Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Calderdale

Unique reference number SC001016 Inspection date 13/12/2011 Inspector Russell Shackford Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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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 service is a children's home. It provides accommodation for up to four children of either sex aged from 10 to 17 years. Placements at the home are medium- to long-term and are planned. Education can be provided by the organisation on a separate site.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people living in this home benefit from an experienced staff group who demonstrate enthusiastically their commitment to addressing welfare issues. The staff team are persevering and supportive. Young people confirm that their views are genuinely sought and acted upon. The staff encourage them to make decisions about their lives and influence the way that the home is run.

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Overall effectiveness

The young people benefit greatly from the staff's efforts to promote the value of education, and the encouragement of good attendance. Leisure needs are well met.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff work closely with other services to meet the range of young people's needs. Healthcare plans are well recorded. All staff have received safe medication and first aid training.

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Overall effectiveness

Placement plans are well written although evidence of staff contributions is not adequately recorded. The facilitating of contact is good.

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Overall effectiveness

Fire safety checks are carried out regularly and all staff have received up-to-date fire safety training. Staff are experienced, competent and trained in appropriate care and safety subjects. However, some staff have out-of-date physical intervention training certificates.

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Overall effectiveness

There is only satisfactory monitoring to maintain and improve the quality of care in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

One requirement and two recommendations have been raised to address these areas requiring improvement

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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 staff receive appropriate training, in particular physical intervention. (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 31/01/2012

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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 there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping, in particular staff's actions in relation to meeting young people's identified needs, and take action when needed (NMS 22.1)  establish and maintain effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home and the quality of the provision. (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

The staff support young people using discussion and interactive activities to build relationships with the young people. Three staff described how they, 'spend a lot of time with the young people' and the effectiveness of the staff engaging with young people. As a result, young people gain good knowledge and understanding of their own background; they adapt well to new situations and their view of themselves is more positive.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged and supported to attend routine appointments with dentists, doctors and opticians. They are also encouraged to take some responsibility for managing their own health needs such as refraining from smoking. The young people’s health care needs are included in placement plans which are well recorded. These help the staff to fully understand or meet the young people's individualised health needs. Specialist health workers are involved where appropriate to promote good health and discourage unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking or drug abuse. Healthy activities take place, such as climbing, football, table tennis, and gym. Young people are given choices about their food, and the food served is both healthy and nutritious. The staff are aware of individual young people's likes and dislikes to ensure that they enjoy the food served. One young person described the food as, 'brilliant'. Food matters arising from diversity are well managed. Young people

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Outcomes for children and young people

benefit from the staff's encouragement to eat healthy foods and snacks. Young people confirm that they are involved in planning, shopping for and cooking meals.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are making good progress in attendance and achievement in their education. The staff have worked in a determined manner to ensure that appropriate placements are sourced quickly and, as a result, young people's education is disrupted as little as possible. This helps to ensure that they can continue to attend and achieve. Contact between the home and school is frequent and effective, enabling staff to support young people successfully with homework or personal targets. Young people's progress and achievements are displayed and celebrated. Staff say that the young people's attitude to school is changing as a result of their good experiences of learning, achieving and socialising.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff encourage regular phone contact to ensure that young people can convey positive messages about their behaviour and achievements in school. Young people confirm that they are helped to keep in touch with people that are important to them, and that they can have friends and family come to visit them. This is supported by staff who encourage contact and facilitate visits well. This is done safely and sensitively to protect each young person's welfare. The home enjoys good relationships with neighbours and the local community. Young people's contributions to community life include helping with gardening projects, leaf and snow clearing and through using local shops and the internet café.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are helped and supported in preparation for adulthood and increased independence. The preparation is structured and embedded in the very good independence programmes which the organisation has available. Young people learn life skills through taking part in the tasks of running the home, such as shopping, cooking and cleaning. They are given help and support with social skills, laundry, cooking skills, budgeting and staying safe in the community. Pathway planning documents are in place to inform the timing or complexity of the preparation needed for individual young people. Therefore, young people receive good transition planning and support.

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Quality of care

Young people living in this home benefit greatly from an experienced staff group who demonstrate enthusiastically their commitment to addressing young people’s care and safety needs. Young people confirm this saying that, 'staff are good and they try hard with us even when we do things we shouldn't.’ The staff team are persevering and supportive, creating opportunities for young people to reach their full potential. They are aided by a visiting therapist who offers suggestions for practice as well as staff support.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy warm relationships with staff in the home and there is good rapport between them. Staff discuss difficult issues with young people and challenge inappropriate behaviours consistently and sensitively. One young person described relationships with the staff as 'good' and 'caring'.

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Quality of care

The staff encourage young people to make decisions about their lives and influence the way that the home is run. Staff provide opportunities for daily group and one-to- one discussion, key worker sessions and visits from independent advocacy services. Quality assurance monitoring by the provider includes opportunities for young people to comment upon the quality of care at the home. This helps to ensure that young people's views are genuinely sought and acted upon. Examples of young people's choices acted upon include activities, colour schemes, and personalising bedrooms. Any cases where it is not possible to act upon young people's wishes are carefully explained to them. Young people confirm this saying that, 'the staff explain why some friends are not allowed in the house.'

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Quality of care

The staff handle complaints well. They ensure that the young people know how to complain if they wish by explaining what to do. There is also good, clear information in the children’s guide about how to complain. An information display provides contact details of independent support services for young people. The staff assist young people in making complaints if necessary and they understand their role as advocate. Young people confirm that staff make it clear to them that they can tell people outside of the home if they are unhappy and staff provide information and contact details of independent advocate services. Complaints are clearly recorded to reflect the action taken by the staff and the outcomes.

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Quality of care

Written placement plans outline fully how individual young people's needs will be met. They are clearly recorded to inform the staff how they need to meet the identified needs of individuals. However, staff actions in contributing to the placement plan are poorly evidenced in writing. Young people's needs and development are reviewed regularly in the light of their care and progress at the home. Statutory case reviews take place within the required timescales to inform those working at the home and others of the progress made by young people.

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Quality of care

The staff appreciate that the individual young people may have needs arising from diversity. Good planning methodology helps to ensure that young people receive individualised support appropriate to their needs. All staff have received training around the subject of equality and diversity.

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Quality of care

Young people's education is a very high priority and it is vigorously promoted. Staff stress the importance of education both as valuable in itself and associated benefits such as socialising. Young people are encouraged to have aspirations and gain options for future living. Staff make great efforts to encourage good attendance and young people are well prepared for the school day. Individualised incentive schemes support this. A notable area of strength is the staff’s close communication and support of education staff to sustain and increase the young people's time in education provision. They achieve this through establishing close working relationships with school staff and communicating regularly about progress and individual targets. Where necessary or appropriate, staff provide transport for school and attend school to support teachers. There are space, resources and facilities at the home to enable the completion of homework or structured home study

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Quality of care

programmes. A computer is available for the young people to use for educational purposes and well-monitored internet access is available.

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Quality of care

Young people are able to pursue their particular interests and are supported and encouraged by staff to engage in leisure activities. In an attempt to enable young people to socialise and to build their esteem and confidence, young people's involvement is well supported by staff who explore their individual choices, likes and dislikes. Structured activity programmes are used to provide opportunities and continuity of attendance. The staff have established very good links and relationships with community-based activity providers. Examples of organised activities include band practice, scouts, football, climbing club and gym. There is also a good range of books, DVDs and board games available for education and entertainment.

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Quality of care

The young people live in a home that is appropriately located near to shops, leisure, education and employment opportunities. It is on a main bus route to the nearby town centre. The home is a large detached dormer bungalow in a residential area. Each young person has their own bedroom and there is a shared open-plan general living and dining area. Two bedrooms have en-suite shower facilities and there is a further shared bathroom. Part of the house is a self-contained flat that is used as part of preparation for independence. The staff office is on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden to the rear of the house and an enclosed paved area to the front. The interior and exterior of the home are maintained in a good state of structural and decorative repair. There is a good maintenance and repair programme for the building, furniture and equipment, and any damage is repaired promptly. The garden

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Quality of care

is well maintained and safe. The home is kept clean and there are homely touches throughout.

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Quality of care

Effective policies and procedures concerning the storage, handling, administration and disposal of medication safeguard young people's welfare. All staff have received up-to-date safe medication and first aid training.

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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

Staff describe safeguarding young people as, 'vitally important'. Young people confirm that they are supported to learn how to keep themselves safe and learn about risks. Where particular risks are identified, written risk assessments are recorded to help the staff understand what action to take to minimise the identified risks. The manager engages local resources that may further support young people, for example, community police and independent advocacy services.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The staff engage the young people in talking through any identified concerns to develop young people's own understanding of concerns and the reasons adults are concerned. As a result, young people's risk-taking behaviours reduce and they feel cared for and protected. Young people confirm this with examples, such as, 'staff talk to me about keeping safe by using good road safety and keeping in touch by phone when I am out on my own.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

The manager has established strong links with the Local Safeguarding Children Team. An information display area has details of local agencies that young people can access for advice and information. Staff use team meetings to ensure that everyone is up to date about how to promote and protect the young people's safety. The provider has very good safeguarding systems and procedures for staff to follow in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. The manager and staff have received child protection training which includes elements of child exploitation and on-line protection. Staff demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding procedures to promote and protect young people’s safety. Anti-bullying messages are displayed and the subject is regularly discussed at young people's meetings. There is good written guidance for staff to follow in the event of unauthorised absence. This is supported by a social services and police service

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Safeguarding children and young people

jointly- agreed protocol. The manager secures good multi-agency working, for example, liaising with the local community police, Youth Offending Service and social workers to ensure a holistic approach to safeguarding.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management techniques are applied individually. Sanctions are relevant and reflect the age and understanding of the young people. They are reviewed regularly for effectiveness. Physical restraint is sometimes used to manage behaviour. However, not all staff have received up-to-date in the provider’s policy and authorised techniques. Record keeping is good and the manager has signed the record to show that it is regularly monitored to identify patterns or trends that can be used to support young people further.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Regular fire safety checks help to ensure that young people's physical safety from fire in the home is well protected. All staff working at the home have received fire safety training to enable them to minimise the risks to young people in the event of a fire at the home. Effective checks and maintenance arrangements ensure the home is physically safe and is kept safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff have been appropriately recruited and undergone suitable Criminal Records Bureau checks to ensure that they are suitable to work with young people. Staff confirm this.

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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

A Statement of Purpose is available to inform professionals and members of the public about how care is provided at the home. There is an informative children’s guide to the statement which is appropriate to the age and understanding of the children accommodated. Young people receive a copy of it before they come to live at the home so that they know what to expect if they choose to live there.

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Leadership and management

There is a consistent staff team with a range of experience and skills. New members of staff receive good quality induction training before commencing work with the young people. Staff refer to written guidance frequently during discussion and give examples of how it is implemented in practice. Manager support and supervision are described as, 'very helpful and supportive' by staff who clearly value the beneficial contributions. Staff are trained in a wide variety of safety and childcare subjects. An ongoing programme of regular refresher training is provided in a range of subjects to enhance the staff team's competency to meet the needs of the young people. However, the required refresher training has not always been arranged in a timely manner, resulting in some staff having out of date training certificates for the use of physical intervention.

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Leadership and management

The manager is beginning to incorporate new legislation and practice developments into the service. He also has a system to identify the strengths and weaknesses within the service although these have not yet been formulated into robust development plans. There is a system to monitor, report and evaluate the administration systems of the home and identify any areas of weakness. This is supported by regular visits from an employee of the organisation to check the quality of care at the home. However, these quality assurance systems have failed to identify or adequately address some of the care and safety matters raised in this report. Therefore, there is only satisfactory monitoring of the quality of care for the young people in the home.

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Leadership and management

Staff have a good understanding of individual young people's needs. Staff also demonstrate good practice around equality and diversity through their attitude towards it and by giving examples of this in practice. These include promoting and securing education for each young person, individualised daily living and behaviour management plans and encouraging respect of difference in others. Young people have access to a team that is balanced in terms of race, age, background and gender, and have access to a variety of services in the local and wider community.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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