Children's Home run by Action for Children in Hertfordshire

Unique reference number SC426172 Inspection date 12/07/2012 Inspector Natalie Burton Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 18/10/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The service is managed by a large charitable organisation. It provides short breaks for up to six children with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making inadequate progress.

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Progress

At the last inspection in October 2011, the overall rating for the service was judged as satisfactory, with six requirements and six recommendations for improvements set within the inspection report.

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Progress

The home has failed to fully address some requirements made at the full inspection, and a further five requirements for improvement have been made following this inspection. These have on occasion impacted on the quality of the care provided to some children living at the home.

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Progress

Improvement has been made to the monthly monitoring within the home; however, the system fails to provide children with an opportunity to feedback about the quality of service that they receive or to raise any concerns that they may have. This does not ensure that children, parents and placing authorities are regularly involved in contributing to monitoring the operation of the home.

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Progress

Some young people’s placement plans are now up-to-date and signed. However, there continues to be some plans that include contradictory information and nor have they been signed in all cases by parents, key workers and social workers. This does not ensure information is effectively shared between the parties and that young people’s needs are clearly identified and met.

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Progress

Restraint records now indicate that all young people are now offered medical assistance. However, staff do not always use measures of control appropriately. For example, on one occasion the measure of control used was excessive through a door being held closed by staff not permitting the child to leave the room. This was for staff safety, as the young person was trying to kick and hit staff. In addition, on occasion when multiple restraints occurred within the same incident, staff failed to record all the required physical interventions used. This does not ensure that measures of control used are proportionate, recorded in line with regulation, or help staff to evaluate and identify the effectiveness of the measure of control used in helping children to make changes to their behaviours.

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Progress

While the home has made significant improvement in the standard of the accommodation, there are still some areas that continue to need to be addressed. Most parts of the home are clean and are now well maintained, and there is new flooring in bedrooms. However, the sand pit is still not covered, despite the organisation taking action to reduce this, through fitting a net.

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Progress

The home has taken some action to improve individual and lone working risk assessments, however, shortfalls in this continue. For example, some concerns raised in placement plans are not identified within individual risk assessments, and not all risk assessments have been updated within agreed timescales of reviewing, or in line with current concerns and behaviours or signed as read by staff. In addition the lone working risk assessment does not clearly identity potential risks to children, staff or the public, or how identified risks can be reasonably reduced. This does not ensure that children are fully protected from potential harm.

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Progress

Staff continue to be unaware of the procedure to follow when a significant event has occurred. In addition, on one occasion, a safeguarding complaint was not notified to Ofsted. There was minimal impact on children as the organisation took immediate action to contact appropriate persons to safeguard children. However, Ofsted have been unable to monitor the matter in which children’s needs are met on this occasion.

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Progress

During this inspection further concerns were raised. Some fire doors on self closures do not fully close on release, and not all plug sockets are covered when not in use. This fails to ensure that potential hazards and sources of harm are identified in line with the homes policies

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Progress

Some shortfalls previously identified, have been addressed. Those unmet are now revised to requirements. A written record is now kept of all complaints with details of the action taken in response to the complaint and the outcome of the investigation. This includes a written response to the complainant to ensure they are kept informed about the progress and receive prompt feedback. Managers have implemented new guidelines regarding safe administration of medicines. Staff have received training and have a handbook giving staff clear instruction on what to do if, for example, a young person comes to the service without their medication.

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Progress

Records of recruitment of staff are stored at the head office. Evidence provided by the organisation and from the national provider scheme demonstrates that sufficient checks are in place to safeguard young people.

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Progress

The service has revised the home’s visitor’s book to include the reasons for the visit. In addition, accidents that take place in the home are now recorded and information is given to parents. These actions have ensured that records kept within the home are in line with regulations, and parents are kept up-to-date with information about their children..

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Progress

Observations during the inspection noted appropriate relationships and engagement between staff and children. The rapport between staff, managers and children is warm, caring and respectful. In addition, the service has already identified an action plan to address these shortfalls.

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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 placement plans are completed, agreed and signed in every case, in accordance with regulation 12 (Regulation 12(1)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which shall include a to i (Regulation 17B (3)(a-i)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their health or safety. With particular regard to individual and lone working risk assessments, ensure plug sockets have covers when not in use and the sand pit is kept clean. (Regulation 23 (a)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure any of the events listed in Column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30(1)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

32 take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the 31/08/2012 (2001) provision of suitable equipment. With particular respect to closure of fire doors in bedrooms (Regulation 32 ((1)(a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34 (3)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure no measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) shall be sued at any time on children accommodated in a children's home. (Regulation (17)(1)) 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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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011).

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