Children's Home run by S P Homes Limited in Lambeth

Unique reference number SC065535 Inspection date 22/02/2012 Inspector Tola Akinde-Hummel Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 23/08/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This company-run children's home caters for six young people. It provides supervised care and support for young people from all cultural backgrounds on a medium- to long-term basis.

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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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Progress

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

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Progress

At the last inspection, the overall effectiveness rating was judged as good with four requirements and one recommendation. Three of the four requirements made at the previous key inspection have been met. The record of complaints has been kept up to date ensuring that there is a satisfactory audit trail. Staff are currently undertaking National Vocational Qualification training relevant to their work with external assessors monitoring their progress. Staff who had not been appraised at the last inspection have now had their appraisal meeting with targets set. The focus on training and appraisal is beginning to enable the home to measure the competency and skills of the staff team to ensure they are able to meet the needs of the young people placed there.

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Progress

However, although the home has addressed specific maintenance issues raised at the previous inspection, a number of outstanding areas remain. This compromises the level of comfort and a sense of belonging young people experience in the home. For example, the lounge and computer room are bare and unwelcoming. There are some pictures of previous residents and very little that indicates this is a home for young people. There is a broken cupboard door in the kitchen and a larger broken dining table in the kitchen/ patio area. This makes it impossible for young people and staff to sit and eat together at one time. Bathrooms and fittings need some repair to ensure these do not represent a health and safety hazard.

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Progress

The home had very few young people living there for a considerable length of time. Since the beginning of 2012, numbers have increased and the home now has only one vacancy. This has meant that the home is now in the process of recruiting additional staff to meet the needs of the young people. Young people who have recently moved in state that they are happy with the home, their introduction to the home, and the support of staff to date. They understand the house rules and have been welcomed by all the young people living there. Where appropriate, young people are encouraged to maintain relationships with their families.

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Progress

More established young people identify staff that they get on well with and seek individual support from them. They are able to cook with particular members of staff who support them to improve their culinary skills. At other times, when certain members of staff are not on duty, they say healthier meal options are not being made available. Young people beginning to be able to attend residents’ meetings and are able to express their opinions about the day-to-day running of the home, but this is in its infancy with the new group of young people. Young people participate in activities and are encouraged to pursue their education. Those young people not in education are supported by staff to identify suitable education placements.

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Progress

There have been a number of incidents that have taken place in the home where the police have been in attendance. The events are recorded and sent to the relevant placing authorities for information. However, these notifiable events have not been forwarded to Ofsted. The home has monthly Regulation 33 visits and the report of these visits is provided to the manager. These reports have not been forwarded to Ofsted since August 2011. In addition, the home has not submitted a report on the quality of care provided to young people. This means there is no reliable system of assessing how effective the current level of support is and if the home is fully addressing the needs of young people.

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Progress

Food labelling in the home is inconsistent. A number of items do not have labels and some fresh and frozen food is not properly sealed. Some dry foods are well past their expiry date, and two items of food, that should have been refrigerated, had been placed in the cupboard where they had gone mouldy. This presents a health risk to young people.

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Progress

Regular staff meetings and residents’ meetings are taking place to address practice issues. The manager recognises the shortfalls in practice and that there is a need for a greater level of consistent practice within the staff team and that care and attention needs to be paid to the environment.

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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 all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as is reasonably practical free from hazards to their health or safety, with specific reference to food storage and labelling (Regulation 23 (a)) 30/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that in relation to a children's home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30 (1) ) 30/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the home used by children are kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31 (2) (e)) 30/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure reports of visits made by the registered provider are sent to Ofsted (Regulation 33 (5)(a)) 30/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for improving the quality of care provided in the children's home and supply to Ofsted a report in respect of any review conducted. (Regulation 34 (1) (2) ) 30/03/2012

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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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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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