Children's Home run by Lifetime Opportunities Limited in Oldham

Unique reference number SC356817 Inspection date 14/09/2011 Inspector Sarah Oldham Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/02/2011 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

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with learning disabilities, of either gender, from eight to 17 years of age.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people are provided with outstanding care and support in a positive, nurturing environment. Outcomes for young people are positive and they benefit from a consistently high level of care. Comprehensive individual care plans detail all levels of care and support what the young people need and how these needs are to be met. Care plans are discussed with placing social workers, parents and young people. The home is organised and managed effectively. Children and young people are supported to access community facilities. This enables them to develop skills in social interaction, to access facilities with their peers and to develop skills in planning activities. Young people and staff have excellent relationships and this ensures that the wishes and feelings of the young people remain at the forefront of all practice. Staff are experienced and have appropriate training to enable them to

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Overall effectiveness

support young people with complex needs.

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Overall effectiveness

Comprehensive risk assessments are in place to promote the safety of young people. Policies and procedures that underpin the promotion of safety and well-being are current and known by staff. The home has developed excellent relationships with placing social workers who comment positively about the care provided.

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Overall effectiveness

There are two requirements made at this inspection in relation to ensuring that a system is in place to review the quality of care in the home and that the restraint record clearly records the duration of the measure of restraint.

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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

17B (2001) ensure that the duration of the measure of restraint is clearly recorded (Regulation 17 (4) (a)) 31/10/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a system is in place for reviewng the quality of care in the children's home and a copy supplied to the HMCI in 30/11/2011 respect of the review. (Regulation 34 (1)(b) (2)).

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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

Children and young people living at the home benefit from individualised care and support. Staff receive ongoing training and development to enable them to support the young people effectively and in accordance with their placement plans. These are reviewed on a regular basis. This ensures that individual progress is clearly identified and enables effective planning to continue to develop individual skills and abilities. Young people say that they like living at the home. One young person said 'everyone is nice and helps me to learn lots of new things.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff are aware of the different ways that the children and young people communicate their wishes and feelings and ensure that they have an effective voice in the running of the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The health care needs of the children and young people are promoted. They are registered with the appropriate health care professionals, including a doctor, dentist and optician. Where additional health care needs are identified, staff support children and young people to access these; for example, the child and adolescent mental health service. Staff are proactive in following any additional health care plans; ensuring high quality health care support is promoted. Staff have received appropriate training in the promotion of health. This includes first aid, management and administration of medication and the promotion of healthy living. This ensures that the health care needs of the children and young people are clearly identified, effectively supported and comprehensive records maintained.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are involved in the planning, shopping and preparation of meals, according to their individual abilities. All children and young people say that they enjoy the food at the home and there is always plenty of choice. One young person said ' I really like cooking and I am learning how to make lots of different things.' Meal times are enjoyable and social occasions, with children and young people and staff taking the opportunity to discuss general daily events.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff ensure that contact arrangements are clearly identified and support this effectively. Placing social workers say that the staff are proactive in supporting contact. This enables children and young people to benefit from contact with families as agreed in placement plans.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are supported to attend education. Staff from the home are aware of the importance in maintaining positive links with schools and colleges and this is reflected in the open communication and comments made during individual reviews for children and young people. Staff take children and young people to school and college and attend parents evenings. The staff play an active role in all aspects of education. This ensures that children and young people are provided with opportunity to achieve positive educational outcomes. All the children and young people have a statement of special educational needs and a copy of this is maintained on their individual care file. When a young person is no longer in education and a transition plan is in place, staff support young people to prepare for independence, through a comprehensive and structured programme. This promotes independence and enables young people to be effectively supported in preparing for

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people have access to a range of leisure activities. These include youth clubs, dance classes, swimming and sports facilities. This enables them to meet other children and young people and develop friendships. The home also has a range of games and activities, as well as a garden where children and young people can play. Children and young people enjoy the range of activities available and have photographs of some activities to remember the events and to share with other their family and friends.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Before a child or young person moves into the home, a comprehensive and robust pre admission assessment is undertaken. This ensures that the home is an appropriate placement and that staff have an excellent understanding of the needs and support required by the children and young people. Wherever possible, children and young people are encouraged to visit the home prior to moving in. This enables them to meet the other people living there, the staff and to view the facilities provided. Information about the home is also available within the children's guide and also in pictorial format. This enables staff to effectively communicate to all children and young people preparing to move into the home, what it is like to live there.

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Quality of care

Children, young people and staff have good relationships. The young people say that staff are nice and friendly. One young person said 'if I have any worries I know that I can talk to staff and they will help me.' Staff use a range of communication skills and techniques to ensure effective communication with individuals. This includes verbal, pictorial and signs and gestures. Staff provide continuity in communication methods. This ensures that effective communication is maintained with children and young people and enables them to express themselves effectively.

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Quality of care

Each child and young person has a detailed and individualised placement plan. This provides information to staff about the needs of the child or young person and the way in which those needs are to be supported and met. These plans are working documents and are kept under review. This enables any changes in the placement plan to be clearly identified and appropriate action taken to address the changes. Young people say that they are consulted about their plans. One young person said 'I know what I am working towards because I talk to staff and they help me to understand things and plans for my future.' Social workers and other professionals are also consulted. One social worker said 'staff are excellent at supporting and encouraging children and young people in accordance with their placement plan.'

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Quality of care

Staff at the home have completed comprehensive risk assessments that cover all aspects of daily living, including health and safety. This ensures that robust procedures are in place to ensure that the safety and well-being of children and young people is promoted and effectively supported at all times. The complaints procedure is in an accessible format for all children and young people. They have access to independent advocates and children's rights officers. This ensures that they are supported independently from the home and have information about what to do if they wish to complain or raise any issues.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff at the home receive training on the promotion of safety and welfare for children and young people. This includes safeguarding and child protection. This training is updated on a regular basis to ensure that the knowledge and skill and practice of staff are current. The home’s policy and procedure on safeguarding links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and a copy of this is accessible to all staff. All children and young people have individual risk assessments in place. Children and young people say that they feel safe at the home. Information is available about bullying and how to make a complaint. This information is available in both written and pictorial formats. This ensures all children and young people are aware of what they should do if they are being bullied or want to make a complaint. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of bullying and are proactive in ensuring

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Safeguarding children and young people

that bullying does not take place. Children and young people say that they do not feel bullied but would know who to speak to if it was an issue.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Detailed information with regards to children and young people who are missing from home is in place. All children and young people have a robust risk assessment which details the procedure to follow for each person. Staffing levels at the home are high and this enables a good ratio of staffing. All children and young people have an emergency card which they carry on them when they are away from the home. The cards contain basic contact information if they are missing. There have been no recent occurrences of missing from care.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Clear behaviour support plans are in place for each child and young person. These detail individual behaviours and the support that they may require when upset, distressed or annoyed. Staff use a range of de-escalation techniques to reduce inappropriate behaviour. Physical interventions are only used if a person is at risk of harm to themselves or others. When this is the case, records are maintained of the intervention. However, there are some minor shortfalls in some of the records regarding the duration of the physical intervention. Within these identified records, the duration of the whole event has been recorded. This does not provide a clear record of the actual physical intervention. The views of the person are sought after the event and these are monitored by the manager. All staff have received training on managing behaviours, including physical intervention. When sanctions are used, these are also recorded and discussed with the young person. These are also

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Safeguarding children and young people

monitored by the manager to ensure that they are appropriate and support children and young people effectively.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Procedures for the recruitment and selection of staff are robust. Details of the recruitment and selection process for all staff are followed, including suitable application, references and checks in place prior to commencing employment. All visitors to the home are required to sign the visitors book and produce identification where appropriate. This ensures that the welfare and safety of children and young people is promoted and supported effectively.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The manager of the home ensures that health and safety risk assessments are in place, including a premises and fire safety risk assessment. Servicing of equipment, gas and electrical equipment is undertaken, ensuring that appropriate action is undertaken in promoting a physically safe environment. Children and young people participate in fire drills to ensure that they know the procedure to follow in the event of a fire.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The manager has the necessary skills, experience, qualification and understanding of the needs of the children and young people, to ensure that the home operates in accordance with its Statement of Purpose. Positive links have been made with placing social workers and, where appropriate, families of children and young people, to ensure that the care provided at the home is appropriate for each child and young person in placement. Staff are effectively supported to enable them to have the training and support to meet the needs of the children and young people.

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Leadership and management

The manager undertakes monthly monitoring to ensure that records and documentation is up to date and reflects the work being undertaken at the home. However, a report of how the home is to continue to develop in improving the quality of care is not undertaken at six monthly intervals and forwarded to Ofsted as required by The Children's Homes Regulations 2001. Consultation with children and young people is undertaken and their views clearly recorded. This enables the children and young people to contribute to the running of the home. When the wishes of the children and young people cannot be acted upon, there is a clear mechanism in place to enable children and young people to understand why something cannot happen. This ensures that there is effective communication in place.

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Leadership and management

Most staff members have appropriate qualifications in place. There is a training programme in place to ensure that those members of staff who do not hold a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 or a Diploma in Caring for Children and Young People are registered and working towards this qualification. There is a comprehensive in-house training schedule in place. This provides mandatory training including safeguarding and child protection. Training records for all staff are maintained. This ensures that staff working at the home have the necessary training to meet the needs of the children and young people. Staff receive supervision on a regular basis and feel supported within their role. The home has a good record of compliance and responds positively to inspection. Children and young people live in a home that provides outstanding levels of care and support on an individual basis. This enables children and young people to feel secure and to develop appropriate

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is outstanding .

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