Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Senad Group Limited in Derbyshire

Unique reference number SC404596 Inspection date 02/07/2013 Inspector Amanda Ellis / Caroline Oldham Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 24/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned service forms part of a residential school. It accommodates up to 56 young people who have communication difficulties or are diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder.

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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

Young people make good progress in relation to their starting points and thrive in a supportive environment. Effective care planning systems are in place and young people receive individualised care and guidance from staff.

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Overall effectiveness

The committed, stable and well-trained staff team work hard to enable young people to reach their full potential. Young people benefit from opportunities to learn new skills and try out a range of stimulating activities. This helps to increase young people's self-esteem.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have positive views about their care. They are able to reflect on how they have benefited from their placement and support at this home. Relationships between young people and staff are good.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe and report that they feel safe. Safeguarding practices are robust. Where young people engage in risk-taking behaviours staff are proactive in collaborating with a range of professionals to manage risk. The well-being of individual young people is at the centre of their practice.

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Overall effectiveness

Leadership and management arrangements are strong. Robust systems ensure that internal and external monitoring provides a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas for improvement include supporting young people to record their views within incident records, improved medication recording and ensuring that the content of keyworker sessions reflects care planning.

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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

17B (2001) ensure that where a measure of control, physical intervention or discipline takes place, the person authorised by the registered provider to make the record has spoken to the child concerned about the use of the measure. (Regulation 17B (3)(h)) 02/08/2013

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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 all children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support, with specific regard to enabling and recording young person's meetings (NMS 1.3)  ensure each child’s Placement Plan is monitored by a key worker within the home who ensures that the requirements of the plan are implemented in the day-to- day care of that child, with regard to ensuring keyworker sessions reflect care planning (NMS 25.2)  ensure a written record of all medication, treatment and first aid given to children during their placement, including staff signatures. (NMS 6.15)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make good progress in understanding their background and developing a sense of identity. They acquire a more positive self-view and improved emotional resilience. They develop trusting relationships with staff and significant others. Outcomes for young people improve because they receive stability of care delivered by a skilled staff team.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s health and well-being are promoted because the home provides an environment where their holistic health needs are met. Staff are knowledgeable and aware of individual needs. Young people receive routine health care to ensure they have good health outcomes. Young people with specific health issues receive appropriate support and care to meet their needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The educational achievement and attendance of young people is good. Young people value education and are aware of the importance of education in securing positive transitions to adulthood. This means young people work hard and make positive plans for their futures.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people actively engage in making a positive contribution to the wider community. For instance, young people participate in fund raising activities for charities. This means they exercise social responsibility and engage with wider society. They contribute to the home with activities including gardening. Some young people undertake work experience in the home's refectory and kitchens. As a result of positive engagement, young people have the opportunity to engage in new experiences, learn new skills and grow in confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from contact with family and important people in their lives. The staff team collaborate with professionals and families and promote positive contact for young people in line with the arrangements agreed in their individual care plans. This supports young people in maintaining their personal identity and emotional security.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people acquire practical life skills to prepare them for adult life. The home are good at preparing young people to develop the skills, knowledge and experience which are essential for adult life. Staff endeavour to ensure that young people are equipped with the necessary skills to enable successful transitions, thus ensuring improved life chances and outcomes.

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Quality of care

Young people receive a good quality of care at the home. Staff demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm to their work. Young people make good progress because of the quality of the care they receive. They develop warm and constructive relationships with the staff team and with each other. Young people describe staff as ‘really good fun’, ‘brilliant’, ‘always listens to me and sorts things out.’ Young people thrive because they have effective relationships with staff.

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Quality of care

Young people’s care includes the involvement of a range of professionals, including education, care and therapeutic staff. Staff are proactive in collaborating with external agencies. This ensures exceptionally effective partnerships. One social worker commented, ‘I rely heavily on the home to communicate any changes. The skill mix with the staff is excellent!’

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Quality of care

Consultation with young people is frequently informal, with direct one-to-one discussion and regular group discussion. Young people confirm that participation of young people in the running of the home is a routine element of its functioning. However, the lack of written records means that it is difficult to monitor how young people are involved and consulted in regards to all aspects of their care.

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Quality of care

Young people receive a guide which contains information on their care, advocacy, contacts and the details for Ofsted. Young people know how to make a complaint to staff and outside agencies. Young people say that they feel listened to and that their views taken into consideration. When complaints are made they are dealt with in line with the home's policy.

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Quality of care

Care and placement plans are comprehensive, detailed and up to date. Plans are reviewed regularly and consistently and are audited by the manager. This provides staff with clarity to provide effective support to children. However, keyworker sessions do not sufficiently reflect how care planning is implemented in day-to-day care. This means monitoring of the progression of care plans is difficult, due to the lack of written evidence.

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Quality of care

Young people receive care which meets their physical, emotional and psychological health needs. Staff work with a wide range of professionals who confirm that staff are proactive in supporting them to meet their health needs. One professional commented ‘They provide very tailored care to meet the young person’s behavioural, emotional and health needs.’ Medication is securely stored within the home. Records are maintained for the administration of medication, however, some inconsistencies with recording fails to ensure accurate and up-to-date records. This could potentially lead to mistakes in the administration of medication.

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Quality of care

The home is committed to all young people attending and achieving in school. All young people are engaged in educational provision. Educational plans are developed to ensure young people can be supported to achieve their full potential, whether within vocational or academic studies. This means all young people develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to improve outcomes for leaving care.

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Quality of care

The home is well resourced and provides an excellent range of on-site sports facilities such as a climbing wall, squash courts, tennis courts, swimming pool and gym. Young people benefit from access to stimulating activities and staff who are trained to support young people in these facilities. This means the home is good at ensuring young people access purposeful activities, which enables them to build self- esteem and gain new skills.

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Quality of care

The home is spacious, homely, well decorated and maintained. The accommodation provides space for privacy and communal activity. It is in a rural area within its own large grounds.

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Quality of care

The integration of equality and diversity is a key feature of the home. The staff team demonstrate a firm commitment to assessing and understanding the individual needs of all young people. Young people are encouraged to understand their own individuality and to respect and celebrate the diversity of others.

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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 articulate clearly that they feel safe. One young person said ‘Honestly it’s great - it’s the safest place I have ever felt away from home. This is very important to me.’ Managers and staff demonstrate sound understanding of safeguarding procedures and processes, and implement these efficiently when necessary.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staffing levels are appropriate to ensure that all young people benefit from sufficient supervision and support. This means young people are kept safe and are protected from harm as far as possible.

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Safeguarding children and young people

It is extremely rare that young people go missing. The home has clear procedures in place to notify the relevant bodies in the event of a young person missing from care. Staff have a thorough understanding of the relevant policies and procedures and implement them when necessary. This combined with strong and effective relationships with local police, ensures prompt and effective action is taken to safeguard young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff manage difficult or challenging behaviour effectively and proportionately. Physical interventions are used as a last resort when a young person is placing themselves or others at risk. All staff are trained in appropriate techniques to de- escalate situations and restrain young people if absolutely necessary. A small number of sanctions are recorded. Records demonstrate that these sanctions are considered and fair. However the recording of such incidents is not in line with regulatory requirements, insofar as not recording the views of the young people concerned.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from individualised and detailed risk assessment. Young people’s changing behaviours are reviewed and risk assessments altered to meet their current needs. This means they are able to take age-appropriate risks in line with agreed care plans.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff recruitment practices ensure that staff employed to work in the home experience a rigorous selection process prior to taking up their positions. The staff team has remained stable, with relatively few new recruits. This ensures consistency and continuity for the young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Health and safety is a priority of the home, with rigorous maintenance procedures in place. Robust monitoring of visitors to the home further ensures the protection of young people from potential harm.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good . Leadership and management arrangements for the home are robust. The Registered Manager is an experienced and knowledgeable professional who is dedicated to ensuring all young people achieve the best possible outcomes.

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Leadership and management

There were two requirements set at the last inspection. Notifications are made as required to notify relevant agencies, including Ofsted, of significant events to ensure the protection of young people. And staff have vigorously pursued local authorities in ensuring all plans for young people are agreed and signed.

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Leadership and management

The key strengths of the home are the range of skills, commitment and dedication which the staff team make to the delivery of the service. The staff team are stable, dedicated and have solid experience. This means that young people receive robust and safe care.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from effective management and monitoring of the home. The Registered Manager undertakes rigorous routine monitoring activities, in addition to the independent monitoring visits by independent visitors. These systems ensure that young people receive a consistently high quality of care. Young people and stakeholders routinely feedback their views on the care provided and outcomes achieved to inform potential improvements and shape the service.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager is able to demonstrate how the quality of care provided to young people has improved their life chances. The review of placements enables the monitoring of improvements and how they are meeting their own targets. The strengths and weaknesses of the home are recognised by the Registered Manager and are used to inform future practice.

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Leadership and management

Staff benefit from excellent training. They are provided with a range of occupational and vocational training which underpins their practice. Staff also receive training to complete outdoor activity courses to enable staff to lead activities with young people. All staff are suitably qualified and receive regular, good quality supervision. They confirm that they are able to seek advice and support when necessary.

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Leadership and management

Young people’s records are clear, up to date and stored securely, therefore ensuring that records contribute to an understanding of their lives. Young people are being encouraged to participate in work to record their time at the home.

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Leadership and management

The staff and management team continues to demonstrate a high commitment to delivering exceptional standards of care to children and young people. The home demonstrates a strong capacity for continuing improvement based on its track record and performance since the last inspection.

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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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