Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC386003 Inspection date 31/07/2012 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/01/2012 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 home is run by a private company and provides care and education for up to four young people. The home is registered to care for young people with emotional 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

There are some good examples of personalised individual care being delivered by this service. Young people live in a nurturing environment that enables them to make good progress emotionally, socially and in their education. Young people spoke fondly of the staff and the home and they made positive comments about the care they receive. Young people have developed from their starting points, especially with regard to their emotional well-being and relationships with family members. Feedback from staff and responsible social workers, about how the home operates is very positive. Young people are happy living at the home. However, each young person does not have and an overall placement plan that highlights the specific objectives of their placement. This means that staff and young people may not know what the overall aim of the placement is meant to achieve.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is comfortable, although there are several areas within the building that need attention if the high standard of decoration and furnishing is to be maintained. The atmosphere created by the staff and young people is informal, friendly and very cheerful. Staff, have a genuine affection for the young people and are fully committed to ensuring they achieve their maximum potential. Young people know that staff, genuinely care about them.

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Overall effectiveness

The young people generally get on well with each other. Bullying does not happen at the home. Staff work hard to ensure that all young people are kept safe and free from harm. Restraint or holding of young people does not take place very often. However, there are some shortfalls with regard to the written records of any restraints used. This means that essential information may not be retained on the young person’s file.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is well managed and the staff team are committed to meeting the needs of young people. The home operates a thorough recruitment process. However, the recruitment records of one staff member did not contain up-to-date written references. This does not help to ensure young people are looked after by suitable people. Young people are supported to learn activities for daily living and to develop their independence skills. However, the home does not follow a structured programme for developing these skills. The progress young people make is not fully measured and areas for improvement may not be known.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has taken positive steps to address a previous requirement in relation to the external monitoring of the home. The independent visitor speaks in confidence with young people, their family members and staff. These visits help to ensure the home is run properly.

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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 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to all staff in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Regulation 26 (2)(d) 31/10/2012

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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 young people are supported to learn practical life skills and activities for daily living (NMS 12.1)  review each young person's placement plan to ensure that the reasons for their placement at the home are clearly understood by staff and young people (NMS 25.1)  improve the internal environment of the home and ensure it is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure that all written records relating to the restraint or holding of children are recorded in the volume kept specifically for that purpose. (NMS 22)

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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 enjoy good health and attend regular appointments with dentists and opticians. Staff, ensure that young people access all the services they need to promote both their physical and emotional well-being. This can include art therapy and psychology services. One young person’s social worker said, ‘I think my young person has matured significantly, she’s a completely different person from when she was admitted.’ Young people who participate in behaviours, such as smoking, are actively encouraged and supported to change their behaviour. Staff remain resolute in their attempts to educate young people about the health risks of smoking and other risk taking behaviours. Young people enjoy a good, healthy and nutritious diet. One young person said, ‘the food here’s great, someone always seems to be baking or cooking. We join in and help if we want to.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have very good attendance at school. Staff, offer young people daily support and encouragement to attend school and continue to explain the importance of a good education. Success and achievements in education are celebrated to offer further encouragement to young people. One young person said, ‘I like going to school and seeing my friends there.’ In addition, one young person’s social worker said, ‘my young person’s extremely bright, they know what they want to achieve and they’re working hard to get there.’ Young people are fully supported to achieve their maximum potential.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The young people at the home have lived together for some time. They do have occasional arguments but generally they get on well with each other. Young people are encouraged to get involved in activities for daily living and household tasks. This helps them to learn new skills and to be more independent. However, the home has no structured programme for teaching independence skills, particularly for older children. This means that young people may not learn the essential skills which are necessary to live independently and that their progress is not adequately measured.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff enable young people to make sense of their background and to understand why they have to live in the home. Where appropriate, family contact is encouraged and staff, go out of their way to facilitate and support it. Since coming to live at the home some young people have developed strong, positive links with their families. Relationships have improved significantly and some young people have plans in place to increase their contact. One young person’s social worker said, ‘my young person and their family are doing really, really well. Staff are supporting them to enjoy a short holiday together for the first time.’

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Quality of care

The home provides a warm and supportive environment in which young people can develop both physically and emotionally. Staff, generally have a friendly and informal manner with young people, although they are also able to demonstrate a firm manner when necessary. Assessments of the individual needs of young people have been carried out by placing authorities prior to young people moving into the home. The home has developed several plans for meeting the specific and individual needs of young people. However, the home does not have a specific plan which outlines what the overall aim of the placement is. This means staff, and young people may not know what a placement at the home is specifically meant to achieve.

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Quality of care

Regular monitoring and review of the care provided to young people takes place through key worker meetings. This enables staff to evaluate the care they provide. One young person’s social worker said, ‘I’m always kept informed about what’s happening. The level of communication is very good.’ Written records of all statutory reviews undertaken are available within the home. The changing needs of young people are met in a prompt and timely fashion.

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Quality of care

Young people's files are detailed and well ordered. Written information retained within the home provides an extensive record of each young person's life there, as well as the help and support carried out by staff. Young people are involved in the running of the home through key worker meetings and young people’s meetings. In addition, the home’s owner meets young people individually at regular intervals in an informal setting. This enables young people to discuss how the home is run, to help identify any improvements that can be made or to express their dissatisfaction with anything if they are unhappy. Young people know that their opinions are listened to. The home has a culture of promoting each young person's rights and in ensuring they are able to participate in a wide range of activities. This helps young people to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of care

The home has a detailed admissions process for young people. All admissions to the home are carefully planned and take place at the young person’s pace. This process helps to overcome any anxieties the young person may have and to ensure the home can meet their needs. Members of staff are committed to ensuring each young person enjoys a positive experience while living at the home and is able to develop both physically and emotionally. One young person’s social worker said, ‘we chose this home for our young person because it can offer everything they needed.’

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy living in a residential area close to the town centre. Each young person has their own bedroom and they are encouraged to make them as comfortable and personal as possible, as well as clean and tidy. Young people have access to a computer and computer gaming equipment. There is a television in the lounge where young people can relax. The home also has a dining area where members of staff and young people can socialise and enjoy a meal together. Several areas of the home are looking tired. One of the carpets is threadbare in places, a dining table has been damaged and a door has not been fully painted. Overall, the home provides a comfortable environment for young people to enjoy although the décor does not enhance the surroundings.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Individual dietary needs are catered for and members of staff have undergone training in safe food hygiene. Each young person has written consent forms in place in order for members of staff to administer medication or first aid where this is necessary. Members of staff have also had first aid training which includes, the safe handling and administration of medication. The welfare of young people is, therefore, safeguarded.

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Quality of care

Relationships between members of staff and young people are both warm and friendly. Members of staff actively strive to provide an environment in which young people are nurtured. Where they can be happy and flourish. Young people and members of staff were observed to have a warm, friendly relationship. Young people spoken to said, ‘the home’s ok.’ One young person’s social worker said, ‘this is a great home, they’re doing everything right and it’s paying dividends.’ Young people make good progress and appear happy living at the home.

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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

There are systems in place within the home to safeguard young people and young people themselves said they felt safe and looked after. There have been several occasions since the last inspection when a young person has been absent from the home. The whereabouts of the young people has been known and staff have acted appropriately in ensuring their safe return. One young person’s social worker said, ‘I have complete trust in the staff to look after my young person.’ Staff deal with any incidents of alleged bullying quickly and efficiently. Bullying is not tolerated at the home. The manager and all members of staff are trained in safeguarding and receive regular refresher training to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date. This helps to ensure they are both confident and competent in dealing with any safeguarding issues should they arise.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff, promote a culture of positive behaviour within the home and young people are supported to take responsibility for their actions. Sanctions are used to help young people modify their behaviour. The sanction most frequently used is time out. In addition, the home’s manager promotes the use of restorative techniques. This helps a young person to reflect on their behaviour, its consequences and the effect it has on others. A member of the youth offending team visiting the home said, ‘this home has areal grasp on things. It’s a pleasure working with them.’ Restraint or holding young people is an infrequent occurrence and is used as an absolute last resort to protect the young person from harming themselves or others. Written records of all restraints used are retained in a book used specifically for that purpose. However, staff, have stapled additional notes to the pages of the restrains log. The additional

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Safeguarding children and young people

notes can become detached and lost which means that a true record of all restraints is not maintained.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home's manager carries out regular checks of the home's fire systems, smoke detectors and emergency lighting. Young people take part in fire drills and the time at which fire drills take place are fully recorded. Young people live in a safe environment because the home has a thorough and systematic approach to risk management. Risk assessments are clear, focused and regularly reviewed. Regular checks of gas installations and electrical equipment also take place.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from an energetic and caring staff team. There have been several new appointments since the last inspection. Many of whom were already working for the home on an ad-hoc basis. The home has a clear recruitment policy. However, up-to-date references for staff taking up permanent positions within the home have not been pursued. This does not help to ensure that young people are looked after by suitable people and are fully protected from potential abuse. Visitors to the home are asked to identify themselves on arrival and to sign the visitors book.

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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 home's manager provides effective and competent leadership. Staff members are motivated and are encouraged to create new opportunities for the young people living at the home. The home meets the aims and objectives set out in its Statement of Purpose and provides clear information about the skills, qualifications and experience of the staff team.

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Leadership and management

The home’s manager provides daily support to the staff team. Regular, formal staff supervision is delegated to senior staff members, with the home’s manager maintaining regular oversight. This helps senior staff members to develop their skills and to understand the roles and responsibilities of a home’s manager. In addition all staff know what is expected of them and feel supported in their work. Young people receive consistent care from a well-supported staff team. Members of staff understand each young person’s individual strengths and needs. Working practices are consistent in enabling young people to develop both physically and emotionally, in increasing their self-esteem and in helping them to achieve their potential. Young people are supported to learn new skills and to participate in how the home is run.

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Leadership and management

The organisation demonstrates a commitment to training all staff and in ensuring their training is kept up-to-date. This helps to ensure staff members retain the skills and competencies they have and are encouraged to develop new ones.

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Leadership and management

Young people live in a home that is effectively managed. The home's manager provides effective management and has systems in place to ensure that the quality of care is regularly monitored. Problem areas which may be identified are quickly highlighted and swift action is taken. The manager has written a development plan for the home. The manager and staff know what the strengths and weaknesses of the home are and what improvements they wish to make.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring visits from someone independent of the home take place every month. The person undertaking these visits talks to young people, staff and, where possible, the parents or relatives of the young people themselves. These visits help to ensure that the home is run properly and that young people are well cared for. In addition, the knowledge and understanding of parents and staff about what strategies may work to help young people develop their independence and mature are borne in mind.

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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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