Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kisimul Group Limited in Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC034241 Inspection date 08/11/2011 Inspector Judith Longden / Tracy Murty Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 03/02/2011 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 school is one of three owned by the company and is registered as a children's home. The school provides placements of various lengths for children and young people with severe learning disabilities, autism and challenging behaviour. The senior school is situated a few miles away.

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Brief description of the service

The school provides residential accommodation for 39 young people. Education is provided in a separate building situated on site.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides outstanding care that is highly individual and well planned. Young people are achieving outstanding outcomes in their education, healthy lifestyles and the development of social skills, self care skills, confidence and self esteem. Staff have high aspirations for all young people in their care. Young people and parents are extremely satisfied with the quality of care at the home and young people are kept safe and feel safe. Relationships between staff and young people are excellent. There are no recommendations or requirements made as a result of this inspection.

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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 achieving positive outcomes in all areas. A social worker said of a young person 'their life has changed since being at the home, they are made to feel safe and as a result they have been able to progress so much. They have improved their confidence and self esteem. They are now able to take part in various activities and as a result now have a fulfilling life.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's progress is reviewed monthly by key workers with young people and their achievements shared with parents and social workers. As a result, young people have further developed their confidence and self-esteem. Young people are encouraged to engage in how the home operates and in their own care. Surveys, feedback forms and questionnaires in various communication formats are used with young people. This means they are able to express their views and feelings on their care and the home. Young people benefit from appropriate contact with their parents and family. The home communicates very effectively with parents and social workers. As a result, people who play an important role in young people's lives are actively involved in the care they receive.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from a varied menu that provides a healthy balanced diet and takes into account medical dietary needs, religious and cultural beliefs and young people's preferences. Some young people help to plan the menus with catering staff. Young people help to shop for the food giving them the opportunity to develop independence skills. Outdoor activities and exercise are encouraged in order to promote healthy living. Their health is further promoted by the implementation of daily personal hygiene routines, excellent administration of medication and access to a variety of health professionals to meet all their health needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff encourage young people to engage in a variety of activities and try different challenges. Young people benefit from excellent resources and facilities on site including a sports hall and swimming pool. Young people learn new skills through activities such as gardening and growing vegetables. Facilities and clubs in the local community are also utilised, for example, the trampoline club and the climbing wall. Young people are encouraged to join local clubs and programmes and one young person is undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The home also provides activities such as cooking, art and soft play. As a result young people develop new skills and grow in confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are achieving excellent outcomes in their school education and in learning life and self-care skills in the home. Young people have their individual education plans and skills for independence plans that are developed as a result of their needs identified in placement and care plans. Education plans identify targets such as recognising their own name in a list and tracing letter shapes. The plan details how this will be achieved in school and what activities can be done in the home to support this. Communication between the school staff and care staff is excellent. This means there is continuity in the learning for young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Skills for independence plans identify targets for self-development such as sorting socks into pairs, clearing the dining table and wiping the table after lunch. Young people's progress is recorded in words and photographs and certificates awarded for achievement. As a result, young people are achieving their educational potential and developing self care skills. Their achievements are recognised and praised by staff and managers. Progress is shared regularly with parents and one parent said 'my child is becoming more independent and has made enormous progress. They can now eat with a knife and fork and dress themselves. I couldn’t ask for anything better.'

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for by an exceptionally motivated and dedicated team of staff. They are able to access the on-site educational provision on a daily basis and achieve beyond expectations. Young people have access to and participate in a large range of social and recreational activities, both within the home and in the wider community. Such activities include use of the indoor heated swimming pool and gymnasium in the grounds of the home and the specially equipped on-site playground. The home also has sensory rooms for use by young people and aromatherapy is available. Young people also regularly attend local and national recreational events, weekly supermarket shopping with staff and use of the local village hall and play park. Staff are committed to ensuring that young people are actively encouraged to engage in their local community and use the resources to ensure their full integration into society.

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Quality of care

Staff have extensive knowledge and skills in working with young people with severe learning disabilities. Individual placement plans are exceptionally detailed and easy to read with evidence of regular reviewing and updating to meet individual needs. Staff creatively use questionnaires to elicit the wishes feelings and views of young people about the care they receive. All young people have a copy of the Children's Guide in their bedrooms in a form appropriate to their individual communication needs. The guides include details of key professionals and of advocacy services and access to the Children's Rights Team. This means young people are able to complain and make their views heard.

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Quality of care

Each young person has a key worker who ensures, on a daily basis, they are appropriately dressed and that there is regular liaison with parents and relevant family members. Staff provide a safe and welcoming environment in which young people can feel safe and develop independence skills. Young people take part in culturally-themed activities each month in the home, which widens their understanding and awareness of equality and diversity issues. Staff also support them to engage in religious services in the community where appropriate and to develop an understanding and appreciation for different faiths and cultures.

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Quality of care

Young people have access to local health care provision and are additionally supported by a range of suitably qualified health professionals employed by the home. This ensures that their varied and complex health needs are met to a very high standard. Staff demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to ensuring that individual physical, emotional and psychological health needs are met on a daily basis and that accurate recording and communication with parents is maintained. Arrangements for dealing with medication are safe and effective.

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Quality of care

Young people live in an exceptionally well-maintained property, which meets all of their physical, social and emotional needs. Staff enable them to explore their environment in a safe and supported manner. Young people are well cared for and safe and there is clear evidence that staff seek their views wherever possible.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people are actively encouraged by staff to take responsibility for their behaviour wherever it is possible and safe to do so. Behaviour management plans are devised based on individual needs and are monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. Staff are enabled by managers to have time each shift to ensure that they have read all relevant case recording and any changes made to care and behaviour management plans, in order to ensure consistency of care.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Case files have detailed information and plans relating to each young person, which assists the staff team in ensuring that they are protected from harm as much as possible. Staff ensure that there are clear daily routines in place for each young person which contributes to their sense of well being, belonging and safety. One social worker said that one of their young people has grown in confidence and was much calmer since moving to this home. This shows that the safety of young people is prioritised by staff and leads to an increased sense of safety and emotional well- being.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive very frequent training in safeguarding and confirm that they can recognise potential signs and symptoms of abuse or harm and are confident in knowing what procedures to follow if they have any concerns about young people in their care. Health and safety checks, including fire equipment, are routinely undertaken to maintain a safe environment. There have been no reported incidents of young people going missing from the home since the last inspection which in part is due to the very high staffing levels on duty at all times and the commitment to ensuring that young people are supervised at all times.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff promote positive behaviour at all times. Time out and re-direction techniques are used wherever possible with young people. Where physical intervention is used, it is undertaken with sensitivity and in accordance with the legislative framework and there is clear and detailed recording of restraints and the reasons for its use. Staff speak with young people following any restraints used, in order to gain their views and to ensure that they are recorded and any necessary action is taken.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A careful selection and vetting process is undertaken before any staff are employed in the home. Staff receive a detailed induction and regular supervision and support through a mentor scheme when they commence employment. Any allegations or concerns are dealt with quickly, fairly and in such a way to ensure that young people are effectively protected from harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in an environment that is physically safe, with high staffing levels at all time, including numerous waking night staff on duty and very high staffing ratios during the day time. Staff are confident in relation to relevant policies and procedures and demonstrate commitment to ensuring that young people’s safety is promoted at all times.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding . Young people benefit from a home that has demonstrated improvement since the last inspection. There is evidence of positive changes in the safety and care of young people as a result of these improvements. All previous recommendations have been met. The building is subject to regular health and safety checks ensuring the building is free from fire hazards. The sanctions book is bound and has numbered pages, recording of sanctions is excellent. There are no requirements or recommendations as a result of this inspection.

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Leadership and management

Young people are made to feel welcome to the home. A thorough pre-admission plan enables young people and parents to meet staff and ensure their views and opinions are taken into account. Young people are provided with very good information about the home in formats appropriate to their communication needs. Each young person has their own guide to their care which is updated regularly. The home has an excellent Statement of Purpose and staff and parents are clear on the aims and ethos of the service. Excellent transition plans support young people in their move to the 'upper school' at a nearby site. As a result, young people feel valued and involved in their placement.

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Leadership and management

The home is managed by suitable personnel who are qualified and experienced ensuring a service that is efficient and effective in caring for young people and developing them to reach their full potential. The manager understands the strengths and areas for development for the home. An excellent strategic plan highlights the good work already achieved by the home and looks at how to improve the home even further. This means the young people benefit from an ever improving service.

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Leadership and management

Staff have a variety of skills, qualifications and experience, and bring different strengths to the service. The staff rota ensures young people's needs are met through the provision of sufficient staffing. Staff receive an excellent induction and an extensive variety of training and development opportunities. The training material is relevant and of high quality and staff are able to put learning into practice. As a result, they are able to improve their competency and ensure young people's needs are met. Staff are supported by a competent management team and receive excellent standards of support, guidance and supervision. This ensures the service provided to young people remains of the highest quality.

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Leadership and management

The home has outstanding procedures for monitoring the quality of the service provided and the welfare of the young people. The registered provider undertakes visits to the home in accordance with regulations and carries out checks to ensure the quality of service remains good and the welfare of young people is monitored. The manager monitors records kept by the home to identify any concerns, patterns or trends. Records are stored securely and information sharing is in accordance with data protection. All significant events relating to the protection of young people in the home are notified as appropriate and actions taken as required. As a result the quality of care and the welfare and protection of young people is monitored.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is outstanding .

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