Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Unique reference number SC033367 Inspection date 22/11/2012 Inspector Robert Curr Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 05/03/2012 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

The children's home is provided by a local authority and cares for up to six young people who are vulnerable, and for different reasons are unable to live with their families.

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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 inadequate .

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Overall effectiveness

There are significant shortfalls in: health promotion, behaviour management strategies, leadership and management and quality assurance monitoring and practices. As a result, outcomes for young people are inadequate and their welfare is not adequately safeguarded.

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Overall effectiveness

In some cases, staff have very good relationships with young people. Young people are able to express their views, wishes and feelings to staff. Young people feel most staff listen to them. Resident meetings enable young people to request items, make suggestions and grumble, if needed.

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Overall effectiveness

The environment provided is inadequate with shortfalls that affect young people’s quality of care and safety.

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Overall effectiveness

Some health and safety matters are not well-managed meaning there are some potential risks to young people and staff working at the home.

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Overall effectiveness

There is inadequate monitoring of the home to maintain and improve the quality of care in the home.

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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) ensure the registered provider and the registered manager shall, having regard to the size of the children’s home, its statement of purpose and the number and needs of the children accommodated there, carry on or manage the home with sufficient care, competence and skill (Regulation 9(1)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated and make proper provision for the care and supervision of children (Regulation 11 (1) (a) (b)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and protect the physical, emotional and mental health of the children accommodated in the home. In particular, ensure that each child is registered with a general medical practitioner and develop and implement clear policy and procedural guidance to support children in relation to drugs and smoking cessation (Regulation 20(1))(a)(d)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and protect the physical, emotional and mental health of children accommodated in the children's home, in particular by ceasing the practice of encouraging young people to use the smoking shelter (Regulation 20 (1)) 22/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24 (5)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children’s home used by children are reasonably decorated, maintained and suitably furnished (Regulation 31(2)(e) and)(4)(a))(b)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as reasonable practicable free from hazards to their health or safety and; in particular, ensure that the integrity of fire doors is intact (Regulation 23(a)) 22/11/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose, and notify HMCI within 28 days of any such revision (Regulation 5 (1)(2)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that in relation to a children’s home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30(1)) 31/12/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children are encouraged to develop and pursue appropriate leisure interests. In particular, encourage and enable children to make and sustain suitable friendships with 28/02/2013 children outside the home and have positive and appropriate relationships with peers (Regulation 18(2)(a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the registered person supplies to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted for the purpose of improving the quality of care provided in the children's home. (Regulation 34(2)) 31/12/2012

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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 that all sanctions and rewards for behaviour are clear, reasonable and fair and are understood by all staff and young people, in particular, the use of cutting off the electricity supply to bedrooms at night time (NMS 3.8)  ensure every effort is made to achieve continuity of staffing (NMS 17.8)  ensure the leaning and development programme is up to date and evaluated, including in this, records of staff training. (NMS 18.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are inadequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are inadequate. Not all young people’s health needs are fully promoted. Some young people do not enjoy good health because they continue to smoke cigarettes and illegal substances. Their longer term health outcomes are potentially compromised, as a result.

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Outcomes for children and young people

While most young people are working with various health care professionals, not all young people are registered with a general practitioner. This does not ensure that young people’s wider health needs are identified and met.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's educational attendance is good. Where young people cannot attend school, alternative education arrangements are in place and a teacher states that ‘One young person is really motivated to engage in his temporary home teaching package'.’ The teacher also said, ‘Although I see different staff when I come here, they liaise well to exchange information and to ascertain that the education is going well. Taking into account their starting point at the time of placement, most young people are making adequate progress towards desired educational achievements.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are not enthusiastic or proud of their local community and are not motivated to contribute towards it. Some young people associate with inappropriate people and have been at risk of harm from their peers. This does not promote social inclusion and positive community involvement so that young people begin to understand their responsibilities and build their self-esteem. Although young people have regular time with their key worker and house meetings are held, they do not effectively contribute to the running of the home. This is because the content of these meetings focuses on matters such as house rules and routines and does not have a strong focus on attaining young people’s views and feelings about their care and the running for the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Although young people are supported to be as independent as possible, initiatives in place to encourage young people to maintain their own bedroom environment do not always work. The majority of bedrooms are dirty and unkempt; and there is a lack general maintenance. This is not is ensuring that young people’s physical, emotional and social development needs are promoted.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from the discussions and stimulating interactive activities that staff use to build relationships with them. However, staff do not consistently support young people to develop skills in managing their own behaviours. For example, the management and some staff have abandoned the preventative strategies identified in placement plans and now encourage young people to smoke in the smoking shelter. Some are responsible for emptying the ash box. This compromises boundaries and the quality of relationships between staff and young people. Staff are not sufficiently proactive in deterring young people from smoking.

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Quality of care

Young people say that they are confident to complain and understand how to do so. However, complaints received are not clearly or comprehensively recorded to reflect the action taken by staff and the outcomes. This does not allow for staff and management to consistently support the complainant in the outcome.

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Quality of care

Admissions to the home are planned and the young person and their family, where appropriate, are involved in that planning. Young people usually visit the home before they move in to meet people and get information about the home and this helps them to settle quickly in their new home.

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Quality of care

Staff find out about young people's differences, routines, strengths and needs. Staff are aware of young people's needs prior to admission and the placement plans clearly outline how young people's needs will be met. However, the issue of staff failing to implement health and behaviour management strategies, around smoking and the use of cannabis in the home, undermines the quality of the plans.

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Quality of care

A wide range of activities are organised. For example, swimming and ten pin bowling. These activities help to keep young people fit and healthy. Young people are encouraged to eat healthy foods and snacks. Staff support and encourage young people to attend routine appointments with dentists, doctors and opticians; where appropriate, young people are encouraged to take some responsibility for managing their own health needs. However, the encouragement to use the smoking shelter does not promote or protect their immediate and longer term health. Arrangements for dealing with medication are safe because medication is securely stored in line with the organisation’s policy and young people receive the medicines they need.

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Quality of care

The organisation’s education plans provide sufficient guidance for staff about young people's identified targets and what support is required of them to help young people meet their targets. Educational needs are met for young people because staff are proactive in supporting educational achievement and they have an understanding of what young people do at school and what their levels of attainment are.

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Quality of care

Young people are able to pursue their particular interests and are enthusiastically supported and encouraged by staff to engage in leisure activities. Young people say that this is one of the best things about the home. One young person said, ‘I think I have been to nearly every theme park in the country, I love them.’ Staff attempt to enable young people to socialise. However, not all friendships outside of the home are positive or appropriate so that young people do not always benefit from these relationships. There is a good range of books, DVDs and games available for education and entertainment.

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Quality of care

The young people live in a home that is located close to shops, leisure, and education facilities and employment opportunities. It is on the main bus route to the nearby town centre and this promotes young people’s independence.

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Quality of care

The interior of the home is not in a good state of structural or decorative repair. The majority of young people’s bedrooms are not maintained to a satisfactory standard. Apart from the very unkempt and untidy nature of the bedrooms, they are poorly maintained. The home has a history of ant infestation and this is not yet fully resolved. Having food debris in bedrooms is not aiding this. There are rooms that do not have window blinds or curtains. This does not uphold young people’s privacy and dignity or ensure that they live in a safe and pleasant home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff often engage young people in talking through any identified concerns. One young person said, 'I feel safe here, the staff talk to me about how to keep safe.' Where particular risks are identified, written risk assessments are recorded to help the staff understand what action to take to minimise these risks. However, the practice of encouraging young people to smoke in the smoking shelter and outside the front door at night is poor and not in line with the organisation’s anti-smoking policy.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The provider has safeguarding systems and procedures for staff to follow in the event of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. However, these have not been fully implemented in a number of cases. There have been serious complaints and allegations made that have not been notified to the appropriate authorities or within agreed timescales.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recorded sanctions reflect the age and understanding of the young people. However, agreed actions following challenging behaviour are not always implemented. For example, informing the police when young people smoke cannabis in the home. This inconsistent approach to managing behaviour does not set and reinforce appropriate boundaries. Young people say they are not happy that the electricity is turned off to their bedrooms at night time if they are playing music too loud or too late. Guidance to staff does not describe this as a permitted sanction and entries are not made in the record of sanctions following each incident. The effectiveness of this sanction is not monitored and cannot be measured.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Personalised behaviour management plans are used. They contain individualised details for staff to follow when managing young people's behaviour. However, they are not successful in reducing young people’s challenging and dangerous behaviours.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The use of physical restraint to manage some young people's behaviour is lessening because staff are using successful techniques to address young people’s anger and aggression. Recording of restraints is good and there is evidence that it is monitored well to identify patterns or trends that can be used to support young people further. Staff are trained in the provider’s de-escalation policy and authorised intervention techniques and are beginning to use these appropriately.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff receive fire safety training to enable them to minimise the risks to young people in the event of a fire at the home. One young person confirmed this saying, 'I have been involved in a fire drill to make sure I know what to do.' However, despite regular fire safety checks and maintenance arrangements, people are not kept safe because young people smoke in their bedrooms and the fire doors on the first floor are not in full working order.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff are appropriately recruited and undergo suitable Criminal Records Bureau checks to ensure that they are suitable to work with young people.

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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 leadership and management of the home are not effective. The Registered Manager has been absent from the home in recent weeks and HMCI has been informed of the current management arrangements. The two substantive deputy managers are currently overseeing the management of the service with the support of senior managers.

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Leadership and management

A Statement of Purpose is available which informs professionals and members of the public about how care is provided at the home. However, it does not contain comprehensive details of the number of staff or of their relevant qualifications and experience. The organisation has not supplied a copy of the Statement of Purpose to HMCI, as required. This means that placing social workers and parents do not have accurate information about the staff who look after the young people.

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Leadership and management

There is a good young person’s guide which is appropriate to the age and understanding of the young people accommodated. Young people receive a copy of it before they are admitted so that they know what to expect.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from a committed, energetic and permanent core staff team. who see their positive qualities despite the very challenging behaviours they may present. However, the home is sometimes staffed by agency and bank staff. Although these staff work alongside the permanent staff, this does not ensure a consistent approach in the support and care that is offered to young people with complex and challenging needs.

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Leadership and management

Staff are trained in a wide variety of safety and childcare matters. An on-going programme of regular refresher training is provided but training records are not up to date. This does not allow for the learning and development programme to be evaluated for its effectiveness.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring of the home is inadequate. Although there are regular unannounced visits from the provider to monitor the quality of care, reports show that action is repeatedly not taken in respect of the matters raised. For example, during one visit, a young person made a serious complaint. This was raised by the visitor within the report and recommendations were made. In the report of the subsequent visit, the ‘previous visit progress’ page is missing. Therefore the tracking of this incident is lost. This does not ensure good oversight of complaints and does not adequately uphold young people’s rights.

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Leadership and management

There is no evidence that young people or their relatives are consulted regularly as part of these visits and the regulation 33 reports do not contain their views. Therefore it is not clear how their views impact on the development of the service. These reports are not sent to Ofsted in a timely fashion.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has devised an annual development plan in the form of a team plan but this does not show how young people’s views have affected change or helped the home to make improvements. Neither has the manager gathered the findings of the Regulation 34 reports and sent a summary to HMCI so the home cannot evidence good monitoring of its operation and quality of care.

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Leadership and management

Significant events, such as, serious complaints about the persons working at the home, child protection enquiries and serious incidents necessitating calling the police to the home, are not consistently notified to HMCI, as required. This lack of information prevents Ofsted from fulfilling its regulatory safeguarding responsibilities in ensuring that matters have been appropriately addressed.

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Leadership and management

The home has made some improvement by addressing the majority of shortfalls identified during the last inspection. However, its capacity for continuing improvement is limited. At the last inspection the home was judged to be making satisfactory progress. A requirement raised in relation to maintaining records of complaints has not been actioned. As a result of this, and other issues identified at this inspection, there is a failure to ensure compliance with the Children’s Homes Regulations. As a result, outcomes for young people are inadequate and their welfare is not adequately 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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