Children's Home, Residential special school run by Rowden House School Limited in Herefordshire

Unique reference number SC035625 Inspection date 25/10/2012 Inspector Jo Stephenson / Martha Nethaway Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 27/03/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This service is a privately registered children's home that also provides education on site for up to 30 young people with special educational needs. The service comprises of seven separate residential homes.

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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

The service provides a supportive environment in which young people appear to be happy. Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff who are able to recognise and assess their individual needs. Placement plans are detailed and regularly reviewed. Staff work in partnership with placing authorities and other professional associations to support and develop young people. As a result, positive outcomes for young people are continually promoted.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe at the home and their views are reflected in aspects of their care. The provision uses a varied range of non-verbal communication tools, such as Makaton and PECs, to ascertain the wishes and feelings of young people. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. They are able to evaluate specific, complex health considerations relating to this. Consequently, young people are protected from risks of harm. Young people benefit from the consistent application of clear boundaries and staff are effective at encouraging the development of positive behaviours. Young people understand the aims and objectives of their placement.

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Overall effectiveness

The service ensures internal placement plans are developed to promote education, care, medical interventions, welfare and general health. This is a significant improvement on previous care planning systems. Staff consult with young people on aspects of their care and plans are regularly reviewed to monitor progress. Consequently, young people experience an integrated approach to their care.

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Overall effectiveness

The manager retains an extremely detailed overview of the progress of the service and is able to recognise its strengths and weaknesses. Monitoring systems are clear and effective in identifying patterns and trends and shape the development of the home.

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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 the home contributes to the development of each child's care plan, including the transition plan for 'eligible' care leavers and works collaboratively with the young person's social worker in implementing this plan (NMS 12.2)  ensure entries in records and legible, clearly expressed and distinguish as far as possible between fact, opinion and third party information. (NMS 22.4)

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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

There are many good examples where young people have received and benefitted from personalised care that meets their individual needs. Staff continually encourage young people using verbal and signed praise. This means that young people have a positive sense of self-esteem and well-being. The service has made improvements in ascertaining the views of young people. ‘Talk time’ sessions have been introduced for some young people, using signs and symbols to establish activity preferences and menu choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to identify the health needs of young people. Procedures are in place to access emergency health services. Complex health care and medical intervention strategies are integrated in internal placement plans. This means that staff are confident about the appropriateness of their practice. Staff have a sound understanding of the health and medical needs of young people. As a result, young people receive a consistent and bespoke approach to meeting their multifaceted health needs. Staff liaise with families and psychological health services to maintain emotional well-being for young people. Consequently, staff are able to recognise the impact that using the service may have on young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people all attend the on-site school. Education is a priority and staff encourage young people to regularly attend and support them in the classroom. Significant changes made to the culture of the provision means that education is now an extension of home and not a separate entity. Care staff and education staff work in partnership to provide a holistic approach to learning. As a result, young people profit from an integrated approach to their education and stability for their development. Managers and staff are proactive in encouraging young people to sustain and progress relationships with their families. Young people benefit from individualised family contact programmes that include weekly phone calls, Skype calls and emails. Staff provide families with regular verbal and written feedback on the progress made by their children. The service provides on-site accommodation for visiting families

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Outcomes for children and young people

and some young people are able to stay with their families during contact visits. Consequently, young people are not isolated from their families. One social worker said: ‘The home is so sensitive to the parents and really respects how they feel.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people that are able to, participate in personalised independence skills programmes to help prepare them for their transition to adulthood. These programmes reflect the abilities of young people and monitor their progress. However, not all eligible young people have statutory transition plans in place. This means that future accommodation and care plans are not robust and young people do not experience a seamless transfer to adult support services.

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Quality of care

Young people have positive relationships with staff. Staff promote the importance of acceptable behaviour, respect and consideration for others. Behaviour management strategies and risk assessments enable young people to build relationships with others. The service provides a nurturing environment that emphasises praise and celebrates individual achievements. As a result, young people benefit from improved self-confidence. Young people participate in a range of activities that reflect their personal interests and abilities. Staff encourage young people to vary their activities, to develop new skills and an understanding of others.

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Quality of care

The home operates a detailed complaints procedure used by staff on behalf of young people, their families and placing authorities. Issues raised by young people and their families are taken seriously and addressed within suitable timescales.

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Quality of care

The service has made significant changes to the care planning process. Staff construct detailed internal placement plans and risk assessments for young people that reflect their health and medical needs, progress and abilities. Plans are regularly reviewed in collaboration with other professionals, such as psychologists, medical specialists and educational social workers. Families are central to the content of these plans. Staff provide placing authorities with opportune feedback on young people’s progress and development. This means that staff are able to ensure the compatibility between internal support plans and statutory care plans. Social workers and other professionals praise the changes to care planning made by the service. One social worker stated: ‘It is now possible to see the progress that young people are making and this didn’t use to be the case.’ As a result, young people experience an integrated approach to assessing and planning their care.

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Quality of care

The home is suitably located and maintained to a good standard. It benefits from extensive grounds and access to the on-site school’s facilities and sporting amenities. Substantial improvements have been made to the communal areas of the provision. For example, a new dining area with touch screen menu ordering has been introduced. This means young people are able to exercise their food preferences. The home makes use of signs and symbols around the environment to encourage the communication skills of young people. These are easily accessible to young people and staff carry key ‘flash cards’ to support fluid communication outside of 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

Robust and individualised strategies are in place to keep young people safe. Young people have detailed risk assessments that support their placement plans. Assessments are regularly reviewed and amended following incidents of challenging behaviour. Staff have a sound knowledge of safeguarding and additional considerations for working with young people with a varied range of disabilities. Staff receive regular training in this area. Consequently, young people are protected from risk or exploitation and are able to raise concerns. Allegations and suspicions of harm are effectively managed through liaison with local safeguarding teams.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Incidents of young people missing from the home are minimal and staff ensure rigorous missing from home risk assessments are in place for young people who present this behaviour. These are supported by protocols with local police that are regularly reviewed and updated. As a result, young people benefit from an integrated approach to maintaining their safety and well-being.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has adopted a new behaviour management model and staff have received training to implement this strategy. Staff encourage young people to display socially acceptable behaviour and work toward attaining their goals. Young people receive continual positive praise that recognises both small and significant achievements. This means that young people develop an understanding of the progress they have made. The culture of the home has moved towards a holistic approach to care and away from a medical model. Staff receive training in physical intervention and de- escalation techniques. Records of restraint have been revised to improve consistency and monitoring books are in place. However, some entries in physical intervention books and other case file records are illegible.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff complete general risk assessments to monitor and ensure that young people are kept safe from known hazards. Young people take part in regular fire drills; checks and tests of fire safety equipment are also carried out.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recruitment records are held centrally. The home adheres to robust organisational recruitment procedures in place to safeguard young people. Safer recruitment checks are carried out in full on all new starters. This means that young people work with suitably vetted and selected staff.

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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 has a permanent manager who is registered with Ofsted. All concerns and complaints raised since the last inspection have been addressed. The Registered Manager leads an experienced management team that are able to understand the needs of young people and support staff in their role. The service has undergone a period of significant change and there has been some resistance to this. The culture of the home has altered to emphasise and achieve positive outcomes for young people. Staff receive regular formal supervision that supports their role and considers any additional assistance required for them to adapt to service changes. The home is appropriately resourced and rota levels reflect the individual support needs of young people. The manager is proactive in the procurement of staff training opportunities that reflect the specific needs of young people. This means young people work with staff who are able to address their needs.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose details the aims and objectives of the home and gives clear guidance on the facilities and services provided. Young people are provided with an individualised children’s guide to the home on admission, naming key workers and support staff. This is well presented and appropriate to their understanding. Young people and placing authorities understand the purpose of the home and the outcomes it aspires to achieve.

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Leadership and management

Robust and varied monitoring tools are in place to consider the quality of care for young people. The manager is able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home and actions necessary to improve outcomes for young people. Quality assurance records identify patterns and trends and monitor the progress made by the service against the aims in its development plan. This means that the Registered Manager is able to reflect on the impact the home has on young people’s lives.

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Leadership and management

Staff and managers work with placing authorities to ensure that statutory requirements pertaining to reviews and visits are met. The management team regularly disseminates to other professionals a comprehensive review of the progress made by young people. This review process shapes future plans for young people. The manager operates a system to record incidents and detail actions taken. These records are cross-referenced to young people’s case files, risk assessments and placements plans. The manager ensures that all significant events are recorded and the appropriate authorities notified. This means that young people’s case records contribute to an understanding of their life.

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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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