Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC367802 Inspection date 05/12/2011 Inspector Fiona Parker Type of inspection Full Provision subtype

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Date of last inspection 19/01/2011 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 local authority home offers a service for children and young people aged between five and 17 years with learning disabilities or learning and physical disabilities. The home can accommodate one young person full time and offer respite and shared care arrangements for a number of children and young people. Only two young people receive a service at any one time. The home forms part of the children's disability service and provides care for children or young people that have been assessed as requiring this service. The home only operates when young people are receiving a service.

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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 during their stays and overall achieve good outcomes, in particular: benefitting from maintaining significant family relationships and enjoying creative and flexible contact arrangements; enjoying activities in the community; further developing life skills and learning to express their needs and reduce frustration.

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Overall effectiveness

Individual care planning is extremely robust enabling young people to benefit from tailored support during their stays. Young people's needs are very well understood and thoroughly assessed resulting in individual and specific plans. Regular reviews ensure strategies to support and care for young people remain current. Overall young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and parents report staff liaise with them very closely to keep them fully informed. Young people are kept safe during stays and present as comfortable in the home. One parent comments 'they do a good job'.

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Overall effectiveness

Overall the home is well managed and the service is scrutinised to maintain good quality care to children and young people. There is one requirement relating to the detail in specific records and one recommendation to make independent advocacy and details of the Children's Rights Director available.

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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 within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which includes the date, time and location and the effectiveness and consequence of the use of the measure. (Regulation 17 (3) (d,f) 28/12/2011

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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 children have access to independent advice and support from adults, in addition ensure children know how to contact the Children's Right Director. (NMS 1.5)

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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

Young people benefit from a healthy lifestyle during stays, they eat a balanced diet and make choices on their likes and dislikes. Where young people have specific dietary needs staff follow this regime and contribute to planning where any individual progress could be promoted. Young people increase their skills, for example brushing their teeth independently, using the bathroom, learning to be more patient and reducing episodes of challenging behaviours. One parent comments their son's 'speech has come on over the last year and he is calming down'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from structured education programmes and attend regularly to maximise their learning and development. Young people's achievements are celebrated, for example one young person achieved a personal award for engaging with a school outing for a week. Young people communicate in their preferred method during stays and make day-to-day choices such as foods, activities in and outside of the home, and helping to choose colours for the home. Staff communicate frequently with young people to reduce their anxiety and prepare young people for changes they find difficult, for example transitions from one activity to another.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy visits to parks, shops and discos which supports them to socialise and learn acceptable social behaviours. As a result young people have reduced incidences in public places and can enjoy more frequent community opportunities. Where young people have contact arrangements they enjoy flexible and creative options to spend quality time with their family. This enables young people to build and maintain close family ties by enjoying time in their family home and engaging in positive family outings supported by the staff team.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people who use this service will require support from adult services and the home effectively plans ahead for young people. Young people benefit from smooth well-planned moves to adult supported accommodation.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy good relationships with the majority of staff members. One parent comments 'he has his favourites'. The staff team play to the strengths in the team and ensure consistent staff members for individual young people's stays. One parent comments 'two staff are very consistent when he stays, they ring every night and report how he is getting on'.

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Quality of care

A strength of the home is how closely they communicate with parents and partner agencies to support young people's needs. For example, the manager has recently made arrangements to build the same seating in the home a young person is familiar with in school. An independent reviewing officer comments 'all parties are working hard to ensure consistent routines and they are responding to needs the same, I feel they do this extremely well'. Staff are well-guided by and implement thorough positive handling plans to support young people modify their behaviours and increase their independence. The agreed strategies to care and support young people are clear and accountable, young people are supported positively to reduce incidences of challenging behaviour. Staff are clear on the outcomes they hope young people can achieve and work diligently to support small achievements, such as enjoying mealtimes and sitting throughout. Young people are treated fairly and benefit from

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Quality of care

individual care tailored to their needs including age, gender and disability. Young people are encouraged to make use of private time on their own and be socially aware of their surroundings.

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Quality of care

Young people often express their views and wishes instantly and firmly. Staff know young people very well and can often pre-empt a difficulty and divert young people. Staff respond appropriately by reinforcing boundaries using signs and symbols or making agreed changes to how they support young people. Young people benefit from this consistency. Formal ways for young people to express concerns are available in their preferred formats although this does not include the details of the Children's Rights Director. Parents advocate strongly for their children, however an intended plan to reinstate an independent advocate is not yet in place.

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Quality of care

Young people's progress is discussed very regularly to share information, improve on strategies and update plans. Staff draw on support and advice from a psychologist and a speech and language therapist to further improve their strategies. As a result young people have benefitted from improving their communication and independence skills. Young people's health needs remain the responsibility of parents although staff are suitably trained to respond to day-to-day health needs, first aid and support health appointments.

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Quality of care

The home is fit for purpose and young people have their own rooms for their stays. Individual aids and adaptations support and protect young people, for example blinds within the window frames. The home is about to be decorated throughout to freshen the rooms and young people are encouraged to help choose colours. Young people enjoy outdoor activities such as using a trampoline and swings in a secure garden. In addition a large summer house is available for crafts and games.

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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 benefit from safe and well-planned care arising from a thorough assessment of their individual needs. Parents feel the home cares for their child safely and they enjoy their stays. Staff are well-trained in safeguarding and vigilant to the particular vulnerabilities of young people. An established system to chart and monitor body maps ensures information can be shared and explanations for any marks clarified.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The structure of stays in the home ensures only those young people who are compatible with others stay at the same time. This contributes significantly to safe practice and minimises the potential for young people's needs to impact upon others. When young people stay together the manager can draw upon additional staff resources to support positive stays. Where young people require physical interventions the agreed strategies and holds are very clear in their plans to fully guide staff. Staff are well trained in the agreed techniques and diligent records are kept, however some entries are not fully complete. Although this information is available in other records this does not fully meet regulations and enable complete overview in one place. This does not adversely impact on young people. Positively as good relationships have formed between staff and young people incidences have reduced resulting in fewer physical interventions.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Robust attention to minimise risks ensures young people receive safe care and enjoy activity time in the community. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed in light of changing needs and good overview from the manager and seniors ensures they are implemented in practice. However the team ensure young people can develop, such as using the bathroom independently, to balance safety and increasing independence. Regular health and safety checks ensure a safe environment and young people participate in evacuations to reduce anxiety and practice a prompt exit from the building.

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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

Overall the home is well managed by the manager and a team leader with the support of senior workers. The home clearly sets out, in a detailed Statement of Purpose, the service they offer to children for parents and interested parties. A child- friendly version explains for children what they can expect. The home is operating in line with its statement. The development of the home is set out in a business plan and progress is regularly subject to scrutiny in management meetings. The challenges in the home are well understood and prompt action is taken to respond to any areas of difficulty or the concerns of staff. Practice is supported by clear policies and procedures including clear expectations on promoting equality and diversity throughout the service.

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Leadership and management

The staffing levels are sufficient for young people's needs and due to recent staff redeployments in the local authority there have been some changes across the disability service. Some sickness absences are being covered appropriately and overall young people have consistent key staff who are available during their stays. Staff training needs are regularly reviewed and a good training programme ensures staff remain up-to-date in core areas, in addition to developing further skills and specialism. The majority of staff are qualified and all are experienced in caring for children with disabilities. One staff member reports they feel 'very well supported'.

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Leadership and management

The manager and staff regularly seek ways to improve the quality of care for young people. Regular case discussions and team meetings focus on young people's needs and review the success of strategies and support. Parents are fully consulted in planning and young people can express their needs day-to-day. Weekly monitoring of events contributes to improvements, safeguarding and accountable practice for young people. Independent visits satisfactorily contribute to monitoring practice and prompt action is taken in response to any shortfall. In addition action has been taken to clarify the practice in restraint records and record any periods of brief 'time outs' for young people. This ensures practice is accountable. Records are clear, detailed and chart young people's experiences during their stays to provide them and their families with clear information.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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