Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Nottinghamshire

Unique reference number SC454901 Inspection date 12/06/2013 Inspector Judith Longden Type of inspection Full 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 privately owned children’s home offers care for up to five young people with emotional and/or 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

The home provides an adequate quality of care which is planned and based on the needs of the individual young people. However, young people's care plans are not always updated or signed and the wording of records is not always expressed in a non-stigmatising manner. Young people are involved in their care and the running of the home and have sound relationships with staff and each other.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are achieving good outcomes in all areas especially in relation to their education and opportunities for learning new skills and developing confidence through leisure activities.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are kept safe and feel safe in the home. The number of incidents of young people going missing or absent has increased but young people are protected as far as possible when absent from the home. Behaviour is well managed and continues to improve. Staff are trained in restraint but there have been no incidents of physical intervention.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are cared for by a motivated staff team with various skills and experience. A range of training is provided that is relevant to the needs of young people. Staff supervision is not currently provided in accordance with staff contracts and shift leaders do not always have substantial experience of working in the home. The manager monitors the quality of care provided, understands the areas of weaknesses and has a development plan in place.

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Overall effectiveness

There are three breaches of regulation and four failures to meet national minimum standards as a result of this inspection. These relate to the updating and signing of plans, notifications to Ofsted, supervision of staff, quality of recording, maintenance of the home and experience of senior staff. However these do not significantly impact negatively on the welfare or safety of young people.

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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 (Regulation 27 (4)(a)) 09/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in respect of each child who is accommodated in a children's home a record in permanent form which is kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each written entry (Regulation 28 (1)(b) and(c)) 09/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that if, in relation to a children's home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 30 (1)) 09/08/2013

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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 where sanctions are used children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3.18)  provide a comfortable and homely environment that is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure staff members who are placed in charge of the home and other staff at particular times (e.g. as leaders of staff shifts) have substantial relevant experience of working in the home (NMS 17.5)  ensure entries in records are legible, clearly expressed, non-stigmatising and distinguish as far as possible between fact, opinion and third party information. (NMS 22.4)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are good . Young people make good progress in achieving positive outcomes in all areas especially education and opportunities for learning new skills through a range of leisure activities. This has resulted in increased confidence and self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people generally enjoy good health. They benefit from a healthy diet and variety of food. They contribute to menu planning and are encouraged to try new foods. A variety of leisure activities such as cycling and the local gym promote active and healthy lifestyles for young people. Staff work hard to help young people understand the risks associated with smoking, drugs and alcohol and for the majority of young people their risk taking in relation to health is reducing. Some young people have requested access to smoking cessation courses and drugs support workers and this means they are taking responsibility for their own health.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are achieving good attendance at school and good attainments in their education given their starting points. One young person had not received any education for four years prior to coming to the home earlier this year but has recently completed their examinations and is expected to achieve good results. Young people due to leave school are discussing their options with staff in order to continue to achieve their educational potential. Young people also enjoy a range of activities that provide challenging experiences and help them develop new skills and grow in confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from appropriate contact with those people who are important to them. Staff actively promote contact arrangements and where arrangements are changed or disrupted they support the young people to understand the changes.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people working on independence programmes are encouraged to make their own contact arrangements in order to develop their confidence. In addition they learn practical skills such as shopping, cooking and laundry. As a result young people receive care to help them prepare for adulthood.

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Quality of care

Young people experience sound care management procedures. Placement and care plans identify the individual needs of young people and provide objectives for their care. However, these plans are not always updated with significant events, such as hospital visits, and some alterations are not dated or signed. In addition the wording of records is not always expressed in a non-stigmatising manner. This means the records and plans do not always evidence the changes in the care or sufficiently reflect the daily care provided.

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Quality of care

Young people are aware of how to complain and are kept informed of action taken to address their complaint. This means they are aware their issues are taken seriously. Young people participate in house meetings where they discuss issues and share ideas. These are responded to by the manager. Young people make good use of key work sessions and enjoy generally sound relationships with staff. One young person said, 'It's OK here and staff are good.' This enables them to feel confident to share their views. As a result young people have some influence on their care and how the home operates.

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Quality of care

Young people have access to a variety of health professionals including support workers to help them address their use of alcohol and drugs. This has resulted in a significant decrease in the use of cannabis for some young people. Staff work hard to promote the benefits of regular health appointments, particularly in relation to attending the dentist. Staff have a first aid qualification and are trained in the safe administration of medication. Written records of medication administered are kept as required. This means the arrangements for dealing with medication are safe and effective.

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Quality of care

Staff encourage young people to take part in a variety of activities and have linked with the local police officer for ideas for events and activities over the summer holidays. This means staff promote the opportunity for young people to experience new activities and develop new skills.

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Quality of care

Young people are supported to be involved in their education. For example one young person has designed a cooking activity that incorporates both English and Mathematics whilst providing a challenging and exciting project that interests them and encourages them to engage in their education. Staff are proactive in identifying alternative education projects such as courses on a local farm. As a result, young people are supported to achieve their educational potential through a variety of educational opportunities.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a home that is safe and provides ample space for young people to socialise and to be on their own. Maintenance issues are reported but are not always dealt with in a timely manner. This means the environment does not always provide a homely feel. The home is reasonably close to local amenities and leisure facilities providing a range of opportunities for young people.

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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

Young people say they feel safe in the home and that bullying is less than it used to be. This is because the home has a very good anti-bullying policy and proactive strategies to counter bullying. Any incidents are discussed with individuals in key work sessions and in group house meetings. This means previous incidents of bullying have been dealt with promptly and effectively. As a result young people are protected from bullying and have a sense of safety in the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are supported to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Staff implement a positive behaviour management strategy based on establishing sound relationships, consistent boundaries and positive reinforcement. Consequences for negative behaviour are recorded but do not always include a comment by young people. This means the effectiveness of the consequence is not always evident for the young people. Staff are trained in behaviour management and physical intervention. They effectively use a number of techniques to de-escalate incidents and as a result there has been no use of physical intervention. Young people say, 'Staff talk to us instead.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a range of policies and procedures for safeguarding practices. Staff are trained in safeguarding and are clear on their role in the safeguarding process. Young people are protected from unsuitable people gaining employment by a good recruitment process. Visitors to the home are asked to sign in and identification is checked. This further ensures young people are protected from significant harm. A range of proportionate risk assessments enable young people to experience new challenges and develop new skills whilst remaining safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are aware of the dangers young people may be exposed to when absent from the home and the safety of vulnerable young people is a high priority. The home has positive relationships with the local police and a good missing from care procedure and protocol. Staff work with young people to explain the risks associated with going missing and discuss their absence on their return. This ensures young people are protected as far as possible. However, the incidents of young people missing and absent has risen in recent weeks. Staff discuss the reasons why this may be and provide alternative activities for young people to encourage them to stay at the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Fire drills are held and fire alarm systems are checked as required. A range of risk assessments are in place for the building and equipment. Health and safety checks are carried out as required. As a result the building is safe and appropriately secure and young people are protected from harm.

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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

Young people live in a home that has continued to develop since it was registered in November 2012. The Registered Manager is developing skills and confidence in managing the home and is supported by their peers and a strong regional team. The Registered Manager has applied for enrolment on the appropriate course in order to gain the qualifications required to continue to deliver an improving service.

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Leadership and management

As a result of this inspection three requirements and four recommendations are made. However, these shortfalls do not significantly impact on the welfare or safety of young people.

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Leadership and management

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development for the home and has a good development plan in place. Staff are clear about the objectives of the home and provide a service for young people in line with the home's Statement of Purpose. The home provides each young person with a young person's guide which details the service offered and has space for individual notes and important telephone numbers for each young person. This ensures young people are clear about the care and service provided. Staff at the home have positive relationships, and work in partnership, with other agencies including the police, health and education. This provides an effective and efficient service for young people.

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Leadership and management

Young people are cared for by a motivated staff team who bring a variety of skills and experience to the service. The staff rota ensures young people's needs are met through the provision of sufficient staffing in terms of numbers, however, on a recent occasion, the shift leader did not have substantial experience of working in this particular home. This is a recommendation to ensure young people continue to have their needs met by a sufficiently experienced staff team.

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Leadership and management

Staff are able to continue to develop their knowledge and skills through a range of training opportunities to enhance their competency and enable them to deliver an improved service for young people. Staff benefit from a good handover procedure and regular staff meetings. These offer support for staff and ensure continuity in the service to young people. However, formal supervision is not delivered in accordance with staff supervision contracts. This could indicate that staff are not adequately supported.

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Leadership and management

The home has effective procedures for monitoring the quality of the service provided and the welfare of the young people. The registered provider undertakes visits to the home in accordance with regulations and carries out checks to ensure the welfare of young people is monitored. The registered provider consults with young people to identify any areas for development to improve the quality of care provided. The manager monitors records kept by the home to identify any concerns and provides a review of care to Ofsted as required. As a result young people are consulted about the quality of care they receive and how effectively their needs are met and their welfare and protection is monitored.

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Leadership and management

There have been two significant events relating to the welfare of young people in the home. However, one was not notified to Ofsted as required. The Registered Manager had prepared the relevant notification but it was not sent as it was believed it did not meet the relevant criteria.

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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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