Children's Home run by Care Haven (UK) Limited in Stockport

Unique reference number SC065374 Inspection date 07/08/2013 Inspector Louise Redfern Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 27/02/2013 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 is a private children's home that provides care and accommodation 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people experience positive outcomes in key aspects of their lives. They benefit from being looked after in a home with strong management and a stable staff team, sufficient in number to provide a good quality service. Young people comment, ‘The staff are the best thing about this home it’s 10 out of 10.’

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are looked after safely in this service. The Registered Manager liaises effectively with a wide range of agencies. Young people's individual needs are central to the running of the service and care planning reflects this focus. Monitoring of the home's performance enables the Registered Manager to identify the service's strengths and areas for development. This ensures young people continue to enjoy good quality care.

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Overall effectiveness

Two requirements and two recommendations have been made to secure further improvement in the home. The identified shortfalls do not currently impact on the outcomes or 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) ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to all staff members in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2, this is in relation to a full employment history Regulation 26(3)(d) schedule 2(6)) 20/09/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the system in place to monitor matters set out in schedule 6 shall provide for consultation with parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34 (3)) 20/09/2013

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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 that when only one member of staff is on duty at any time, a risk assessment has been carried out and recorded in writing, identifying any likely risks to children staff and members of the public (NMS 17.9)  ensure that there is a system in place to notify within 24 hours the persons and appropriate authorities of the occurrence of significant events in accordance with Regulation 30. (NMS 24.1)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Given their starting points on admission to the home, young people enjoy good outcomes. One young person commented, ‘I don’t recognise myself sometimes, I have really changed for the better. I used to be naughty but now I am good.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's educational development and achievement is good in relation to their starting points. They have excellent attendance at school. Staff use their knowledge and understanding of young people to identify trigger points and effectively manage behaviour. They communicate well with young people and avoid escalation of poor behaviour by following individualised behaviour management plans, discussion and good humour.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy healthy lifestyles by engaging in positive activities, such as training with a local basketball team and visiting local parks. As a result, they have positive social interaction with their peers and staff in the local community, which increases their self-confidence, self-esteem and broadens their horizons.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Preparation for independence is managed at a pace suited to young people's needs, age and understanding. This includes helping young people to think about the impact of their choices and decisions as well as gaining practical skills.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

A young person stated, ‘This is the best home I have ever lived in, the staff go above and beyond for us.' Young people benefit from excellent relationships with the staff team and this promotes a sense of trust and security. A caring environment with clear rules, leads to constructive relationships between staff and young people.

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Quality of care

Young people receive highly individualised support that helps them to build self- esteem, grow in confidence and address their challenging behaviours. Young people are systematically encouraged to contribute to their care planning. They help to draw up their internal placement plans and risk assessments on a regular basis. This leads to young people developing a sense of personal responsibility for their behaviour. Young people benefit from effective engagement with their behaviour management plans and individual incentive schemes, which also assist the staff in maintaining consistency in their work with young people.

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Quality of care

Young people’s views are regularly sought through: daily conversations, young people’s meetings, individual key work sessions and statutory review meetings. Young people feel listened to and can recognise the occasions when their views and choices have been acted upon. The home has a comprehensive complaints procedure in place, which is child focused. There have been no complaints raised, however, young people have a strong understanding of the complaints procedure and have confidence that their concerns are heard.

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Quality of care

Partnership arrangements are extremely effective. Social workers described staff as, 'excellent at communicating' and, ' committed to improving outcomes for young people by improving and sustaining family contact.’

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Quality of care

The home provides a healthy environment where children and young people access the services and support they need to meet their physical and emotional health needs, both in the home and in the local community. Young people attend school and are making significant progress. The whole staff team are particularly effective at celebrating the individual achievements of young people. As their development of self-esteem and feelings of self-worth are consistently being encouraged and raised. One young person commented ‘I know that the staff are proud of me.’

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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 say they feel safe living in this home. One young person commented, ‘I feel very safe living here. There is no bullying in the home and the staff really look after us.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are encouraged to behave positively in the home, through the clear and consistent boundaries that are set. As a result, no incidents of young people being physically restrained have occurred. On the rare occasions they engage in negative behaviour, measures of control are imposed and young people are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour. The Registered Manager comments on the effectiveness of the sanctions, in order to evaluate if the consequence remains appropriate.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no allegations or suspicions of harm but staff are very clear about their responsibilities and place the safety and well-being of the young people at the centre of their work practice.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are selected and checked through the organisation's recruitment procedures. The Registered Manager takes an active role in recruitment, ensuring the safe recruitment of staff, who are able to meet the young people’s needs. However, not every staff employed has provided a full employment history. The risks posed to young people as a result of this shortfall were minimised, due to verified and satisfactory references and current criminal record checks being available. However, 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 home has an experienced Registered Manager who provides strong leadership and ensures that the home is managed effectively in young people’s best interests. Staff are well qualified and experienced and are clear about their responsibilities and priorities. They are supported in their task by regular supervision, appraisal and training. One staff member commented ‘I feel the team is the strongest it has ever been, we are all working together to support the young people to achieve.’

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager and staff work effectively together and in cooperation with other agencies for the benefit of young people. One social worker commented, 'I am really pleased with the placement, the staff are open and communicate well. They always keep me up to date with (X’s) progress, which has been excellent’.

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Leadership and management

The previous recommendation has been met, systems for monitoring the quality of care provided, now provides for consultation with young people. However, the system does not yet provide for consultation with parents and placing authorities, which is a missed opportunity to drive forward the quality of care.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has good insight into the home's strengths and where areas of practice or development may need to improve. This ensures that the home fulfils its Statement of Purpose and maintains high standards for young people. Despite a clear policy on staff working alone with young people, there is no risk assessment in place. This means that the risks to young people or staff or visitors have not been adequately assessed. These shortfalls have not affected outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management

Young people's records provide them with an accurate picture of events, achievements and decisions made during their time at the home. Notifiable incidents are appropriately responded to, but notifications are not always sent to Ofsted without delay. This has no impact on young people but a recommendation is set to enable the provider to improve this area of practice.

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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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