Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC416318 Inspection date 31/01/2012 Inspector Anne Bannister Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 26/05/2011 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

The home is registered to accommodate three young people with emotional and behavioural problems. It offers emergency, medium- and long-term placements for young people.

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Progress

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

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Progress

The home had its first inspection since registration in May 2011. A judgment of satisfactory was made because the home had not been operational for a sufficient period of time to enable records to evidence positive outcomes for young people. The outcome of the inspection was that one requirement and two recommendations for improvement were raised.

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Progress

The children's home demonstrates a continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for young people. All staff are now trained in the company’s preferred method of behaviour management. The manager has ensured that the procedures implemented when young people are missing from home are compatible with the local authority and police protocols. All young people's files now contain a copy of their personal education plan and care plans advise how staff support young people's educational attainment.

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Progress

Young people live in a safe, caring and supportive home environment that enables them to make good progress in all aspects of their lives. The use of physical intervention and sanctions to manage challenging behaviour has significantly decreased. Young people are helped to reflect on and look at more positive ways to manage their emotions. They confirm a written record of their views is maintained and that they are offered the opportunity to raise a complaint if they are unhappy about any aspect of the incident. Staff confirm this practice. However, such records had been mislaid on the day of the inspection and an assessment of the impact such discussions have on young people’s behaviours could not be fully assessed. Young people also speak positively about an incentive scheme, which they feel encourages them to reflect on their behaviours and to look at alternate, more positive ways of responding to situations.

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Progress

All young people are positively engaged in education with some achieving full-time school attendance. This is a significant development for young people who have previously been disengaged from education. Young people feel safe and say that the placement is good for them because they are going to school regularly, keeping themselves safe and listening to advice from staff. Young people are taking more responsibility for themselves appropriate to their age and level of understanding and making good choices around their lifestyles and personal safety. For example there have been no instances when young people have been missing from care for the several months. However, records previously recorded fail to evidence whether, on their return, young people are offered the opportunity to speak to someone outside of the home about the reasons for their absence. Neither do they indicate the reasons young people have given for such behaviour.

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Progress

Care plans, and individual risk assessments have been revised in consultation with young people. They outline individual needs and highlight times where young people may need increased support. Young people's progress is recognised and their achievements celebrated. Young people achieve positive outcomes following admission to the home.

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Progress

Young people are benefiting from consistency of care from a designated staff team. The staff team are receiving the appropriate levels of support, training and supervision to assist their professional development and monitor their performance. While some members of staff are qualified and experienced, others are in the process of completing the appropriate training and qualifications to ensure they work effectively with young people in their care.

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Progress

There is effective monitoring of the quality of care for the young people in the home. Quality assurance systems monitor the operation, management, young people’s welfare and the home's records. They evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the quality of care and are linked into the home’s development plan. Any areas of weakness identified are promptly acted upon.

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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 written records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail action taken by staff, the circumstances of the child's return, any reasons given by the child for running away from the home, and any action taken in the light of those reasons (NMS 5.10)  ensure where sanctions, disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children and staff are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home. (NMS 3.18)

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