Children's Home run by Care and Management Services Ltd in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC419229 Inspection date 16/05/2012 Inspector Robert Hewston Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 02/02/2012 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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Brief description of the service

This children's home is part of a small organisation operated by a private company specialising in the care of young people. The home provides care for up to three young people.

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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 Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are valued as individuals; their needs are well known by the staff team who provide a personalised package of care and support. Young people are making steady progress in relation to their starting points because they live in a very supportive environment. Staff focus on building relationships that are open and honest, they listen to what young people have to say and this helps shape the way in which the home operates on a day-to-day basis.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe in the home and with the staff who work with them. Young people are continuously supported to behave well and stay safe. Where young people’s behaviour becomes risky to themselves or others staff correctly intervene to ensure everyone is safe. The Registered Manager and staff team establish good communications with parents and placing social workers to ensure effective partnerships are established and maintained. Parents and placing social workers are positive about the standards of care the home provides.

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Overall effectiveness

The service demonstrates the capacity to improve because the Registered Manager is continually evaluating the standards of care and support being delivered. The Registered Manager uses a range of information to help determine the quality of care being provided and the impact this is having on young people’s lives. Shortfalls identified in the inspection have already been actioned and are part of the service development plan.

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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 information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. Children are actively encouraged to read their files, other than confidential or third party information and to correct errors and add personal statements (NMS 22.5)  ensure visits of the home carried out under Regulation 33 include relevant checks set out in regulations. In particular interviewing parents and relatives to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home. ( NMS21.7)

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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 are making good progress at this home. They say they have developed in maturity and have a greater understanding of their background, reasons for coming to live at the home and some of their risk-taking behaviours. Young people feel good about themselves because they have improved behaviour, including not going missing from care, finding better ways to stay safe and developing clarity regarding family circumstances. Young people stated ‘I feel staff understand me well and have helped me in developing better relationships with parents’.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff work well together to address young people’s individual needs and promote their physical and emotional well-being. This is because there is a strong focus on getting to know young people well and encouraging them to talk about their backgrounds and the issues that are important to them. Staff are sensitive and understanding when young people talk about their life experiences and family relationships. Great care is taken to encourage resilience and to build young people’s confidence especially when they try to make positive changes in their lives.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy good health. They have a good awareness of their own health needs and take positive responsibility for their own healthcare and appointments. They understand how lifestyle choices can impact on their health, including balanced eating, exercise, understanding sexual health and using medication. For example young people are encouraged not to smoke by using patches, gums and electronic cigarettes to remove the craving. One member of staff commented ‘we are trying all available products to help young people from smoking, not always been successful but will get there in the end.’ Young people also understand how to access a variety of health agencies that will support their medical needs and give advice about lifestyle choices. Young people commented on how staff have supported them in taking their regular prescribed medication which has benefitted them in making them feel a lot healthier.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are engaged in a range of different learning and education arrangements that are consistent with individual needs and each young person’s starting point on arrival to the home. Young people have significant histories of poor attendance and engagement at school, which is compounded by some entrenched and negative views about the value and importance of education. The Registered Manager and staff team are very clear with young people about their expectations, which are matched with very practical, individualised support that is slowly making a difference. The Registered Manager and staff team used their developing relationships with young people to positively influence attitudes and some young people recognise how beneficial this has been in their outlook towards education. Social workers confirmed how the home has been proactive to ensure young people’s education is fully met but in the appropriate education courses and provisions.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Overall, young people have made considerable progress from their starting points at the time of placement.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have good opportunities to explore opportunities and their potential. They learn and grow in maturity because they are supported to prepare for independent living and receive good practical guidance. Young people are very confident and proud of their abilities to budget, cook and attend appointments and interviews. Young people are also supported to explore how they see themselves and relate to others. Young people positively look forward to maturing into valuable young adults in society.

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Quality of care

Young people respond positively to staff whose patient and consistent approach helps them to build strong and effective relationships. Some young people have very difficult and challenging behaviours that can affect their relationships. However, this does not discourage staff from providing good quality care with clear boundaries. Young people say, they can talk to the staff about anything as 'the staff great, they are always there for me'. Consequently young people are thriving in a stable, nurturing and supportive environment. Young people feel safe here and have a very strong sense of belonging. Social workers stated ‘young people feel all staff are approachable, have time to listen and understand the young people's feelings’. Social workers also commented on how all of the staff have an excellent knowledge and understand of young people's issues and concerns.

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Quality of care

Staff speak fondly of young people and are very proud of their achievements across all aspects of their development. The quality of care provided also includes listening to what young people have to say about their care and daily arrangements. This is done in a range of ways through group meetings, one-to-one discussions and throughout the course of each day. Staff negotiate and compromise, they also encourage the use of these skills by young people as part of their social development and learning. However, there is a lack of acknowledgment of these discussions within young people's files. Link working sessions do take place but show little evidence of young people's comments, outcomes and actions. Young people spoken to confirmed they are able to discuss many issues, wishes and concerns with the staff but have never read or commented in either the link working logs or other documentation. These shortfalls had already been identified by the proposed new manager and are

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Quality of care

part of the development plan for the home within the next six months.

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Quality of care

The Registered Manager has also implemented the use of questionnaires to enhance and improve feedback from young people about their experiences of living in the home. This gives the Registered Manager and staff further opportunities to learn about what young people think and to make changes where necessary based on the feedback given. Young people feel listened to and this ensures that they are offered choices and can influence the running of the home. Also, young people are certain that any concerns or complaints they have will be dealt with fairly, they are confident and know how to do this if needed.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a healthy environment which promotes their physical health and emotional well-being. Staff understand the importance of having a well-balanced diet. Staff have a good understanding of young people's specific health needs. This ensures young people receive the right support at the right time. Staff are trained in first aid which means they are able to respond to any accidents or incidents.

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Quality of care

Young people have a strong sense of personal identity and individuality. Staff have a good knowledge about the social, cultural and religious backgrounds of young people. Young people can express themselves, explore their backgrounds and develop positive identities. For example young people commented ‘I have started to trust the staff in their judgement about going missing , who I'm with and placing myself at risk’. This has helped in a reduction in young people going missing, a decrease in criminal activity and improved feeling of self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of care

Staff are well informed about each young person’s needs because they have effective partnerships with families and placing social workers. Social workers commented on the successful communication links between the home and themselves. These arrangements help staff to gain important information about young people’s backgrounds, family histories and current needs. In addition, the Registered Manager ensures that key written information from placing authorities is obtained about how young people's care needs are to be met. Where this information is missing, the Registered Manager follows up with further requests for information. Plans of care are reviewed regularly to ensure young people’s complex and diverse needs are being met. However, it is difficult to see the contribution and input young people have had within the reviewed placement plans.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a comfortable and homely family house in a residential neighbourhood. The home is decorated and furnished to a good standard. The Registered Manager monitors the home’s environment to ensure it is safe for everyone to live and work in. In addition, the Registered Manager keeps track of maintenance requests and has a programme of planned improvements to the layout, fixtures and fittings

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are safeguarded because of the staff's secure understanding of the home's safeguarding policy and procedures. Staff are clear on the action to take should they have any concerns regarding a young person's safety. Staff are extremely aware of young people's vulnerabilities and risks when away from the home and plan effectively to ensure young people remain safe. Staff work very well with social worker's and families to manage young people's personal safety. Staff practice is underpinned by robust policies, procedures and safeguarding training. Incidence of bullying are low and when it does occur it is tackled quickly. The Registered Manager is the designated person with responsibility for managing safeguarding concerns and this role is effectively carried out in practice. The Registered Manager liaises with the Local Authority Designated Officer when necessary and acts in accordance with organisational and local safeguarding

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has clear practices and protocols with the local police to support effective action when children go missing. Staff are aware of the factors that may trigger young people going missing and take action to minimise the risk. The incidences of children missing from the home are minimised and very infrequent.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are respectful of the house rules. Young people have developed excellent strategies, through good support from the staff, for coping with difficult situations. This means they are able to manage their own feelings in a constructive manner. Young people benefit highly from a consistent, caring environment in which they are praised and valued. When physical intervention has been necessary staff have ensured at all times the feelings and safety for the young people. The use of negative consequences, which are minimal, are far outweighed by the number of positive consequences. Young people say they feel safe and value the significant improvements in their behaviour. They say they have developed a much greater awareness of how to keep themselves safe, particularly in their own local communities.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff carry out regular health and safety checks of the premises, which includes certifications for electrical checks, gas and fire safety checks. All checks are in date and reviewed as part of the monthly monitoring system recently implemented.

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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

Young people benefit from living in a home that is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has the support and respect of the staff team. The team communicate well with each other to ensure everyone is kept up-to-date with new and changing information about young people’s needs and circumstances. Staff talk positively about the support they receive. They confirm that supervision and appraisal meetings are carried out on a regular basis that enables them to reflect on their practice and relationships with young people. Staff access good quality training that enhances their individual skills. The home meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose. This means young people, their families, social workers and placing authorities are clear on the type of care and support young people can expect to receive.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has a clear and realistic understanding of the strengths and areas for further development. The home demonstrates a capacity for sustained improvement based upon performance over the last year and continued development of excellent outcomes for young people. Previous recommendations have been satisfactorily met. The manager is now completing monthly monitoring reviews of all paperwork which will be included into a regulation 34 check. Regulation 33 checks are now being sent monthly to Ofsted. However, the reports do not always show discussions and comments from parents, social workers and other external organisations in regard to the development of young people and the home.

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Leadership and management

Staff work well together and are a consistent and committed team that has a positive impact on young people’s progress and development. The team is a mix of new and experienced male and female staff with different backgrounds and a varied age range. Staff have a wide range of skills and experiences which effectively meet the needs of young people. This contributes to the good outcomes young people are achieving.

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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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