorily addressed.

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Leadership and management

Comprehensive information about the home is provided for young people, parents and placing authorities. There is an up to date Statement of Purpose which is also produced utilising symbols, and which states clearly the home's aims and objectives for young people. Established systems provide for effective monitoring of the care provided and for regular consultation with young people. Regulation 33 visits take place regularly as required and internal monitoring in accordance with Regulation 34 is being undertaken. Staffing was seen to be a strength of the home. The staff group were extremely positive and enthusiastic about working at the home and were clearly very competent in meeting young people's needs. They receive good quality training and are being effectively supervised and supported. Levels of staffing are extremely good and provide for the effective supervision of young people at all times. There are clear and effective systems for maintaining and storing records

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Leadership and management

relevant to young people. Comprehensive and up-to-date policies and procedures support and promote good practice within the home and these are made available to all staff.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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