Children's Home run by Break Charity in Cambridgeshire

Unique reference number SC439153 Inspection date 06/02/2013 Inspector Catherine Honey Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 31/07/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children or young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties. It is owned by a registered charity.

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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

This home was first registered with Ofsted in January 2012. At the home's first full inspection in July 2012, the home's overall effectiveness was judged as good with two requirements and two recommendations made. The home has continued to provide a high quality of care for young people and outcomes for young people are positive.

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Progress

Young people continue to make good progress living at this home. They are settled and make particularly good progress in their attendance and attainment in education. Young people's independence skills have increased; for example, they are moving towards managing their own budgets and are responsible for their own laundry. Young people's social skills have improved. Warm relationships are evident between young people and staff. Young people come home from their education placements eager to share stories about their day and plan their evening activities. Young people confirm they feel safe living at the home.

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Progress

At the previous inspection, the Registered Person was asked to make sure the staff record included the sex of staff employed and their qualifications. The staffing record has now been amended to reflect these areas. In addition, the home was asked to establish a system for improving the quality of care in the home which provides for consultation with children living in the home, their parents and placing authorities. The home now uses questionnaires which are sent to social workers and parents (where appropriate) to gain their views and opinions of the home. The feedback from these are shared with staff and any areas suggested for development are identified. Young people continue to be regularly consulted through community house meetings, one to one sessions with members of staff and informal conversations. Therefore, young people, parents and placing authorities have the opportunity to be consulted on and to shape the care the home provides.

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Progress

A recommendation was made with specific regard to establishing the effectiveness of medication training. The home conducts internal medication training and since the last inspection has devised new recording paperwork and random audits are now carried out by senior members of staff to monitor the safe administration of medication. This means steps have been taken to ensure the training provided to staff is effective and to aid the safe administration of medication. Records the home make in relation to staff supervision now detail the time and date of each supervision. However the length of supervision remains unrecorded and the recommendation is repeated.

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Progress

There is a strong nurturing and child-centred approach in the home and young people confirm there is no bullying. Management of behaviour is positive and young people rarely display negative behaviour. Good relationships with staff and a consistent approach mean that measures of control such as sanctions are rarely used. Physical intervention is only used in the most exceptional of circumstances in order to keep young people safe. There has only been one restraint at the home during the year it has been open. However, shortfalls were identified in the recording of the restraint. The record does not demonstrate the time the restraint took place and a description of the measure used is not recorded. In addition, pages in the restraint log book are loose. This means the record is not tamper proof and records are at risk of being misplaced. These shortfalls mean there is not a clear picture of the nature of the physical intervention and the recording is not robust however,

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Progress

there has been no negative impact on the quality of care young people receive due to this shortfall.

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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

17B ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of 01/03/2013 (2001) control, restraint or discipline in a children’s home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose of which shall include a description of the measure used and the time of the use of the measure. (Regulation 17b (3) (c, d))

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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 a written or electronic record is kept by the home detailing the length of each supervision held for each member of staff, including the registered person (NMS 19.5)  ensure any measure of control or discipline is recorded in a volume kept for this purpose. This specifically relates to records being made in formats that cannot be tampered with after the event. (Volume 5, statutory guidance, paragraph 2.91)

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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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