Children's Home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Unique reference number SC035222 Inspection date 15/05/2012 Inspector Steve Pearson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 29/02/2012 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

The children's home is provided by a local authority and is registered to care for up to three young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be adequate .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The home is meeting nearly all the national minimum standards and regulations. The manager and staff have very good relationships with young people who feel safe and comfortable at the home. The team provides a high quality of care and the inspection identified numerous examples of where progress was very positive.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall impact of the care in relation to educational outcomes is mixed, although here again there are areas of practice where the support provided by the staff team is having a very positive effect. Health outcomes are also broadly positive especially in relation to emotional well-being because young people develop a strong sense of trust and security. However, physical health outcomes are less positive.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The capacity for improvement is being held back by weak self-assessment. Internal and external monitoring is failing to pick up shortfalls that were readily identified at the inspection. Internal monitoring is not adequately evaluative and tends to be an administration check. External monitoring is also not adequately thorough, particularly in relation to attendance and achievement in education. Given the effect on life chances it is important that this monitoring is robust.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The staff team is skilled, knowledgeable and experienced and provides good levels of consistent care.

p.3

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.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals; in particular this relates to ensuring the monitoring of staff rotas. (Regulation 34 (1), schedule 6, para 16) 31/05/2012

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure that procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home are effective; in particular this relates to monitoring required by Regulations 33 and 34 and accurate evaluation of sanctions and occasions when young people go missing (NMS 21.1)  monitor and respond to young people’s views by recording their response in the sanctions book if a young person feels that the sanction was unfair (Volume 5, statutory guidance, para 3.22)  ensure that it is the manager of the home who regularly monitors records kept by the home, as required by Regulation 34 (NMS 21.2)  ensure that an important focus of the external monthly monitoring visits is scrutiny of how the home is supporting children to achieve; in particular, this should include evaluation of children’s attendance and attainment in education and, if appropriate, employment (Volume 5, statutory guidance, para 3.12)  ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly; in particular ensure

p.4

Recommendations

that goals recorded as such in the residential placement plan are current rather than historical. (NMS 22.5)

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are adequate .

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people gain confidence and a sense of identity as their stay in the home progresses with time. The staff are proactive in enabling young people to understand their life history and background. This gives them a clearer sense of identity and a greater sense of security. Children choose their own clothes, toiletries and hair styles and take up hobbies that interest them. This also means they develop a clear sense of identity and confidence. The staff receive regular training in equality and diversity enabling young people to reach their potential. This was summed up by one young person who said, 'The staff encourage you to be the best you can be.’

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children are physically and emotionally healthy. Progress in these areas is mixed but extremely positive progress is made in achieving emotional health and, as a result, there is a reduction in challenging behaviour. Young people form positive relationships with the staff and they get on well with each other. This further supports their sense of emotional well-being.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

The quality of educational outcomes in terms of attainment and achievement is variable. This includes very good progress as well as maintenance of high levels of performance and attendance, but also includes spasmodic levels of attendance and under-achievement. Nevertheless, all children are attending education and achieving.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people gain emotional well-being from on-going and regular contact with their family and friends. Appropriate supervision is in place where necessary. This was summed up by one young person who said, 'I have plenty of contact with my family and friends.’ This helps to establish further children's self-esteem and emotional well- being.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people gain knowledge and skills that will be important when they are older and living independently. For example, one young person said, 'The staff teach us how to be independent. They make sure we use the buses and teach us how to wash and iron our clothes.’

p.5

Quality of care

Young people have a real say in how the home is run. For example, one young person said, 'We have monthly house meetings and things that we brought up at the previous meeting are checked out at the start of the next one.’ The minutes of these meetings confirm this, although the recording format means it is sometimes difficult to identify actions and then track them through to completion. All young people spoken with said, 'I know how to complain but would normally just tell the staff and they would sort it.’ There have been no formal complaints since the previous inspection.

p.5

Quality of care

Relationships within the home are positive. For example, one young person said, 'It's nice living here; I feel dead welcome here.’ Young people behave well and the staff use appropriate behavioural strategies to address issues of concern. The staff are effective in using incentives to promote positive behaviour and the use of sanctions is rare. There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the previous inspection.

p.5

Quality of care

The home provides a healthy environment and there are effective links with agencies that promote physical, emotional and sexual health. Young people are enabled to develop positive working relationships with a nurse, for looked after children, who visits the children's home at regular intervals. The nurse provides advice and monitors any concerns. Children also benefit from an annual medical assessment.

p.5

Quality of care

The staff also enable young people to take part in a range of stimulating activities including holidays away from the home.

p.6

Quality of care

The manager and staff work closely with schools and education support agencies to try to ensure young people achieve their potential in education. For example, one young person said, 'The staff help to make sure I get up for school and they help with transport and revision.’ Young people also have full access to a computer with internet access. This is well used and is helpful for recreational and educational purposes.

p.6

Quality of care

The home itself is comfortable and well maintained. One young person summed up their opinions by saying, 'My room is good…I've got everything I need and can lock my door if necessary.’ The home has recently been redecorated and the manager has obtained and installed more furnishings and fittings to make the environment homely and comfortable.

p.6

Quality of care

The needs of young people are assessed appropriately before any admission decisions are made. Decision-making includes an evaluation of the needs of the incoming young person and the impact their admission may have on the residents already living in the home. Any effects caused by the current residents are also considered.

p.6

Quality of care

The needs of young people are recorded in their residential placement plan and in their statutory care plan. The range of needs is comprehensive including cultural and religious needs. Young people are consistently involved in the evaluation of their care plans and older children can chair their own review meetings. This helps them feel involved and in control. The team of staff clearly understands each young person's plan and the team’s role in how to meet their needs.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

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

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

The team of staff is effective in promoting positive behaviour through appropriate use of incentives and occasional use of sanctions. The use of restraint is very rare and all staff receive regular training in how to respond to challenging behaviour including the use of physical intervention. This training is refreshed every two years. An independent reviewing officer said, 'The staff team is also consistent in how it responds to challenging behaviour and this gives young people a sense of security.’

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Young people spoken with at the inspection said, 'I feel safe here.' and that there was at least one person they could speak with if they felt unsafe or unhappy. The staff are effective in protecting young people from harm. They conduct an individual written risk assessment on each young person and the hazards that may affect them. They review this on a regular basis or when issues arise. The staff also understand how to respond accordingly in order to minimise such risks. Young people said, 'There is no bullying here.' adding 'We get on okay with each other but tend to do our own thing and lead our own lives.’

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a written procedure which the staff follow if a young person goes missing. This procedure is based on government guidance and the manager is aware of a minor shortfall relating to who may conduct 'return interviews'. To some extent, reducing the number of episodes of missing persons remains a challenge and progress is variable over time.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Effective recruitment procedures are in place and the manager ensures that nobody may work at the home until all checks required by legislation have taken place. A newly developed spreadsheet provides for accountability here.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

The premises are maintained in a safe condition. Professional technicians regularly service the electrical equipment, gas appliances and equipment for preventing, detecting and extinguishing fires. The staff conduct regular fire drills with the young people and the manager is aware of a minor shortfall in the recording of any deficiencies that may arise and how these are responded to.

p.7

Leadership and management

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

p.7

Leadership and management

The home is maintained to a high standard and extra resources have been obtained to improve the external appearance of the home and garden. The home has a written Statement of Purpose which explains its role and function. Although the document was updated only a few months ago, details about frequency of staff supervision are inconsistent with those in the provider's written policies and in the business plan. However this is a minor shortfall.

p.7

Leadership and management

The current Registered Manager is absent due to long-term sickness and an acting manager has been in place throughout the absence. At the inspection, discussions took place regarding the acting manager's registration status. Young people, residential staff, social workers and independent reviewing officers were positive about how the home is being managed.

p.7

Leadership and management

The home is adequately resourced and a development plan and business plan are in place to clarify the home's function and resources for the next 12 months. This provides a sense of security and clarity about the future.

p.7

Leadership and management

The home employs sufficient staff and they are experienced and well qualified. The staff team take part in a wide range of mandatory training that is repeated every two to three years. All staff are qualified to level three and new staff take part in appropriate induction training before undertaking the qualifications. This helps them to provide good quality care. A young person added to this by saying, 'We know all the staff well; there are enough staff on duty and there's not lots of different people coming and going.’ The staff also receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal. There are plans for young people's views to contribute to these assessments.

p.7

Leadership and management

Monitoring of the quality of care is not carried out with sufficient rigour. An external person visits once a month to monitor and report on the quality of care provided. However, the assessment of children's educational attendance and achievement is not adequately detailed. Children's attendance is rarely reported on and achievement is often not mentioned.

p.8

Leadership and management

The home's internal management team also monitors the quality of care. This monitoring does not cover all the necessary issues required by legislation. In particular, there is no assessment of how effectively staff rotas are being covered. Additionally, it is not always the manager who conducts the monitoring, as required by the national minimum standards.

p.8

Leadership and management

Internal and external monitoring is sometimes inaccurate and, as a result, shortfalls are not identified. For example, in one month where there had been a high number of missing person episodes, the evaluation was that this was satisfactory. Additionally, although two sanctions had been issued in each of two consecutive months, the monitoring reports recorded that none had been issued. A young person had also written in the sanction book that two sanctions were unfair. There were no management response comments in the appropriate section of the sanction book but the monitoring reports failed to identify this.

p.8

Leadership and management

Most records provide for appropriate accountability under external scrutiny. Young people contribute their wishes and opinions to internal and external reviews. For example, one young person said, 'I'm always invited to my review and I can say how I feel.’ However, the format of residential placement plans is confusing because targets that have been met are presented as still needing to be addressed. The staff undertake useful work with children to help them understand their history and their stay in the home. Extra training is provided to help the staff record information in a way that will be of maximum benefit to young people when they are adults and looking back on their case files.

p.8

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.9

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.

p.9