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

Unique reference number SC068789 Inspection date 07/05/2013 Inspector Muhammed Harunur Rashid Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 07/02/2013 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 local authority service provides overnight short breaks, medium and long-term provision for up to eight young people aged between 10 and 17 years old who have physical and learning disabilities. In addition to this, the service also offers day services and tea visits.

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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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

The outcomes for young people and the quality of care provided by the service are good. Young people benefit from a stable and caring staff team who are dedicated to their roles. Staff work in partnership with parents, the local authority and health professionals to achieve good outcomes for young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Care planning and the practice of staff are highly personalised to meet the individual needs of young people. Young people make progress from their starting points across all aspects of their welfare and development. For example, this includes their greater access to a wide range of stimulating opportunities to promote their development.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people live in a safe environment and staff are always concerned for their welfare. Young people greatly benefit from a well-resourced environment with specialist equipment and integrated sensory facilities. The high staffing levels contribute to various opportunities for young people to take part in a wide range of activities that are individual to their needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The effective leadership and management team is well supported by a qualified, experienced and stable staff team. There are systems in place for gathering information through rigorous monitoring activities relating to the quality of care provided.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas highlighted at this inspection for further improvement relate to completing the redecoration work of the ground floor accommodation and ensuring that all agency staff receive regular supervision.

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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 parts of the children's home are kept in good structural repair and are reasonably decorated and maintained. (Regulation 31(2)(d) (e)) 30/06/2013

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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 that all agency staff receive regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff. (NMS 19.4)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have a very positive experience while away from their own homes. They greatly benefit from having contact with peers in a social setting and through mixing with adults other than family members. They strengthen their social skills, have experiences, and develop friendships through various social events that they may otherwise miss.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people who are unable to communicate verbally make good progress. They are able to communicate with staff and peers through various communication methods. Staff encourage and support young people to make decisions about their daily lives through regular house meetings, link working sessions and looked after children's reviews.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop their self-awareness relating to personal presentation, including managing personal hygiene, wearing appropriate clothing and caring for their hair and skin.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from a healthy and varied diet. They are encouraged to live healthy lifestyles with plenty of activities which involve physical exercise. Young people also benefit from a staff team that liaises closely with schools’ medical teams, doctors and any relevant specialist. As a result, young people’s health needs are met well. Staff work closely with the young people and parents to encourage young people to play a positive part in looking after their own health needs. Overall, the service puts a high priority on promoting young people’s emotional, physical and mental health and well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Education is well complemented by a range of leisure activities that reflect young people’s interests. Much effort is put into this area, recognising that young people with disabilities are often excluded from such pursuits. Disabled young people have various opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities which combine with their sensory and physical needs. They participate in and enjoy recreational, sporting and cultural activities in the wider community and at home. They enjoy playing in the large rear garden with recreational equipment, for example, a wheelchair swing and trampoline.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have opportunities to develop various independent living skills within their abilities, in preparation for adulthood. Staff encourage and support them with training about travelling, including developing road safety awareness.

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Quality of care

Young people receive tailor-made and individual care from a qualified and experienced staff team. Comprehensively devised care plans meet young people’s diverse and complex needs. Individual needs, cultural and religious backgrounds are carefully considered as part of young people’s care plans. Care plans take into account how families care for children and their routine at home. This ensures that young people benefit from continuity of care at the service.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and peers. Staff are supported to communicate with young people who have communication difficulties. They have specialist training, and a range of resources are made available. Effective communication and information allow young people to engage and build positive relationships. Interactions between staff and young people are very warm and genuine.

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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. Staff periodically send questionnaires to young people and their parents to request feedback about the service they receive in the short breaks provision. Young people also have access to independent advocates to further promote the expression of their wishes and feelings.

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Quality of care

Education is well promoted. Young people are supported to attend school regularly. Young people 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 basketball and trampoline in the rear garden and doing art and craft works in the house. The home provides a sensory room which is well used. Staff supervise young people with these activities, and risk assessments are in place to ensure their safety.

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Quality of care

Staff work closely with health professionals, such as a physiotherapist, occupational therapists and a clinical psychologist to meet young people's assessed needs. These professionals visit the home and contribute to young people's care plans and behaviour support plans. Sufficient facilities are provided for disabled young people to meet their physical needs, and staff are provided with training to use all mechanical equipment, such as ceiling tracking hoists, so they are used safely.

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Quality of care

There are procedures for admissions to the home. Young people have opportunities to visit the home and they are gradually introduced to the home. The home has a children's guide; this provides information about the facilities available to them. These mechanisms ensure young people have a smooth transition to the home and know what to expect.

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Quality of care

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

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located, designed and maintained. The premises are purpose built and wheelchair users have easy access. Community amenities are nearby and the home has good access to public transport. The first floor accommodation has recently been completely refurbished which offers a comfortable and pleasant environment to young people. However, the ground floor accommodation is in need of redecoration, which the service is addressing. The resource manager advised the inspector that this will be completed soon.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people live in an environment which is nurturing and safe. Young people say that they feel safe in the home. The service has clear systems in place that safeguard young people from abuse. For example, all staff have attended child protection and behaviour management training. This training focused on safeguarding young people with disabilities. Young people's welfare is protected through the application of the home's safeguarding procedures by members of staff. All of the staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff actively encourage and promote positive behaviour. Behaviour support plans are devised with input from a clinical psychologist who is based at the centre. Staff are provided with guidance and 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 only as a last resort, in order to protect young people and others from injuries.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff have a 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. Young people do not go missing from care due to the high levels of supervision and security systems in place. However, the home has an appropriate policy in place for dealing with these issues, should this occur.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are recruited in line with the policy and procedure of the local authority in order to protect young people. The home has recruited a number of new permanent members of staff. The human resources department of the local authority ensures that all necessary information is obtained prior to the appointment of staff so that only suitable people have access to young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected from environmental hazards. For example, 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. For example, a risk assessment of the premises is in place, staff carry out weekly fire alarm testing and monthly fire drill and gas and electric tests are carried out by the relevant professionals.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The newly updated Statement of Purpose clearly highlights the service’s aims and objectives. The young people's guide provides information about the facilities available to them. The service has a consistent commitment to improving equality and diversity in practice. The local authority has comprehensive policies and procedures on equality and diversity in order to improve its practices in the delivery of services. Staff support young people to make personal choices and to access community resources. Staff have attended equality and diversity training and have a good understanding of young people’s dietary, religious and cultural needs.

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Leadership and management

Young people receive care from a well-supported staff team. The Registered Manager, resource manager, deputy manager and senior residential workers are well qualified and have a number of years of management experience.

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Leadership and management

The home has an effective staff team which provides consistency and continuity in delivering care and support to young people. Sufficient numbers of staff are on duty at all times to meet the needs of the young people effectively. The Registered Manager reviews staffing levels in accordance with the assessed needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

There are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home. Registered provider visits take place on time and the manager monitors the home’s and young people’s records and the quality of care. The home has acted upon the previous requirement.

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Leadership and management

The home is adequately resourced. Managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The service is in the process of recruiting a deputy manager and a residential care worker for the night shift. Current vacant posts are currently being covered by agency staff.

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Leadership and management

The home is committed to the professional development of their staff. Staff attend in-house and external training, such as child protection, health and safety, administration of medication, first aid, food hygiene, team teach, manual handling and undertake National Vocational Qualifications at level 3. 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 always receive supervision. Regular staff meetings and daily handovers are held which promote communication between the staff team.

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Leadership and management

Each young person has a permanent, private and secure record of their history, development and progress throughout their childhood. This helps young people to reflect on and understand their history and allows them to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time in the placement.

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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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