Children's Home run by BREAK in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC060743 Inspection date 13/10/2011 Inspector Louisa Bayley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/02/2011 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 part of a registered children's charity which was established in 1968 and which is overseen by a board of trustees. There are five children's homes within the organisation, and two family assessment units all situated in the same region. The charity also provides respite care services for children with disabilities. The home provides long-term accommodation for four children and young people, of either gender. They can stay at the home until they reach 18 years of age.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people make good progress, particularly educationally, in this home. There is a good level of care and young people benefit from positive and constructive relationships with the staff. Young people and their social workers are positive about the care provided by the home. The staff are acutely aware of the importance of contact between young people and their families. This is promoted and supported, with challenges being overcome to ensure positive outcomes. Staff support young people to learn independence skills and there are good transitional arrangements in place in preparation for when young people move on.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls that have been identified pertain, in the main, to recording and documentation and do not have a negative impact on outcomes for young people. One identified weakness is regarding the labelling and storage of medication.

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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 all complaints have a written record of the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24.5) 25/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that the use of any measure of control, discipline or restraint in the children's home includes all of the information set out in the regulations (Regulation 17B.3) 25/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the system for monitoring and improving the quality of care provides for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing 25/11/2011 authorities (Regulation 34.3)

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there are suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of any medicines received into the children's home with specific regard to recording the date medicines are opened (Regulation 21.1) 25/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that records specified in Schedule 4 (2) are maintained in the home and kept up to date, with specific regard to recording the qualifications of each person working in the home, and whether they reside in the home (Regulation 29.1). 25/11/2011

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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 the home is well maintained and decorated, with specific regard to the young people's bathroom (NMS 10.3)  ensure that staff are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of the children and purpose of the setting, with specific regard to ensuring all mandatory training is current for all staff (NMS 18.1).

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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

Young people make excellent progress in this home. A social worker said of one young person 'I have noticed considerable progress in ….'s self confidence and independence'. Furthermore, they said that the young person is 'supported by the home to explore and learn the skills needed for the transition into adulthood'. Young people are attending education and express that they 'want to do well'. Staff, young people and social workers have a clear understanding of the progress each young person has made in all aspects of their lives.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people access appropriate support for their health and emotional and psychological wellbeing. As a result, they thrive in the environment provided by the home. The longevity of the placements is a reflection of this. One social worker said 'they have maintained the placement for this young person which has not been easy, as previously the young person had not stayed in placements for very long'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people engage with the local community in a variety of ways; working in a local charity shop, attending clubs and activities and participating in sports teams. Young people talk of their achievements in these areas and how they have moved on. Young People have achieved several awards for activities the home has supported them to attend over the past year. Staff in the home place a great deal of importance in supporting and promoting contact with families and friends. This means that young people have contact, often in very complex and challenging circumstances, with those who are important to them. The home goes beyond reasonable expectations to ensure that contact can take place however resource intensive this is.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people in the home develop good independence skills, appropriate to their age and level of understanding. They are competent in cooking meals, completing household tasks and also have a good awareness of budgeting. The staff in the home are open and transparent with young people regarding the budget. This has given good insight into the cost of living, activities and resources. As a result, young people were able to negotiate with staff how they could continue to access an expensive activity. They achieved this by suggesting their own cost reducing ideas. One young person said 'I don't think we can get a better home'.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from positive and constructive relationships with staff. They say 'we get on well, the staff team here are good'. For the most part, young people get on well with, and speak positively of, each other. Staff are currently developing more creative ways to support young people to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Rather than imposing sanctions, more emphasis is placed on restorative work and considering the feelings of others.

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Quality of care

Staff encourage young people to contribute their wishes and views regarding the running of the home. This is not achieved in a formal sense and there are no recent minutes of meetings recording young people's wishes. It is the view of the young people themselves and their social workers, however, that they are listened to and their views are acted upon. One young person said 'we usually chat over dinner rather than in meetings'. Young people say that staff explain when they cannot do something and give a reason why; this helps them to understand. Young people are able to choose their décor for their rooms, choose the food they eat and the activities they like to pursue. Staff demonstrate a flexible approach around meals, appreciating that young people may change their minds. Staff are happy to deviate from plans as they feel this is more representative of a family home.

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Quality of care

All young people know how to make a complaint. An area for improvement is in regard of monitoring the complaints and ensuring responses and outcomes are recorded for every complaint. One young person said 'I know how to make a complaint but I have not got anything to complain about'.

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Quality of care

Staff actively engage with education providers to ensure good levels of communication. Consequently, young people are supported in their education. Staff are committed to young people engaging and achieving in their educational provision and have worked hard to advocate for young people in this area. Attendance levels are very good for all young people. Young people are cared for in line with their placement plans. A social worker said the home 'are consistent with their level of care and understanding of the young people and are supportive of liaising with Children Services to ensure that ….'s needs are met'. The individualised care means that young people's cultural needs are met. There is however, no evidence of the home promoting diversity. The staff are working with young people to produce an individual calendar for each of them with each month depicting photographs of positive experiences they have had. This will

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Quality of care

help young people to have a visual reminder of their achievements. They are also working towards developing ways to capture memories and achievements in a medium that young people will want to engage with.

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Quality of care

Medicines are stored securely, however, currently there is no system in place to record when medication has been opened. This has led to out-of-date medication being kept.

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Quality of care

The home is in a good state of repair, with the exception of the young people's bathroom. The manager reports that this is an area to be addressed. The home is a six-bedroom, three-storey house. There is a medium-sized garden at the rear of the building. It is set in a small seaside town and is only a few miles from a busy holiday centre with all its additional attractions and amenities. The house is indistinguishable from others in the area.

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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

Young people say they feel safe in the home. Bullying is extremely rare and young people say they trust staff to deal with any issues if they arise. Staff are competent in their response to safeguarding issues and follow correct procedures, including notifying Ofsted. Appropriate risk assessments are in place for each young person and these are updated regularly. Staff demonstrate a good level of knowledge of the young people and their vulnerabilities. A social worker reported that the home 'consistently works towards ensuring that … is safe and able to talk to members of staff'.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Incidents of young people going missing are very rare. Staff work with young people to explore the impact their behaviour has had on others, cultivating a sense of moral responsibility in young people. Restraint is rarely used, and if used, is in line with legislation. The home does not currently record all the information required when logging physical restraint.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people have access to the independent visitor on a monthly basis. They say they are happy to talk to staff and have good relationships with their key workers.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Health and safety checks are up to date and young people have participated in fire evacuation drills.

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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

Young people are cared for by a committed and dedicated staff team. The agency staff have been working in the home for a considerable time and are equally committed to providing a good level of care. Staff say they 'enjoy coming to work' and that the team is supportive of each other. The staff team receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. There are monthly team meetings. Responsibility is placed on staff to sign to say they have read the minutes of each meeting, ensuring all staff are aware of decisions made and discussions held. There is a comprehensive training programme; however some of the mandatory training has lapsed for some staff. Almost all current staff either have, or are enrolled on, a professional qualification at level 3 in working with children and young people.

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Leadership and management

The home meets the aims and objectives, as set out in the Statement of Purpose. Social workers for the young people living in the home were extremely positive about the home, the staff, the quality of care and the level of support given to individuals.

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Leadership and management

The quality of care is monitored through Regulation 33 visits on a monthly basis. The visitor talks to the young people to gain their views of the service. The Registered Manager also completes a monthly check. This does not currently take account of the views of young people, their parents or the placing authority.

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Leadership and management

Two recommendations from the previous inspection have been met and the third recommendation, regarding Individual Education Plans, has been progressed as far as the home is able.

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Leadership and management

The staff team are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Team meetings are used as a medium to discuss how weaknesses can be addressed. The new development plan is currently being drafted and was not available during the inspection.

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Leadership and management

Records stored in the home for young people are clear and up to date. Daily records are well detailed. The home follows up on incomplete paperwork from other agencies and professionals. Some information is lacking in records held in the home pertaining to staff.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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