New Park Project (The)

Unique reference number SC065046 Inspection date 19/06/2012 Inspector Roy Bega Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 15/03/2012 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

This setting is a small children's home owned and operated by a private provider. The home caters for up to four children and young people.

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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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides a nurturing and supportive environment within which young people feel safe and enjoy positive relationships with staff. It demonstrates that the needs of the children and young people are at the centre of what they do. Management provide direction and support to a staff team who have diverse experience and knowledge in meeting the needs of young people in their care. They work well together being motivated in terms of supervision and ongoing training.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's placement plans and care plans are not used effectively to provide a clear record or monitor their overall care needs, especially relating to the management of unacceptable behaviour. The promotion of consistency of care also needs to be shown more effectively through discussion and recording of practice issues as part of key worker sessions and staff meetings.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and role in relation to safeguarding issues and provide good information, guidance and support for young people who place themselves at risk.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy good health and they are motivated to take responsibility for their own medical and health needs.

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Overall effectiveness

Education is seen as a priority and staff successfully promote attendance and support young people's educational achievement. More thought and planning however needs to be considered for young people when they are not attending full-time education.

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Overall effectiveness

Whilst regard is given to young people's particular needs arising from their heritage, culture, or linguistic backgrounds, difference and diversity is not consistently valued amongst the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's views are taken into account in the day-to-day running of the home and monitoring systems.

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Overall effectiveness

The home’s is valued by placing authorities who regard the provision as being a positive placement for their young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Two requirements from the previous inspection regarding appropriately recording the of use of any measure of control or restraint and providing Regulation 34 reports have been met. One recommendation from the previous inspection in relation to staff training has not been met and is raised again.

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Overall effectiveness

Two requirements and seven recommendations raised resulting from this inspection are regarding: the recording of up-to-date information in care plans; behaviour management; providing more structured days for when young people are not in full time education; staff training; and providing young people with the appropriate information and guidance in respecting difference.

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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 in respect of each child who is accommodated a record in permanent form which includes the information, documents and records specified in Schedule 3 relating to a child, is kept up to date and is signed and dated by the author of each written entry (Regulation 28 (1) (a)(b)©) 01/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children's home used by the children are secure from unauthorised access. (Regulation 31 (2)(b)) 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 in relation to promoting and respecting diversity staff meet children's and individual needs as set out in the child's placement plan taking into account where appropriate their relationship with the wider group of children (NMS 2.3)  ensure staff are trained to recognise and deal with any indications or incidents of bullying, to act proactively and intervene positively, engage with those who bully as well as those who are bullied (NMS 2.3)  ensure children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour, in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities (NMS 3.6)  ensure the home regularly reviews incidents of challenging behaviour, examines trends or issues emerging from this, to enable staff to reflect and learn to inform future practice (NMS 3.21)  ensure the home's approach to care minimises the need for police involvement to deal with challenging behaviour and avoids criminalising children unnecessarily

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Recommendations

(NMS 3.22)  ensure children who have been excluded from school have access to appropriate education and training, so that they are supported and enabled to resume full time education (NMS 8.8)

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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

Young people make sound progress within a caring nurturing environment supported by fair boundaries. This is demonstrated through areas such as the reduction of challenging behaviour, a noticeable reduction of becoming absent without authority and the increase of personal confidence and self-esteem. However, behavioural plans do not provide effective written guidance for staff to follow a consistent approach when managing young people's complex needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy good health and are motivated to take responsibility for their own medical and health needs. The development of self-esteem and understanding about their emotional and mental well-being aids their ability to have fun. They are made aware how lifestyle choices can impact on their health; for example, balanced diet, exercise, understanding sexual health, better personal hygiene and the effect of smoking and participating in the consumption of illegal substances. This has impacted on, but not eradicated, young peoples sometimes poor choices in these areas.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people generally make considerable progress regarding their education. Personal education plans take into account individual starting points, ability and current situation. Management and staff are proactive in continual communications with differing education facilities. Recording is not always sufficient to ensure individual needs, weaknesses and strengths are understood by all professionals involved. More thought and planning also needs to be considered for young people when they are not attending full time education. Placing authority social workers comment that young people's education has stabilized since living in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make decisions about their placement plans, reviews and running of the home. They feel able to say what they think and to discuss a wide range of topics which includes food, personal activities in the local community, holidays, sanctions, house rules and the decoration of the home. Comments received include, 'staff support me to become involved in community meetings and key worker sessions' and, 'we say what we'd like to happen, like activities and stuff and most the time it does.’ They also confirm they do not have to wait for a meeting as a lot of discussion takes place over meals and throughout the day.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Where appropriate young people freely make contact with family members and friends. They are aware of the reasoning when it is necessary to agree planned and supervised contact with their families. These include visits to the home, telephone contact, and when appropriate planned overnight stays with parents. Young people maintain, and in some instances, re-establish relationships with their families in planning a possible return home. Young people's emotional well-being during contact visits is effectively monitored by staff who are proactive in taking advice or guidance from management and other involved professionals. Staff receive, appropriate training, supervision and support to supervise and facilitate contact.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop life skills to assist them towards leaving care, moving into supported lodgings, returning to their parental home, foster placement or a more suitable children's home placement. Their thoughts and feelings are central to discussions and the planning of transitional arrangements. Staff maintain appropriate contact and support throughout the transitional period and keep in touch with young people once they have moved on. This often results in some young people returning for social visits. Others prefer to stay in touch by means of phone calls or other forms of correspondence.

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Quality of care

The composition of the staff team provides a balanced mix of gender, age and experience. Generally relationships between staff and young people are good based on mutual respect. Young people's more recent challenging behaviour however has put a strain on the positive relationships. Where this has occurred management are in the process of enabling staff and young people to re-establish positive relationships. Young people describe their staff as being, 'easy to get on with' and 'easy to talk with'. Placing social workers confirm young people speak highly of staff who work in the home.

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Quality of care

There are established forums including regular communal meetings and key working sessions which young people use to express their views on aspects of how the home is organised and run. Young people learn to negotiate and develop confidence in expressing themselves. They feel they are listened to and their views are valued in affecting changes on matters that are important to them. Staff help young people to understand not everything requested is possible Due, for example, to funding difficulties or age inappropriateness. Young people understand how to complain, and have confidence that the staff will respond appropriately to any issues they raise. Comments from young people include, 'I know how to make a complaint, and 'I think staff would take it seriously'. Records seen demonstrate complaints raised by young people are investigated appropriately and outcomes recorded.

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Quality of care

Staff are motivated and skilled in helping young people achieve the objectives of their placement. However, there is insufficient recording of up-to-date information in placement plans, behaviour management plans, key-worker sessions and team meeting discussions. Therefore this does not promote a consistent approach in meeting young people's complex needs. Placing social workers confirm there have been communication issues with the home where information has not been brought to their attention until they visit. This has, however, recently improved.

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Quality of care

In general young people enjoy their education. Staff encourage them to do well and have a very individual approach. Staff also actively encourage young people in their further education to ensure that personal interests and aspirations can be achieved. This is enhanced by key workers maintaining good links with the schools and colleges as would a supportive parent. Placing social workers comment staff have provided clear support for young people in receiving a positive education. Where young people become excluded from school there needs to be a more structured approach to their whole day aimed at promoting a possible return to full time education.

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Quality of care

There is a good emphasis within the home in securing young people's physical and emotional well-being. They are encouraged to routinely attend appointments with their doctors, dentist and opticians. This also includes access to a range of specialist services providing medical and psychological support. Staff have sound knowledge of the home's procedures for the administration of medication, with records being well maintained.

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Quality of care

A wide range of activities and interests reflect young people's personality and individuality. Encouragement given to young people to participate in different experiences provides them with opportunities to obtain new skills and develop self- confidence. For example, various outdoor pursuits and the homes own award scheme of achievement.

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Quality of care

Needs relating to young people's cultural background and personal identity are identified and appropriately addressed in daily living. For example, young people are supported and enabled to exercise choice relating to culture and religious beliefs and where appropriate helped to make links with members of their own communities. Young people also have equal access to all of the opportunities provided by the home. More work however needs to be done with young people with regards to respecting the diversity of others.

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Quality of care

The home provides a safe, pleasant and healthy environment which young people enjoy living in. It is decorated and furnished to a standard which creates a pleasant domestic environment. The accommodation provides good spaces for group and individual activities. Young people have their own bedrooms which reflect their individual personalities and interests. The home is well resourced for age appropriate leisure activities and interests to enable young people to acquire and develop life skills. Its location provides young people with easy access to community services. Available transport enables young people to access the community, activities and education.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say that they feel safe and that they trust staff. Risk assessments are good and staff demonstrate a good knowledge of potential risk for each individual young person. There are occasions when young people are concerned by the challenging behaviour of other young people. Work has been done to restore positive relationships between young people subsequent to such instances. There have been two incidents of police being called that, on reflection, seem unnecessary. This is not in keeping with maintaining an approach that minimises the need for police involvement to deal with challenging behaviour and avoids criminalising young people. A recommendation from the previous inspection in March 2012 to provide staff training in recognising and managing indications and incidents of bullying has not been met.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The effective use of boundaries and development of positive relationships with staff has led to a reduction in physical restraints to the benefit of young people’s emotional well-being. Young people's comments on the records are not always evident reducing opportunities to learn from the incident. Staff report that training in the use of de-escalation techniques enable them to work with young people to help them to manage their behaviour. However, behavioural plans do not provide effective written guidance for staff to follow a consistent approach when managing young people's complex needs.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are successful in reducing the number of occasions young people go missing from the home. This has a positive impact on young people as they are less likely to be at risk of harm. An incident which occurred the day before the visit was managed appropriately in line with the protocol for the young person.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff demonstrate clear knowledge and understanding of appropriate action to take in protecting young people from harm. The home's safeguarding policy clearly shows the contact details in the event of an allegation or disclosure to ensure young people's welfare is promoted and includes the local authority's protocols. A recent safeguarding concern has been managed well and appropriate measures put in place to avoid a possible re-occurrence. Comments from placing authority social workers confirm the home manages incidents of safeguarding concerns appropriately. Management liaise well with the local safeguarding authority and police and attend monthly safeguarding/missing persons awareness meetings.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a sound recruitment policy and procedure to ensure staff employed are appropriate to work with young people. Required records are kept on site and well maintained.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The environment is well maintained and kept safe through monthly checks, risk assessments and an ongoing maintenance programme. Services such as gas and electricity, electrical appliances and fire fighting equipment are regularly checked. Fire drills are carried out monthly including night-time drills. Risk assessments are in place for the building and all activities including car travel. There is no system on external doors that alerts staff to anyone coming on to or leaving the premises.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The manager being supported by a deputy manager is also responsible for the oversight of another home in the locality owned by the company. Since the previous inspection there have been minor changes to the staff team which have not had an adverse affect on continuity of care. The home shows a capacity for continuing improvement by meeting both the requirements raised from the previous inspection. The one recommendation however remains outstanding.

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Leadership and management

Young people have sound and trusting relationships with the home's management and staff. The home's philosophy, values and developing management combine to ensure that each young person is valued and nurtured. However effective systems are not in place for reviewing and updating statutory guidance and records. Care plans do not provide sufficient detailed information and guidance for staff to follow a consistent approach when managing young people's complex needs. Regular monthly staff team meetings cover a wide range of information but do not include the development of children, and the reviewing of individual behaviour strategies.

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Leadership and management

The recently reviewed Statement of Purpose is up to date. The aims and objectives of the service are clearly specified and embraced in the day-to-day work with young people. The children's guide contains the required information to help young people settle in during the early stages of their admission.

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Leadership and management

The composition of the staff team provides a good mix of gender, age and diversity of knowledge and experience. The quality of support and supervision promotes a sense of being valued, appreciated and mutual respect for each other. They are supported in obtaining recognised national vocational qualifications or diplomas. In- house training opportunities are increasing to provide an extensive and wide ranging schedule which includes recognising and managing indications and incidents of bullying. The need for this training was raised as a recommendation from the previous inspection but staff have not yet been given the opportunity of completing it.

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Leadership and management

The monitoring of care is undertaken via visits and reports required under Regulations 33 and 34 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and copies sent to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector. Management are continuing to develop effective systems for evaluating and improving the operation of the service. For example, referrals, admissions, record keeping, young people's education, transitions for moving on and staff development.

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Leadership and management

Communication with placing social workers outlines their satisfaction regarding the leadership and management of the home.

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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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