Children's Home run by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council in Knowsley

Unique reference number SC037657 Inspection date 07/01/2013 Inspector Chris Scully Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/06/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for two young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is managed by the local authority.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

The home was last inspected on 14 June 2012. The overall effectiveness of the home was judged to be good. Following the visit one statutory requirement in relation to notifications to Ofsted was raised along with three recommendations. These related to the recording of complaints, sanctions and monitoring of the home.

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Progress

Young people's safety and well-being is enhanced as the home ensures all appropriate persons, including Ofsted are informed of any significant events. This promotes transparency in how the home responds to specific situations. Recently there has been a significant increase in the number of notifications to Ofsted. These are in relation to the behaviours of some young people.

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Progress

These incidents have impacted upon other young people living within the home. However, the home is effectively working alongside other agencies to support and safeguard all young people in the home. Reports from strategy meetings are complimentary about the commitment and support provided by staff to all young people. Young people appear philosophical about recent events as they describe living in the home as being as 'smooth as a pile of rocks.' They confidently explain that you cannot expect everything to be a 'smooth as silk' all of the time as that is not realistic. Staff demonstrate a high commitment to multi -agency working. This has seen a small reduction in recent weeks of some behaviours, although staff and the Registered Manager are aware that this is an ongoing issue.

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Progress

Young people are very aware of the rights to complain. They are clear about the complaints procedures and the avenues of support open to them. Young people confidently liaise with advocates to help them take forward their concerns in a productive manner. Records of complaints are now appropriately recorded and all young people are provided with an outcome letter in the response to their concerns. Young people are very aware of how to take this forward should they not agree with the outcome and do so in a mature manner. They are confident to raise issues with staff informally and through their regular young people's meetings.

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Progress

There has been some improvement with the recording of sanctions. However, on a small number of occasions young people have not signed the entry and it is not clear if young people have been asked to comment upon the sanction. This means they may not be able to reflect on their behaviour and demonstrates whether they think they have been treated fairly. There has been a significant increase in the number of physical interventions since the last inspection. Records of these events are not consistently well recorded. This means that it is not clear as to who carried out the restraint or the true duration of this, as well as other errors. This is a recording issue and does not impact upon the care provided to young people.

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Progress

The home has improved their approach to monitoring. Young people, their social workers and family where appropriate are consulted, as part of the independent person’s monitoring of the home. Consequently, the home is more able to demonstrate how these views have influenced proposed improvements and developments in the service. Report indicate social workers are positive about the communication between them and the staff, and how staff work well with young people to ensure their care plans are met.

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Progress

Records and documentation are appropriately maintained. However, the missing from care risk assessments are not sufficiently detailed as they do not say when to report young people missing or whom to contact such as family members and other important people in the young person’s life to try and locate them. The impact of this is reduced because staff are aware of the individualised procedures in place and effectively implement these. As a result they are able to alert the appropriate agencies if a young person is missing and help protect them from harm.

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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

17A (2001) ensure a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which includes the date, time and location of the measure of control or restraint, name of the person carrying out the measure, effectiveness and consequence, any injuries and medical treatment and duration of each restraint. (Regulation 17a (3) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (4) (a)(b)) 19/02/2013

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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 where any sanctions are used young people are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3.18)  enhance the care and support provided to young people minimises the risk that they will go missing in particular, the missing from care risk assessments are sufficiently detailed. (NMS 5.1)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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