Children's Home run by MGM Care Services Ltd in Telford and Wrekin

Unique reference number SC438427 Inspection date 05/07/2012 Inspector Julian Parker Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 15/05/2012 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

Sunningdale Cottage is a small private children's home looking after up to two young people aged from 10 to 17 years who may have learning disabilities or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties

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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 assessed needs of children living in the home are being addressed through structured placement plans, personalised care planning and childcare practice. The home provides a risk-free physical environment with staffing levels sufficient to keep young people safe.

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Overall effectiveness

By facilitating access to mainstream school and fully supporting the classroom achievements of children with special needs, staff actively promote education and inclusion.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people participate to the best of their ability by making the decisions that affect them on a day-to-day basis, where these will not compromise their well-being. A small staff team of experienced and motivated staff, demonstrating a varied balance of skills, provide a satisfactory quality of social care for young people. Staff work effectively in partnership, in a considered and coordinated way, with families, social workers and all other agencies involved in young people’s lives.

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Overall effectiveness

Being a newly commissioned service some administrative shortfalls are evident which detract from the effective leadership and management of the home. These do not presently have an adverse impact on the quality of care provided for young people but potentially compromise the ongoing integrity of the home.

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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 the Statement of Purpose accurately reflects the service being provided ((NMS 13) Regulation 4(1)) 06/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that regular and recorded 1:1 supervision is provided for each member of staff. ((NMS 19) Regulation 27(4)(a)) 06/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to obtain full information in respect of each of the matters listed by regulations and schedules in respect of all persons employed at the home. This includes ensuring that all pertinent information relating to the appointment and the process is comprehensively recorded upon personnel files. (Regulation 27) 06/08/2012

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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 the contents of children’s case files contain all information identified by schedule three. (NMS 22)  demonstrate (using written and electronic records) that the registered person consistently follows good recruitment practice using all applicable current statutory requirements and guidance. (NMS 16.2)

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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 are encouraged and practically helped to develop their potential fully within this children’s home. Provision is made by a small committed group of staff who provide consistent routines. They nurture and help young people with recognised learning difficulties to develop self-understanding, socially acceptable behaviour, some practical skills and strengthen their emotional resilience within a safe homely environment.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Clear person-centred placement plans identify how staff will address individual needs. Staff consistently help young people address each desired outcome including those related to background, culture and disability.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people learn to understand the importance of a living a healthy lifestyle by receiving help, advice and support to promote their medical and psychological needs. Promoting a balanced diet and facilitating access to recreational activities encourages exercise and promotes fitness. Because staff follow national guidance from a range of community health sources about the dangers likely to be encountered by young people such as substance misuse, the safety of young people is enhanced.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people receive daily transport enabling them to maintain school attendance. Attendance is exemplary, benefiting from positive links between the home and school teaching staff that practically supports the child’s continuity of learning.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people access meaningful recreational opportunities and activities, including social and community based events. Their active engagement, as far as is possible in the planning process ensures that leisure time is meaningful and enjoyable. They are assisted within the home to develop self-help skills and a level of understanding that will help them make future transitions helpful for semi- independent living.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from a small competent and trained staff team who choose to work within this home to provide consistent care and practical support. Relationships between staff and young people are friendly and structured. Staff effectively use a range of communication tools and consistent practice to meaningfully engage and diffuse potentially difficult situations. Behaviour is generally good as evidenced by staff working at identified times on a one to one basis. Staff feel confident and supported in their practice because they are aware of the range of behaviours likely to be encountered and how to deal with them safely.

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Quality of care

Young people’s advocates confirm that there are established ways to raise any concerns or make a complaint. They are happy with the way staff respond to any issues raised concerning young people and are confident that these would be dealt with quickly. Young people have access to information in varying formats indicating how they can make their voice heard and share any concerns they may have. Simple and visible praise and reward systems underpin effective behaviour management strategies that young people can easily understand. They know that they receive counselling following any episode of inappropriate or risky behaviour.

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Quality of care

Young people are listened to. Their needs and opinions, where these are able to be expressed, practically influence the way the home is run. This communication usually takes place informally through everyday living or by structured meetings with the manager or key worker. Young people are helped to understand how decisions are made particularly if it is not possible to act upon their wishes. Young people are encouraged to talk to other independent professionals, teachers, family members or advocates about any aspects of being looked after.

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Quality of care

The plans made for young people include information about progress contributed by their carers. Although young people are encouraged to be involved in the development of these plans the overriding priority is for the promotion of safety in the delivery of day-to-day care. Competent recording coupled with ongoing assessment evaluates the progress young people make. This generates a comprehensive report which is used to inform statutory reviews. Future placement planning reflects progress and includes areas of continued need.

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Quality of care

By following the home’s policies that promote physical and emotional well-being the medical and health needs of young people are being effectively met. Staff carefully address the particular needs of individuals, for example by providing a balanced diet and encouraging healthy eating. Health plans include reference to other health professionals, for example dentist and optician. By receiving regular training, staff are equipped to deal with minor accidents or ailments, and safely administer medication within the home.

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Quality of care

Young people consistently access full-time mainstream education that meets their assessed special needs. Attendance is excellent which supports achievement. By engaging fully with schooling, young people receive achievement awards and certificates for acceptable work and positive behaviour.

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Quality of care

The young people enjoy some imaginative recreational pursuits and local outings promoting fun, interests and elements of social learning congruent with promoting the placement plan. Some activities include opportunities for family members to get involved as part of contact visits.

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Quality of care

As the placement focuses upon the individualised global needs of young people those related to their culture, religion, sexuality and background become considered components of care planning. Through practice and experience staff identify children’s individual strengths, needs and their specific ways of expressing themselves. The home focuses upon enhancing young people's quality of life by including them fully in the day-to-day decision-making about all aspects of their placement; while promoting inclusive, tolerant, socially acceptable behaviour in the local and wider community. Young people engage in routines and activities designed to assist their developing socialisation and citizenship.

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Quality of care

Young people live in an urban location, that is particularly convenient for accessing all of the town’s amenities. Set in a detached house, the placement is domestic in style, homely in character, satisfactorily maintained and decorated in suitable colours and styles. The home is well suited to its current purpose being furnished throughout to a good standard and of sufficient size to provide young people with space for privacy, relaxation and activity. The garden at the rear of the property is adequate in size, fully enclosed and used for leisure and growing some plants for personal interest.

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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 feel safe living in the home. They indicate their appreciation of the individual attention provided by being at present a single placement supported by a small caring staff team.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff know about the requirements of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures including how to recognise potential signs of abuse and the ways in which young people can put themselves, or others, at risk. The registered person provides ongoing training for staff to enhance their awareness and competence. The home promotes the safety of young people by using statutory reporting systems to notify relevant authorities about significant events, such as attempted unauthorised absence, and by ongoing review of the effectiveness of its safeguarding practice as needs change.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people have not gone missing from the home. The provider adheres to effective protocols with the local police and the placing authority. Staff always demonstrate concern about child welfare and safety Should young people absent themselves, staff respond to them positively upon their return.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Bullying is not an issue within the home. Staff are alert to concerns that may emerge in other social settings such as school or recreational visits. Young people have formatted information and guidance about how to report any such concerns.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff effectively manage behaviour by actively encouraging and rewarding acceptable conduct and by adjusting their supervisory levels to respond to changing needs. Young people receive help to understand the behavioural expectations of the home and of wider society. Young people receive respect and are treated with positive regard by their carers. Staff present themselves as positive role models demonstrating behaviour and good manners. The current staffing levels reflect the minimal need for the use of any sanctions or physical intervention. This approach recognises levels of ability and understanding and positively supports young people's compliance with the very few house rules.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive ongoing and proportionate training in behaviour management, incorporating the minimal and safe use of physical restraint and de-escalation techniques: particularly those interventions applicable to young people with learning difficulties. This training is refreshed annually with any recorded incidents being evaluated by the home's manager to ensure practice remains appropriate, consistent and safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The provider takes the promotion of health and safety very seriously. The physical safety of the home receives an ongoing review of any potential dangers. Recorded generic and specific risk assessments evaluate all aspects of daily living. These include the risk from fire hazards, from the behaviour of young people and from recreation or outdoor activities. Suitable public and employee liability insurance is in place. Fire alarm tests, fire safety equipment checks and fire drills are monitored. Young people are actively involved in the process by practicing regular fire drills confirming they know the procedures to follow.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from knowing all of the staff that look after them. The manager employs a small stable team of experienced and qualified staff who can work knowingly and confidently with the resident young people. Only suitable adults with previous experience of working with young people receive employment following company recruitment policy and practices. The associated recording of this process has some shortfalls reflecting the inexperience, rather than inability, of the manager in maintaining robust staff records that comprehensively confirm the required audit trail of personnel checks.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All visitors to the home are effectively monitored by being required to provide evidence of their identity and sign a visitors book confirming their purpose for visiting. These robust and practical systems protect young people from unauthorised individuals gaining access to the home.

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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

Young people live in a home that follows policies and procedures based on statutory regulations and good practice. The home is well organised with staff receiving support and guidance from the qualified registered manager. An absence of placements until relatively recently has resulted in staff not always receiving regular formal supervision to underpin their practice and boost staff morale.

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Leadership and management

The registered manager operates a combination of monitoring systems and is regularly on shift which ensures the condition of the home and quality of care is consistently sound. Quality assurance systems which involve consultation with external stakeholders, such as placing authorities, along with ongoing input from young people, staff and relevant others inform the managers draft development plan. Placing authority social workers comment positively about working as partners with this home to progress young people’s placement plans. One social worker said that although this is a new provider the liaison with staff and regular update reports provided by the home always kept him well informed about behaviour and progress. This had been notable in creating stability for the young person. One parent commented that she was very satisfied with the way her child was being looked after and that this helped with her acceptance of the situation.

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Leadership and management

The operation, function and staffing numbers for the home are provided in the home's Statement of Purpose and whereas this important document is broadly accurate some minor amendments are required to accurately reflect the home’s present operation. The young persons guide has been personalised by being appropriately summarised making it more accessible by adopting a Makaton based format providing key information for current users.

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Leadership and management

In the home staff practice is developed through accessible company policies, procedures and guidance, enhanced by access to training opportunities for personal development. The confidence and competence of staff has a positive impact on their direct engagement with young people. This enables accurate assessments of behaviour resulting in good levels of consistent practice. This combination enhances young people’s placement stability.

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Leadership and management

The case records for young people are kept secure and confidential. They generally cover all matters required by the regulations, however some attention to format and content is required to fully comply with the requirements of schedule three of the regulations.

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Leadership and management

Although this is a relatively new service inspection evidence confirms that young people are enabled to make progress because of the commitment of management currently in place.

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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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