Children's Home run by Active Ark Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Unique reference number SC439956 Inspection date 19/10/2012 Inspector Anne Bannister Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 22/05/2012 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 privately run children's home is registered to accommodate and care for one young person. Young people accommodated at the home experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is one of eight homes owned by the company, but the first sited in England. It accepts emergency placements and can offer care to young people on a short-, medium- or long- term basis.

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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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

This is the first inspection of this newly registered children's home. The company has several homes in Scotland. This is the company's first registration under requirements of the Children's Home Regulations 2001. There are significant weaknesses in the home's quality assurance practices which has resulted in breaches of the regulations. However, to date these have not impacted negatively on the safety and welfare of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe at the home. Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard and promote positive outcomes for young people in their care. They work closely with external agencies to promote and protect the welfare of young people. Young people benefit from the consistent application of clear boundaries and staff encourage the development of positive behaviours, which assist young people to consider the impact of their behaviours on themselves and others.

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Overall effectiveness

Placing authorities, education providers and parents are positive about the quality of care the home provides. Close, regular communication by the home ensures that they are kept well informed of both of young people’s progress and any problems. The placing authority indicated that they are very impressed with the care provided and the significant progress young people have made since admission.

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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) make suitable arrangements for the safe administration of any medicines received into the children's home. In particular staff administering medicines must adhere to the guidelines they have been trained to use (Regulation 21(1)) 30/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the person carrying out the monitoring visit to the children's home interview the parents and relatives of children accommodated there to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 30/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) supply a copy of the report required under paragraph 4(c) to HMCI . In particular it is required that copies of the regulation monthly monitoring reports are forwarded to Ofsted (Requirement 33(5)(a)) 30/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 (Regulation 34(1)(a)) 30/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) supply to the HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1) of this regulation. (Regulation 34(2)) 30/11/2012

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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 written records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail action taken by staff, the circumstances of the child's return, any reason given by the child for running away from the home, and any actions taken in the light of those reasons (NMS 5.9)  ensure children understand their health needs, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to make informed decisions about their own health. In particular this relations to there being evidence that young people are made aware of the health risks of smoking and encouraged to reduce or cease smoking to promote their future health (NMS 6.2)  ensure that Regulation 34 reports are completed at six monthly intervals, sent to Ofsted within 28 days of its completion and that they identify any trends and issues of concern arising from monitoring of matters set out in Schedule 6. (Children's Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 5, statutory guidance,

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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 have settled well into this recently registered home. Both staff and young people have transferred from a home in Scotland to enable more frequent contact with family and friends. There are well-established close caring relationships between staff and young people. Young people are positive about the care they receive and indicate there is always someone they can speak to if they have any concerns. A parent commented 'I couldn't be more pleased with the placement. Her whole demeanour has changed in the last six months, she has matured. I am thrilled with the progress she has made.' Young people believe that staff want to help them achieve in all aspects of their lives and, as a result, their self-esteem and self- confidence grows.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Working practices established in the home encourage young people to meet their potential. The home is effective in engaging young people in individual educational programmes. Young people currently have 100% attendance in their educational placements and are working towards both vocational and statutory examinations. This is a significant improvement in attendance and participation which is enabling young people to meet their potential.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Consultation with young people about all aspects of their care routinely takes place. Young people are encouraged to involve themselves in any planning that relates to their individual care and well-being. When they are not confident to express their own views directly in meetings staff will act as advocates on their behalf. This ensures that young people’s views are always taken into account when any review of their care is being undertaken.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Feedback from placing the authority, education providers and parents is positive. A reviewing officer said 'I am very positive about the care and support the young person receives. She was in a very vulnerable place. Staff have worked hard to make sure she is safe and she feels safe.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's identified physical and emotional health needs are being addressed. When young people need specialist health care or support staff act as advocates to ensure they receive the services they require. Healthy lifestyles are promoted and young people are aware of the impact of healthy eating and exercise in promoting a sense of well-being. However, contrary to good practice in other areas relating to young people's physical and emotional health, there is no evidence to suggest that young people are supported to reduce or stop smoking. Young people are encouraged to help plan and prepare meals alongside staff, encouraging the development of skills which will promote their independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have regular telephone contact and visits with family in line with care planning. Staff facilitate this well. This promotes young people's positive sense of identity and belonging when they maintain positive contact with those people who are important to them.

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Quality of care

Relationships between young people and staff are positive. Staff are well informed about the young people and work effectively as a team to positively engage with them. However, in its current format the home's care plans do not fully evaluate the progress young people are making or identify clearly the targets they are hoping to achieve.

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Quality of care

Young people confirm that staff are helping them to make progress with their educational achievements. Education providers confirm staff communicate and work with them on a daily basis to support young people to reach their full potential.

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Quality of care

Young people are supported to develop a positive self-awareness and value diversity. Staff appropriately challenge young people's values and beliefs, which make young people think about the impact of their behaviour on others.

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Quality of care

Young people believe that their views are sought and taken into account about the way the home is run. They have information on how to make a complaint and feel that if they raise concerns with staff they are listened to without the need for them to take their issues to a more formal level.

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Quality of care

Young people are supported to develop healthy lifestyles and positive ways of managing their anger and frustrations. This has resulted in a very significant reduction in presenting behaviours of young people with complex health needs. Young people have access to the services they need to promote their emotional and physical well-being. Young people receive advice and support with any health issues. They are aware of the potential health issues associated with issues such as substance abuse and safe relationships. However, young people do not feel that that they are encouraged to reduce the amount of cigarettes they smoke. A young person commented 'They can't tell me to cut down when they're all smokers themselves. We will have a smoke together in the smoking area if I need to chill out.' This is contrary to the home's policy guidance to staff which indicates staff must not smoke in front of young people.

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Quality of care

All staff receive training to promote safe administration and storage of medicines. However, on the day of inspection staff practice in relation to the administration of medicines did not adhere to these practices. Inadequate hygiene practice was observed.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a homely environment that is clean and well maintained. It is located in a residential area that has good access to educational, good outdoor and community facilities. Young people have their own bedroom, which provides them with privacy and opportunities to personalise their environment. The recently fitted kitchen and conservatory are well maintained. The lounge and study area provides additional space where young people can watch television with staff or engage in indoor activities.

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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

Systems are in place to safeguard and protect young people. Young people report that the home is a safe place in which to live. Staff practice promotes a safe, caring environment were the promotion of young people's welfare is key in all decision- making. Young people are protected by a range of risk assessments on their behaviours, their participation of activities and on the environment in which they live. Young people's significant risk taking behaviours are reducing as they understand the potential consequences of their actions and behaviours.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff are aware of their responsibility to meet the requirements of the local authority safeguarding procedures. Staff are able to demonstrate their knowledge of the safeguarding procedures and have a good awareness of the actions they would take to protect young people in their care. There have been no safeguarding incidents at the home. Young people know that bullying is not acceptable and confirm that this is not an issue for them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people rarely go missing from home. When they do staff follow clear reporting procedures with the local police force to ensure that any young person missing from home is safely returned. Young people confirm that on their return to the home staff ask them about the reasons for this behaviours and point out the potential risks they are placing themselves in. As a result of the reviewing of these incidents one young person said 'They now trust me to have some free time each day so I don't need to run off.' At the time of inspection written records of such incidents were stored in head office and were not immediately available for inspection. The records maintained did not fully detail the positive agreements reached with young people to prevent a repeat of this risk taking behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff practice reflects a consistent concern for young people's welfare and they work within clear, safe boundaries. Young people are aware of the boundaries and although they may not always agree with them, they understand why they are in place. Staff are aware about the arrangements to manage young people's behaviour. They are trained in an approved behaviour management technique. Staff de-escalate challenging behaviours before they reach crisis point. No incidents of physical intervention have been necessary since the home opened. Sanctions are rarely used, with staff preferring to encourage young people to reflect back on the implications of their behaviours. This provides young people with opportunities to develop and make good progress.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Practices in recruitment of staff are robust. Checks are completed on the staff team to ensure that they are suitable to work with children and young people. Visitors to the home are supervised by the staff team, who ensure that all young people are kept safe when visitors are present.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The statement of purpose and function for this home contains clear information about the service it offers to young people. Young people also receive their own individual guide, which is written in a format appropriate for their age and understanding.

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Leadership and management

Young people are receiving care from an experienced, caring staff team who are led by an enthusiastic, child-centred manager. The staff team work well together and understand the responsibilities and expectations of their roles. The whole team is committed to ensuring the best outcomes for young people in all aspects of their lives. Staff are well supported, receiving regular supervision and informal support. All of the staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications. They receive the training and support they need to develop their professional competence, knowledge and skills in working with young people to improve their future outcomes. Staff feel positive about working at the home and feel they can talk to the manager about any concerns they may have. Regular staff meetings ensure consistency in addressing young people's identified needs.

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Leadership and management

There are significant weaknesses in the organisation's quality monitoring processes, which do not meet the requirements of the Children's Homes Regulations 2001. Regular external monitoring of the home is occurring. However, there is no evidence that effort is made during these visits to consult with young people’s placing authority, families and carers. The reports following these visits are not written in accordance with the national minimum standards and regulations and they are not evaluative. A copy of the organisation's monthly monitoring report has not been forwarded to Ofsted. The Registered Manager's monthly checks do not confirm that she is monitoring all documents as set out under Schedule 6 in order to assess the quality of care provided, the practice of staff, compliance with regulations, systems and processes. As a result to date there is no documented evidence to confirm that the organisation is fully aware of the home's strengths and weaknesses and areas for

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Leadership and management

Staff rotas are organised to meet the needs of young people accommodated in the home. However, rotas viewed confirmed that the Registered Manager is routinely working on shift, with insufficient management days being allowed for her to meet the responsibilities of her role. This issue was discussed with the responsible individual for the home during the course of the inspection and a revised rota was presented to immediately address this weakness. The responsible individual is also developing an action plan addressing the issues raised in this report which will be formally discussed with the manager at her next professional supervision.

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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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