Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Leeds

Unique reference number SC428895 Inspection date 14/09/2011 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/06/2011 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 children's home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide accommodation for three young people aged 11 to 17 years with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

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Overall effectiveness

Care plans are insufficient in detail and do not demonstrate how children and young people are cared for on a day-to-day basis. This does not ensure a consistent approach to their care.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people have their say in how the home is run, making sure that their opinions are valued.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people enjoy positive relationships with the majority of the staff, they all have someone that they can talk to and they feel safe in the home. This promotes their well-being.

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Overall effectiveness

Restraints have been used to enforce compliance and have not been recorded; this does not adequately safeguard young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Although the home has produced a behaviour management policy there are no individual behaviour management plans. This does not support staff in having a consistent approach to manage potential behaviours of young people which can compromise their welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

There are insufficient qualified staff employed in the home and some staff use the police to help them to address some young people’s challenging behaviours. This compromises their welfare.

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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 at all times, at least one person on duty at the children's home has a suitable first aid qualification (Regulation 01/12/2011 20)(2)(e)) 12A (2001) ensure each child or young person has a placement plan in accordance with regulation 9 of the Care Planning and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 ( Regulation 12A & Care Planning and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 Regulation 9 & Schedule 2) 14/10/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17A (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of restraint is recorded (Regulation 17B)(3)) 16/09/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there are sufficient suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the home (Regulation 25)(1)) 01/12/2011

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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 home meets the behavioural needs of each child or young person by producing an behaviour management plans in respect for each individual (NMS 3.7 & Children Act Guidance & Regulations Volume 5 2.88)  ensure staff only use the home's agreed restraint techniques (NMS 3.15)  ensure the home's approach to care minimises the need for police involvement with challenging behaviour. (NMS 3.22)

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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

As this is a new home the children and young people have only been in residence for about six weeks. However, in that time they have settled well although occasionally the home does experience some disruptive behaviours.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Health needs are identified with guidance in place demonstrating how these are to be met. Young people have access to a sexual health adviser and support with stopping smoking to promote their health. Children and young people are provided with healthy and nutritious meals ensuring that they eat healthily. Some young people shop and prepare their own evening meal to enhance their independence skills. There are insufficient staff who hold a first aid qualification to ensure a qualified first aider is on duty at all times; particularly at night. This could compromise the welfare of children and young people if they required assistance.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are being educated in the home; this is very early in the term but they are engaging and attending, ensuring that their education continues. For those young people who are enrolled in a mainstream school the school is providing work ensuring young people maintain their level of education.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home is working hard to build links with the local community. The local police support officer is a regular visitor to the home to help build these links. The home has organised a barbeque inviting local neighbours to help alleviate anxieties of the home being situated within their community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff facilitate contact with families and transport children and young people to enable them to have constructive contact with family members.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is satisfactory .

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Quality of care

Relationships between the staff and children and young people are generally good. The children and young people confirm that they are able to talk to staff if they have any worries. The children and young people get on very well together and genuinely care for each other.

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Quality of care

The home has an incentive scheme with behaviour targets. The well-being of children and young people is compromised however as there are no clear individual behaviour management plans. This means that staff cannot ensure a consistent approach to manage these behaviours. This is a significant shortfall as a number of staff are new and lack experience. They are unable to manage some very challenging behaviours and have on occasion to call the police for assistance.

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Quality of care

Children and young people confirm that staff listen to them and they can have their views heard. House meetings are held regularly and children and young people are involved in agreeing menus and activities for the forthcoming week.

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Quality of care

Children and young people confirm that they know how to make a complaint; some individuals have made representation and have had their concerns addressed to their satisfaction. This indicates that young people are listened to.

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Quality of care

Children and young people's care plans lack detail and do not give clear guidance to how the children and young people are to be cared for on a day-to-day basis. This does not ensure a consistent approach to their care.

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Quality of care

Information does identify children and young people's heritage and culture and children and young people learn about different religions which promotes their understanding of diversity. The staff team reflects the culture and heritage of a multicultural society which instils tolerance and better understanding in the children and young people.

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Quality of care

The home accesses a number of services to help meet the needs of the children and young people. For example, the looked after children nurse, the sexual health adviser, substance and alcohol abuse services. This ensures children and young people have access to professional services and to have good support and advice to promote their well-being.

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Quality of care

Children and young people engage in a number of enjoyable activities. For example swimming, the cinema, and the occasional girly night. The home is located near a park and some children have been kite flying and enjoy fishing. This is particularly valuable, enabling children and young people to have one-to-one staff time and build on relationships.

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Quality of care

The home is situated in a residential area in the suburbs of a city. It is a spacious home and very well maintained, decorated and furnished, creating a homely environment for the children and young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people confirm that they feel safe in the home. The group get on well together and there is no bullying.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people prior to admission had a propensity of going missing and some involvement in risk taking behaviours. This behaviour although occasionally is exhibited has drastically reduced. On the whole staff follow the correct procedures when a young person is absent from the home. Children and young people are welcomed back when they return, ensuring that they feel safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's disclosures are dealt with appropriately ensuring that they are listened to and concerns investigated.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people can display some very challenging behaviours and at times have required to be restrained. However, some restraints are to enforce compliance and are not approved techniques and have not been recorded as a restraint. This leaves young people vulnerable.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been a number of occasions when some staff have called the police to help manage some children and young people's behaviours; this has led to children and young people being unnecessarily criminalised.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are protected for unnecessary dangers. This is because there are effective individual, premises and activities risk assessments.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are satisfactory . Children and young people are supported by staff who receive effective supervision. Staff speak highly of the support from the management and issues of practice are discussed to help staff develop and learn from their experiences. The manager has systems in place to monitor the home’s operation which promotes children and young people's welfare.

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Leadership and management

There are a number of shortfalls however that impact unfavourably on outcomes for children and young people. For example, there are too many inexperienced staff on duty on occasion which effects how children and young people’s behaviour is managed. The lack of detailed placement plans and behaviour management plans does not give clear guidance on how the children and young people are cared for. This leads to inconsistent care practices that can compromise the welfare of children and young people.

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Leadership and management

Additionally the new manager has yet to submit an application for registration, and Ofsted have not been informed of all notifiable incidents.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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