Children's Home run by Fairfield Residential Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Unique reference number SC397987 Inspection date 31/07/2013 Inspector Louise Redfern Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 26/02/2013 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

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide accommodation for up to two children with learning 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people experience positive outcomes in all key aspects of their lives. They benefit from being looked after in a home by a committed and stable Registered Manager and team, sufficient in number to provide a good quality service.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are looked after safely in this service. The Registered Manager liaises effectively with a range of agencies. She ensures that young people have the opportunity to try new experiences and supported to maintain strong family links. Young people's individual needs are central to the running of the service and care planning reflects this focus.

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Overall effectiveness

One requirement is made concerning the need to ensure two references are available for each member of staff. The Registered Manager took steps to rectify this at inspection. One recommendation was made in relation to the whole staff team completing an annual appraisal. These shortfalls currently have no impact on outcomes for 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 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to all staff member in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2, this is in relation to two references being made available. (Regulation 26(3)(d) schedule 2(3)) 30/09/2013

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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 staff have their performance individually and formally appraised at least annually and this appraisal takes into account any views of the children the service is providing for. (NMS 19.6)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make exceptional progress in all aspects of their development. They are settled, and as a consequence their behaviour remains stable. This in turn impacts on their ability to form and sustain positive relationships with their peers, their family members and the staff. A social worker commented, 'X has made significant progress and I know the family are particularly pleased with the progress of their child.' Young people have made significant progress in their social interactions. For example, young people who previously waited to eat until everyone had finished their food now sit at the table and eat meals with staff and other young people. A parent said her child had, ‘Come on significantly and that is because of the individual attention given to them by the staff team.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy good health and attend regular and specific health appointments. They have a healthy diet and engage in lots of physical activity in the home and in the local community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have exceptional attendance at educational placements suitable to their individual learning needs. Staff facilitate attendance and consistently liaise with education providers, ensuring that communication is current and robust. Consequently, contributions are effectively made to care planning arrangements. This means that young people benefit from an integrated approach to sustaining and progressing in their education.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community in a variety of ways. They make choices about all aspects of their lives, such as what they want to do, what they want to eat and what clothes they want to buy. They take part in a wide variety of activities such as using local cinemas, going on holiday, shopping and using local parks and leisure facilities. This enables them to feel an important part of the community, access new and different experiences, develop their skills, and boost their self-esteem and confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Positive contact arrangements are maintained with family members, who visit very regularly and are made welcome in the home. This ensures that the visits are positive experiences for all involved and enables young people to maintain their sense of identity and belonging.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are very well prepared for their transition to adult services. They develop their independence skills in all respects. For example, they make significant progress in their self-care, such as learning to shave independently, assisting with their laundry and other domestic tasks.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy positive and constructive relationships with staff. This is because staff are consistently concerned with young people’s welfare and quality time is spent between young people and staff. Effective relationships are established between parents and the home to ensure continuity of care for young people. A good relationship with the young people’s school ensures effective communication and support. Staff attend regular school meetings supporting young people to reach their potential.

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Quality of care

The Registered Manager and staff have good links with local health services and good communication has ensured that relevant information is sought and used to inform care plans. Systems for administration of medication are strong and robust. Young people take an active part in menu and activity planning.

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in line with their individual in house and statutory placement plan. There is an excellent awareness across the staff team of individual young people's care and support needs. Detailed planning means that young people are treated as individuals and equality and diversity issues are positively addressed. For example, young people are supported to attend monthly sessions with other young people placed in the company’s other homes. This means that they are able to access appropriate forums to develop safe independent friendships.

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Quality of care

Staff use a range of individual communication systems with young people which enables them to contribute to the care they receive. For example, young people know how to access the complaints system because it is included in the revised young person’s guide in a format which they now understand.

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Quality of care

The home facilitates a range of activities including attending local youth clubs, swimming sessions, bike riding in a local park with specially adapted cycles and going on holidays. In the home, young people enjoy singing, using a touch screen computer, sensory toys and individually developed sensory activities. These activities improve confidence, social skills, and participation in the community. The home is well personalised. For example, photographs of the young people engaging in activities and celebrating their achievements are displayed throughout the home.

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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 are safe and well cared for. There are clear safeguarding procedures in place should young people go missing and staff are clear how to respond. However, due to the nature of young people, and effective staff support, there have been no episodes of young people going missing.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Sanctions are not imposed at the home; staff focus is on rewarding positive behaviour. There have been no episodes of young people being physically restrained since the last inspection. Since the last inspection all staff have been fully trained in physically intervention techniques.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans are in place to protect young people from harm and promote their well-being and safety. Risk assessments enable young people to continue to take reasonable risks, wherever possible, ensuring that they have the opportunity to grow and develop, regardless of their disability.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff understand the procedures to follow if safeguarding concerns arise, including working effectively with external agencies, such as social workers and Local Authority Designated Officer to minimise risk and safeguard the welfare of young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home's recruitment procedures are mostly consistently applied and safeguard young people from having contact with unsuitable adults. One minor shortfall was found in relation to one member of staff not having two references on file. The risks posed to young people as a result of this were minimised as a result of a verified and satisfactory reference from their previous employer and a current criminal record check. The Registered Manager took steps to rectify this at inspection.

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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 Registered Manager ensures that the home is well-maintained, appropriately staffed and resourced, and that the home is meeting the objectives of its Statement of Purpose. The Registered Manager and staff have excellent working relationships with key professionals in other agencies. Placing social workers comment positively on the frequency and the quality of information exchanged.

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Leadership and management

High staffing levels meet the individual needs of young people. This enables young people to have the attention they require on an individual basis and for the home to run smoothly. Young people’s files are well maintained in the home and contribute to an understanding of their lives. The Registered Manager can clearly demonstrate the impact and value that living at the home has had on young people’s lives and how their life chances have improved over time. For example, this includes young people’s verbal communication skills significantly improving and their willingness to walk unaided in the community.

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Leadership and management

Young people are supported by staff who confirm that they receive sufficient training, supervision, team meetings and appraisals to carry out their work safely with young people. However, the Registered Manager does not have a current appraisal.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has taken action to address all requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection. As a result, the outcomes for young people have significantly improved. The children’s guide is now specific to the home and provides individualised information for each young person. Young people are making significant progress in developing practical skills in personal self-care, given their individual starting points. The Registered Manager undertakes regular and thorough review of the quality of care in the home, which is sent to Ofsted and has implemented a development plan. This means the Registered Manager can demonstrate how the home intends to review and improve the quality of care to young people. The arrangements for the disposal of sanitary waste has been reviewed and which means there is no longer a health and safety risk to young people and staff. All staff have completed training in the use of restraint in line with

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Leadership and management

the organisation’s policy. Verification of references is now recorded in more detail which means that the home can demonstrate the decision making about an applicant’s suitability. These effective actions demonstrate an on-going commitment to improving the provision.

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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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