Children's Home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC410539 Inspection date 15/11/2011 Inspector Thomas Webber Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 02/12/2010 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 home provides care and accommodation for a maximum of two young people who may have emotional and/or behaviour difficulties. The home is managed by a limited company. The purpose and function of the home is to provide long term care.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides an overall good standard of care to young people with some outstanding features. Young people benefit from living at a home where positive relationships between young people and staff are well established. Young people are very appreciative of the care and support they receive. Staff demonstrate a very strong commitment in supporting the needs of young people with good progress being achieved. The needs and views of young people are central to the development and operation of the home. Robust safeguarding practices promote the safety and welfare of young people. There is a strong emphasis on supporting young people to develop both socially and educationally. Young people benefit from living at a home which is well managed. Effective leadership ensures that young people enjoy stability and consistency of care.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas for development include: the need to consistently obtain the views of young people during monitoring visits, establish regular staff supervision and ensure that young people are cared for by a qualified staff team. Some improvements are also needed for the recording of sanctions.

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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 duration of sanctions are always specifically recorded (NMS 3.8)  ensure that staff are provided with regular supervision (NMS 19.4)  review the times when regulation 33 visits are carried out for ensuring that young people are more likely to be present and are involved in contributing to monitoring the operation of the home, and their views and any concerns are seriously taken into account. (NMS 21.1)

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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

Staff demonstrate a very strong commitment in supporting the needs of young people with good progress having been achieved, particularly in relation to their behaviour. This is also acknowledged by young people. Young people also benefit from the individualised support they receive which also helps them to develop a positive view of themselves. Staff actively encourage and assist young people in developing their own identities while recognising the identities of others. The home's expectations, rules and routines provide young people with an environment that focuses on positive outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are fully supported and enabled to keep in touch with their families. Staff are very committed to maintaining the level of agreed contact between young people and their families according to their individual circumstances. Every effort is made in nurturing positive relationships between young people and their families. Systems are well established which enable young people to make and receive telephone calls as well as to meet with any visitors in private.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported and encouraged in attending educational facilities to attain their educational achievement. Further education or employment is also facilitated where appropriate. However, success in these areas is often difficult to achieve but staff work extremely hard to facilitate these wherever possible.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people live in an environment where their physical and healthcare needs are well met. They are fully supported, where appropriate, to develop independent life and social skills in equipping them to cope with the transition of moving onto independent living. This programme, with the support of staff, provides them with opportunities to budget, shop, prepare and cook their own meals. Young people are also involved with some cleaning around the home and organising/undertaking their own washing.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from living in a warm, welcoming, caring environment where positive relationships exist between the staff and young people. Young people speak extremely positively about the care and support provided to them and their experience of living at the home. The staff team undertake their duties in a warm, caring, supportive and professional manner. Young people are extremely relaxed and at ease in the company of staff and within their environment. Young people feel safe living at the home.

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Quality of care

Young people are supported to eat a healthy, varied and balanced diet. They are fully consulted in the menu planning process. They are also provided with opportunities to try meals from a variety of cultures which was observed during the inspection and evidenced in the menus established. Young people commented extremely positively about the quality and quantity of meals provided. Mealtimes are conducted in a social and congenial atmosphere which provides opportunities for informal discussions between young people and staff.

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Quality of care

Young people live in an environment where their health care needs are fully met. They are registered with the various healthcare services and are supported in attending all appointments. Specialist intervention is also provided to those young people who require specific input. Detailed health plans are now well established which cover the healthcare histories and needs of young people. Young people are fully supported in accessing information, advice and support regarding a range of other healthcare issues. Most staff have received training in the administration of medication. Appropriate systems are well established for the safe storage, receipt, administration and disposal of unwanted medication for the protection of young people.

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Quality of care

The home operates an open culture of consultation with young people. They are regularly consulted, through weekly meetings and on a daily basis. These opportunities enable young people to raise and discuss any concerns as well as to make positive suggestions regarding the running of the home. Management fully consider all comments made by young people which are actioned, where appropriate, to improve the delivery of care provided.

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Quality of care

The worries or concerns of young people are taken seriously, responded to and addressed without delay. Clear policies and procedures are well established for dealing with complaints. Young people clearly understand how to complain and are supported to raise any issues of concern openly. Young people are confident about the process and feel their concerns and worries are taken seriously. There has only been one complaint received since the last inspection. Young people are provided with acknowledgement and outcomes letters of any investigation. However, it was noted during the inspection that the current system did not confirm whether or not young people are satisfied with the action taken. The recording system was subsequently updated to reflect this practice. The complaints process ensures that appropriate outcomes are achieved for young people.

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Quality of care

The needs of young people are fully assessed and are reflected in their individual placement plans. These also outline the objectives and progress achieved as a result of the placement. However, new placement plans are currently being introduced for young people. These will reflect more comprehensively how staff are meeting the needs of young people on a daily basis. The statutory reviews of young people are held at the recommended intervals where they are fully supported and encouraged to attend and contribute to their reviews.

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Quality of care

Staff are proactive and consistent in supporting the educational achievement of young people. Young people are also given every support and encouragement to participate in a range of leisure activities, personal hobbies or interests.

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Quality of care

The design and location are suitable for the home's stated function. The home is maintained to an excellent standard, being very clean, tidy and very comfortable. It is also extremely well furnished and in good decorative order. A warm and homely atmosphere is created where young people and staff take great pride and responsibility for their environment. The home provides young people with excellent communal facilities to meet their individual and collective needs. Young people are provided with their own bedrooms, which are personalised to their own tastes. All bedroom doors are fitted with appropriate locks. The home provides good bath, shower and toilet facilities to meet the needs of the young people. Suitable locks are fitted to these doors to promote the privacy and dignity of young people. Separate facilities are provided for staff. Suitable laundry facilities are also provided to meet the needs of the home where young people can undertake their own washing. A

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Quality of care

pleasant and enclosed garden is maintained to the rear of the property.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in a safe environment where their welfare is fully promoted. All staff receive safeguarding training which focuses on the protection of young people. A copy of the Local Safeguarding Children Board policies and procedures together with their contact details are readily available to staff. Management, as part of this process, maintain an open and supportive dialogue with young people, their respective social workers and the local safeguarding team. There have been no safeguarding issues since the last inspection. Young people feel safe living at the home and they feel able to talk to staff openly about any worries or concerns they might have.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Effective measures are in place to protect young people from bullying. A clear and robust anti-bullying policy is established with individual contracts being established with young people. Young people and staff do not see bullying as an area of concern and there have been no bullying incidents reported since the last inspection. Bullying is minimised by staff taking prompt action to challenge and defuse any disagreements between young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff respond appropriately to all incidents where young people go missing to ensure their protection and safe return at the earliest opportunity. This is in line with the individual agreed protocols based on young people's particular needs and risks. Clear recording and reporting systems are now well established which ensure that relevant people are informed of any incidents.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in an environment where they are supported to develop positive behaviour. This is achieved through encouragement, reinforcement and positive behaviour modification targets/rewards. Good relationships are established between staff and young people which promotes positive interaction between them. Sanctions and restraints are also used but only where absolutely necessary. Detailed records are now maintained for these methods of control. However, the duration of sanctions are not always specifically recorded. All staff are now trained in the use of physical intervention. Clear routines are well established for young people. These together with clear management guidelines provide staff with clear strategies for managing young people's behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Robust staff recruitment practices are established to ensure the protection of young people. These practices ensure that new staff are suitably vetted and do not commence employment in the home until all the relevant checks have been carried out.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Robust health and safety policies and procedures are well established to safeguard young people and staff. Young people and staff regularly practise fire evacuation procedures and the various fire and health and safety records are accurate and up to date. This also now includes an up-to-date fire risk assessment which was deficient at the last inspection. These measures ensure that the living environment for young people and staff is physically safe and secure.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good .

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from living in a home which is well managed. The Registered Manager demonstrates effective leadership which ensures that young people enjoy stability of care. The management team are extremely approachable and supportive which is very much appreciated by the staff team. Staff are well supported in their roles with daily handover and regular staff meetings being held. These systems ensure that staff are kept up to date in all matters relating to the home and young people. However, formal supervision is not provided to staff on a regular basis to monitor their ongoing performance.

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Leadership and management

Young people, staff and the placing social workers are clear about the aims and objectives of the home. These are clearly set out within the home's Statement of Purpose. This document also describes the level of service young people can expect to receive and how it is delivered. This information is readily available to all relevant parties. A young people's guide is also produced which provides young people and their parents with clear information about the home.

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Leadership and management

Good staffing levels are maintained throughout the day and night to meet the individual and collective needs of young people. The home maintains two staff on duty to two young people during the waking day. It also provides one waking night staff and two members of care staff sleeping in each night. Staff and young people benefit from an effective on call system to ensure their welfare and safety at all times. The staff team reflects the diverse cultural needs of young people accommodated.

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Leadership and management

Young people are looked after by a staff team who are trained and competent to meet their needs. Currently 63% of the staff team are qualified with the remaining members of staff working towards obtaining a qualification. Staff are also provided with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge, expertise and competence through attending appropriate training. Staff value the training opportunities available to them. However, currently this predominantly consists of mandatory courses.

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Leadership and management

The home is monitored in all aspects of service delivery and appropriate action is taken to maintain the quality of care within the home. This is achieved through unannounced monthly visits. However, the last three visits have occurred when there have been no young people present. Regulation 34 reports are also completed as part of the quality of care review monitoring process.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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