Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Devon

Unique reference number SC457132 Inspection date 14/08/2013 Inspector Janice Hawtin Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 25/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is part of a national provider and is situated on the outskirts of a small town. The home offers care and accommodation for one child 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 thrive in this home which provides a safe and nurturing environment. The mutually respectful relationships between staff and young people are instrumental in assuring young people’s social, emotional and behavioural development. This has resulted in some exceptional progress and improved outcomes for young people, particularly those who have a history of behaviours which put them at serious risk. The dedication and experience of this staff team has avoided secure placements for young people. A young person commented that ‘staff taught me to be proud of myself and value my self-worth’.

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Overall effectiveness

Behaviour is well managed through the use of clear expectations and boundaries. Negotiation with young people and taking their feelings and views into consideration plays a large part in influencing the care provided. Consequently young people feel valued and trust the staff to make decisions in their best interests. Care planning is personalised, matching both the needs of young people and expectations of the placing authority.

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Overall effectiveness

A Registered Manager is in post. He has the support of a small staff team which includes a part-time deputy worker to support the management task. The safeguarding of young people is of paramount importance in the care provided and there is evidence of a gradual decrease in risk taking behaviour from young people. The strengths and weaknesses of the home are understood, a development plan is in place and action to address any shortfalls is dealt with as soon as possible.

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Overall effectiveness

The following areas for improvement were identified. Not all fire doors were fully effective during the inspection; immediate action was taken to rectify this issue which left just one door needing attention. Fire records did not demonstrate that all staff have taken part in a drill and this could compromise evacuation times and the welfare of young people in the event of a fire. A lack of garden maintenance and the need to decorate and refurbish some parts of the home detracts from what is otherwise a comfortable and homely environment.

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Overall effectiveness

Additional shortfalls relate to record keeping and other administration tasks. These need to be addressed to support and better evidence the quality of care provided. The impact of these shortfalls on young people was not discernible.

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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) take adequate precautions against the risk of fire. In particular ensure all fire doors are effective and that staff practise fire drills. (Regulation 32 (1) (a)&(e)) 16/10/2013

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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 records of staffing and rosters accurately reflect the staff working in the home. In particular, that they differentiate between staff being on duty in the home and being on call (NMS 17.2)  provide a comfortable environment which is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed (NMS 22.1)  provide a Statement of Purpose which provides clear information to placing authorities and parents (NMS 13.1)  support young people to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time in the placement, including a record of significant life events (NMS 22.6)  ensure that young people can stay in the home until moving on is in their best interests (taking their wishes and feelings into account). (NMS 11.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people develop confidence and self-esteem in this home where they are understood and valued. The environment is personalised by young people, it is clear they belong here and feel completely at home and comfortable. The interactions between staff and young people are based on mutual respect. Consequently young people are able to form and sustain attachments to the adults looking after them. This has led to improvements in emotional resilience and feelings of security, enabling progress and the confidence to develop social, emotional and practical skills. A parent reported that her child is ‘settled here and it’s a much better place than before’.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Contact with families is facilitated and supported by staff. This helps young people to improve understanding of their background and maintain important relationships. Friendships are encouraged; friends visit the home and can stay for meals and sleep overs. The process for keeping appropriate memorabilia and records of significant achievements is not formalised which could lead to young people’s history of their time in care being lost.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Activities are encouraged to help young people develop social skills and broaden their experiences. They visit theme parks, the local gym and have been on holiday. They choose to spend time with friends, using social networking sites and watching television.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people often arrive in this home from situations where they have been at serious risk of both emotional and physical harm. Such unnecessary risk taking and unacceptable behaviour has reduced over a period of time. This has avoided the need to provide secure placements for young people and allowed them instead to develop in an environment that is both nurturing and homely. A young person commented ‘the staff have been a great influence in changing my views and values; I have stopped drinking alcohol, going missing and using drugs’. There is also evidence of a significant reduction in, and no repeat of, other risk taking and anti- social behaviour.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Health care planning is detailed and individualised. Staff support and encourage young people to take responsibility for their own health depending on their age and ability. Despite the encouragement of staff, young people do not accept the need to attend regular and routine dental checks, preferring to wait until they have a problem. They are encouraged and are helped to understand the importance of healthy eating and appear fit and healthy.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have clear aspirations for the future and have managed to secure further education and training opportunities. This is from a history of poor school attendance and limited achievement. Following a period of stability in this home, they are beginning to understand the advantages of studying some basic subjects and plan to complete these alongside vocational courses. This will allow them to gain confidence and compete with peers in the employment market.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people follow a comprehensive individualised independence plan which allows them to develop the skills and responsibilities needed to prepare them for adult life. Alongside practical skills, they develop emotional skills, learning about relationships and negotiation. They are also are afforded the opportunity and trusted to spend time in the home without adult supervision as is consistent with a family environment.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff enable young people to express their views and feelings; they are the centre of attention and the care provided revolves around the needs of young people. Young people are involved in plans for their future, contributing to planning and review meetings. Some find it difficult to attend such meetings in person, but staff will advocate on their behalf and reviewing officers seek the feelings and views of young people prior to meetings. Involving young people in the decision making process contributes to the success of placements.

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Quality of care

The home offers single placements. As such the experience of young people is not complicated by the need to build relationships and negotiate living space with other young people who may have competing needs or behaviour. Bullying is not an issue in this home.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from the care provided. They confirm they are happy in this home and get on well with all the staff, having a particularly constructive relationship with their keyworker. Social worker reports confirm the progress that young people are making in this environment. They receive regular updates and communicate with the home on a regular basis. The care provided meets the agreed aims and objectives of the local authority’s plans and reviews of young people’s placements. Staff work in partnership with education providers and negotiate on behalf of young people to try and overcome any attendance and achievement difficulties.

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Quality of care

Young people have detailed individualised plans. These identify their care and independence development needs. This holistic and comprehensive approach to care planning ensures that young people are afforded opportunities to develop the skills and the knowledge they need. Plans are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure continuous progress.

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Quality of care

Behaviour management is based around expectations and boundaries. The ability of staff to effectively negotiate with young people, and take account of their feelings and wishes, has been instrumental in affecting positive changes in behaviour and reducing risk taking.

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Quality of care

Young people know how to make a complaint and can speak to staff if they have any concerns. Complaints and grievance forms are readily available. The young person's guide to the home contains details of several independent associations who would provide support and guidance to them if needed.

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Quality of care

Young people influence all aspects of the care provided. Consultation with young people affords them opportunities to provide feedback about the service and the staff. Staff advocate on behalf of young people where necessary and this has led to some important contact with family being restored. Young people routinely choose their clothing, toiletries, activities and holidays. Regular support sessions provide opportunities for topical discussions and the early resolution of any concerns or worries. These sessions are also used to inform and educate young people about topics such as sexual health, risk taking, relationships and future plans.

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Quality of care

Young people are keen to stay on in the home for the foreseeable future and have made appeals to their placing authority to do so. They have developed good insight into their situation and are able to reflect on past behaviours and appreciate the concern of those involved in helping them change. They would like to stay until they are nearer to being an adult and have established a routine of attending college.

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Quality of care

The home is suitably located and is appropriate for the purpose of accommodating one young person. The back garden is currently overgrown and some interior areas need updating and/or repainting. The manager has plans for this to be addressed in the near future to avoid further distraction from what is otherwise a comfortable and homely environment.

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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 confirm that they feel secure and are safe in this home. They can talk to any member of staff if they have any worries or concerns. They have developed trust in the staff and expect them to act in their best interest to keep them safe. The staff have a good understanding of the young people they care for and provide regular individual support allowing them to express issues and discuss problems.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour is well managed and avoids the need for physical intervention. Sanctions are rarely used and the balance of behaviour management techniques is in favour of constructive interventions. Modelling, praise and reward schemes are also used to develop positive behaviour. This practice protects the dignity of young people and contributes to improving their trust of adults.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding of young people is a priority and all staff receive formal training so that they know what to do and who to contact in the event of a child protection issue. Risk assessments support the avoidance of unnecessary risk while allowing young people to take age appropriate risk as part of growing up.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected by vetting of visitors to the home and a visitors’ book is signed to keep a record of those entering the premises. The recruitment of staff includes appropriate checks on candidates. This helps to protect young people from adults who may seek to do them harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Regular health and safety checks take place to protect young people. A fire risk assessment is in place as well as fire detection systems. While young people and most staff have practiced evacuations so that they know what to do in an emergency, records did not evidence that all staff had taken part. In addition not all fire doors were effective and this could compromise the welfare of young people in the event of a fire.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a joint protocol with the police which supports and promotes the safety of young people who go missing from home. There has been a remarkable reduction in young people’s risk taking behaviour since admission. Notable is a significant decline in episodes of young people going missing, with the last incident being over seven months ago.

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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

A Registered Manager is in place; he and a small, established staff team are dedicated to the young people in their care. They are consistently accommodating young people from very concerning circumstances and managing to turn their lives around.

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Leadership and management

Records to evidence the quality of care are not always readily available, for example records of staff compliance with risk assessments. There is an expectation within the wider organisation to keep several record books which do not contribute to understanding the life of the young person, or make finding information easy. Staff rosters do not provide an accurate record of which staff are on duty at any one time as required. This information is known to staff and young people, so is not having an impact on the care provided, but it may be needed should there be a problem or investigation.

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Leadership and management

Staff work in partnership with other agencies and there are robust arrangements to support safeguarding, alongside work in consultation with education and mental health professionals. This ensures young people have access to the services and opportunities they need.

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Leadership and management

Training opportunities for staff are comprehensive. Young people benefit from a staff team who are well trained and equipped to meet their needs. All hold a professional child care qualification at level 3, with the Registered Manager having higher management qualifications. All mandatory training for staff is up to date and they can readily access specialist training to ensure proficiency. Additional training opportunities have been provided since the home was registered with a new organisation earlier this year.

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Leadership and management

Support for staff is provided in several ways, including team meetings, hand overs and regular supervision. Staff report that they receive the support needed and guidance is readily available. This ensures staff understand their responsibilities in continuing to develop practice and provide a high quality service to young people. A new competency based framework for appraisal is due to be used for all staff in the near future, providing a robust system for ensuring compliance and identifying personal development opportunities.

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Leadership and management

There is a system in place to review the quality of care through six-monthly summaries of the internal monitoring reports. Monthly monitoring takes place and the summary report has been provided to Ofsted for quality assurance purposes. External monitoring visits to the home are completed to assure the quality of the service and further safeguard children and young people. These detailed reports are provided to Ofsted, usually in a timely manner.

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Leadership and management

The home’s Statement of Purpose is readily available and offers information about its facilities. While it is clear about the home’s aims and objectives, some areas of information are ambiguous, for example around providing a ‘therapeutic environment’ and ‘pillars’. This could be confusing for parents and placing authorities. Fortunately placements have not been made since its production and there are plans in place to update this document. Policy documents are comprehensive and linked to legislative frameworks. They provide useful and summarised information to staff to ensure they fulfil their role and responsibilities to benefit young people.

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Leadership and management

The manager is committed to compliance and was keen to address the few issues raised by this inspection as a matter of urgency. The strengths and weaknesses of the service are understood by all staff and a development plan is in place for the home.

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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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