Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC416318 Inspection date 09/08/2012 Inspector Anne Bannister Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 31/01/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home is registered to accommodate four young people with emotional and behavioural problems. It offers emergency, medium- and long-term placements for young people.

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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 outstanding .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people living in this home are well supported to take control of their own lives. All aspects of their well-being are well nurtured and they are making very excellent progress and achieving positive outcomes in all areas of their lives. Young people are encouraged to meet their educational potential. Very significant progress is made in re-engaging those young people who have been out of formal education. A senior education advisor indicates 'When it comes to education provision and being solution focused this home is brilliant. Young people are participating in formal education programmes and education providers are well supported by the staff team. Young people are making excellent progress and we are delighted with the service young people receive'. One young person stated 'I haven't been to school in three years, since coming here I am back at school and I am really enjoying it'.

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Overall effectiveness

Robust safeguarding practices promote the safety and welfare of young people. Young people who have previously placed themselves at risk by their behaviours are able to reflect back on the danger they have previously placed themselves and now know how to keep themselves safe. Young people confirm that they are helped to understand their moods and behaviours. A placing authority acknowledged 'We hadn't been able to keep him safe, he was frequently missing, consuming alcohol and illicit substances. We have nothing but praise for the home who have taught him to value himself and to keep himself safe'. Another indicated 'Given the level of need and behaviour issues on admission that each young was experiencing the home has provided outstanding support and direction for each of them. This has allowed each young person to re-commence education and experience positive enabling relationships with staff and each other whilst at the same time being supported in

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Overall effectiveness

Young people enjoy living in the home and appreciate the care and support they receive from a staff team they feel 'really care about us'. All young people are encouraged and enabled to become involved in making choices about how the home develops. They enjoy access to a full range of social opportunities and experiences which enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall effectiveness

No requirements or recommendations have been raised as a result of this inspection.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported to develop social skills, independent living skills, problem solving abilities and to develop emotional well-being and the ability to think independently. Each young person's individuality and uniqueness is celebrated and their strengths built upon in order that they develop self-confidence and self-esteem. Young people's opinions, both as individuals and as a group, are routinely sought and taken into account when developing all aspects of the care provided. This encourages them to take responsibility for decisions which affect their lives and their well-being. Young people are supported and are confident about accessing advocates to act on their behalf when they believe placing authorities are not hearing their voice when making plans for their future care. One young person stated 'I am now settled as I know they can't move me before I am 16.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy good health and their health needs are positively promoted. Very detailed health plans ensure individual needs are assessed and met. All young people are registered with community-based health services to access day-to-day health support. Specialist interventions are arranged and frequent liaison with key professionals ensures identified needs are well supported. Young people are given opportunities to improve their lifestyles through diet and exercise. They are provided with information and given every encouragement and practical support to modify certain aspects of their lifestyle, such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol. As a result, young people enjoy improvements in their general health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home works proactively with other agencies to promote and support young people's educational arrangements. For example, the strong links developed by the home with a local college means young people gain access to relevant courses. For other young people daily contact by staff with their day school provision ensures young people are well supported to maintain regular attendance despite the difficulties they experience. This level of support, coupled with an expectation from staff that young people will engage positively in their education, gives young people the opportunity to achieve good educational outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Contact with family and friends is promoted. Detailed contact plans ensure that contact only takes place with whom it has been agreed and this is reviewed on a regular basis. When appropriate, visits are facilitated by staff providing transport and where required supervision. These actions ensure young people maintain regular contact with those people who are important to them and promote their sense of identity.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people have strong and trusting relationships with staff and are valued and accepted as individuals. Staff are very skilled at developing and maintaining positive relationships with young people, which encourages them to settle and develop trust. The strong relationships formed between staff and young people, underpinned with appropriate and well-timed humour, is used positively by staff as a tool to reduce tension and unrest. As a result, this contributes to reducing the number of serious behaviour management incidents that occur. Staff also use a range of planned strategies to support young people rather than use sanctions. This results in minimising the number of stressful experiences for young people and positively reinforces good behaviour.

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Quality of care

Young people thrive living in this stable, very caring and supportive environment. Young people benefit from staff practice which gives them consistency, structure and routine, and as a result young people feel very settled and have a strong sense of belonging. Young people are encouraged to have high aspirations and to be proud of their achievements. Staff are fully committed to enabling young people to overcome any difficulties they may face so that they are able to lead happy and fulfilling lives.

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Quality of care

Staff actively encourage and assist young people to develop their own identities while recognising the identities and achievements of others. Young people feel listened to and state that they have a say in all aspects of their lives. House meetings and key worker sessions also provide young people with venues to raise issues and give their views about how the home is run. For example, young people had requested that the garage be turned into a games room. They have been involved in the planning of how the room will be developed, which gives them a sense of ownership of the facility. Staff work openly, transparently and communicate positively with young people. Young people advise that they are helped to understand why it may not be always possible to action the things they request. As a result young people enjoy a relaxed, trusting environment where they engage positively with adults and with one another.

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Quality of care

Young people's individual needs are clearly identified in very detailed care plans and individual risk assessments. This includes identity, health, religious and cultural needs. Regular reviewing of the plans and strategies ensure young people’s needs are current and well met. Young people demonstrate good insight into the plans in place for them, confirming they have input into them. This gives them a sense of direction along with agreed and achievable targets to aim for.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles. Young people's healthcare needs are well met. They are registered with the local services and are fully supported to access any healthcare appointments. Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s specific health needs and have received relevant training to ensure young people’s needs are met on a daily basis. Specialist intervention is provided to those young people who require specific input. Coordinated planning with the health services ensures that young people always get the medical care they require.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are excellent systems in place to safeguard and protect young people. Staff receive training to update their knowledge and have a full understanding of safeguarding policies, procedures and the actions they should take, if an incident arises. Staff work effectively with parents and the safeguarding agencies to promote young people’s safety. Discussion with other professionals involved with the home, confirm high levels of communication between themselves and the unit. This ensures that young people receive the support required to encourage them to take responsibility for their own safety. Young people indicate that they feel the home provides them with a safe place to live in.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Prior to admission some young people have a history of going missing from home. The strategies staff employ to discourage young people from such risk taking behaviour are effective. There have been no reported instances of young people going missing from home since the last inspection in January 2012. Staff know how to respond should any young person go missing and are aware of local protocols and practices in place to protect young people. The vulnerability of a young person should they go missing is recognised and actions are implemented quickly to promote their safety. Young people are given the opportunity to speak with someone independent of the home if they wish, giving them an opportunity to air any grievance they may have to someone who is not a staff member. This adds to the practices in place designed to keep young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive regular training on behaviour management and intervention techniques. Young people have detailed individual behaviour management plans that clearly identify specific triggers that result in a negative response to situations. The plans indicate actions staff can take to reduce the likelihood of young people harming themselves or others. Staff are skilled at diffusing difficult situations, with the result that the number of physical interventions are minimal and only take place as a last resort. Good monitoring of incidents ensures young people’s individual strategies are kept under review and adapted. The level of negative behaviour continues to be reduced with positive behaviour being supported and suitably rewarded. One young person said 'I'm doing really, well it's now six weeks since anyone has needed to hold me'. Young people are helped to develop a range of strategies which they can

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Safeguarding children and young people

call upon at times of difficulty or stress. This enables them to make good progress in their ability to solve problems and manage their behaviour which in turn promotes positive relationships with their families and the wider community. Robust individual risk assessments are in place for all young people. Where any risks are identified there are clear detailed strategies in place to keep young people safe. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed to ensure they are current and relevant. Staff have a very good understanding of each young person's risk management plan and know how important it is to respond quickly to any changes in their behaviour. Health and safety audits are carried out regularly on the home and all activities young people engage in. The home has an up-to-date fire safety risk assessment. Other fire safety measures are in place including regular equipment checks and fire drills. All staff receive regular fire safety training. These actions ensure young people

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Safeguarding children and young people

live in a safe environment and their safety is protected.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Effective recruitment procedures are in place and nobody commences work at the home until all checks required by legislation have taken place. Such checks and procedures protect young people from being cared for by people who may cause them harm.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are outstanding .

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Leadership and management

Young people enjoy outstanding outcomes because of the commitment of the Registered Manager and his staff team. The home is effectively and efficiently managed in a manner which promotes young people's best interests. The Registered Manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering high quality care to all young people. Social worker's and parents are very pleased with the placement and say that they are 'delighted with the progress of all young people'.

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Leadership and management

Staff morale is high, resulting in an enthusiastic workforce who work positively with young people to improve their quality of life. Staff demonstrate an awareness of their roles and responsibilities that ensures young people’s assessed needs are being met. They are motivated by their enjoyment of working with young people and watching them progress. The team work well together and possess the skills that they need to look after this client group well. They know the needs of individuals well and how they should be met, ensuring that high quality care is delivered. There are enough staff on duty at all times to provide safe care and staff have opportunities to spend quality time with the young people.

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Leadership and management

Staff say they work very well as a team. Regular fortnightly meetings of the whole staff group mean they are able to consider young people's progress and modify any plans to ensure they remain current. Consequently staff are able to provide exceptional care to young people. They say 'It does not matter who is on duty we all respond consistently to young people giving them clear boundaries which help them to feel safe and secure'.

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Leadership and management

Staff confirm they receive excellent support and receive regular supervision. They regularly update their core training to refresh their knowledge and skills, which ensure they possess and maintain the competences and skills to effectively, meet young people’s diverse needs. They have all gained, or are working towards, an appropriate professional qualification, demonstrating a commitment from the company to provide and give opportunities for staff development.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose is current and up to date. Young people receive appropriate information about the home in a user-friendly format. Key workers also follow an induction programme with them to ensure they are fully aware of their rights and also know the expectations of them.

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Leadership and management

Internal monitoring of the home is of a high quality, with comprehensive monitoring reports on all aspects of the care provided being undertaken each month. These arrangements are very effective in monitoring the care provided and also comment on the home’s strengths and weaknesses. A representative on behalf of the company also visits the home every month to monitor how well young people are being cared for. The home demonstrates a capacity for sustained improvement based upon its performance over the last year.

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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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