Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Unique reference number SC034900 Inspection date 14/03/2013 Inspector Louise Redfern Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 20/11/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This service provides residential short-breaks care for up to 11 young people with learning and physical disabilities who may be aged from eight to 17 years. The home is run by a local authority and also offers a service to some young adults aged up to 19 years.

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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 good progress .

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Progress

The home was judged as adequate at the last full inspection which took place in November 2012. It is judged to be making good progress following this interim inspection. There were two statutory requirements and two recommendations made as a result of the last inspection. All have been met.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, the organisation has appointed a part time manager to the vacant part time manager’s post. The manager is in the process of completing her application for registration with Ofsted. However, there is a permanent Registered Manager in post part time, so there is currently no impact on young people using this service.

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Progress

The Registered Manager has ensured that the whole staff team receive regular supervision and has made improvements to the monitoring of supervisions. This means that individual staff members receive effective support. One staff member commented ‘supervisions regularly take place and I feel supported, if I needed it I could ask for extra supervisions’. However, the supervisor or supervisees do not regularly sign records.

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Progress

Young people are now regularly meeting with the organisation’s visitors; this is because the visits now take place out of school hours, when young people are at the provision. This means that through observations and interaction with young people they are able to make a fully informed opinion about the standard of care. This also means that young people have the opportunity to voice their opinions, wishes and feelings to the organisation as required by the regulations.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, the young person’s guide has been amended to provide for up to date contact details for Ofsted, so young people who wish to are now able to contact the regulator. The staff team have written one page profiles about themselves. This information is provided for young people and their families as part of the introduction to the service. This means that families and young people know who are working at the provision and looking after the young people.

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Progress

Sanctions continue to be rarely used to manage young people’s behaviour. Since the last inspection, the Registered Manager has improved the records to ensure that where possible young people’s views are sought following a sanction being imposed. This means that the staff team are able to assess the impact of these measures when reviewing incidents.

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Progress

The provision continues to provide a pleasant, warm and comfortable environment that young people enjoy as part of their short breaks. The building has and continues to benefit from on-going re-decoration. Young people have been involved in choosing the colour scheme for the re-decoration.

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Progress

A well-established and committed management and staff team care for the young people during their breaks at the provision. In meeting the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection, the Registered Manager has demonstrated good progress and an on-going commitment to improving the quality of care provided for the young people.

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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 a written record is kept at the end of each supervision which is signed by the supervisor and the member of staff. (NMS 19.5)

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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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