Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Durham

Unique reference number SC423407 Inspection date 17/06/2013 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 28/11/2012 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

The home accommodates up to eight children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and is owned by a private company. It is dually registered with the Department for Education as an independent boarding school.

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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 home provides excellent levels of care and support to young people who are vulnerable and have complex needs. Good, consistent management and trusting relationships combine to help keep young people safe from abuse or exploitation. In addition, young people have made very good progress since their admission. They continue to develop an awareness and understanding of how to keep themselves safe, they are continuing to develop socially acceptable behaviour and their self- confidence and self-esteem is improving. The atmosphere within the home is relaxed, very friendly and supportive. The young people are friendly, polite and demonstrate a great sense of humour.

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Overall effectiveness

All young people are fully supported to attend school. Those who have finished their statutory education are encouraged to look for work or to continue into further education. Staff at the home encourage young people to have high aspirations for themselves and to work hard toward achieving them. Young people have a wide choice of leisure activities; physical, cultural, sporting, or simply recreational. This helps to keep them occupied and provides them with opportunities to acquire confidence and take pleasure in their achievements.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas identified for improvement relate to: the home’s admissions and discharge register; records of medication administered; records of sanctions used to help modify behaviour; pathway planning and reviews of placement plans. These have not directly impacted on the safety and welfare 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) maintain in the children's home the records specified in Schedule 4 with particular reference to those relating to young people (Regulation 29 (1), Schedule 4 (1)) 30/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in respect of each child who is accommodated in a children's home the records specified in schedule 3. (Regulation 28 (1), Schedule 3) 30/08/2013

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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 that there is an accurate record of all medication, treatment and first aid given to children during their placement (NMS 6.15)  liaise with the child's responsible authority and their independent reviewing officer where applicable, about the progress of the child's readiness to move to any future accommodation where they would expect to take on greater responsibility and personal independence (NMS 12.3)  ensure that the result of all statutory reviews and reviews of placement plans are recorded on the child's file, and individuals responsible for pursuing actions at the home arising from reviews are clearly identified. (NMS 25.8)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people living at the home receive individualised help and support, which helps them to learn new things and to experience new activities. Examples of such activities include learning to drive, playing the guitar, trips to the cinema or going to local restaurants for meals. One young person said, ‘this is the best home I’ve ever lived in. I’ve lived in quite a few and this one is like The Ritz compared to some of the others. We get to do loads of different things and the staff are great.’ Involvement in new activities and learning new things helps young people to grow in confidence and improve their self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are involved in regular formal meetings with staff about the care they receive and the running of the home. Written records show that the content of these meetings regularly focuses on how young people can keep themselves safe, the importance of healthy living, activities they would like to try and the food they would like to eat. One young person said, ’I love it here. I know staff listen to me and care about me. I don’t ever want to leave.’ Staff also meet informally with young people during mealtimes and while watching television. Young people were observed to speak openly and freely during mealtimes about a range of different subjects. Staff actively listen to young people and their opinions are borne in mind. Young people are able to influence how the home is run.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Each young person has a key worker and meetings between keyworkers and young people take place at regular intervals. The content of discussions between key workers and young people is recorded. This means that the key working system is effective in helping young people to achieve their agreed goals, to develop new ones and to keep themselves safe.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Members of staff display a warm, supportive and committed approach to caring for young people. Staff offer sound advice and support on how to stay healthy, fit and well. Young people are all registered with local primary health care providers, and any young people who are ill or suffer accidents are quickly attended to. Some young people harm themselves at times of stress or anxiety. Staff are always on hand to support young people during these periods and the frequency at which young people have self-harmed is reducing. This means that the health of the young people is fully safeguarded and they are learning appropriate coping mechanisms to deal with their individual anxieties.

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Outcomes for children and young people

All young people are supported to develop a positive self-image and to be aware of their own personal needs. They receive a consistent level of help and support to learn new things and to develop their independence. Within the home, young people are encouraged to take part in budgeting, shopping for food items, meal preparation and to prepare their own snacks. The home has a structured programme for teaching young people daily living skills. This will help to equip them with the practical skills necessary to take care of themselves. One young person said ’I’m due to leave in a couple of weeks’ time and I’ve only just found out about it. I know where I’m going but I don’t know all the details. I’m very nervous about it.’ Young people who are old enough do not have pathway plans in place. Comprehensive pathway planning is essential if young people are to receive the help and support they need to make a successful transition into adulthood.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The further education and training of young people living at the home is both promoted and actively supported by all staff. Young people are encouraged to undertake both vocational and non-vocational courses of study and to look for work. One young person spoken to said,’ I’m going to do 'A' levels at college. I know what I want to do as a career and when I’ve done my 'A' levels I hope to go on and study at university.' Regular attendance at school, further education, training or employment helps young people to learn new things and to achieve their maximum potential. Staff actively support young people in their aspirations and celebrate their success. This helps young people to develop their confidence, self-esteem and improves their life chances.

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Quality of care

The home provides a very enthusiastic and supportive environment in which young people can develop both physically and emotionally. Placement plans and the assessment of the individual needs of young people have been carried out by placing authorities prior to young people moving into the home. In addition, the home has developed its own placement plans for meeting the needs of young people. This means that staff know what the assessed needs of young people are and how they can be met.

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Quality of care

Regular monitoring and review of the care provided to young people takes place. This enables staff to evaluate the care they provide, to be aware of the changing needs of young people and to act quickly to meet those changing needs. However, written records of all statutory reviews undertaken are not available within the home. A formal record which shows how decisions have been made and who is responsible for carrying them out is not known. This means that important decisions affecting the lives of young people may not be carried out.

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Quality of care

Young people talk freely and openly with staff and know that their opinions are really listened to. Within the home there is a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Staff promote a positive culture where young people are able to participate in a wide range of activities. This helps young people to develop their confidence.

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Quality of care

The home has a detailed admissions process for young people. Members of staff are fully committed to ensuring each young person enjoys a positive experience while living at the home and is able to develop both physically and emotionally. One young person's social worker said, 'my young person has settled in really well. I visited recently and she was keen to show me around. She made some very positive comments.' Where at all possible, young people are encouraged to visit the home prior to admission in order to meet staff members, any other young people living there, to ask any questions they may have and to familiarise themselves with their surroundings. This process helps to overcome any anxieties the young person may have and to ensure the home can meet their needs.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy living in a rural area with good communication and transport links to larger towns and cities. Each young person has their own bedroom and they are encouraged to make them as comfortable and personal as possible. There is a television in the lounge where young people can relax. The home also has a dining area where members of staff and young people can socialise and enjoy a meal together. In all, the home provides a bright and extremely comfortable, pleasant environment for young people to enjoy.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Individual dietary needs are catered for and members of staff have undergone training in safe food hygiene. Each young person has written consent forms in place in order for members of staff to administer medication or first aid where this is necessary. Written records for the administration of controlled medication are accurate. However, the records also contain several amendments and changes particularly to the total balance of medication retained. Amendments and changes has resulted, in places, to the records being unclear. Members of staff have also had training in the safe handling and administration of medication. The welfare of young people is, therefore, safeguarded.

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Quality of care

Relationships between members of staff and young people were observed to be very warm and friendly. Members of staff actively strive to provide an environment in which young people can be happy and flourish. Young people spoken to said, ‘The home’s great.’ One young person said, ‘I’m not leaving here. They’ll have to drag me out when I have to go I like it here so much.’ Young people make very good progress and are happy living at the home.

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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

There are systems in place within the home to safeguard young people and young people themselves said they felt safe and looked after. One young person’s social worker said, ‘this was the last chance for her. She’s been there a little while and already she’s presenting as being quite different. She’s not on the phone every day asking to be moved. This is a very positive development.’ There have been several occasions since the last inspection when a young person has been missing. Written records show that staff have acted very quickly in trying to locate the young person concerned and to ensure their welfare. In addition, records show that the number of occasions when young people go missing has dramatically reduced. This means that young people are developing a more responsible attitude toward their own safety and staff are proactive in keeping them safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The manager and all members of staff are trained in safeguarding and receive refresher training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. This helps to ensure they are both confident and competent in dealing with any safeguarding issues should they arise.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Positive behaviour is actively encouraged within the home and young people are supported to take responsibility for their actions. Restorative techniques are promoted in favour of punitive measures such as sanctions and restraint. The number of rewards given to young people for displaying a responsible attitude and positive behaviour far out ways the number of sanctions given for negative behaviour. Written records relating to sanctions and rewards given to young people are not routinely recorded on each young person’s file. This means that a full record of each young person’s life at the home is not retained. There have been a small number of occasions since the last full inspection when a young person has been held or restrained. Written records relating to these incidents have been completed appropriately and are retained securely. The home's manager carries out regular checks of the home's fire systems, smoke

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Safeguarding children and young people

detectors and emergency lighting. Young people take part in fire drills and the time at which fire drills take place are fully recorded. Young people live in a safe environment because the home has a systematic approach to risk management. Health and safety risk assessments are clear, focused and regularly reviewed. Regular checks of electrical equipment also take place.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been several new appointments to the staff team since the last full inspection. The home has clear recruitment policies and procedures in place and staff personnel files contain sufficient information to fully meet national minimum standards and regulations. This helps to ensure young people are looked after by suitable people and that they are protected from potential abuse.

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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 home's manager is an experienced, competent professional who provides clear leadership. Staff members are fully motivated and are encouraged to create new opportunities for the young people living at the home. One staff member said, ‘we went out hiking last week which was a lot of fun. We get to do loads of different things with the young people and they seem to enjoy it.’ The home meets the aims and objectives set out in its Statement of Purpose which fully complies with national minimum standards and regulations. Placing authorities know precisely what the home sets out to do and how young people placed there are being looked after.

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Leadership and management

The home has an admissions and discharge register to record who has been admitted to the home and how long they have lived there. However, the precise addresses of where young people have lived prior to admission and on leaving the home are not recorded. This does not provide the record required and does not contribute to a sufficient understanding of the young person’s life.

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Leadership and management

The home’s manager provides daily support to the staff team and regular formal supervision. This helps staff members to know what is expected of them and to feel supported in their work. One member of staff spoken to said, 'I think we have great support here. We support each other and the manager is always around if we need to speak to her as well.’ Young people receive consistent care from a well-supported staff team. Members of staff understand each young person’s individual strengths and needs. Working practices are consistent and enable young people to feel safe and develop both physically and emotionally. This helps young people to achieve their full potential and to increase their self-esteem.

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Leadership and management

The organisation demonstrates a commitment to training all staff by in ensuring their training is kept up to date. This helps to ensure staff members retain the skills and competencies they have and encourages them to develop new ones.

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Leadership and management

Young people live in a home that is well managed. The home's manager has systems in place to ensure that the quality of care is regularly monitored. Problem areas which may be identified are quickly highlighted and swift action is taken. The manager has a development plan for the home. The manager and staff know what the strengths and weaknesses of the home are and what improvements they wish to make.

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Leadership and management

Young people's files are detailed and well ordered. Written information retained within the home provides an extensive record of each young person's life there as well as the help and support carried out by staff.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring visits from someone independent of the home take place every month. The person undertaking these visits talks, where possible, to staff and young people. In addition, and where possible, the visiting officer talks with the parents or relatives of young people themselves. These visits help to ensure that the home is run properly and that young people are well cared for. In addition, the knowledge and understanding of parents and staff about what strategies may work to help young people develop their independence and mature is borne in mind.

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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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