Children's Home run by Anderida Adolescent Care Ltd in East Sussex

Unique reference number SC028536 Inspection date 07/06/2012 Inspector Sandra Jacobs-Walls Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/03/2012 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 setting is registered to accommodate two young people, of either sex, with emotional or behavioural difficulties. It is owned by a private company.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality 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

Overall the service performs well in meeting the identified needs of young people in placement. Staff provide very individualised care and young people generally feel staff care about their well-being. The staff group encourages young people to take responsibility for their lives and behaviour and staff are keen for them to make good progress while in placement. The quality of the relationship between staff and young people is generally good. Staff enjoy working with young people and helping them to meet placement objectives. Staff actively promote the safety of young people who largely feel protected by the service. Training and education is a priority for the home as is ensuring that young people are equipped with key life skills. The provider demonstrates a commitment to improve the home's service provision and the home's monitoring systems are robust and effective. All previous actions and recommendations have been resolved satisfactorily.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection notes some shortfalls. These relate to ensuring that all staff receive updated child protection training, that Regulation 34 reports are periodically forwarded to Ofsted and that there is a revision of the home's staff disciplinary procedures.

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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 that all persons employed receive appropriate training (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 03/09/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) supply to the HMCI a report in respect of Regulation 34. (Regulation 34(2)) 01/08/2012

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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 that staff disciplinary policies separates staff disciplinary procedures from child protection enquiries. (NMS 17.7)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

The outcomes for young people improve while they are in placement at the home. Young people receive very individualistic and personalised care, which is in accordance with the placing authority's placement and care-planning decisions. Staff pay attention to the identity needs of young people and issues pertaining to young people's self-confidence and emotional well-being are well explored throughout the duration of the placement.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people live healthy lifestyles while at the home. They have good access to and are promptly registered with primary care and specialist health care services. Young people benefit from staff's access to written guidance and training to support their practice in addressing their health care needs. Young people also benefit from staff's keen communication with health care professionals to assist in meeting young people's health care and medical needs. Young people's mental health support needs are also well met by the service. They have access to the organisation's clinical child psychologist, who is available on site for direct work to address their emotional well- being. Currently this service is under used by the residents.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have healthy diets. The home provides meals that are varied and well balanced. Young people are indifferent about the quality of meals provided, but do not take up opportunities to assist with meal planning and preparation.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are keenly involved in training opportunities presented to them by the service. This is a clear strength of the service as some young people have failed to participate in training or education for some time prior to their placement at the home. Young people benefit from staff's effective liaison with educational and training resources to ensure young people's interest and participation in training remains high. Young people are readily engaged in training and this helps sustain the placement and offer young people formal qualifications that might otherwise have eluded them.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from the home's flexible, but clear stance toward visitors. Staff encourage young people to develop and build upon existing positive relationships. Staff are welcoming of visitors but are mindful of difficulties this may pose. Young people's case files contain information about young people's significant others and those who are prohibited access to young people for reasons of safety. Some young people work with staff to explore issues in their past that have led to them being received into care. This is important work to help young people develop a clear understanding of their backgrounds and assist develop their emotional resilience.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff make good attempts to work with young people to prepare them for independence and develop practical daily living skills. Young people understand the expectation that they complete routine household chores. Some young people find this difficult to consistently complete and so staff will often intervene, offering support and supervision.

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Quality of care

Young people generally share good relationships with staff of the home and staff are positive about working with young people in placement at the home. The service provides young people with a stable, secure, caring environment. The management team encourages meaningful relationships between staff and young people and all parties benefit from this. One staff member comments about her job, 'I like seeing the small changes. I like when they finally get, finally stop doing that. I like a challenge.’

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Quality of care

Young people describe their experiences of the home as largely being positive and acknowledge individual growth while in placement. This is despite some young people presenting with significantly challenging behaviour from the start of their placement. Staff are committed and well equipped to working effectively with young people to reduce risky behaviour. Staff devise and employ comprehensive individual behaviour management guidelines and strategies that address how staff are to work with young people to help reduce unacceptable and risky behaviour. These strategies, in recent months, have proven to be successful.

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Quality of care

Young people are listened to and given ample opportunity to share their views and opinions with all staff members. Young people feel that staff and management are interested in their opinions and what they have to say about the service and more general issues. The home operates an 'open door policy' and so young people have good access to the staff group, including management, whenever they feel it necessary. Staff understand the value of consultation and spend much time speaking and attempting to engage constructively with young people. Young people's key work sessions are held very regularly and routinely explore placement issues, as do statutory review meetings.

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Quality of care

Young people have a good understanding of the home's complaints procedures as this information is contained in literature presented by staff at the start of the placement. The home has received one complaint since the last inspection. This was managed appropriately and in accordance with the home's complaints procedure. Managers monitor well all complaints made against the service.

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Quality of care

The home's placement and care planning processes are consistent and staff and young people benefit from clear written guidance with regard to these processes. Young people are cared for in line with individual placement plans and receive very personalised care. Staff of the home pursue comprehensive information from social workers in order to ensure that placements offer services that meet effectively the needs of each young person. Staff maintain meticulous records and there is keen partnership working with the placing authority. This is important, to establish and agree with all parties the placement goals and objectives from the outset of placement negotiations. Young people benefit from the home's pre-placement, two week residential experience in the Scottish Highlands. This experience offers young people and staff an opportunity to develop a mutually-constructive relationship and enhance placement success. Young people are aware of the purpose of their

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Quality of care

placement and likely long-term placement plans. Staff ensure that issues pertaining to young people's personal identity are explored during the placement planning process and thereafter.

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Quality of care

Young people live healthy lifestyles while in placement. Staff promptly register young people with primary care services soon after placement start and files contain clear health care and medical information. Staff ensure that young people have access to relevant mental health services to assist them to develop good emotional resilience and increase their maturity and coping mechanisms. Staff and young people benefit from the regular input from the organisation's employed clinical child psychologist. Young people have access to individual sessions with the psychologist, if this is deemed appropriate, while staff receive monthly clinical supervision to assist them work effectively with young people in placement.

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Quality of care

Young people also have good access to specialist health resources to address alcohol and substance abuse. The looked after children's nurse is available for assessment, advice and support. Staff receive training in first aid, medication management and food hygiene. Staff's documentation of the administration of young people's medicines is sound. The home's provision of food is adequate and staff provide young people with varied, well-balanced and nutritious meals. Staff actively encourage young people to participate in activities that promote recreational exercise and ensure the service meets the cost of other creative leisure activities.

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Quality of care

The service regards the educational attainment of young people as a priority and this is an area of strength for the home. All young people understand the expectation that they actively engage in education or training opportunities and, as a result, young people do so. Staff maintain an effective working relationship with educational professionals and are consistently involved in ensuring young people remain engaged in identified training opportunities. This is greatly appreciated by young people, some of whom have not accessed education for a significant length of time. Young people's training goals and achievements are a consistent feature of key work sessions. The organisation is currently in the process of finalising an online educational programme that gives young people access to formal qualifications, such as in life skills. Completion of this training will enhance young people's educational attainment in

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Quality of care

preparation for adulthood. Young people's case files contain information about their progress while in training. Staff ensure that young people's placements plans are explicit in outlining educational needs and how the service intends to meet these needs.

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Quality of care

The home's building provides young people with homely accommodation. The premises are well maintained and decorated. Young people are happy with their surroundings. Each young person has their own bedroom which they personalise in line with their individual tastes. Young people's bedrooms are furnished appropriately.

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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

Young people indicate that they generally feel safe in placement and with the staff group. Staff relationships with young people are generally positive. Young people are clear who to approach if they feel unsafe. Young people have access to useful information about the home's complaints procedure and independent bodies available to advocate on their behalf. Bullying is not an issue for the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have access to policies and procedures that address young people who are absent from the home without permission or who deemed 'missing'. Young people are aware of these protocols and understand they are in place for their own protection. Staff have an effective working relationship with the local police team, in particular, the police child protection team. Relevant protocols are clear to all parties. Staff of the home and other involved professionals are proactive to ensure the safety of young people when they are away from the home. In recent months, the home has noted a significant reduction in the frequency of young people being absent without authority. Staff maintain comprehensive and consistent records of all instances where young people are absent without permission or are missing. These incidents are carefully monitored by managers to help identify developing trends.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff of the home receive ongoing training, both formal and informal, that is focused on child protection and issues of safeguarding. This learning features in team meetings and individual staff supervision. This inspection notes, however, that some staff require updated child protection training, having completed this training some time ago. This is to ensure that safeguarding knowledge and skills are fully in accordance with current legislation and practice guidelines. However, there are clear and comprehensive child protection policies and procedures in place that support staff practices. Staff have access to the organisation's comprehensive policies and procedures that address the management of allegations. Since the last inspection there has been one such allegation. Senior managers of the organisation have managed this appropriately and in accordance with written guidance. However, the home's staff disciplinary procedures require some revision to be fully in line with the

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff encourage young people's positive behaviour and have access to clear behaviour management policies and procedures to support practice. Staff work closely with the organisation's therapeutic services in order to better meet the identified emotional needs of young people who often present with extreme challenging behaviour. Staff ensure that each young person has a comprehensive, individualised risk assessment and behavioural management 'guidance' plans in place to alert staff to potential triggers. These guidance plans are extremely detailed and offer staff clear strategies for working effectively with young people and in combatting unacceptable, risky behaviour. Staff share completed risk assessments with young people so they are aware of staff's concerns and how the service intends to work to minimise risks posed. This is a useful strategy in involving young people in the home's attempts to keep them safe and to encourage young people to reflect

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Safeguarding children and young people

and take responsibility for their own safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has taken a very proactive stance to ensure the safeguarding of young people in this placement. Staff work creatively with young people and collaboratively with other key agencies to ensure professionals are well informed of incidents and involved in the implementation of plans to minimise young people's vulnerability. In recent months, the home has been successful in reducing the number of incidents that pose a significant risk to young people's safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A local authority social worker says of the service: 'The home has done a fantastic job with (X). The home's been good for (X). She lives a high-risk life which is chaotic, but the home has managed to enforce appropriate boundaries that keep her safe. There's good partnership working, between me, the staff and the police. I have no issues with the home and their safeguarding of (X). They are so consistent with their guidelines in working with her, and she needs clear boundaries. It’s a fantastic service and I'm really impressed by the home's staff.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

A member of the local police missing person's team says of the service: 'I have a good relationship with the staff - there's lots of discussion. There are good protocols and systems in place and I like it that staff present us with their initial enquiries. The home has particularly difficult and challenging young people living there. They manage all of this extremely well and are able to keep young people on board.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home's rewards scheme acts as a further incentive to promote acceptable behaviour. Young people work towards achieving meaningful rewards and incentives to support their own efforts to address behavioural issues. Staff chart progress on file and keep young people informed of their achievements and areas noted for improvement. Young people have a clear understanding of staff's use of imposed sanctions and have the opportunity to comment on their effectiveness. Staff documentation of imposed sanctions is consistent and sanctions are proportionate to the impact of the offending behaviour. Staff receive training in conflict resolution and physical intervention. Restraint techniques are used with young people in instances where significant risk to safety is posed. Staff ensure young people are not at risk of injury while being restrained. Staff's recording of such incidents is consistent, comprehensive and includes

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Safeguarding children and young people

debriefing discussions. Staff records are in compliance with new legislation. Managers ensure staff's use of physical intervention is well monitored, openly discussed and reported upon.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from the organisation's clear policies and procedures relating to staff recruitment. The home's vetting procedures are robust. Staff personnel files evidence full information as required by the regulations. Young people are creatively involved in the recruitment of new staff and are active participants in the decision- making process.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home's premises are physically safe and appropriately secure. Staff conduct routine building checks regularly to ensure the safety of all occupants. The organisation has good systems in place to ensure the home is comfortable, well decorated and furnished. There are effective fire precautions in place to ensure the safety of young people and staff who work there.

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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 effectively and efficiently managed; young people feel the home is generally well run. The home's manager, a former director of the company, has recently submitted an application to Ofsted to become the home's Registered Manager. The manager has extensive residential child care and management experience and relevant formal qualifications. The manager is available to the service on a part-time basis, offering 'arms-length' style management of the home. Currently the day-to-day running of the home is the responsibility of the deputy manager. The home's current management arrangement has no adverse effect in meeting the needs of young people in placement. Managers of the home demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the home's service provision and there is a clear developmental plan that outlines how these improvements are to be made. The home is financially viable and there are no requirements or recommendations

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Leadership and management

The home's Statement of Purpose outlines well the aims and objectives of the service and is fully compliant with the regulations. The home's children's guide is an appropriately informative, creative summary of services provided by the home geared towards the use of young people.

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Leadership and management

The staff group is sufficient in number, at a minimum offering a two-to-one staffing ratio per young person. This ratio is increased if the needs of young people warrant greater supervision. This ensures that young people receive care that is in line with individual need. Staff have access to relevant and quality training opportunities. These help inform and support their practice. The staff group is diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity and skill mix. Young people in placement benefit from the professional and personal experiences of the staff group. The service pays good attention to issues of equality and diversity. The staff group receives good support to enable them to meet the needs of young people. Staff comment that support and supervision from managers is regular, relevant and meaningful. Managers offer sound leadership that facilitates staff's access to practice and procedural support. This is particularly the case for the

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Leadership and management

comprehensive behavioural guidance that is available to staff to assist them effectively in their work with very vulnerable young people.

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Leadership and management

The home has very effective monitoring mechanisms in place. Young people and staff benefit from monitoring systems that are consistent and robust. There are comprehensive monthly monitoring systems in place to chart young people's placement outcomes. These are made available in written and visual formats, providing the service with an overview of the effectiveness of the service as it relates to each young person. This is important in developing strategies to working with young people that make a positive difference to their lives and enhance placement success.

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Leadership and management

Managers of the service complete weekly monitoring of all Schedule 6 matters, as outlined in the Children's Homes Regulations. This process includes obtaining young people's views of the service, monitoring staff performance and reviewing key policies and documents. Findings are then reported upon in order to monitor trends. However, Regulation 34 reports are not periodically forwarded to Ofsted, as required.

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Leadership and management

Other managers within the organisation conduct monthly, unannounced monitoring visits in line with Regulation 33. Subsequent monitoring reports are sufficiently detailed. These sound monitoring systems act to identify strengths and weaknesses of the service and assist service development and improvement.

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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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