Midmeadows

Unique reference number SC457025 Inspection date 19/04/2013 Inspector Dawn Bennett Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/02/2013 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

This home is registered to accommodate up to four young people. The service is owned by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

This is the home's first inspection since being re-registered by Ofsted in February 2013. Prior to being re-registered this home was judged as inadequate at its last full inspection. Requirements and recommendations made at that inspection were met prior to re-registration with Ofsted.

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Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for young people, quality of care, safeguarding arrangements and leadership and management are all adequate. The home’s newly appointed Register Manager continues to raise standards of work practice and improve the progress of young people. She has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She is using the organisation's established quality assurance systems to monitor quality and is working to an action plan to implement change. Young people are happy in the home. The environment is bright and welcoming. Relationships between the staff and young people are positive. However, young people's health, educational, social and emotional progress is not consistent. The expertise of the staff team continues to be developed and vacant posts filled to improve the quality and consistency of care.

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Overall effectiveness

As a result of this inspection two requirements and five recommendations for improvement have been made. These are regarding: the timely refurbishment and redecoration of the home; supervision and specific training of staff; accurate record keeping and detailed minutes of any 72 hour emergency placement meetings; the appropriate deployment of staff; working in partnership with placing authorities; and sharing appropriate information.

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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 that all persons employed receive appropriate supervision and training with specific reference to anti-bullying training and restorative justice training (Regulation 27(4) (a) (b)) 30/06/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) ensure compliance with requests by the child's placing authority to provide it with information relating to the child. (Regulation 12A (2) (a)) 31/05/2013

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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 written records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail any reasons given by the child for running away from the home (NMS 5.10)  ensure processes for the maintenance and replacement of items in the home are timely (NMS 10.3)  ensure a review is initiated no more than 72 hours after any emergency admission to consider whether the child should remain at the home, or it is in that child's interests to move to a different placement, this specifically relates to the clarity of the information contained in the minutes of this meeting (NMS 11.7)  ensure the overall number and deployment of staff can fulfil the children's home's Statement of Purpose (NMS 17.1)  ensure effective sharing of information held in the home's records about the child with responsible authorities, this specifically relates to the problems being experienced with the computer system. (NMS 22.7)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people influence the running of the home through key worker sessions and young people's meetings. For example, they have chosen new décor and planned key events. At a personal level, young people learn to make informed choices about a range of issues such as the food they eat, the activities they undertake, and the clothes they wear. Young people are actively making choices and expressing views. However, whereas some young people make responsible decisions about their health and well-being, others do not. This results in issues such as smoking and weight gain.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are making adequate educational progress. They are supported to attend schools, vocational and college placements. They understand the importance of good time keeping and attendance. They have achieved both academic and vocational qualifications. However, progress is not consistent. For example, attendance is interrupted by exclusions due to inappropriate behaviour and new college placements designed to supplement schooling have been unsuccessful.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are experiencing new activities and hobbies within the home but have limited interests in clubs or groups in the local community. They are participating in the development of the home and garden by going on shopping trips to Ikea, digging flower beds and re designing rooms. They are planning trips and activities on a weekly basis with staff and peers within the home. As individuals, and a group, they are celebrating the success of their achievements within the home with positive rewards that include trips to Alton Park and Drayton Manor. Young people describe living in a 'cool, funky home' with 'an awesome manager and some awesome staff.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are developing independence skills that will help them as they become adults. They learn to take responsibility for household chores, to budget, to shop and cook for themselves. Their involvement in these task depends upon their age and understanding but is always encouraged. Some young people make good progress in these areas. Other young peoples progress is at times interrupted. For example, by a new young person moving into the home. When this occurs staff take responsibilities back off of the young person and increase their support and supervision of tasks.

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Quality of care

Young people are involved in their review meetings and are consulted about their future plans. Reviews are held within suitable timescales. All young people have placement plans which are regularly reviewed. Young people's care is in the majority of cases in line with their individual placement plan and wishes of their placing authority. However, placing authorities are not always receiving the care or information they request for young people placed at the home. This is either because of information not being passed on by the staff team to the Registered Manager or because of current difficulties with the organisation upgrading the computer system.

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Quality of care

Where a young person is placed at the home in an emergency the home follows their emergency admissions procedure. This is clearly set out in the home's Statement of Purpose. Minutes taken by the home at the 72 hour meeting do not clearly describe the outcome of the 72 hour assessment or the on-going agreement between the home and the placing authority. Each young person has a key worker who meets with them on a regular basis to ensure they are happy and who supports them to achieve their aims and objectives. Young people are actively involved in choosing who they feel will be best for them in this role and their input is valued.

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Quality of care

A programme of refurbishments is improving the appearance and function of the home. It is also actively involving young people, which is resulting in them feeling it is very much their home. For example, young people have chosen wallpaper for feature walls and helped hang it. One young person designed and decorated the telephone area making it bright, funky and fun. One young person described how during her recent planned move to the home, staff supported her to design and decorate her bedroom. She feels this helped her settle into the home.

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Quality of care

Major work required within the home is undertaken by external contractors or the organisation's maintenance team. The processes in place to purchase new items for the home and organise the completion of major work are at times lengthy. This does not help staff and young people to maintain a welcoming, homely environment.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

The staff team protects young people from neglect and abuse through the home's child protection procedures. The Registered Manager is competent at applying the procedures and ensures staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to protect young people. The organisation provides training and guidance to staff to develop their practice. This ensures that there is no delay in referring child protection matters appropriately to prevent young people suffering continued abuse or neglect.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff have an understanding of bullying issues through induction, discussions in team meetings and supervisions and support from managers as issues arise. An additional course was booked for the staff team but cancelled due to the trainer being sick. The organisation has now purchased online training. This is ready to be undertaken by all members of the staff team but cannot currently be accessed due to the organisation upgrading their computer systems.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff respond to each young person's individual behaviour and are skilled at diffusing difficult situations. Young people state 'most staff are fair. Not because they let you get away with things but because they are clear and take the time to understand you even if you are naughty.' Staff are trained in restraint techniques and supported by the organisation to develop the skills they require to manage conflict and de- escalate. This is reflected in the home's low use of physical intervention, only one since the home has re-registered.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager is monitoring behaviour management strategies. She is challenging practice and developing strategies to reduce incidents. She has good insight into the recent increase of incidents and young people reported missing, which correspond with the fourth young person moving into the home. The use of consequences is appropriate. However, some consequences are still being used with young people who are nearly young adults and due to leave care. Staff have not had training in restorative justice, and are therefore not always considering applying practice that is restorative in nature. This would help young people recognise and discuss the impact of their behaviours on others.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Records of incidents when a young person goes missing from home are adequate. They do not include a record of the conversation that has taken place with the young person upon their return to the home to ensure they are safe and well.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home ensures that young people are provided with physical safety and security. Regular checks are undertaken on the home's fire alarm system and the home's utility services. Environmental risk assessments are conducted and appropriate action is taken to keep young people safe.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are adequate .

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Leadership and management

This is the home's first inspection since it was re-registered by Ofsted in February 2013. The home's Registered Manager was new in post at the point of re- registration. Since her appointment she has developed a clear understanding of the service's strengths and areas for improvement. She continues to update the home's development plan to reflect the on-going actions in place to improve standards of care and outcomes for young people. The Registered Manager provides effective, insightful leadership to a developing staff team.

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Leadership and management

A staff team was in place prior to the re-registration of the home. Vacancies continue to be recruited to, with the recent addition of an experienced deputy and senior. The Registered Manager ensures the rota meets the needs of the young people placed. When there are staff vacancies, sickness or annual leave the majority of shifts are covered by the home's staff team. This ensures consistency of approach and relationships for young people. However, it also means some staff are working long hours and the focus of the team has at times been taken away from other key areas such as maintaining records and undertaking management tasks.

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Leadership and management

Systems to support staff are being developed. The Registered Manager is in the process of completing staff appraisals. The majority of staff supervisions are taking place but a small number are not routinely taking place. The Registered Manager has been trying to manage this creatively. When staff shortages have meant she has needed to prioritise covering a shift to support young people, she has run group supervisions.

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Leadership and management

The home’s Statement of Purpose accurately reflects the practice and ethos of this service. It provides a good account of how young people will be cared for in the home and the expectations of staff to meet young people’s needs. A guide booklet on the home is also provided to young people. The quality of the home's records are adequate. Staff have improved their skills through support in handovers, supervisions and team meetings. The Registered Manager and home's quality assurance systems continue to audit all records on a regular basis and highlight areas for improvement. All staff are due to attend training to further support them to develop these skills as well as learn about the organisation's new systems for recording.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager and staff team are currently struggling with maintaining records and communicating with partnership agencies. This is due to the organisation installing a new computer system. There have been no contingency plans implemented prior to this major undertaking. This has left the home and local office in the area, without emails and internet access.

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Leadership and management

There are quality assurance systems, which monitor the performance of the home against its Statement of Purpose and highlight areas of strengths and areas for development. Records are regularly signed by the Registered Manager and external checks from another Registered Manager, from within the organisation, are regularly undertaken and provide further feedback on how the home is operating.

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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 and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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