Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC359836 Inspection date 22/09/2011 Inspector Paul Scott Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 02/02/2011 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 children's home operated by a local authority. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people receive a good level of care. They live in a safe and supportive home that enables them to make good progress in most aspects of their lives. Young people recognise the progress they have made during their time at the home. Care planning is personalised and young people are achieving some good outcomes with their confidence, keeping themselves safe and making the transition to independence and adult life. Systems are in place to ensure young people have the opportunity to contribute to their individual care plans and the running of the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people say they are safe and feel safe. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of young people. They take effective action to ensure young people's vulnerabilities and the risks they may face in the community are effectively managed to keep young people safe from unnecessary harm. Young people's relationships with staff are generally positive and are continually improving as staff and young people get to know each other. Young people say 'staff care'.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has been subject to many changes as part of the restructuring and reorganisation of the responsible authority. The manager has worked hard to ensure these changes have only had a limited impact on the quality of care provided for young people. Young people continue to get good support from a committed, qualified and experienced staff team.

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Overall effectiveness

Some areas for improvement were identified. These include the home's Statement of Purpose, the content of the home's development plan, notifications of significant events and young people's admissions to the home.

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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) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the Statement of Purpose, in particular, details of the staff currently working at the home (Regulation 5 (a)) 31/10/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) if, in relation to the children's home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2, in particular Ofsted. (Regulation 30 (1)) 31/10/2011

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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 the children's home only provides admission to children whose assessed needs they can reasonably meet (NMS 11.2)  ensure the home's written development plan for the future of the home, clearly identifies where change could impact on the home's operation or resources as a result of the restructuring and reorganisation of the responsible local authority. (NMS 15.2)

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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

Young people are well supported to gain a positive understanding of their lives and plan for their future. Young people have a good understanding of the difficulties they have faced in their lives and talk positively about overcoming these difficulties and planning for the future. Staff work hard to ensure young people are provided with the right opportunities to achieve their potential based upon their individual needs and ability. One young person said, 'I have a better understanding of my needs and know what I want to achieve in the future'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health needs are well managed. Staff encourage young people to take responsibility for looking after their own health, appropriate to their age and level of understanding. Young people are aware of the need to eat a healthy diet and take regular exercise. For example, young people take responsibility for their own personal care, take pride in their appearance and enjoy regular exercise. They have good access to a range of health services and receive excellent support and information about any health problems, enabling them to make informed choices. For example, they receive detailed information about health risks and the impact of smoking, alcohol and substance misuse, and are offered a range of strategies to give them up. One social worker said, 'the home is very good at helping young people address their health needs'. There are mixed outcomes for young people in respect of their education. Staff are

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Outcomes for children and young people

good at communicating to young people the importance of education, and work hard to motivate them. There is good evidence that staff work collaboratively with schools to ensure young people are provided with the opportunity to participate in education, college and work. This has resulted in some young people achieving qualifications, including GCSE's. One young person said, 'I achieved some GCSE's but I am disappointed with my grades. I will go back to take them again in the future. For now staff are helping me to find work. They are helping me do my curriculum vitae so that I can start applying for jobs'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Well organised and safe arrangements are in place for young people to maintain contact with their family and friends. Staff support young people both emotionally and practically with travel arrangements. Young people confirm this and say staff help them keep in touch with their family and friends.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home has had some good outcomes of young people making a successful transition to independence. Young people who are 'eligible' have pathway plans in place to help them plan for their transition for independence. The home has an independence training programme that aims to teach young people the basic skills necessary to live independently. Young people are provided with practical and emotional support. For example, staff will help young people search for properties, purchase furniture and move into their own home. They keep regular contact and will visit young people after they have left the home. This means young people are offered support and guidance, better enabling them to deal with independence. One social worker said 'staff provide good support for young people when they are moving on'.

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Quality of care

Young people experience a good quality of care. They are cared for by staff who have a good understanding of their individual needs, and a genuine interest in their well-being. Staff have high aspirations for young people and do their best to support them to make positive choices about their lives.

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Quality of care

Staff always view young people in a positive light. Relationships between staff and young people are generally positive and continue to develop as young people become familiar with the new staff working at the home. One young person said 'I get on well with most staff but I have found the changes difficult to cope with'. Staff encourage young people to have positive and healthy relationships with each other. They are extremely good at managing young people's complex relationships and take appropriate actions to ensure young people are protected from exploitation, bullying, intimidation and harassment.

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Quality of care

Young people know how to complain but choose not to. They are provided with good opportunities to express their opinions and contribute to the running of the home. A number of formal and informal consultation systems are in place to ensure young people's views and wishes are actively sought and action is taken to support any reasonable request. Young people said, 'they can talk to staff about things in the home'. They said, 'our views are generally valued and things get done, but sometimes they don't get done straight away'.

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Quality of care

Young people's care is generally well planned. There are clear procedures for introducing young people to the home, the staff and other young people living at the home. However, not all recent admissions of young people to the home have been appropriately assessed to ensure the needs of the individual can be met without impacting on the care of young people already living at the home.

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Quality of care

Care planning and the day to day practice of the staff recognises individuals with different backgrounds, interests and needs. Young people's needs are well documented in their individual care plans and there is regular monitoring and review of their progress. Young people have a good understanding of their plans and are encouraged to read and sign their individual written records. Staff have a good knowledge of young people's specific needs and provide young people with good support to ensure they receive an individual service designed to meet their personal needs and identity.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a healthy environment that actively promotes their physical and emotional well-being. They benefit from having detailed health plans that provide staff with good information about their current and any known future health needs. Young people have access to community health services and are registered with a local doctor, dentist and optician. The manager has established good links with specialist services to ensure young people have access to the healthcare services they require to meet their individual needs. These services are used effectively to provide direct support for young people and provide information and guidance for staff on a number of health related topics.

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Quality of care

Staff encourage young people to plan their recreation time positively and engage in purposeful and enjoyable activities. The types of activities that may present a risk to young people are thoroughly assessed and monitored. Opportunities are available for young people to pursue their individual interests. Young people confirm this. For example, one young person is interested in boxing. Staff have arranged for a membership at a local gym which he attends three times a week.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a large, comfortable house that has been purpose built to meet their needs. It is located on the outskirts of a small town with good public transport links to a nearby city. The home is well maintained and decorated, and furnished to a high standard. Young people are encouraged to make the house more homely by personalising their bedrooms and contributing to the displays shown in communal areas.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people say they feel safe in the home. They live in a safe environment where they are effectively protected from harm. For example, staff are trained in safeguarding and are able to recognise the symptoms of abuse and know exactly what to do to protect young people. Young people's safety is given the highest priority. They are appropriately protected by a range of safeguarding measures, such as systems to deal with any child protection issues or complaints. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to safeguard young people and work effectively with social workers and the police to ensure young people's welfare is promoted. All matters of concern about the safety and well-being of young people are thoroughly investigated. However, on one occasion the manager did not notify Ofsted of a serious incident.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are robust procedures in place for when young people go missing. Protocols with the police are followed when unauthorised absences occur to ensure young people are located and returned as quickly as possible. One police officer said, 'the home has good links with the police, including the Missing Persons Coordinator and they manage young people going missing very well'.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff take a positive approach to behaviour management and encourage acceptable behaviour using reward, praise and encouragement. Detailed behaviour management plans provide staff with agreed and safe responses to managing young people's sometimes difficult and extremely challenging behaviour. These plans are understood by staff who effectively put strategies into practice to ensure young people and staff are safe, and outcomes for young people are as positive as possible. For example, staff have established good links with the police who will provide proactive support when required without unnecessarily criminalising young people. One police officer said, 'the staff have had to manage some very challenging behaviour. They have the right skills and have coped well. They care about young people and respond like parents'. Staff are trained in behaviour management. Staff have used physical restraint on a small number of occasions. Where restraint has been used it has been

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Safeguarding children and young people

as a last resort to prevent young people putting themselves or others at risk.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in a physically safe and secure environment. They are effectively protected by a comprehensive range of health and safety procedures, risk assessments and checks that are regularly reviewed and kept up to date. Young people and staff are regularly involved in fire drills to ensure they know how to safely evacuate the building in the event of a fire.

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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

Young people benefit from living in a home that is well managed in the best interest of young people. The home meets the aims and objectives of its Statement of Purpose, and young people, staff and social workers are clear about the services and support the home provides. However, the home's Statement of Purpose does not provide up to date details of staff working at the home. The restructuring and reorganisation of the responsible authority has meant that the home has been subject to some changes since the last inspection. For example, the reorganisation of the staff team has at times affected the home's overall stability. The manager has effectively supported staff to ensure young people's care continues to be given the highest priority and the impact of change is minimised.

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Leadership and management

The manager has a good understanding of the home's strengths and how future changes will impact on the operation of the home. However, the home's development and team plan does not provide sufficient detail about how these changes are to be effectively managed to ensure young people continue to receive good quality care.

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Leadership and management

There is good monitoring of the home. The home has monthly Regulation 33 inspections by a person independent to the home, which the manager responds to, to inspect the quality of care provided for young people. The manager effectively uses Regulation 34 monitoring to improve and ensure the care provided for young people is of a good quality and relevant to their individual needs.

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Leadership and management

Both good practice recommendations made at the last inspection have been positively addressed. This has improved outcomes for young people across a range of issues. For example, young people are protected from reprisal when making complaints and all 'eligible' young people have pathway plans to ensure their transition to independence is planned.

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Leadership and management

Young people are cared for by a sufficient number of suitably qualified and experienced staff. The manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering good quality childcare that places the needs of young people at the centre of their work. There are good opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge and skills through training. All staff receive good quality formal supervision to ensure they have the opportunity to develop their practice to best meet the needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

The home's written records are securely stored and provide a comprehensive picture of individual young people's needs, development and progress. Young people's records contain up to date information in them ensuring they receive the right support to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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