Children's Home run by Tulip Care One Limited t/as TulipCare in Kent

Unique reference number SC361090 Inspection date 19/09/2012 Inspector David Putnam Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 21/02/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned children's home provides residential care and support for up to five boys. The home adjoins an independent school, registered for seven male pupils. The school is included in the resources available to young people placed at the home.

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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

This home provides children and young people who have known considerable disruption in their education with consistent care, stability and continuity. The education provision linked to this home was judged as good in March 2012.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people are seen as individuals and are cared for by staff who get to know them extremely well. Their needs are individually assessed and planned for. Children and young people feel safe and are safe. They are positive about the care they receive. They believe that their views and opinions count. Staff demonstrate skill and affection in caring for children and young people.

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Overall effectiveness

One recommendation regarding the maintenance and decoration of the home has not yet been fully met. Plans are in place to complete this. Further shortfalls relating to supervision and appraisal of staff have been highlighted through this inspection. These have the effect of limiting the inspection judgement for leadership and management, but have little impact upon other judgement areas which are good.

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Overall effectiveness

An experienced and knowledgeable Registered Manager effectively evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Supported by the parent organisation, a detailed review of practice is nearing completion. This demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement for the benefit of children and young people using the service.

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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 the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure that staff have access to support and advice and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff (NMS 19.4)  ensure all staff have their performance individually and formally appraised at least annually and this appraisal takes into account any views of children the service is providing for. (NMS 19.6)

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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

Children and young people are able to highlight the improvements they make in their lives since living in this home. This helps them to change their views of themselves and develop ambition for what they can achieve. Children and young people who previously did not engage in education now attend the onsite school on a daily basis. One young person said that when they first arrived their attitude was that they were already intelligent and did not need to attend school. They went on to explain that they have moved on, now go every day and are due to take their GCSE examinations next year. Another young person explained that they attended the onsite school until they successfully passed their examinations during the summer. They were proud to say they have now secured a place in a local college to undertake a level two vocational course.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Some children and young people living in the home attend external schools. Managers and staff work proactively to support these school placements. Equally, they advocate on behalf of children and young people to ensure they are in the correct placement to meet their special or additional educational needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The health needs of children and young people are met through the support of staff. All children and young people are registered with relevant health professionals and all appointments are followed up. Where particular health needs exist prior to placement children and young people are able to maintain links with specialist practitioners. This helps to provide continuity and consistency for children and young people and reduces the need for them to repeatedly have to explain their personal circumstances.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Unhealthy life choices of children and young people are challenged appropriately. As a result, previously high levels of alcohol consumption by young people are no longer a concern. Smoking cessation programmes have had less overall success as some young people do still smoke. However, they have been supported to understand the risks they take through appropriate health education. A non-smoking policy within the home is upheld. Managers ensure that staff do not smoke within the grounds of the home. Exercise and activity is encouraged to promote healthy lifestyles.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people express confidence about the independence skills they have attained. For example, they highlight that they now travel independently to college and are able to prepare meals for themselves and others. Staff use established programmes to assess particular strengths and identify areas for improvement. Young people benefit further from practical work undertaken in the onsite school. This augments the work done within the home and further enhances the confidence expressed by young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people benefit from regular contact with family and friends who are important to them. Placing social workers speak positively about the flexibility and willingness of staff to support contact. This is helped by the fact that the home is not significantly far from the homes of any of the children and young people placed.

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Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy extremely positive relationships with an enthusiastic and committed group of staff and are reassured by the care they receive. One young person said, ‘I love my staff, they’re cool’. Open communication is encouraged. Children and young people describe staff as, ‘understanding’ and ‘approachable’. Children and young people actively seek the advice of staff because they consider that they know what is right. One young person likened individual staff to specific members of a family before commenting, ‘what more could you want than to be cared for by people who love you’.

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Quality of care

The approach of staff ensures that the views of children and young people are consistently sought and influence what happens within the home. Children and young people say that managers ask their opinion about potential new staff applying to work within the home. Similarly, children and young people are consulted on how the home is decorated and furnished. However, they are also able to influence everyday issues such as deciding menus or activities. Regular house meetings provide the opportunity for children and young people to express themselves in a structured way. However, the culture and ethos of the home means that children and young people are encouraged to speak openly at all times.

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Quality of care

A clear complaints process is in place. Children and young people know how to use this. When complaints are made they are responded to promptly in a way that provides reassurance for children and young people.

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Quality of care

Detailed care plans are in place for all children and young people. These identify and address how individual needs will be met. Difference is openly accepted and celebrated by staff. Children and young people are supported to explore their identity and express their own individuality in different ways. As a result of the positive role model provided by staff, children and young people living in the home are able to support each other and openly accept difference.

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Quality of care

Children and young people educated within the onsite school benefit from excellent communication between care staff and teaching staff. Handovers at the beginning and end of each day provide the opportunity for relevant information to be effectively shared. This helps to pre-empt specific issues and address difficulties that may occur.

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Quality of care

Children and young people educated in external provision now benefit from improved communication between managers and staff in both settings. The Registered Manager now attends meetings and has ensured that relevant documentation is provided and appropriately filed. Staff are proactive in helping to identify the most appropriate education provision for all children and young people.

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Quality of care

Staff also demonstrate positive working relationships with parents, placing authorities, health professionals and the police when appropriate. This ensures that children and young people benefit from a continuity of care that consistently meets their needs. Placing social workers speak positively about the level of communication with staff and the quality of information provided. Parents also comment that they have seen positive changes in their children’s behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Practices within the home ensure that children and young people are kept safe. Children and young people consistently say that they feel safe. One young person spoke about how their feelings had changed over time, as they became used to living in the home. They said, ‘now I have a place I feel comfortable, safe and I can call my own home’.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Bullying is not tolerated. Children and young people say that when this has occurred in the past a prompt and effective response resulted in the problem being resolved quickly. The responses of staff help any person being bullied to feel safe. In addition anyone who bullies is helped to understand the effects of their behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The majority of children and young people do not go missing from the home. When this does happen staff remain in contact with the child or young person and liaise with family members, placing authorities and police to promote their safety. When the child or young person returns, staff take time to talk with them to understand the reasons for their behaviour. Positive relationships with the local police result in visits from specifically trained officers. This helps children and young people to understand that they are vulnerable to potential risks when staff do not know where they are.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Positive behaviour is promoted through sanctions that are agreed with children and young people. These are seen as fair. Any comments made by the child or young person are consistently recorded. This open communication between children, young people and staff is the accepted norm and serves to support the safety of children and young people. Placing social workers refer to the willingness of managers and staff to listen to children and young people. This helps children and young people to understand that they can openly express any concern they may have.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The model applied by staff promotes the exploration of behaviours through talking rather than intervening physically. Social workers say that prior to being placed in this home, children and young people were previously restrained regularly and given medication to manage their behaviour. They contrast this with practice in this home where restraint is rarely used. Only one restraint has been recorded during the seven months since the last inspection.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff use their knowledge of children and young people to prepare individual assessments that highlight potential risks or hazards and reduce the likelihood of them occurring. These are reviewed regularly and updated as necessary in light of new information. This practice promotes the safeguarding of individual children and young people as a constant work in progress.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recruitment procedures are sound. Records kept within the home demonstrate that managers safeguard children and young people by completing suitable checks of potential employees prior to them commencing work. Agency staff are used sparingly and if necessary, attempts are made to engage the same staff to provide continuity for the children and young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff competently store and administer medication in a way that promotes the safety and well-being of children and young people. Effective relationships with General Practitioners and pharmacists support this positive practice.

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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 is managed by an experienced and dedicated Registered Manager who models a passion and commitment for meeting the needs of children and young people. Staff respond to his leadership and are motivated to deliver a high quality service for children and young people. Placing social workers commend the approach of the Registered Manager and describe him as ‘calm, reasoned and logical’.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people are encouraged to read or contribute to their individual records. This promotes transparency and emphasises the rights of children and young people to access information relating to them. Records are written in bound books which provide a detailed individual account of their life within the home in an accessible format.

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Leadership and management

The home’s Statement of Purpose is well written. The document clearly, but comprehensively sets out the aims and objectives of the home for stakeholders. This includes details of a specific model of approach adopted by staff. Children and young people benefit from the fact that the Registered Manager is an accredited trainer for this model of work. All staff receive initial and refresher training. Their understanding is assessed and records retained.

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Leadership and management

Managers promote the continued development of staff through funding additional training and releasing staff to attend. Several staff are in the process of enrolling on or completing foundation degrees or diploma courses. Where staff do not have the required qualification stipulated in the national minimum standards they are supported to achieve this.

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Leadership and management

Five recommendations were made following the last inspection. Four have been met. Children and young people now benefit from improved communication with all education providers. Regular monthly monitoring reports are now submitted to Ofsted and demonstrate that children and young people are consulted in forming an opinion as to the standard of care. The quality of care is now reviewed at appropriate intervals by the Registered Manager. Evaluative reports of these reviews are now submitted to Ofsted, although the contributions of children, young people, parents and professionals are not always apparent. The monitoring undertaken by managers contributes to an improved understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. These have informed a development plan which is now in place.

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Leadership and management

Senior managers in the parent company confirm that in an attempt to further improve the service the organisation has commissioned a consultant; their work is nearing completion. One aspect of this work will focus on developing an outcomes- based model. This aims to have the effect of improving the way the home measures the changes children and young people make over time.

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Leadership and management

One recommendation to ensure the home is maintained and decorated to a good standard has not been fully met. Children and young people comment on the poor quality of the décor. In particular they highlight the standard of the kitchen, pointing out that some cupboards are no longer useable. A rolling programme of work is in progress. Children and young people do benefit from seeing members of the care staff with relevant skills completing tasks around the home. At times children and young people contribute practically to repairs to damage they cause as a form of reparation. However, on occasion staff have insufficient time to complete all necessary tasks immediately. A budget has now been agreed for improvements to the kitchen, but a recommendation is made again to promote the completion of this work.

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Leadership and management

Staff do not receive regular supervision. Furthermore, the frequency of formal supervision meetings is not at the level stipulated in the home’s Statement of Purpose for new or established staff. When it does take place supervision is of a high standard. Staff speak highly of the level of support provided by the Registered Manager. They point out that they have regular contact with him and take advantage of the opportunity to obtain informal advice and support in this way.

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Leadership and management

Appraisals of staff’s individual performance do not take place annually. As a result individual development needs are not identified and clear targets for improving their performance are not set. Recommendations are made to improve the supervision and appraisal of staff. However, the Registered Manager is already aware of these shortfalls and is in the process of addressing them.

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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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