Children's Home run by Choices 4 Children Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC400880 Inspection date 07/08/2012 Inspector Mark Kersh Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 26/03/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This is a private children's home that provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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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 is a warm, friendly and homely feel about this home. A particular strength of the service is in the quality of care relating to young people's individual specific needs. This allows young people to make the most of their time in this home. The home has completed questionnaires from parents reporting a positive working relationship based on mutual respect.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people say they are safe at the home and think that they are well looked after, and social workers consider the standard of care and the communication with them to be very good.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff involve young people in the running of the home and this enables their positive contribution. Staff are enthusiastic about their roles and they channel their efforts effectively. Young people have positive views about the home and this includes their relationships with staff. Young people receive continuity of care so they can sustain and develop their positive attachments.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is effectively managed and the staff have rallied and continue to avoid any disruption or deterioration to the care young people receive, pending the appointments of new staff who are due to commence employment in the near future.

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Overall effectiveness

As a result of this inspection five recommendations have been made. These relate to placement plans, sanction records, children's guide, development plan and staff supervision.

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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 placement plans include goals with target dates set and any impact this has had on young people's lives (NMS 25.8)  ensure the effectiveness of sanctions is routinely reviewed (NMS 3.8)  ensure the children's guide includes how young people can contact their independent reviewing officer and the Children's Rights Director (NMS 13.5)  ensure the home's development plan demonstrates its capacity for the continued improvement of the service (NMS 15.2)  ensure staff are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff. (NMS 19.4)

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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 experience stable placements and make significant progress in many areas, including their social presentation, self-esteem and taking responsibility for their behaviour. As a result young people develop and mature. Young people are extremely confident in their placements and settled. One young person commented, 'it's good because staff let me have my own choice', and, another young person says, 'staff are very nice, all equal and they treat us fairly'. Significant progress is being made by all young people and they are able to make responsible and mature decisions.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged in healthy life styles, they are supported to choose healthy food options and to take part in physical activities. Personal care is promoted and contributes to young people gaining practical and life skills that enhance independence and opportunities. Independence programmes are tailored to the specific needs of individual young people and are realistic. Young people are healthier and happier than when they first moved in. Their emotional and physical health has improved significantly. Young people are developing a good understanding of key health risks and are choosing not to take part in behaviour that impacts negatively on their health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are in full-time education. Their development and achievement is good in relation to their starting points and they maintain good attendance in school. Staff emphasise how important education is and encourage young people to learn at school and within their home. One young person says, 'I like school and I am doing very well, staff help us with our homework.' Young people's achievements are celebrated and there are good working relationships between staff and schools. This promotes a positive view and enables young people to progress and achieve.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to participate in making choices about the daily running of the home and involvement in activities and holidays during their stay. Participation is good and there is access to a full range of activities and opportunities which promote development, young people enjoy these inside the home and within the local community, with regular attendance at a local youth club. Young people's interests include bike riding, swimming, walking, discos and holidays.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from regular and appropriate contact with their families and friends. This is enabling them to maintain and develop relationships with the people who are important in their lives. They look forward to seeing their family and spending time with them. Staff work really hard to ensure that young people find seeing their families a safe, positive and enjoyable experience. Young people enjoy having their friends round for tea and good arrangements are in place to ensure young people stay in touch with those people who are close to them.

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Quality of care

Young people receive good quality care that is making a positive difference to their lives. They are thriving while living in a very stable, caring and supportive environment. Staff provide them with consistency; as a result, young people feel very settled and have a strong sense of belonging. Relationships between staff and young people are excellent. A young person says, ‘we can talk to the manager or owner, or anyone who works here they all help us.' A social worker said, ‘the home is very welcoming to young people. Everybody comments positively about the improvements young people make.’

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Quality of care

Staff recognise that young people are all individuals with different needs who regularly make their own decisions, but that sometimes they may need guidance with this. They are good at getting the balance right between encouraging independence and supporting young people, so as they feel involved in the running of the home.

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Quality of care

Young people understand how to make a complaint. They feel that complaints, if made, would be responded to in full. Young people are developing skills by learning to sort out minor matters positively between themselves. This includes discussion or by raising matters during in-house meetings. Young people are supportive towards each other; they get on very well together, and value individual differences.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from individualised care planning and the quality of care provided. The needs of young people are clearly identified in placement plans. However, not all placement plans are up to date and they do not include outcomes for the goals set for young people to achieve. As a result, young people's plans do not currently show what impact the home is making to young people's lives.

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Quality of care

Young people receive good support to promote their healthy development. There are no current issues with drugs, smoking and alcohol misuse all of which is pro-actively discouraged. Young people live in a healthy environment that actively promotes their physical health and emotional well-being. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s specific health needs and have received relevant training to ensure young people’s needs are met. They closely monitor young people to make sure they are healthy, encouraging them to attend routine health checks.

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Quality of care

The arrangements for the handling and recording of medication are safe and effective, which means that young people receive their medication in line with their prescription. All medication is checked daily ensuring accountability.

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Quality of care

Staff have created a stimulating environment that promotes young people’s education. Staff ensure that the daily routine supports young people’s participation in education and school attendance. Transport is provided for young people who have to travel longer distances to go to school. Young people have easy access to books, computers, art materials, games and other educational resources.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a suitably-designed and very comfortable family house in a quiet rural location. The house is very clean, well maintained, and decorated and furnished to a high standard. Young people have very comfortable bedrooms, which they have personalised to reflect their own interests and tastes.

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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

The home has clear and well understood risk assessment strategies in place that recognise the personal vulnerabilities of young people and manage any associated risks. The risk assessment measures are well documented to inform staff in the home in keeping young people safe. Training to safeguard disabled young people has been completed by all staff. Safeguarding procedures have been followed in order to protect young people. There is a strong commitment to working with agencies and other professionals to safeguard young people. Young people say they feel safe and are safe when outside of the home. Young people confirm that there is no bullying at the home. Young people do not go missing from care in this home. Protocols with the police are in place should these be needed to ensure a speedy and safe return should any incidents occur.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people respond very well to praise and there is good use of positive reinforcement opposed to the use of sanctions. Few sanctions are used and young people know the consequences for unacceptable behaviour. However, there is one sanction recorded where a young person lost their privileges, but the record does not describe what privilege had been withdrawn; as a result, no impact can be monitored on the use of this sanction. Respectful communication and an excellent atmosphere were maintained throughout the inspection. Staff are clear that physical intervention is very much a last resort. There were few incidents between inspections. All staff receive regular and refresher training in positive handling techniques.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Investigations into allegations or unexplained injuries are handled quickly and consistently to protect young people. The home maintains an open dialogue with young people, their social worker and the local safeguarding team. This means that all disclosures are suitably referred to statutory agencies to keep young people safe. Staff are suitably vetted prior to employment, which means that young people are cared for by suitably cleared adults.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Health and safety matters are managed well, ensuring young people and staff remain safe. Regular servicing of equipment and routine safety checks maintain a safe environment. Young people know what to do in the case of an emergency and can exit the home safely. Staff implement a range of risk assessments to identify and minimise hazards. There is a comprehensive audit of health and safety matters carried out on an annual basis by an external consultancy specialist.

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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

Young people live in a home that puts their interests and care needs first. The home has a permanent manager employed who provides the home with effective leadership. As a result, young people benefit from a home that is managed efficiently. The home meets the aims and objectives of its Statement of Purpose. Young people, parents and social workers are clear about the services and support the home provides. Young people receive information about the service in the form of a children's guide. However, not all the required information is within this guide, to enable young people to have access to people who are independent of the home.

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Leadership and management

There have been no concerns or complaints made since the previous inspection. There were no requirements and four recommendations made at the previous inspection. The home demonstrates capacity for continuing improvement and the previous four recommendations have been complied with.

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Leadership and management

Monthly monitoring visits are completed by the responsible individual. The reports are sent to Ofsted and demonstrate a detailed monitoring process which includes engagement with young people and other stakeholders. These visits contribute to effective external monitoring and quality assurance. The manager maintains a positive internal quality assurance system, which helps the staff to focus on their continual improvement of outcomes for young people. The home has a written development plan in place, however, this is not updated to show progress or any impacts on developments which have been made.

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Leadership and management

The home is adequately resourced and staff are experienced and enthusiastic to meet young people's needs. Young people benefit from a caring, capable and qualified staff group who promote their positive outcomes and needs comprehensively. The home has had a period of being short-staffed as a result of a career move and staff sickness. However, this has not had an impact on young people as the responsible individual, manager and staff have picked up the shortfall in shifts. As a result, young people continue to benefit from a continuity of care and are looked after by staff they know, which provides consistency. Staff receive daily support from the manager and each other. More formal supervision has not been consistent due to the extra demands of the manager covering shifts.

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Leadership and management

Training for staff is comprehensive, as well as essential training the staff attend specialist training related to working with young people with complex needs. They also undertake regular refresher courses. These arrangements contribute to the provision of a skilled and professional workforce who can meet the needs of the young people they have responsibility for. One social worker says, 'when young people are placed there the home quickly put in some training for all staff to understand and respond appropriately to young people's specific needs, this was really good.'

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Leadership and management

Young people’s written records are securely stored and provide a clear and detailed picture of young people’s experiences. The records generally provide a narrative for young people’s daily lives, observations about young people’s mood and behaviour, and analysis of the day’s events.

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Leadership and management

Communication within the home, and external professionals is sound. There has been one significant event relating to the protection of young people and this has been notified to Ofsted and the appropriate safeguarding authorities, young people's families and placing social workers; this ensures young people are further safeguarded.

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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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