Children's Home run by Break Charity in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC025718 Inspection date 26/09/2012 Inspector Louisa Bayley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 27/02/2012 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 children's home provides medium- to long-term accommodation for up to five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home is owned by a registered charity that also owns a number of other children's homes and a residential family centre.

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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

Young people in this home benefit from good quality care provided by an established and experienced staff team.

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Overall effectiveness

During recent months, staff have faced a period of extreme challenge, which has affected the dynamics within the home. This has had an impact on staff and young people. In response to this, managers have been sensitive to the needs of all of the young people. This has included identifying the need for alternative placement for those whose needs cannot be met in the home. The degree of challenge is acknowledged and balanced against the positive work of the staff and the good outcomes for the majority of young people. A social worker said, ‘It is hard to imagine what else they could do; they have absolutely stretched themselves to the limit.’

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Overall effectiveness

Individual needs are detailed within personalised and comprehensive care plans. Staff identify young people’s ethnicity, cultural and religious needs and preferences within care plans, and address them in daily living. Where information regarding young people has been missing, staff have worked closely with previous placement providers, to inform themselves of individual’s needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The majority of young people have lived in the home for a number of years. They feel secure, having developed positive relationships with staff and each other. They say the quality of care is good and feel able to express their views, in the knowledge staff will listen. Young people are given responsibility for their own safety appropriate to their age and developmental levels. They are supported by staff to make decisions that promote their safety and well-being. A social worker said, ‘Staff are not risk averse. Young people are able to take healthy risks. I have confidence in the staff's understanding of young people's safety.’

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Overall effectiveness

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There have been improvements since the last inspection and monitoring of the quality of care has identified future areas for development.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls identified during the inspection are: missing information in the Statement of Purpose, delay in notifications to Ofsted of significant events in the home, and lack of consultation with placing authorities and parents of young people accommodated. Areas identified for improvement are: ensuring young people are able to give their view following restraint or sanctions, and ensuring the home has a record of vetting and checks carried out on staff working in the home. The shortfalls identified do not adversely impact on the safety or well-being of young people.

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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) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the Statement of Purpose and notify HMCI of any such revision within 28 days (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 08/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that, where any of the of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 take place, they are notified without delay to the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30 (1)) 08/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the system referred to in paragraph (1) of Regulation 34 provides for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34 (3)) 08/11/2012

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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 all children and staff in the home are given an opportunity to discuss incidents of restraint they have been involved in, witnessed or been affected by, with a relevant adult (NMS 3.17)  ensure that, where any sanctions, disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3.18)  ensure the children's home has a record of the recruitment and vetting checks which have been carried out on those working (including as volunteers) for the children's home which includes: identity checks; CRB Disclosures, including the level of the Disclosure, the unique reference number, and the outcome of the check including whether the individual is barred (in line with eligibility to obtain such checks). (NMS 16.3 (a)(b))

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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

Young people in this home have made good progress in developing their confidence and skills. Individual key work sessions have supported individual’s understanding of their family background, responses to emotional trauma and sexuality.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Individuals have benefited from health and specialist services. An example is a young person who has successfully engaged with a drug and alcohol support group. This has supported the individual to stop using cannabis.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people who are aged 16 and over all have college placements. Young people of statutory school age have educational packages that they have been able to help plan. Educational success includes the achievement of eleven GCSE passes, three of which were grade C for one young person, completion of statutory education, good attendance at college and independent travel to and from education. A social worker said that staff support young people to look at longer term goals as well as short term. This was reflected in a discussion with a young person. They talked about their current education and their plans for their next college course and qualifications. Young people develop aspirations as a result of the support from staff and the partnership working between the home and other professionals.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make a positive contribution to the home through residents’ meetings, discussions and contribution to ideas for improvements. They have made suggestions for improvements to the independence plans, to make them individualised and have contributed to ideas to make the house more homely. They are also involved in planning the shopping and menus. Consequently, young people feel their contributions are valued and they are listened to.

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Outcomes for children and young people

External professionals working with the home recognise the thorough planning that is in place to support young people with transitions and independence. All young people aged 16 and over, are working on independence programmes. They are encouraged to earn money through the completion of tasks and attendance in education. They develop skills that will benefit them when they move on to a more independent living environment. The contact they have with family and friends is an important part of developing these skills. All of the young people have a network of friends outside of the home. Some young people are in work as well as attending college. Transitions workers support young people to contribute to and plan their future placements. This means that young people are well prepared to move on and feel in control. For those individuals who have lived in the home for a significant length of time, this is an important part of the disengagement process.

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Quality of care

Staff in this home have positive, well-established relationships with young people. This encourages young people to feel able to express their opinions and wishes, with the certainty they will be listened to.

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Quality of care

There is a clear complaints procedure, which has been used by two young people to make a complaint to the manager. The manager has sensitively addressed the complaints and both young people have received written feedback. The manager has considered the complaints when looking at the suitability of placements in the home for some young people. As a result, the needs of individuals have been balanced against the needs of the group of young people living in the home.

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Quality of care

Staff ensure care plans are personalised to reflect individual needs. Young people are involved in their care planning and their reviews. Key work sessions and discussions with young people ensure that individual needs are explored on a regular basis. Staff work well with external professionals so that young people receive specialist support. An example of this is the link with the local authority travel independence training team. They worked with a young person to help them develop the skills to travel independently to and from college. This reflected the needs of the individual and helped overcome barriers to ensure the young person accesses this age appropriate activity safely.

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Quality of care

The staff work well with schools, colleges and alternative education providers. They attend meetings and work in partnership to develop education packages that are most likely to engage young people. The manager has used young people’s interests and positive relationships to increase the chances of engagement in education. An example is the approach staff used to secure a young person’s attendance at a college induction day. The manager asked the young person’s drumming tutor to attend, along with staff from the home. Providing the young person with a network of support from adults who are significant to him proved successful in securing his engagement. Education outreach workers have been welcomed into the home and staff ensure they have the resources they need to work with young people. Staff have worked with young people to develop aspirations of higher education, for example, attendance at a university information event. A social worker said that, for

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Quality of care

young people who have struggled with attendance in education due to complex mental health issues, staff have provided educational activities in the home. Independence programmes include education as a fundamental expectation within the incentive and reward scheme offered to young people. Consequently, there is an expectation of attendance and engagement in education, with support from staff to develop individual education programmes.

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Quality of care

Young people have benefited from mental health support through the child and adolescent mental health service and through psychological assessments. Young people’s physical health needs are addressed and staff are sensitive in ensuring individual wishes are met. This includes, accessing same sex general practitioners and ensuring that young people’s wishes around information sharing of health issues are restricted. This helps young people to maintain their sense of dignity and reduce potential for embarrassment.

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Quality of care

Activities are on offer in the home and young people have the opportunity to go on holiday and on trips. However, staff understand that young people are at an age where they prefer to develop their independence and see their friends, rather than take part in activities with the staff. Within the home, staff support young people to develop their independence skills, such as cooking meals, planning shopping and planning menus. Staff role model interactions and activities between themselves, such as playing games together, to encourage young people to join in and enjoy this social interaction. This means that activities are available but young people’s choices around participation are respected.

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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 in this home generally say they feel safe. On occasions where they have felt unsafe, they have been able to discuss this with the staff. The recent change in the dynamics within the home has had an effect on the way some young people feel. The manager is taking this seriously and he is taking steps to address the situation, in a way that respects all young people’s needs and wishes.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have followed procedures in response to a child protection concern. They attended meetings with social workers and appropriate external professionals and documented the outcome of the meetings. A social worker fed back, ‘Staff do everything they can to try and keep the young person safe.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

The manager has a protocol in place that has been developed with the local police. There are clear procedures to follow when young people go missing. Staff are working with young people to develop their understanding of the need to return home at agreed times, promoting their sense of responsibility. Following incidents of missing or unauthorised absence, staff discuss the incident with the young person. This helps to establish patterns and trends and to look at how future incidents can be avoided.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There has been one incident of restraint since the last inspection. Restraint is used only as a last resort, to prevent injury to others or significant damage to property. Staff had recorded the restraint; however, the young person had not been asked for their view. In addition, there was no review of the incident with staff. This means that opportunities are not being taken to review the effectiveness of restraint or to understand the young person’s viewpoint. Equally, sanctions do not reflect the views of young people. This is an area that has been identified as part of the management monitoring checks and has been brought to staff attention to ensure it takes place in future.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Comprehensive risk assessments are in place for each young person. Staff have ensured they have followed up gaps in information for a newly placed young person by liaising with the previous placement provider. This helped staff to have a baseline to work from until they were able to assess the young person’s needs first hand. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly and are updated following any incidents that have an impact on young people’s safety. This means that staff are aware of triggers for individual’s behaviour, the likely effects and strategies to manage the behaviour positively.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Thorough vetting and checks take place for all staff prior to commencement of employment in the home. The process includes safe care interviews, interview panel questions, Criminal Records Bureau checks, references and identity checks. This means young people’s safety is promoted as these checks help prevent unsuitable people being recruited. However, the records kept by the home, do not fully document the details of the checks made. For example, there is no record of the Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure unique reference number or detail of the identification provided. Although this does not compromise young people’s safety, the home does not have this information readily available in the event of a query.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home provides a safe and secure environment that meets the needs of the young people. Responsible staff carry out health and safety checks regularly and all staff and young people are aware of fire evacuation procedures. Checks are recorded, with details of any issues and actions taken to resolve them. This contributes to young people’s safety.

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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 permanently employed, Registered Manager in this home leads a well- established and experienced staff team. Young people benefit from consistency due to the low turnover of staff.

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Leadership and management

The manager has addressed the recommendation raised at the previous inspection. Supervisions for staff are now recorded, with the time, date and duration. This helps to provide the manager with a clear picture of whether supervisions have taken place.

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Leadership and management

There has been a significant improvement, since the last inspection, in the monitoring of the quality of care. It is much more evaluative and helps to demonstrate how the quality of care has improved as a result of young people’s views, and areas that have been addressed as a result of monitoring. Records in the home demonstrate that areas identified for improvement are shared with the staff team and discussed in team meetings and manager’s meetings. This shows that the monitoring is informing change and being used effectively. However, the monitoring does not provide for consultation with parents of young people accommodated or placing authorities. Consequently, the home does not give parents and external professionals formalised opportunity to make suggestions that could contribute to improvements and further enhance partnership working.

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Leadership and management

The independent visitor provides monthly feedback to the home on the quality of care and any shortfalls they identify. The organisation submits reports to Ofsted within appropriate timescales, ensuring the regulator has an up-to-date overview of the home.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose provides clear information on the facilities and services provided by the home. However, details of staff are not up to date. Consequently, the document does not provide an accurate representation of the staff team to parents and external professionals.

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Leadership and management

Records held in the home provide a clear picture of young people’s lives. Conversations with young people are recorded and key work sessions are documented. The staff are proactive in chasing up other agencies for missing documentation. The manager has introduced journals for young people, reflecting their time in the home through photographs, written entries and other memorabilia. The journals provide young people with memories of their time in the home and the attachments they have made. As a result, it is clear for young people and staff to see the impact that living in the home has had.

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Leadership and management

Staff training and recording of training has improved since the last inspection. The organisation has introduced an automated system that flags up when refresher training is needed. This helps the management team to have a better overview of the training needs of the staff. Consequently, staff are equipped to meet young people’s needs. Staff supervision and appraisal systems are in place. During the past few months, supervision has been missed for some staff. However, this was identified in the internal monitoring and is being addressed. The manager has discussed the issue with the management team to ensure supervision is given priority.

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Leadership and management

Significant events are notified to Ofsted but there has been a delay between the event and the notification on two occasions. Also, Ofsted was not notified of the outcome of a child protection enquiry. This has not affected young people’s safety as action was taken by the home, on each occasion, in accordance with organisational and local protocols. Failure to submit notifications without delay does, however, prevent Ofsted as a regulator, from having an up-to-date view of significant events in the home.

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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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