Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Unique reference number SC032502 Inspection date 26/06/2012 Inspector Muhammed Harunur Rashid Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 22/02/2012 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 is a children's home, run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to 13 children, most of whom are unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Care is also provided for some local children.

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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

The outcomes for young people and the quality of care provided by the service are good. Young people benefit from a stable, skilled and caring staff team who are dedicated to their roles. Staff are highly sensitive to young people's needs and provide intense levels of support to help them come to terms with their traumatic experiences. Translators and counsellors are utilised to provide specialist support to young people and to help staff gain a better understanding of their histories.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people make significant progress from their starting points in this country across all aspects of their welfare and development. For instance, young people actively take part in a wide range of community based activities and they learn English and adopt themselves to live in a new culture within a short period of time.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy positive and constructive relationships with staff and with each other and also develop various life skills around healthy eating, personal safety, communication and understanding human values.

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Overall effectiveness

The home's care planning and staff practice are highly personalised to meet individual needs of young people. Young people live in a safe environment and staff manage their behaviour well.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas identified for further improvement at this inspection relate to: records of review meetings, staff to continue to help young people to understand how to keep themselves safe at all times and all care staff completing their level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma.

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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 children are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe, for example, not inviting people in resident's bedroom without staff knowledge (NMS 4.4)  ensure that the result of the reviews of the placement plan is recorded in the child's file, and individuals responsible for pursuing actions at the home arising from reviews are clearly identified ( NMS 25.8)  ensure that all staff hold the level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma. (NMS 18.5)

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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 majority of young people living in the children's home are unaccompanied asylum seeking children. They develop very good relationships with staff within a short period of time who get to know them as individuals in a new country. Young people are cared for in a very individual way and develop their skills and abilities over time. Positive progress is made relative to each young person's individual starting point. For example, this includes their greater access to a wide range of community based activities and understanding of a new culture.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are actively able to make decisions about their daily lives through weekly house meetings, link working sessions and looked after children's reviews.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health is well promoted. Young people enjoy eating home-cooked healthy meals that reflect their diversity and preferences. Young people are registered with local doctors, dentists and other medical professionals. Young people have opportunities to take part in various physical activities, such as, ice skating, bowling and swimming.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to make a positive contribution to their home and the wider community. Staff ensure and support young people to learn English and familiarise with the local community within a short period of time. Young people have access to local community resources, including library, mosques and churches. Young people also take part in various household activities at home and participate in various indoor games.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have a positive experience while away from their countries. They benefit from having peer contact in a social setting and learn from the diverse range of individual needs with which they come into contact. Through mixing with adults other than family members, young people gain an understanding of appropriate greetings and how to develop social relationships.

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Outcomes for children and young people

A number of young people attend a centre to learn English and develop various life skills, for example, healthy eating, personal safety, communication and understanding human values. Young people also have opportunities to attend a local young people's centre where they receive a range of informal education activities. These activities are helpful for young people's personal and social development.

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Quality of care

Young people have experienced significant trauma in their lives. Staff at the home are recruited from various ethnic minority groups and they are able to communicate with young people in their own languages. Staff interactions with young people are genuine and very warm. Staff are highly sensitive to young people's needs and provide intense levels of support to help them come to terms with their situation. Translators and counsellors are utilised to provide specialist support to young people and to help staff gain a better understanding of their histories.

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Quality of care

All young people have individual care plans and these identify their individual holistic needs, including cultural, religious and dietary needs. Individual care plans and positive behaviour management programmes are in place and these are reviewed regularly.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a healthy environment and staff encourage them to participate in a range of positive activities that contribute to their physical and emotional health. Staff administer medications to young people and maintain records of all medication administered to them.

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Quality of care

Young people's views and wishes are listened to. They are consulted through various ways, for example, through link sessions, house meetings and their looked after children's reviews. Young people have access to the Children's Rights Officer.

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Quality of care

Young people attend schools and other educational settings. They are provided with computers and various learning aids to promote their education. A range of purposeful and enjoyable activities are provided in the service. Young people enjoy playing various games and doing art and craft works in the house.

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Quality of care

There is an appropriate complaints policy and procedure in place. Staff maintain records of all complaints received from young people. Complaints are managed in accordance with the home's procedures.

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located, designed and maintained. Young people are provided with single bedrooms and they are able to personalise their bedrooms. Community amenities are nearby and the home has good access to public transport.

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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

There are good arrangements to safeguard young people. Young people say they feel safe living there. All staff have attended child protection and behaviour management training. Young people's welfare is protected through the application of the home's safeguarding procedures by members of staff. All of the staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

However, if and when a young person invites a person into their bedroom without staff knowledge, staff report the incident to the police and the placement manager. Staff also advise young people involved about the danger of this.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff actively encourage and promote positive behaviour. Staff are provided with guidance and they apply de-escalation methods to deal with any form of challenging behaviour. There are agreed measures to deal with unacceptable behaviour. Staff rarely apply restraints, and only as a last resort, in order to protect young people and others from injuries. The home deploys additional staff for one-to-one support for young people who are at risk of severe self-injurious behaviour. In addition to this, the Registered Manager and staff advised the inspector that the service is now in the process of reviewing a young person's placement plan who is at risk of self-injurious behaviour to ensure their welfare and safety. The service must ensure that the result of the review of the placement plan is recorded on the child’s file and that the actions arising from the reviews are clearly identified.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have sound knowledge and skills to deal with bullying if it is suspected. Young people have good relationships with the staff team and the other young people living in the home. The home has an appropriate policy in place for dealing with unauthorised absence from care. Despite a more robust risk assessment process, there has been an increase in the occasions when a minority of young people are missing from the home. This is largely as a result of the recent change in the type of service being provided. The home now cares for local young people alongside unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are recruited in line with the policy and procedure of the local authority in order to protect young people. The human resources department of the local authority ensures that all necessary information is obtained prior to the appointment of staff. However, the home has not recruited any permanent member of staff since the last inspection.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have attended health and safety training. They take appropriate steps to keep young people, visitors and themselves safe from the risk of fire and other hazards. A risk assessment of the premises is in place. Staff carry out regular fire alarm testing and fire drills. Current gas and electric test certificates are available.

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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's updated Statement of Purpose clearly highlights their aims and objectives. Young people, staff and the placing authority understands the aims and objectives of the home and what services and facilities it provides. There has been a recent change in the type of service provisions. The home now cares for two local young people alongside ten unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The young people's guide provides information about the facilities available to them. The young people's guide is translated into various community languages.

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Leadership and management

There is a strong and consistent commitment to improving equality and diversity in practice. Staff have attended equality and diversity training and have a good understanding of young people’s dietary, religious and cultural needs. Staff support young people to make personal choices and to access community resources. Staff work hard to build on any family links young people have in the United Kingdom and support young people to maintain contact with any family members.

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Leadership and management

The home has met the previous requirements and recommendations made at the interim inspection.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from an effective management. The Registered Manager is well qualified with a number of years management experience. The management structure is strengthened by the head of care and senior residential workers who provide clear accountability and leadership.

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Leadership and management

The home has a stable staff team which provides consistency and continuity in delivering care and support to young people. Sufficient numbers of staff are on duty at all times. The Registered Manager reviews staffing levels in accordance with the assessed needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

There are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home. For example, the Registered Manager regularly monitors the home’s records, policies and procedures and risk assessments. There is a system in place to carry out Regulation 33 visits.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager completes her Regulation 34 reports at appropriate intervals in order to review the quality of care. The recent report covers all matters set out by regulations.

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Leadership and management

The home is adequately resourced. Managers understand the strengths and weakness of the home and a business plan in place.

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Leadership and management

The home is committed to the professional development of their staff. Staff attend in-house and external training, such as child protection, health and safety, administration of medication, first aid, food hygiene, team teach. However, care staff still need to complete their qualifications. Regular staff meetings and comprehensive daily handovers are held which promote good communication between the staff team. All staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals from their line manager.

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Leadership and management

Each young person has a permanent, private and secure record of their history, development and progress. This helps young people to reflect on and understand their history and allows them to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time in the placement.

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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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