Children's Home run by Destiny House in Harrow

Unique reference number SC038906 Inspection date 20/02/2012 Inspector Guy Mammatt Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 16/09/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This children's home is privately run by the provider, who also manages the service on the day-to-day basis. The home offers care and accommodation for children and young people who may have emotional and behavioural needs. It takes up to eight children and young people of either sex, aged from 13 to 17 years.

p.3

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.

p.3

Progress

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

p.3

Progress

At the full inspection in September 2011, the overall quality rating for the service was judged as satisfactory with four requirements and two recommendations set within the inspection report.

p.3

Progress

The home has successfully met with three of the requirements and one recommendation. The requirement to demonstrate appropriate records are kept for the use of any measure of discipline within the home is carried over to the next inspection. This is because the home has not used any measure of control or discipline since the last inspection. Therefore, it is not possible to ascertain if the records are being kept correctly in response to this regulation. Similarly, the recommendation to review the vetting of new staff to ensure that it is consistent with the provider's policy is carried over, as the provider has not employed any new staff since the last inspection and is not able to demonstrate that this good practice is being followed. The home does not currently have any children or young people in residence; however, on the evidence available, the home is able to demonstrate it has maintained the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people since the

p.3

Progress

last inspection. Clear evidence is provided by the home to show how all aspects of the young person’s individuality and the promotion of equality and diversity are addressed in both daily living and recorded care planning. Regular key worker sessions discuss pertinent self-esteem issues with the young people. In response to the requirement made at the last inspection, the monthly progress reports for each young person contain informative sections on ‘self-esteem, equality and diversity and identity issues’. The Registered Manager has set up a charitable link with a community school in Brazil to raise cultural awareness among the children and young people at the home. The Statement of Purpose and children’s guide have been reviewed and updated in response to the requirement made at the last inspection. The aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose are child focused and show how the service will meet outcomes for children and young people in its care. The

p.4

Progress

guide includes a summary of what the home sets out to do for young people, how they can find out about their rights and how young people can contact external sources if they wish to raise a concern.

p.4

Progress

The Registered Manager now regularly monitors all records kept by the home to ensure compliance with the home’s policies. This helps identify any concerns about specific instances that may affect the standard of care provided for the young people living at the home. Children and young people are consulted during the monitoring; however, they do not always wish to participate in formal discussion about their care. The staff team are creative in their efforts to engage the young people and will often record important conversations as key worker sessions after the event. The Registered Manager gathers the view of placing authorities and family members; however, this is recorded separately to the monthly monitoring. Risk assessments and care plans are now updated regularly and include detailed action plans to form a cohesive approach by the staff team. Clear aims and targets are specified for the young people in their care plans to promote consistency among the staff team in

p.4

Progress

working towards the common goal for the young people.

p.4

Progress

Children and young people who have left the service and moved on to independent units remain in communication with the home and will often visit, demonstrating the positive relationships they made while living at the home. A young person who had recently moved out said, ‘It was brilliant living at this home’, because he felt the staff team believed in him and always had time for him. Placing authorities have fed back to the home that there is good professionalism shown by the staff team and the young people have settled down during their time living at the home enabling positive outcomes and good educational attendance.

p.4

Progress

The Registered Manager promotes a positive ethos within the home to meet the needs of the children and young people. The home’s philosophy is to spend constructive time with the young people and to talk with them during heightened behaviour rather than restrain and reprimand. The home would benefit from some redecoration and the surveillance cameras that are in place, with the permission of placing authorities, are not conducive in promoting a homely environment. However, the cameras have been effective in reducing the number of inter-house disputes among residents while encouraging positive behaviour and young people taking responsibility for their actions.

p.4

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.

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that appropriate records are kept of the use of any measure of discipline. (Regulation 17B (3)) 30/03/2012

p.5

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.5

Recommendations

 review the vetting of staff to ensure that it is consistent with the provider's policy and good practice. (NMS 16 (1) (2))

p.5

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.

p.6

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).

p.6