Children's Home run by Capstone Care Provider Limited in Nottinghamshire

Unique reference number SC392712 Inspection date 01/02/2012 Inspector Tracy Murty Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 29/11/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011).

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned home provides care for up to three young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties. There are three self-contained flats providing training and support for young people leaving care.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress.

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Progress

At the last full inspection of this home in November 2011, the overall effectiveness was judged to be satisfactory. There were three requirements and three recommendations made at that inspection. The home has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. The home temporarily closed towards the end of last year and re-opened earlier this year. The Registered Manager also ceased working for the home at the start of this year, with temporary management arrangements in place currently, so no Registered Manager is in place.

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Progress

At the last inspection, a requirement was made in relation to the need for the home to notify relevant people without delay of all notifiable events. The home has put in place a clear system for recording which agencies and professionals have been contacted following such events. Information includes the date of when the details were provided and in what form. The staff are making such notifications in a timely manner and as such, this requirement has been fully met. The level of detail in the recordings of notifiable events is of a very good standard.

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Progress

The home was required to ensure that independent visits take place at least once per month. The visits have not taken place each month, with some gaps apparent. This requirement has not been met. The home was also required to ensure that reports were sent in to Ofsted by the registered person. The home is sending reports to Ofsted on a regular basis and as such, this requirement has been fully met.

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Progress

The home was asked to ensure that young people interacted positively with others and behaved appropriately. Staff work hard to encourage young people to behave positively. Incentive schemes include enabling young people to earn double pocket money for full attendance at school. Key work sessions consider specific issues relating to young people's behaviour and offer support on how to make necessary changes. Use of physical intervention is minimal, with staff preferring to use de- escalation techniques and other strategies with young people. One young person has attended school every day since moving to this home, something not previously achieved. The use of incentives has enabled young people to behave more positively and interact with others in such a way as to minimise disruptive behaviours. This recommendation has been fully met by the Registered Manager. The home follows local protocols when young people go missing. Staff work closely

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Progress

and positively with relevant agencies, including social workers and police to ensure the safe return of young people. Upon their return to the home, staff speak with young people to offer support and make contact with the placing local authority to notify of their return. Return interviews are carried out by the allocated social worker for the young person. The local police also meet with the young person to discuss the incident and offer advice and support. The home has fully met the recommendation previously made.

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Progress

Young people are offered a range of social activities to take part in while they are living in the home. Activities undertaken include attendance at local gymnasiums, going to the cinema and shopping. Some young people choose not to take up activities offered to them, but staff continue to try and promote this. Young people are actively encouraged to develop confidence in their skills through a range of activities. The previous recommendation in relation to encouraging young people to pursue individual interests and hobbies has been fully met by the Registered Manager. Staff also work closely with local authorities to promote and support contact for young people with significant people and support those contacts.

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Progress

Some internal areas of the home are not currently well maintained or decorated. The back door does not ensure the safety and security of both young people and staff in the home. The downstairs bathroom door has been damaged and there is no shower screen fitted to the side of the bath in this room.

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Progress

Staff undertake regular fire drills and weekly safety checks in the home. These include checks of the emergency lighting, smoke alarms and doors. Records of those checks are made promptly and in a detailed manner, signed by the member of staff undertaking them. Young people have been included in the fire drills during the daytime, but none have take place with them during the night time, meaning that young people and staff do not experience this and are not prepared.

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Progress

The home has a good system for recording all complaints made, either from young people or others. An index system has been put in place, listing all complaints received by the Registered Manager by name, date and reference number. Details of each complaint are recorded on a complaints form in a separate log book and cross referenced with the index in the complaints file. The recording of the outcome of complaints and the complainant's feelings about how it has been dealt with are not clearly recorded. It is also difficult to establish if all complaints are dealt with within the timescales set by the home’s complaints policy.

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Progress

Prior to the temporary closure of the home at the end of last year, staff were receiving regular supervision. The recording of staff supervisions indicates that the frequency of supervision sessions has reduced in recent months. This has an impact on the support and advice they receive in order to carry out their roles effectively and with confidence.

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Progress

The home has a detailed Statement of Purpose in place, which is easily accessible to both staff and young people. It has a good level of detail and the contents are in line with regulatory requirements. The Statement of Purpose does not reflect that the previous Registered Manager left the post earlier this year.

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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 visits take place at least once a month, prepare a written report on the conduct of the home and supply a copy to the HMCI (Regulation 33 (3)(4)(c)(5)(a)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the home used by children are of sound construction and kept in good structural repair externally and internally, with particular reference to the back door of the home (Regulation 31 (2)(d)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that the persons working at the home, and so far as practicable, children accommodated there, are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. Specific consideration to be given to undertaking fire drills during the night at suitable intervals (Regulation 32(1)(e)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the Statement of Purpose and the children's guide (Regulation 5(a)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24(5)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the HMCI is notified of the name of the person appointed to manage the home and the date on which the appointment is to take effect. (Regulation 7(2)(a)(b)) 29/02/2012

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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 the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure that staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff (NMS 19.4)  ensure the manager regularly monitors, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ensure compliance with the home's policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. (NMS 21.2)

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