Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC432741 Inspection date 27/03/2012 Inspector Anne Bannister Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 30/09/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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.

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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 main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned children's home is registered to accommodate and care for five young people of either sex aged between 12 and 17 years who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home accepts emergency placements and can offer care to young people on a short, medium or long-term basis.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

This is the first inspection of this newly registered children's home. Young people live in a caring and nurturing environment. They receive support and encouragement to participate positively in a range of activities which promote their development. Young people are presented with opportunities to continue to develop personal and social skills, talents and abilities.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy positive supportive relationships with staff at the home. They are encouraged to identify and discuss their needs and to contribute to their placement plans. Strategies are put in place, and regularly reviewed by young people with their key worker, to ensure that their identified needs are being addressed. These are well known by all staff, who are consistent in their response to young people's behaviours. Young people are consulted about all aspects of living in the home and their views are taken into account.

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Overall effectiveness

Social workers who have placed young people within the home are complimentary about the care that young people receive. They state that ‘staff always go the extra mile, constantly motivating and encouraging young people to have higher aspirations of themselves.' They indicate staff are skilled at getting young people to think for themselves and accept responsibility for their own actions. One social worker commented that since placement in the home all outcomes for the young person are ‘totally positive’.

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Overall effectiveness

Issues have been identified in relation to the content of the Statement of Purpose and the young people's guide, which fail to fully meet the requirements of legislative guidance.

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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 a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as the statement of purpose) includes all matters listed in Schedule 1. In particular this relates to Schedule 1.5 with regard to the numbers, qualification and experience of staff working in the home. ( Regulation 4 (1)) 05/05/2012

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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

 include in the children's guide: how a child can contact their Independent Reviewing Officer; the Children's Rights Director; and how to secure access to an independent advocate. (NMS 13.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make good progress from their starting points. This is made possible by the commitment and motivation of the whole staff team. Staff work tirelessly to help young people to identify passions or interests which are then built upon. This level of support means young people are more motivated and enthusiastic. For example, all young people are positively engaged in work experience placements. A social worker indicates that the home provides 'an empowering, enthusiastic, energetic environment for young people. The whole staff team work relentlessly to build young people’s confidence by involving them in positive activities'.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported to understand their circumstances and the circumstances which have resulted in them requiring changes in their placements. Staff are sensitive to the ongoing impact for young people of loss, separation and disappointment, and seek day-to-day opportunities to help young people make some sense of their lives. This enables young people to start to develop emotionally and improves their self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people of compulsory school age are encouraged to participate in formal programmes of education. Where young people are admitted at a point of crisis, supportive work experience placements initially provide them with opportunities to achieve, and aim to improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. Staff's expectations are that young people strive to attain their educational potential. Staff work hard to motivate and engage all young people in formal programmes of education. This is particularly evident for those young people showing reluctance to consider post-16 education programmes. In consultation with young people, and working in line with local authority pathway plans, staff are developing an independence package. This aims to ensure young people have the necessary skills and knowledge to help them adapt to independent life when they leave the children's home.

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Quality of care

Young people are often admitted following a crisis which results in the breakdown of a previous placement. Staff endeavour to quickly establish positive relationships at this time of crisis. They use their skills and knowledge of the issues each young person brings to the placement to successfully de-escalate situations which have the potential for conflict. The use of positive praise and reward is effective and results in very few sanctions having occurred since registration. Young people are aware of sanctions which staff can use and feel these are fair. Young people benefit from clear and consistent boundaries which promote positive behaviours.

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Quality of care

Young people believe that their views are sought and taken into account about the way the home is run. They have information on how to make a complaint and feel that if they raise concerns with staff they are listened to without the need for them to take their issues to a more formal level.

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Quality of care

Young people's health needs are very well met to ensure they live a healthy lifestyle. Comprehensive healthcare plans ensure young people access the services they need, which includes regular contact with health professionals who monitor diagnosed medical conditions. Young people receive advice and support which encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle. As a result, young people learn to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. A healthy diet is promoted and young people are encouraged to participate in outdoor activities to keep them physically fit.

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in line with their individual care plan. Staff have high aspirations for all young people in their care. They are realistic about what is achievable but passionate that young people should progress and achieve; this support is enabling individuals to make good progress. Considerable input is given to promote young people's individuality, recognise their particular skills and help them to positively achieve in all areas of their lives.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy living in a homely environment that meets their needs. The home is furnished and decorated to a good standard. Young people have the use of a number of communal areas in what is a comfortable and homely environment. Young people are accommodated in single, lockable bedrooms that they are encouraged to personalise.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people are protected from abuse in the home, where their protection and welfare are paramount and central to all practice. They learn how to protect themselves and understand the impact their behaviours could have on their safety and futures. Young people's risk-taking behaviours reduce as they understand the potential consequences of their actions. Staff are alert to young people’s particular vulnerabilities and use placement plans, as well as staff meetings, to share information and plan care to protect young people. Young people build constructive relationships with staff, and they feel cared for and protected. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and fully understand their roles and responsibilities in responding to potential or actual abuse. Young people spoken to confirmed that they felt safe and they trust staff to keep them safe. Staff help young people develop a

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Safeguarding children and young people

sense of safety and well-being through enabling them to take reasonable risks.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people's care plans and risk assessments take into account their potential to go missing and their vulnerability should they do so. Staff work positively with young people to prevent such incidents occurring. Staff understand the home's procedures for reporting young people when they are missing. The Registered Manager has established links with the Police Runaway and Missing from Home and Care Coordinator to ensure that the home's practice reflects locally agreed protocols.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff use the positive relationships they have developed with young people to defuse difficult situations. Young people's individual behaviour management plans focus on reducing negative behaviours through rewards, incentives and praise. These actions show that young people are protected by the practice of a staff team, who reflect on their actions to ensure that they are continuing to meet the needs of the young people in their care and promote positive outcomes for them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Practices in recruitment of staff are robust. Checks are completed on the staff team to ensure that they are suitable to work with children and young people. Visitors to the home are supervised by the staff team, who ensure that all young people are kept safe when visitors are present.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good .

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Leadership and management

An experienced, child-focused manager provides leadership to the staff team, who work consistently to ensure young people's identified needs are addressed. The home is effectively managed to provide a safe homely environment for young people. The home is well organised and all administration tasks are completed to a high standard. The manager knows the home's strengths, and ongoing development plans provide for continually improving outcomes for children. Staffing numbers are adequate to meet the needs of the young people.

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Leadership and management

There are good systems in place to regularly monitor the performance of the home. Any shortfalls are identified, and action plans are in place to ensure improvements are made in a timely manner. Young people, parents and placing authorities are consulted to ascertain their views and to give them a voice in the operation of the home. The Statement of Purpose reflects what the home sets out to do. However, details of staff employed at the home have not been updated to reflect staff changes since registration. The children's guide is written in a format that is suitable to the age and understanding of young people living at the home. Young people confirm they are given information about how it is to live at the home, and feel the guide tells them what they need to know. The guide does not include information on how young people can contact an advocate and their Independent Reviewing Officer.

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Leadership and management

A significant number of staff do not currently hold appropriate childcare qualifications. Those not holding formal qualifications have commenced their training, and a current recruitment process aims to appoint additional qualified and experienced staff as the home moves towards full capacity. Regular staff meetings ensure all staff are kept up to date with young people's progress and any operational issues. Staff feel very well supported, and regular supervision, which occurs both formally and informally, identifies any training or development needs. Staff feel positive about working at the home and feel they can talk to the manager about any concerns they may have. A staff member said: 'I love coming to work. The staff team work very well together. The manager is very supportive and approachable and has an open door policy. This is a good placement for young people, who receive support and understanding to reach their potential.’

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Leadership and management

Young people are protected by a range of detailed and comprehensive health and safety procedures, risk assessments and checks. Young people are knowledgeable about safety and can exit the home quickly in an emergency.

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Leadership and management

Young people's records are stored securely to protect their privacy. Staff understand confidentiality issues and there are information-sharing protocols in place to ensure private information is only shared with appropriate agencies. There are systems in place to ensure agencies are notified of significant events to allow for the home to be monitored between inspection visits.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is good .

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