Children's Home run by 4d Care Ltd in Cambridgeshire

Unique reference number SC064557 Inspection date 01/02/2012 Inspector Stephen Halliley Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 13/07/2011 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 privately owned. It is registered to look after a maximum of six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are education facilities within the grounds of the home.

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Brief description of the service

The home works flexibly to meet the needs of young people's placement plans as identified by local authorities. The home supports young people to achieve positive moves to independence, supported accommodation or alternative placements.

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Progress

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

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Progress

This home was judged to be good at the last full inspection in July 2011 with one requirement and two recommendations being made.

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Progress

Since then the Registered Manager and staff have demonstrated improvements in the quality of care they provide and the outcomes for young people. This has included young people making progress in terms of transition and education, continuing to develop as they move towards adulthood, and achieving individual goals. Managers are evaluating and enhancing the current level of service and successfully addressing all the requirements and recommendations which were made at the last inspection. There is an effective system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001. There is also a system for improving the quality of care for young people, but reports prepared in respect of this are not sent in to Ofsted at regular intervals.

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Progress

There remains a system in place whereby reparation for damages continues to be used as a sanction. This is alongside reductions in activity money or no cash in hand for misuse of finances. In the sanction book, which dates back to June 2011, all sanctions of this type had been appropriately recorded by staff. These were fair and appropriate to the behaviours, have been signed off by the Regulation 33 visitor and are regularly monitored by the manager as part of his monthly auditing. Supervision records were seen for three staff, including the Registered Manager. These all include details of discussion, actions to be taken, the date and time of supervision, and the duration in terms of a start and finish time.

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Progress

All staff have either attained a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 or are working towards it. There are three staff who are nearing completion and all other staff hold this as a minimum award. Therefore, there are no staff who do not hold, or who are not working towards, a relevant qualification. The Registered Manager and director are very clear that if new staff are unqualified they would do the Children’s Workforce Development Council workbook as part of their six-month probation and then go on to do the appropriate diploma course upon successfully completing their probationary period.

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Progress

The home has shown clear capacity to improve in a number of areas; this has a positive impact on the outcomes for their young people. There is an external team of psychologists who will be working with the staff team to provide them with additional guidance and supervision and they will also be available to work with individual young people if this need is identified. The young people's care plans have been updated, with performance-based objectives being set for each individual outcome. These have also been developed into ‘Pathway to Independence’ plans, and young people have been very involved in preparing these. The home also has an outreach project whereby support is given to young people who leave the home for as long as the young person requires this support. This is done from within the current staffing levels and does not impact on the young people still living in the home. There is also a discretionary grant fund available to young people in terms of the home matching

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Progress

any funding the young people can provide for large purchases. Recently this has involved mopeds for two young men. This has increased young people’s independence levels and has allowed them the same opportunity as their peers with whom they go to school and have friendships.

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Progress

Young people speak very highly of their care in the home. It is clear they enjoy positive relationships with staff and, in the main, each other. The young people are positive about the ability of staff to act on their views and wishes. This is clear in the layout of the home, the highly-individualised décor of the bedrooms, and the trips the young people have been involved in. There is a high level of consultation with young people about the service and it is clear the young people feel safe in the home. All young people are actively involved in their independence plans and are fully aware of their plans for the futures and indicate they were involved in these being compiled. As a result, young people receive structured care which is planned to meet their individual needs.

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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 manager sends copies of the Regulation 34 reports to HMCI at six- monthly intervals. (Volume 5, statutory guidance, para: 3.14)

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