Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Unique reference number SC034969 Inspection date 24/11/2011 Inspector Rebecca Sharp Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 21/02/2011 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, which is provided by a local authority, is registered to care for three boys or girls aged between 12 and 18 years with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is a short term assessment provision whereby their needs are assessed and a suitable long term placement is identified within a 12-week assessment period. It aims to provide settled care as an alternative for young people who cannot remain within their family, and a safe and caring environment for vulnerable young people who may display challenging behaviours.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

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Overall effectiveness

Each young person has an individual residential action plan which is reviewed and updated regularly. There is little consultation with young people with regards the content of their plan, and insufficient evidence to show that they influence the running of the home by any other means.

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Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for young people are promoted by an experienced and child-focused staff team who are able to develop positive relationships quickly. Although there are areas for improvement regarding communication and preparation for independent living as well as breaches of regulations, the impact on young people is not severe as they report to generally feeling safe within the home.

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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) implement a system when monitoring matters set out in schedule 6, to ensure that children accommodated in the home are consulted by the registered person, and supply a copy to the HMCI (Regulation 34 ((2) (3)). 25/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) improve systems to ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that children accommodated in the home are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 32 ((1) (e)). 25/12/2011

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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 all children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support (NMS 1.3).  implement a system whereby children are supported to prepare for moving into their own accommodation; develop practical skills, including shopping, buying, cooking and keeping food, washing clothes, personal self care, and understanding and taking responsibility for personal health care; develop financial capability, knowledge and skills. (NMS 12.1 (d) (e) (f))

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are satisfactory .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported by care staff to attend education provisions and achieve positive outcomes. Where possible, young people are encouraged maintain education placements in order to promote consistency. If young people are not currently on roll at a school or college, staff ensure that a suitable placement is found. The progress the young people make in relation to their starting point is satisfactory in relation to education. If a young person refuses to attend then staff engage them positively within the home by completing work sheets sent from the school or cooking for example.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff support young people to stay healthy. All young people are registered with local agencies upon admission and attend statutory appointments. There are a number of external agencies available to offer additional support. A practitioner from the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) attends the home on a weekly basis. This enables young people to discuss any issues they may have and promotes their emotional and psychological well being. The looked after children's nurse also visits regularly and has completed individual work sessions with young people, developing their awareness of sexual health and relationships. These services work well in conjunction with the home to promote the health of the young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to make a positive contribution in the community. They attend youth clubs and groups, including girl’s brigade, amateur dramatics and boxing; and are encouraged to maintain hobbies and interests developed prior to their admission. This promotes consistency and helps the young people develop a positive self view by continuing to learn new skills and uphold friendships within the groups. The young people benefit from appropriate contact with their friends within the local community and family contact, which is facilitated by the staff either on or off site.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff promote independence training with regards supporting the young people to cook meals and complete domestic chores. However, there is no formal system in place to record and assess this preparation for adult life. This makes it difficult to assess a young person's ability when their moving on plan is for their transition into independence.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is satisfactory .

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Quality of care

There are positive relationships between the staff and the young people and there are appropriate interactions between staff and peers. Any negative behaviour is challenged appropriately in line with the home's behaviour management policy. Each young person has an in-depth anti-bullying plan therefore staff are aware of any risks to or from individuals in order to respond appropriately. The staff team are established, experienced and diverse in age, gender and ethnicity. They act as positive role models and are supported well to meet the needs of the young people. They have received guidance on the assessment framework for the provision and more training is due to take place.

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Quality of care

A residential action plan is created for each child on, or prior to, admission. This is an individualised care plan which sets out clear targets and measurable outcomes for individual young people based on historical information and the assessment framework which the home now works towards. This includes an in-depth risk assessment which identifies any issues and ways in which the staff team can manage them. The plan is reviewed and updated each month in order to ensure it is up to date and that targets set are indeed being met. Although young people are aware of their care plan and are given the opportunity to sign it, they are not consulted with regards the content and the planning and their views and feelings are not included. However, the plans remain personalised insofar as identifying the needs of the young person in all areas including their cultural background and personal identity.

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Quality of care

The service has built up good links with external agencies. They have regular communication with their designated looked after children's police officer who offers support and advice to both young people and staff. There is also an independent advocate who is available to offer individual and impartial support to the young people. This is in addition to children and adolescent mental health service involvement and the looked after children's nurse who has completed training with staff around the safe administration and handling of medicines. These services enable support for all aspects of the young people's needs in conjunction with enabling staff with new skills and knowledge.

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Quality of care

Staff support young people to attend education and there is a designated homework room to enable young people to complete work with staff if necessary. Here they have access to a computer to complete research or access online services. Young people are actively encouraged to achieve educationally and staff transport young people to and from school if necessary in order to minimise risks.

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Quality of care

There are many purposeful and enjoyable activities on offer for the young people to take part in. Each individual has a well-planned timetable for the week which includes education and leisure time. These are planned in advance between the staff and young people however no formal consultation process is recorded. Young people are encouraged to attend local youth clubs and maintain hobbies and interests from their previous placement. Staff facilitate these and offer additional support if necessary thus enabling the young people to enjoy and achieve. There are generic risk assessments in place for specific activities and each young person has an in depth risk assessment covering all aspects of their care.

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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

Young people generally feel safe living at the home and there are sound arrangements in place to protect young people and promote their well-being. However, there have been two recent incidents which have led to police investigation. These have been recorded and reported appropriately and all necessary risk assessments have been amended in order to minimise the risk of this happening again. Staff work well with the local looked after children's police officer with regards reporting any alleged anti social behaviour, and work in partnership in relation to restorative justice. This practice is used in order to prevent the criminalisation of young people in the looked after system due to their emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are few instances of young people being reported as missing from the home and there is a robust system in place in relation to this. Staff work in conjunction with the local police and the joint protocol for missing children. This is in place to ensure children and young people are safeguarded when away from the home. The young people are given mobile phones upon admission, where appropriate, to ensure staff can contact them at all times. They are encouraged to make plans with staff in order to arrange a return time which is agreed. This is risk assessed appropriately and allows the young people to gain trust and take reasonable risks as part of their growth and development.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The use of physical restraint is minimal and all staff receive regular training in order to keep up to date and maintain the safety of young people. The records are clear and monitored monthly by the manager and external regulation 33 visitor. The promotion of positive behaviour is key, and staff use de-escalation strategies when dealing with challenging behaviour. This promotes positive relationships between staff and young people as practice is not seen as punitive. The young people and staff receive support following any physical intervention and potential future triggers and risks are recorded in the individual residential action plan in order to modify practices to minimise recurrent incidents.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are sound arrangements in place to protect young people from harm and promote their well-being. Upon admission, a young person is given a welcome pack which informs them of who to contact if they have a worry or a complaint. The house rules and expectations are also set out clearly for the young people who appear to respond well to this. However, there is no evidence that the young people have the fire procedures explained fully to them and often wait weeks to take part in a fire drill. This compromises the safety of the young people and therefore outcomes for young people are satisfactory. Fire safety checks are completed regularly and the home's fire risk assessment has been recently updated. This ensures that potential risks are minimised.

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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

This is a local authority provision and there is a clear Statement of Purpose for the home which meets the regulations. The remit has changed since the last inspection which is reflected in the updated version. The staffing policy and structure is now set out clearly which was a recommendation at the previous inspection. This is now met along with three other recommendations that were made. One recommendation was not met, however, with the amendments to the national minimum standards, this is no longer a stipulation. Of the two requirements made at the previous inspection both have been met, however, one will be made again due to shortfalls in fire procedures. Although regular fire drills now take place, the manager has not taken into consideration new admissions to the home. As this is a safeguarding risk, it has been made a requirement again.

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Leadership and management

The manager regularly monitors the records on a monthly basis in accordance with regulation 34. Although the checks are thorough, there is no evidence of consultation with the young people by the manager. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain how young people influence the running of the home. A monthly audit is completed for each individual young person's file by a nominated person. This ensures all records are up to date and identifies any shortfalls. Keyworkers refer to this in supervision as a developmental tool. There is a regular regulation 33 visitor who also monitors the home. The manager acts on the findings from these visits in accordance with company timescales.

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Leadership and management

There are positive relationships between many external agencies which benefits both the young people and the staff. The manager works in partnership to ensure the needs of all young people are met. All significant events are notified to the appropriate authorities and appropriate action is taken following incidents.

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Leadership and management

Agency staff are being used at present due to staff vacancies. The manager ensures that regular agency staff are used in order to minimise disruption to the young people. She also keeps copies of recruitment checks on file for reference for agency staff for safety purposes. All other staff files are stored centrally within the local authority human resources department.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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