Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Unique reference number SC032502 Inspection date 24/04/2013 Inspector Muhammed Harunur Rashid Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 02/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This is a children's home which is run by a local authority. It provides care for up to 13 children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The outcomes for young people and the quality of care provided by the service are good. Young people receive care and support from staff who are dedicated to their roles. In addition to this, translators and counsellors are utilised to provide specialist support to asylum-seeking young people and to help staff gain a better understanding of their histories.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The home's care planning and staff practice are highly personalised to meet young people’s individual needs. They live in a safe environment and their welfare is well promoted. Young people have positive views about the quality of care and their relationships with staff. Staff work positively and are enthusiastic in their role with young people, providing role models for them.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Young people make significant progress from their starting points in this country across all aspects of their welfare and development. For instance, asylum-seeking young people actively take part in a wide range of community-based activities. They learn English and adapt to living in a new culture within a short period of time. Young people develop various life skills around healthy eating, personal safety, communication and understanding human values.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The service’s self-evaluation is particularly effective. This takes into account young people’s changing needs. The home works very closely with a wide range of professionals and families. To improve further, the home must ensure that all agency staff receive regular supervision from qualified and experienced staff.

p.3

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure that all agency staff are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff. (NMS 19.4)

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

The majority of young people are unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who stay in the home for up to nine months. During this period of time they benefit from support to achieve their asylum-seeking status, education, semi-independent living and future placements.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop emotionally and learn to overcome traumatic experiences of violence. They make good progress in developing a positive self-view and learn to develop and practice skills to build and maintain positive relationships with staff and peers. Peers may include indigenous young people and fellow asylum-seeking children from various cultural, religious, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make positive contributions to their home and wider community through participation in recreational, sporting and cultural activities. At home they participate in various household tasks, including looking after their own space and keeping communal areas clean and tidy. They enjoy good access to a wide range of community-based activities and develop an understanding of a new culture. Young people have access to local community resources, including libraries, mosques and churches.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are able to make active decisions about their daily lives through completing questionnaires, attending weekly house meetings, link-working sessions and involvement with looked-after children's reviews.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health is well promoted. Young people enjoy eating home-cooked healthy meals that reflect their diversity and preferences. Young people are registered with local doctors, dentists and other medical professionals. Young people have opportunities to take part in various physical activities; for example, bowling, swimming and playing football.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s education is well promoted and they develop essential skills for semi- independent living. Young people learn English and familiarise themselves with the local community within a short period of time. A number of young people attend a centre to learn English and develop various life skills; for example, healthy eating, personal safety, communication and understanding human values. Young people also have opportunities to attend a local young people's centre where they receive a range of informal education activities. These activities are helpful for young people's personal and social development. A number of local young people have been persuaded to attend apprenticeships in hairdressing and mechanical works.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Asylum-seeking young people are able to maintain contacts with their family members living aboard through regular telephone calls. Local young people can invite their parents at home and can also visit them, as agreed in placement plans.

p.5

Quality of care

The local authority-run children’s home accommodates asylum-seeking children and local children who have experienced significant trauma in their lives. Staff are highly sensitive to young people’s needs and provide intense levels of support to help them come to terms with their situation. Translators and counsellors are utilised to provide specialist support to young people and to help staff gain a better understanding of their histories.

p.5

Quality of care

Young people have individual care plans and these promote all aspects of their individual identities. These are tailored to meet the needs of an individual young person. Staff act as role models and assist young people developing a strong identity; for example, by discussing issues in relation to their race, culture and gender. Staff develop individualised positive behaviour management programmes and risk assessments for each young person and these are reviewed regularly.

p.5

Quality of care

Young people live in a healthy environment and staff encourage them to participate in a range of positive activities that contribute to their physical and emotional health. The Registered Manager attends a health subgroup and a newly-formed mental health forum which identifies health trends and issues that affect asylum-seeking and looked-after children as a whole. Staff ensure that young people have access to all specialist health services.

p.5

Quality of care

Young people's views and wishes are listened to. They are consulted in various ways; for example, through link sessions, house meetings and their looked-after children's reviews. Young people have access to a children's rights officer.

p.5

Quality of care

Young people attend schools and other educational settings. They are provided with computers and various learning aids to promote their education. A range of purposeful and enjoyable activities are provided in the service. Young people enjoy playing various games and doing art and craft works in the house.

p.5

Quality of care

There is an appropriate complaints policy and procedure in place. Staff maintain records of all complaints received from young people. Complaints are managed in accordance with the home's procedures.

p.5

Quality of care

The home is appropriately located, designed and maintained. The home was recently re-decorated. Young people are provided with single bedrooms and they are able to personalise their bedrooms. Community amenities are nearby and the home has good access to public transport.

p.5

Safeguarding children and young people

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

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding plays an integral part of the home’s daily work with young people. For many, their risk assessment highlights trafficking, the risk of absconding, drug and alcohol issues. Each young person has an individualised risk assessment which identifies the level of risk and strategies are in place to eliminate or reduce this. Young people’s identified risk factors are discussed in team meetings each week and staff work consistently in order to keep young people safe.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager attends a bi-monthly multi-agency meeting which reviews the key themes and shares intelligence in relation to trafficked and missing young people and identify trends that may impact on safeguarding young people in care.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

All staff have attended the ‘Working Together’ child protection and behaviour management training. Young people's welfare is protected because staff implement the home's safeguarding procedures. All of the staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping young people safe.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff actively encourage and promote positive behaviour. Staff are provided with guidance and have attended appropriate physical intervention training. They apply de-escalation methods to deal with any form of challenging behaviour. There are agreed measures to deal with unacceptable behaviour. Staff rarely apply restraints and then only as a last resort, in order to protect young people and others from injuries. The home deploys additional staff for one-to-one support for young people who are at risk of severe self-injurious behaviour.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have sound knowledge and skills to deal with bullying if it is suspected. Young people have good relationships with the staff team and the other young people living in the home. The home has an appropriate policy in place for dealing with unauthorised absence from care.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are recruited in line with the local authority’s policy and procedures in order to protect young people. The human resources department of the local authority ensures that all necessary information is obtained prior to the appointment of staff.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have attended health and safety training. They take appropriate steps to keep young people, visitors and themselves safe from the risk of fire and other hazards. A risk assessment of the premises is in place. Staff carry out regular fire alarm testing and fire drills. Current gas and electric test certificates are carried out at appropriate intervals.

p.6

Leadership and management

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

p.7

Leadership and management

The home's updated Statement of Purpose clearly highlights its aims and objectives. Young people, staff and the placing authority understand the aims and objectives of the home and what services and facilities it provides. The young people's guide provides information about the facilities available to them. The young people's guide is translated into various languages.

p.7

Leadership and management

Young people benefit from effective management. The Registered Manager is well qualified with a number of years management experience. She is supported by an able assistant manager and senior residential workers who provide clear accountability and leadership. The home is currently in the process of recruiting two residential workers. The vacancies are currently filled by agency staff.

p.7

Leadership and management

Weekly staff meetings and comprehensive daily handovers are held which promote good communication between the staff team. All staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals from their line manager. However, agency staff who only work few shifts in a month do not receive formal supervision. This has been addressed with the management.

p.7

Leadership and management

There is a strong and consistent commitment to improving equality and diversity in practice. Staff have attended equality and diversity training. Staff are recruited from various minority ethnic groups and have a very good understanding of young people’s dietary, religious and cultural needs. Staff support young people to make personal choices and to access community resources. Staff work hard to build on any family links asylum seeking young people have in the United Kingdom and support young people to maintain contact with any family members.

p.7

Leadership and management

There are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home. A monitoring visit takes place on a monthly basis and reports are sent to Ofsted. The Registered Manager completes her comprehensive reports detailing the effectiveness of the monitoring of the matters set out in Schedule 6 of Regulation 34. The home is adequately resourced. Managers understand the strengths and weakness of the home and have a business plan in place.

p.7

Leadership and management

The home is committed to the staff’s professional development. Staff attend in-house and external training, such as child protection, health and safety, administration of medication, first aid, food hygiene and physical intervention. A number of care staff are in the process of completing their level 3 Children and Young People’s Workforce Diploma or equivalent.

p.7

Leadership and management

Each young person has an individual case record and keeps appropriate memorabilia of their time in the placement. This helps them to reflect on and understand their history after they have moved on from the home.

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8