Children's Home run by Island Choices Ltd in Isle of Wight

Unique reference number SC399866 Inspection date 15/05/2012 Inspector David Coulter Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 05/01/2012 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

The children's home registered for up to four young people, including those with learning difficulties of either gender from 5 to 17. The home is owned by a private limited company.

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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

The home continues to provide good quality care to a group of extremely vulnerable young people. Evidence indicates young people are responding positively to the nurturing environment and the clear boundaries that the home offers. It is clear that the physical, social and emotional needs of young people have been appropriately identified and effective strategies developed to ensure they are appropriately met. Young people are supported by a group of staff who advocate effectively on their behalf and secure additional resources and services from other agencies when required. Staff are sensitive to the particular needs of teenagers and have created a system that encourages the development of independent living skills within a safe and homely environment.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff have aspirations for the young people in their care and there is an expectation they will lead full and active lives during their placements. Staff reinforce positive behaviour and success is recognised and celebrated. Young people continue to do well and all are fully engaging in their education, training and employment placements. Young people participate in a range of social and recreational activities within the home and local community. All talked in positive terms about their lives within the home and special mention was made of the support and encouragement they received from staff, their satisfaction with their accommodation and the quality of the food.

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Overall effectiveness

Although there were no recommendations or actions to be addressed from the last inspection, some shortfalls were identified during this inspection: the registered person has not produced a report of the review of quality of care and the basement of the home is not well maintained. These shortfalls do not reflect negatively on the current quality of care, which is of a very high standard

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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) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals; and improving the quality of care provided in the children’s home; supply to the HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted and provide for consultation accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34 (1)(2)(3)) 01/10/2012

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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

 ensure all areas of the home are well maintained and appropriately decorated. (NMS 10.3)

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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

The home provides safety and stability to a number of young people who have recently experienced uncertainty and insecurity. All three residents are now settled and living full and active lives. Individuals have established trusting relationships with staff that allows them to discuss all aspects of their lives. Young people are supported in maintaining contact with members of their families and are helped to understand the circumstances that brought them into care.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The specific health, social and emotional needs of each individual are identified on admission and young people work alongside staff in the development of their placement plans. Together with staff they identify achievable goals that are reviewed on a monthly basis. The placement planning process has proved extremely successful and provides a method for young people to measure their progress in relation to areas such as education, behaviour and the acquisition of social and life-skills. Success is rewarded with praise from staff and has led to a significant increase in each young person’s self-confidence and willingness to try new things. For example, one young person, who on entering the home was assessed as needing staff support when in the community, is now capable of undertaking long journeys by public transport by himself. While such opportunities allow young people to increase their knowledge and skills it also allows them to extend their social horizons. Young people

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Outcomes for children and young people

have now established social relationships with a range of people throughout the local community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The current residents all benefit from good health. Young people have generally adopted healthy lifestyles by eating wisely and taking regular exercise. All are involved in the development of menu plans and are provided opportunities to develop their culinary skills by helping staff produce meals. By accessing advice and guidance on health issues young people are helped to assume responsibility for monitoring their own health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Although young people do not always comply with the homes behavioural boundaries, they feel that staff generally apply the system fairly. Young people have responded positively to the home’s approach and there is clear evidence that incidents of anti-social and inappropriate behaviour have decreased.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Clear boundaries that are managed consistently by all staff create a safe and nurturing environment in which young people can grow and develop. There is an expectation that young people will tolerate each other and peacefully co-exist. Staff closely monitor the behaviours and moods of each young person and identify antecedents and possible triggers surrounding significant incidents. Staff are clearly aware of the difficulties some young people experience in linking their behaviour with possible consequences and regularly discuss behavioural issues with them. Staff have a zero tolerance of any form of discriminatory behaviour and close supervision helps prevent any bullying. Praise and encouragement is used to reinforce positive behaviour and a range of diversionary techniques are deployed by staff to de- escalate challenging situations. Sanctions are only used for serious misdemeanours.

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Quality of care

The relationships between young people and staff are based on mutual respect and interaction is spontaneous and warm. It is clear young people enjoy and respond positively to the care and attention they receive from staff. As a number of the staff are related this has helped create a rather unique family environment. The inclusive nature of the care has helped staff establish strong bonds with young people and provided them with many and varied social opportunities. This is an aspect of the home that young people said they really liked. It is evident that staff are significant adults in the lives of many young people who have resided in the home and many still maintain regular contact.

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Quality of care

By regularly working a one-to-one basis with young people, staff become conversant with their needs and can act as effective advocates on their behalf. Staff have liaised extremely effectively with a number of educational and training agencies and as a consequence young people are now involved in daily activities that they find stimulating and enjoyable. They have also used personal contacts to provide one young person access to an apprenticeship in a landscaping business. Staff promote the concept of self-discipline and there is an expectation amongst staff that young people will meet their daily educational, training and work commitments and by so doing develop a good work ethic. Individuals are expected to be up and ready to leave the home on time each day. Attendance levels are consistently high. Excellent lines of communication have been established between care and educational and training staff that ensures that information relating to the progress of each young

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Quality of care

Each young person is actively involved in the development of their placement plan and contributes to the reviewing process. Young people's views are sought by staff on all aspects of their lives and they are encouraged to assert their independence within the home by exercising choice over such things as the décor in their rooms, food and participation in leisure activities. On admission all young people are made aware of how to raise concerns and make a complaint. No complaints have been made since the last inspection. Young people indicated they were happy with life within the home and the care they were receiving. One young person said living in the home was, ‘really good because staff care’.

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Quality of care

The home provides a warm homely environment that is structurally sound and in generally good decorative order. However, the basement area is now looking somewhat dull and tired. Young people have their own bedrooms that are designated as their own 'personal space’ that they can go to at any time. As part of their independence training young people are expected to keep their rooms clean and tidy, a task some clearly struggle with. Well-established policies, procedures and working practices ensure that all activities associated with medical interventions or personal care are dealt with sensitively.

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Quality of care

Being centrally located within the town, young people are within walking distance of shops, leisure facilities and the beach. Staff encourage young people to develop their own interests and hobbies and introduce them to a range of activities both in the home and local community. Activities in the local community are well planned, appropriately staffed and organised around the needs of each young person. Recent activities have included swimming, ten pin bowling and cycling.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are not risk averse and young people are encouraged to learn and develop skills through participation in activities both within the home and local community. Although young people are actively encouraged to become more independent, staff are clearly aware of their vulnerabilities and their limited ability to assess risk. Safeguarding underpins all aspects of the care offered by the home and an assessment process identifies the particular vulnerabilities and risks associated with each young person’s behaviour and level of understanding. Staff are successful in working alongside young people to develop strategies that will keep them safe. For example, all young people are now provided with mobile phones to keep them in contact with staff when they are out in the local community. In an attempt to protect young people from exploitation, staff establish where young people go and identify the individuals they are associating with. In the event of a young person going

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Safeguarding children and young people

missing, staff relay information to the police and placing authority. Although young people still go missing, appropriate staffing levels and effective supervision has decreased the frequency of such incidents.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are cared for by a group of dedicated staff who have completed a rigorous recruitment and selection process to determine their fitness to work with vulnerable young people. All new staff have to complete a detailed induction programme that includes specific training on safeguarding. Staff are aware of their individual responsibilities in regard to the reporting of any safeguarding worries or concerns. Staff aim to ensure that young people do not have contact with inappropriate adults. The home does not deploy volunteers and adults, such as those in youth clubs and staff family members who have regular contact with young people, are appropriately vetted.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have created a safe environment that is free of any unnecessary hazards. Experienced staff carry out regular health and safety checks within the home and garden. Access to the home is limited and all visitors have to report to staff and sign in. The fire alarm system is tested weekly and regular fire evacuations ensure staff and young people remain conversant with procedures.

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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

The home is managed by an experienced and knowledgeable manager who sets high standards for both staff and young people. She is supported by an enthusiastic and stable team of staff who subscribe to her child focused approach to residential care that ensures young people remain the focus of their work. Good communication between staff operating on different shifts and regular staff meetings aid consistency in the delivery of care. Staff are well supported by the manager and regular supervision provides opportunities to examine their practice and aid their professional development. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and have access to a comprehensive range of policies and procedures that are updated in response to regulatory and legislative changes. Staff keep abreast of developments within the chid care field and regularly access training opportunities. A record is kept on staff files of all courses attended

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Leadership and management

The home operates an extremely effective placement planning process that recognises each young person as an individual with their own specific physical, social and emotional needs. Young people are involved in all aspects of their lives within the home and are encouraged to contribute to all planning regarding their futures. Staff work alongside young people to develop placement plans that aid their development. Individual plans are reviewed monthly and provide an opportunity for young people to assess their progress against a number of agreed goals. The emphasis by staff on reinforcing positive progress helps to bolster young people's self-confidence. Young people respond positively to the home’s approach and appreciate the fact that they are treated as, 'young adults'. The progress they have made in their placements is reflected in a reduction in anti-social behaviours and an increase in their abilities to make and sustain relationships. Each young person’s

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Leadership and management

progress is reflected in their looked after children reviews.

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Leadership and management

Although the operation of the home is subject to on-going monitoring by the manager and monthly monitoring visits by a responsible individual, comprehensive progress reports are not currently being produced at regular intervals. The home has produced a development plan that demonstrates a clear commitment to the continuing improvement of the service and reflects the high aspirations they have for young people. The home is appropriately resourced and evidence indicates it operates in the best interests of the young people currently accommodated. Staff have created a homely environment which is well maintained and suitable to the needs of its teenage residents. Records and documents contain recent and relevant information and are stored in appropriately locked facilities.

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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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