Children's Home run by Essex County Council in Essex

Unique reference number SC044975 Inspection date 17/11/2011 Inspector Joanna Heller Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 07/02/2011 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 children's home provides short-break care and accommodation for up to 12 children with learning difficulties or disabilities aged between five and 18 years, it is managed by the local authority.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

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Overall effectiveness

This short break service is offered to a large group of children and young people. All admissions are carefully planned to ensure that the mix of children and young people is appropriate. Care of young people is personalised and staff support young people to communicate their thoughts wishes and feelings.

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Overall effectiveness

Since the last inspection the home has substantially improved the gardens providing areas where children and young people can safely play and explore, enjoying the new specialist play equipment. Three requirements and four recommendations have been made at this inspection, the home is therefore not currently demonstrating continuing improvement since the previous inspection.

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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 parts of the home to which young people have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their health or safety; in particular, ensure the safe storage of hazardous substances, ensure safe food storage arrangements and ensure that any hanging cords are secured (Regulation 23(a)) 23/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) evidence that full and satisfactory information is obtained in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2, in relation to staff recruitment (Regulation 26) 20/01/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training; in particular ensure that new staff have appropriate training and guidance in relation to safeguarding and restraint. 23/12/2011 (Regulation (27)(4) (a))

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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

 retain evidence of any telephone enquiries which are made in order to verify written references obtained (NMS 16.1)  ensure and evidence a good quality induction and development programme for new staff (NMS 18.1)  ensure that good support is available for staff to confidentially discuss issues of concern within the home (NMS 19.1)  ensure that systems in place to support children’s communication and their understanding of the world around them are consistently implemented. (NMS 1.1)

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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

The home is welcoming and provides children and young people with a pleasant environment during their short break stay. Children and young people’s experiences of the home are positive and young people say that they enjoy coming to stay.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are welcomed in a planned way which ensures staff are able to meet their individual needs. All of the children and young people have learning disabilities. Some children and young people have associated physical disabilities and the building is suitable to meet their needs. Any aids and adaptations required such as hoists, specialised baths and beds and any other specific aids and adaptations young people need during their stay are provided.

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Outcomes for children and young people

During their stay children and young people are accommodated in small groups which means that their needs can be more easily catered for. All children and young people receive individualised care. Families are sensitively supported. Young people moving into adulthood are supported in developing personal and self care skills. Links are established with transition teams because these children and young people are likely to be in receipt of personal care into their adult lives.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people at the home have excellent school attendance. People supporting the children and young people in their day-to-day lives whether in school or at the home are aware of key information and changes. Staff attend key school events and multi-disciplinary meetings when appropriate. Children and young people enjoy active and varied lives while staying at the home. Staff spend time doing things with the children and young people, for example, trips to the town, Halloween parties and doing a wide variety of art and craft work which is displayed throughout the home. Feedback from families is positive with references to a committed team of staff. A mini bus and car which seats seven are provided so that children and young people have good access to the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people receive individualised care in accordance with their particular needs. Each child and young person has a detailed plan of care which includes all key areas of need and details of their routines. Varying methods, such as pictorial communication systems, symbols and photographs, are used to help staff and children and young people communicate effectively.

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Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy their short break stay and refer to enjoying the activities and making new friends. Young people also say they really like the staff with whom they are able to have fun. The manager and senior staff are very clear and specific as to the type of child whom they are able to care for and a sound assessment process is undertaken before offering to provide a short break service. The dividing of the home into three smaller units enables staff to match the needs and care characteristics of young people well. This ensures that young people who may exhibit challenging behaviour are not placed with very vulnerable children who are non-ambulant. Family members are made welcome and comment on how welcoming and friendly staff are. Families also cite examples of how well staff support them, for example, seeking out information on local suitable horse riding facilities.

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Quality of care

Staff deliver individualised care in accordance with each child and young person's particular needs. Children and young people are supported to maintain and develop their skill in areas such as self care and communication.

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Quality of care

Staff find that some young people enjoy being kept busy and that challenging behaviour may be the result of being easily bored, staff therefore, ensure that young people always have activities available. Children and young people enjoy spending time with staff going out and about in the local community in the home’s car, down to the shops or to the park. Young people also enjoy a range of activities in the home playing games, doing artwork and creative play. Children and young people also enjoy time in the newly revamped gardens using the new outside specialist play equipment. Photographs showing children, young people and staff enjoying their time together are displayed throughout the home.

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Quality of care

Parents remain the most active people in promoting positive educational outcomes, however, staff ensure that education is positively promoted at levels appropriate to the needs of the children. Staff ensure that children and young people maintain excellent school attendance. Staff are aware of the general educational abilities and goals of each of the children and young people. Children and young people are helped to gain an understanding of the world around them through a variety of media in the home such as symbols, pictures and electronic communicators. However, some of these systems, such as, the countdown of sleeps until they go home, are not always updated daily, this may confuse young people and add to any distress they have about being away from their family.

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Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy healthy lifestyles and are supported to access medical professionals such as doctors in the absence of their parent. Detailed care plans guide staff in the support specified as required, by the variety of specialist health professionals involved in the care of the children and young people.

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Quality of care

Staff provide children and young people with foods which are familiar to them and which they enjoy. Staff encourage them to try new healthy options during their stay.

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Quality of care

Management ensure safe systems are in place for the administration of medication, including suitable storage, staff training and clear record keeping. Young people have their day-to-day complex care needs met by staff who have been assessed as competent.

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Quality of care

The building provides children and young people with welcoming homely accommodation that meets their needs. Each child has their own bedroom and they are able to bring in items to personalize the room during their stay. Young people with physical disabilities are provided with specialist equipment such as adjustable beds, baths and hoists. Staff are provided with suitable protective equipment for providing personal care; this minimises the risk of staff transmitting infections between young people. Poor food hygiene with regard to upkeep of the fridge and poor storage of hazardous substances present potential risks to young people.

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Quality of care

Many children and young people, require the support of a family member or advocate if they wish to complain. An independent advocacy service has begun involvement in the home so that young people can be effectively supported when making a complaint.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people say they feel safe, secure and well cared for and parents are confident that young people are supported by caring staff. Young people are satisfactorily safeguarded through careful matching of young people in each unit. Behaviour is viewed as a way of communicating and staff work to help young people develop their communication skills in more socially appropriate ways. Staff seek to understand and respond to children and young people's needs based upon their knowledge of them. Individual behaviour management plans focus on possible triggers for distress and emphasise clear routines, specialist community behavioural management teams are consulted on the development of the individual behaviour management plans. Sanctions have limited use and are used only for specific young people. Staff use restraint only to safeguard young people and generally a guiding style of technique is used, or a young persons hands are held to prevent them

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Safeguarding children and young people

striking someone. However, not all staff working with young people in the unit where such intervention is most likely to be used, have received training in restraint.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All children and young people using the service would be at risk if leaving the home unsupervised and would be immediately reported missing. Children and young people are safeguarded from going missing by close supervision and security measures.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Most staff are trained in safeguarding children and are aware what to do should a concern of a safeguarding nature arise. Where concerns have arisen the manager has liaised appropriately with outside agencies to ensure that the child is properly safeguarded. Detailed risk assessments identify children and young people's vulnerability and any risks regarding activities.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home fails to fully evidence the robust vetting practices in place which serve to safeguard young people. For example, evidence of each staff having a Criminal Records Bureau is held, however, evidence of staff identity checks having been carried out is not held nor is any record of staff references being followed up with a telephone call.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Management oversee effective systems which mostly ensure the safety and security of the building and equipment. For example there is regular servicing and safety checks on key equipment and fire precautionary arrangements in the home ensure young people and staff are safeguarded from fire in line with current good practice. However, hazardous substances such, as cleaning materials are not always stored appropriately this may present a possible ingestion risk to young people. Food items are not always stored appropriately presenting a potential risk of food based illness. For example, the fridge was unclean having sustained a selection of food spillages which had not been cleaned up. Another example, was a selection of several foods which were unwrapped and undated it was therefore not clear how long these had been left in the fridge.

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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

Staff demonstrate a sound commitment to securing good life outcomes for young people. Feedback obtained through the inspection from young people, parents and social workers is positive.

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Leadership and management

The home is satisfactorily staffed, providing young people with a minimum of two staff on each unit during the waking day with a senior staff covering the whole service. A good gender mix of staff is available ensuring that both female and male staff are available on most shifts. Staff however highlight that they feel under great pressure to complete the tasks expected of them within the given time.

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Leadership and management

Experienced staff are competent and benefit from a range of training relating to the roles they perform. Core training such as child protection, first aid, food hygiene, behaviour management, management of self-harm, and restraint training is periodically provided to all staff. Induction processes for newly recruited staff, however, fails to evidence the training and support given to staff enabling them to completely perform their role whilst they await formal training in areas such as child protection.

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Leadership and management

Management arrangements are clear and the home is satisfactorily resourced. Staff benefit from regular supervision, but, highlight concerns that the management style of the home is not always open and empowering. Should staff feel unable to raise issues and concerns openly without fear of retribution; this has the potential to impact on the care of young people.

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Leadership and management

Quality assurance systems in the home consist of the manager’s spot checks of records, monthly Regulation 33 visits, and surveys which are undertaken periodically for parents and young people ensuring their views on the service are taken into account. The quality assurance systems are not sufficiently robust resulting in a number of requirements and recommendations having been made in this inspection. The home is therefore not currently demonstrating continuing improvement since the previous inspection.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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