Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC380956 Inspection date 07/09/2012 Inspector Ann-Marie Born Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 16/02/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This local authority children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people between the ages of eight and 17 years. The home provides a service for families with children or young people on the verge of coming into the care system and struggling to maintain their education. The short break is agreed with the children or young people and their families or carers. Stays at the home are short breaks of one or two nights duration usually within a two- weekly period.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Children and young people are happy with their individual care plans and enjoy good relationships with staff and each other. They are treated with warmth, dignity and respect. This effectively promotes positive outcomes. Children and young people enjoy a range of positive activities which provide them with new life experiences while improving confidence and building self-esteem. Parents and social workers report very positively about the quality of care and experiences for children and young people. A social worker stated, 'staff were fantastic, not just with the young person and ourselves but family members as well. Young people definitely make progress there.'

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The management of the home is stable and proactive and an enthusiastic staff team provide good, consistent, dedicated care. Staff are committed to keeping children and young people safe and they feel safe. Staff are knowledgeable of, and action, appropriate safeguarding practices.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

This is a good home overall. The manager understands the strengths and areas of further development needed and is working hard to address those. However, the adequate judgement in the area of safeguarding reflects the areas to improve. These include the quality of staff recording after a restraint, ensuring young people have access to medical intervention following a restraint and that risk reduction measures do not lead to an institutionalised feel within the home.

p.3

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.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of any restraint, the effectiveness and any consequence of the use of the measure is recorded in a volume kept for the purpose. (Regulation 17B (3)(f)) 31/10/2012

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure that where there has been a physical restraint, the home calls on medical assistance as required and young people are always given the opportunity to be examined by a registered nurse or medical practitioner (NMS3.16)  ensure that the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and risk reduction does not lead to an institutionalised feel (NMS10.3).

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Strong relationships with warm, nurturing staff members allow children and young people to build sustainable attachments. Children and young people learn to recognise their own emotions and how to express these more positively. As a result they develop a confidence in their abilities to build relationships with their peers and staff and form important friendships. A social worker commented that a young person said that they, 'love going to the home because it is somewhere where they can be a normal teenager'.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people's holistic health needs are met well and they enjoy a balanced diet which maintains healthy outcomes. Children and young people learn about the benefits of healthy eating by working with staff in the home's vegetable garden and learning how to cook the food they produce. As a result, childhood obesity is reduced. Children and young people are fully supported to re-engage with education and learning. The good use of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance programme allows children and young people to achieve certificates for their practical skills. This in turn fosters an interest in achieving academic qualifications. Staff mirror positive behaviours, i.e. reading together in an evening, 'to encourage them to learn while relaxing'. In addition, involvement in a local motorbike project allows children and young people inclusive positive engagement within the wider community while

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people engage in a range of inclusive physical activities as part of their respite experience, positively allowing them to identify and develop interests in new activities. This effectively promotes children and young people's social and physical development while building self-esteem. Where possible staff encourage broader interests and think creatively about what children and young people may enjoy. For example, participating in the home's 'bike project' enables young people to learn practical skills while having fun. A parent stated: 'They have been really good for her, she wouldn’t talk to people but she does now, she chooses which activities she goes on and who to mix with.'

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Good, supportive relationships are built and maintained by staff with children and young people's parents and family members. Outreach work with the children and young people accessing the service and their families enables flexible support arrangements to be implemented as necessary. For example, increasing the number of stays, including during the week if needed, in response to a crisis. A parent said: 'It’s making quite a difference for him. He loves going and is more relaxed when he comes back. They keep in touch with me.' As a result of these positive interventions, children and young people's relationships with their family members improve to the level that they are able to remain safely within their family home and no longer need the services of the setting. A staff member said, 'We allow families to work on issues and problems reducing the need for young people to come in to care.'

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people choose to come to the home. A young person said, 'I really look forward to coming because it is really good here and I like all the staff'. Children and young people enjoy the company of staff, trust them, feel secure and thrive within the caring atmosphere provided. This promotes children and young people's sense of self and confidence in their abilities. It also allows children and young people to build constructive, caring relationships thereby promoting positive behaviour. A young person said that they had, 'started to laugh again and that everybody laughed here’.

p.5

Quality of care

Very good care planning ensures that children and young people’s needs are identified together with them and addressed in their day-to-day care. Children and young people’s progress is monitored regularly ensuring that achievements are identified and celebrated. Children and young people's progress is recognised not just by the home but also by parents and professionals. A parent said, 'It's all positive there. It’s made his life much better because they like him' and a social worker stated, 'They keep in regular touch and I always know exactly what is going on. They are making that difference.'

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people are confident to use the residents meetings, their 'likes and dislikes sheets', the home's 'niggles book', and general conversation with staff to share their wishes and feelings. As a result children and young people feel valued and respected. A young person said that there was, 'always somebody to talk to’, and that staff, ‘help me make sense of things’.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people's equality and diversity needs are clearly identified through the referral and care planning process and addressed in their day-to-day care. The home is located in a predominantly white, British area where young people have little opportunity to engage with people from different cultures. Staff have attended equality and diversity training and work to address any socio-economic disadvantage children and young people may experience. Needs relating to any physical, mental or emotional conditions are well met. A social worker commented, 'they have been so accommodating, managing his condition. They have been fantastic.' Children and young people’s unique sense of self and belonging are promoted and enhanced by this inclusive approach.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy their respite stay in a clean, comfortable and well- maintained home. They have the shared use of a recently re-decorated lounge, dining room and craft room. Children and young people choose their bedding and the bedroom they use on each visit. Children and young people choose the decoration for the home, including the distinctive wall-paper in the large shared bathroom. This effectively promotes children and young people's sense of belonging and well-being.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

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

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people feel safe and are protected from harm by the proactive staff team, for whom safeguarding is a priority. Children and young people do not experience bullying, and staff promote their safety in and outside the home. Children and young people choose to attend the home and therefore very rarely go missing. Locally agreed protocols with police and partner agencies are fully understood by staff if there were to be a missing episode. Children and young people are effectively safeguarded by these measures. A young person stated, 'I am proper happy and safe here’.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Individualised behaviour management strategies promote positive behaviours and restraint is very rarely used. Any physical intervention is discussed in team meetings allowing staff to learn from the incident and prevent further occurrences. However, children and young people are not routinely offered medical assistance and recording of restraints does not comply with regulations. As a result of these omissions, which have been raised in previous inspections, children and young people are not being fully protected.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Established systems for routine maintenance, checking and servicing of all fire equipment and other appliances, ensure that children and young people live in a safe environment. Regular practice evacuations, including at night-time, ensure that children and young people know how to leave the building safely and quickly in case of an emergency. Children and young people's physical safety is assured by good health and safety procedures. However, pictures on display have been left in frames without glass as a safeguarding measure. These do not allow the photographs of children and young people to be presented positively which could negatively impact on their well-being.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Robust local authority recruitment procedures ensure that staff are carefully selected before appointment. Staff are well aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and reporting arrangements. Staff's current knowledge is maintained through refreshing their core training as well as attending specific training events, for example, sexual exploitation. Children and young people's safety and security are assured as a result. A social worker said, 'I have no concerns about the home at all' and a parent said, 'She is 100% safe there or I wouldn’t let her go.'

p.7

Leadership and management

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

p.7

Leadership and management

The home is efficiently and conscientiously managed by the experienced and committed manager who is ambitious for children and young people to achieve the best they can. The manager works hard both individually and as part of the local authority management group to ensure that that all necessary regulations and standards are met. This dedicated enthusiasm is communicated to staff, thereby continually improving care, and is acknowledged by parents and professionals. A social worker said: 'the home is really well run, the manager is efficient, always willing to work with us and works closely with us and families to make it work for young people'.

p.7

Leadership and management

Information gathered in the annual questionnaire for children and young people and parents is used positively to benefit children and young people and inform the home's development plan. This is coupled with the newly developed children and young people's 'quarterly progress summaries' which allow for achievements to be monitored, acknowledged and built upon. Children and young people's progress is monitored from their starting points and the demonstrable improvements the home has made to their outcomes are identified. This effectively promotes and maintains high standards while contributing to children and young people's experience of being valued.

p.7

Leadership and management

The home operates in line with a very good Statement of Purpose. This document is available to all interested parties and clearly details the aims and objectives of the home and the care that will be provided. As a result children and young people are appropriately placed thereby enhancing their life experience.

p.7

Leadership and management

Children and young people benefit from the care and attention they receive from the experienced and committed staff team. All staff members either hold or are enrolled on the National Vocational Qualification at level 3, or a diploma course, and are taking further training. Staff members report that they receive strong peer and management support and benefit from a good, formal supervision process. Children and young people receive consistent continuity of care from the well-established staff team allowing for the positive development of sustainable attachments.

p.8

Leadership and management

The recommendation from the previous inspection has been met. Records show that regular visits under Regulation 33 of the Children's Homes Regulations are being carried out and the reports received by Ofsted within prescribed timescales. In addition, children and young people and their parents are consulted as part of the monitoring process. Young people are protected by multi-agency decision making as the manager communicates with and notifies agencies, including Ofsted, of any significant incidents. Records are securely kept and diligently maintained.

p.8

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.

p.9

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.

p.9