Children's Home run by Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited in Hounslow

Unique reference number SC409851 Inspection date 09/07/2012 Inspector Muhammed Harunur Rashid Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/02/2012 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 registered to care for up to four young people. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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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 knows the young people well and works effectively with the majority of them to ensure positive outcomes. Many young people make good progress across aspects of their development. For example, young people achieve educational attainments and develop life skills for their preparation into adulthood. Care planning and staff practice are personalised to meet the individual needs of young people. Staff work positively and are enthusiastic in their roles with the young people, providing positive role models to young people. Most young people have positive views about the quality of their care in the home and their relationships with staff. In contrast some young people have not had such positive outcomes; some weaknesses in admissions planning have left a young person missing from the home and potentially unsafe.

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Overall effectiveness

To further improve, the service must take action to ensure that the home only admits young people whose assessed needs they can reasonably expect to meet; ensure that there is care planning that promotes all young people's needs and make the minor amendments to the Statement of Purpose.

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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) update the Statement of Purpose as required by regulation (Regulation 4) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated there, for example, securing rear garden fencing (Regulation 11 (1)) 31/07/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that serious incidents necessitating calling the police to the home are reported to Ofsted as Schedule 5 (Regulation 30 (1)) 09/07/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that at all times, at least one person on duty at the children's home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 20 (2)) 31/08/2012

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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 all new care staff hold the level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma (NMS 18.5)  ensure that the home considers, with the responsible authority, what action should be taken to prevent the children going missing in future (NMS 5.9)  ensure that the children's home only provides admission to children whose assessed needs they can reasonably expect to meet. (NMS 11.2)

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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 currently accommodates older teenagers. Young people make significant progress in many areas through individualised pathway plans for a semi- independence programme in preparation of future adulthood. Young people develop essential practical and social skills necessary for adult life. For example, they learn how to shop and cook meals, travel independently and manage their money effectively. They are able to exercise choice and independence in the clothes and personal requisites that they buy and have these needs met. A former resident of the home has successfully moved into semi-independent living recently.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop emotionally and learn to overcome traumatic experiences of violence. They also learn to develop a positive self-view and knowledge and understanding of their background. Young people have the opportunity to learn about pertinent issues, such as healthy positive relationships.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are reducing smoking and the use of drugs. Their health is promoted through their access to various services, such as counselling from drug and alcohol misuse workers. Young people keep physically fit, for example, through attending the local gymnasium and participating in sports.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make significant progress in education through attendance at their education settings. A young person who undertook GCSEs examinations has recently applied for employment.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop skills through taking part in household activities and pursuing their individual interests and hobbies. They watch various television programmes, DVDs and play football with members of staff. Staff ensure that young people have access to local community resources, for example, visits to bowling, cinema and local library.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop and improve their relationships with their parents through regular contacts. Their friends and family visit the home.

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Quality of care

Young people have individual care plans and these identify their individual holistic needs, including cultural, religious and dietary needs. Comprehensive 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's views and wishes are listened to. Young people are encouraged to write comments about their care and welfare issues in the daily notes and staff take action as a result of young people's comments. They are consulted in various ways, for example, through key working 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 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. Young people visit various places of interest and engage in sport activities in the local community. Staff accompany young people to medical appointments and they administer medications to young people and maintain effective records of all medication administered.

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Quality of care

Young people are provided with computers and a small library is provided 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. Young people receive support from members of staff with homework to achieve educational attainments. They also receive extra tuition from a qualified teacher to assist with their educational achievements.

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Quality of care

Young people know how to make a complaint. They said that they had no reason to make any complaints. However, there is an appropriate complaints policy and procedure in place.

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located and designed. However, some furniture in the lounge is showing visible signs of wear and tear. 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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Quality of care

Staff contribute to the development of each young person’s care plan, including pathway plans and they work collaboratively with young people and their placing authorities in implementing the plan. Staff support young people's transition to adult services effectively, as part of the agreements in the pathway plans.

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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 in the home. Staff are provided with relevant child protection training and are sufficiently knowledgeable in this area. There are no issues with bullying.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A high number of incidents in relation to missing from care have been recorded for one person. Staff follow the agreed procedures when a young person goes missing from care and report all incidents to relevant professionals. However, there is no evidence that staff arrange meetings between the young people and their responsible authorities to consider the reasons for them going missing. Staff do not also always record the date and time on the incident record forms when a young person return home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management is based on building good relationships. Staff reward young people for their socially acceptable behaviour and for achieving good outcomes for themselves, for example, attending school regularly. Staff are provided with challenging behaviour training. Sanctions are rarely used and young people said they were reasonable.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is a system in place to notify significant events to relevant authorities. However, one on occasion staff called police to the home but this was not reported within 24 hours.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The fence of the rear garden is found to be unsecure and this poses a potential risk to young people who might come in contact with hazardous materials stored in the nearby land. There are regular checks on fire alarms, smoke detectors and emergency lighting. Staff carry out fire alarm testing and fire drills to keep young people safe. Gas and electrical appliances are tested by the relevant professionals.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The recruitment processes are good. The home carries out all relevant checks on staff prior to their appointment. All files include written reference letters, photocopies of their proof of identity and enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosure numbers.

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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 home has developed a comprehensive Statement of Purpose and a young people's guide. The Statement of Purpose includes the aims and objectives of the home. The young people's guide provides information about the facilities available to them. However, the Statement of Purpose needs updating to reflect the current staffing structure and their qualifications.

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Leadership and management

The home has policies on the promotion of equality and diversity and staff have completed equality and diversity training. Staff are recruited from various minority ethnic groups. They are able to meet children and young people's cultural, religious and dietary needs. However, a young person who was admitted to the home very recently is not accepting any care and remains vulnerable when going missing for a number of days.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager is supported by a newly appointed deputy manager and they both are suitably qualified. Monthly staff meetings take place which promotes good communication between the staff team.

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Leadership and management

All staff receive regular supervision and appraisals. Staff spoken to are satisfied with the training they are receiving. However, three care staff have yet to complete the level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma. Only two members of staff are qualified first aiders which is not sufficient to cover each shift. The Registered Manager has a plan to address this.

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Leadership and management

A monitoring visit take place on a monthly basis and reports are sent to Ofsted. The Registered Manager monitors and signs the home's records and takes appropriate steps on issues requiring action. The recommendation made at the previous inspection has been acted upon.

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Leadership and management

Each young person has an individual case record which helps them to reflect on and understand their history and 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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