Children's Home run by Evolution Children Services Limited in Newcastle upon Tyne

Unique reference number SC382595 Inspection date 20/08/2013 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 10/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The children's home is registered to care for up to five young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties. The registered provider of the home is a limited company

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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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

Overall, the home provides adequate levels of care and support to young people who have complex needs. Staff work hard to develop good relationships with all young people and, in the main, they are successful. However, some young people can be disrespectful and intolerant when staff apply good parenting skills and try to enforce house rules. Staff want all young people in their care to be safe from abuse or exploitation. They have had some success in this area and young people have made progress since their admission. The atmosphere within the home is both relaxed and supportive.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are supported to attend school, college or training. Staff encourage young people to have aspirations for themselves and to work hard at achieving their goals. Success, no matter how small is celebrated and young people receive on- going encouragement and praise when things go well. Young people are supported to stay fit and well. They are encouraged to eat a well balanced healthy diet, take responsibility for their own health care needs and to develop a mature attitude toward maintaining their own welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas identified for improvement relate to: record keeping, the home’s restraint records, young people’s meetings, the home’s development plan, young people’s involvement in community based activities and how they are taught daily living skills. However, 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

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose (Regulation 17B (3)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in respect of each child who is accommodated in a children's home a record in permanent form which includes the information, documents and records specified in Schedule 3 relating to that child (Regulation 28 (1)) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in the children's home the records specified in Schedule 4 and ensure that they are kept up to date. (Regulation 29) 31/10/2013

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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

 support young people to develop practical skills, including shopping, buying, cooking and keeping food, washing clothes, personal care and understanding and taking responsibility for personal healthcare (NMS 12.1)  ensure that each young person pursues individual interests and hobbies including leisure activities and trips (NMS 7.2)  ensure that the views, wishes and feelings of young people are acted upon, in the day to day running of the home (NMS 1.1)  ensure that the registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home. (NMS 15.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

The outcomes for young people are good. Each young person has a key worker and meetings between key workers and young people take place at regular intervals. Changes to care plans are made as a direct result of the interactions between young people and their key workers. This means that young people are supported to discuss issues affecting their lives, the care they receive and how their changing needs can be met quickly. This in turn allows staff to make adjustments to the care they provide. Some young people present with risk taking behaviour such as that relating to alcohol consumption. However, the frequency of these behaviours has reduced since placements began. This means that, since their admission to the home, young people are better at keeping themselves safe and well.

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Outcomes for children and young people

All success is celebrated and the information is recorded and documented in each young person’s file. One staff member said, ‘one young person’s done really well in their GCSE’s and has some good grades, it’s really great to see.’ The young person themself said, ‘imagine how much better I’d have done if I’d stuck at school a bit more.’ Celebrating success helps to ensure young people take pride in their achievements and helps them to aspire to greater things and improves both their self-esteem and self-confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff encourage young people to develop their own hobbies and interests which are appropriate to their age and ability. However, written records show that they are reluctant to do this. As a result they do not participate in a wide variety of community based activities. One member of staff said, ‘we keep offering different things and we do try to get them involved but it’s really difficult sometimes.’ Participation in community based activities helps young people to develop friendships, improve their social skills, self-esteem and confidence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people living at the home can access local opticians, doctors and dentists of their choice when required. All accidents and illness are recorded and the welfare of young people is safeguarded. Where it is appropriate, young people are also encouraged to access secondary health care services such as, child mental health services, sexual health clinics or psychology services. Since coming to the home the health of young people has improved and they are leading a healthier lifestyle. This in turn helps them to stay fit and well.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home has an organised and formal process for teaching young people independence skills and activities for daily living. However, the participation of young people in learning these key skills is inconsistent. This means that they will not be fully prepared for independent living and may not make a successful transition into adulthood.

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Quality of care

Young people living at the home are receiving good levels of care and support. The home has appropriate admission and assessment procedures in place and, where possible, young people are admitted on a planned basis. Each young person has their own care plan, which is reviewed and monitored by the key worker as well as the home’s manager. This helps to ensure that the identified needs of the individual young person can, in general, be addressed by the home.

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Quality of care

The home’s manager and staff work well with social workers, health care professionals, education and training providers and, where appropriate, the families of the young people themselves. This helps to ensure that the care needs of young people are addressed, they are supported in several aspects of their lives and the home remains an appropriate place for them to live.

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Quality of care

Young people are involved with education or training. Those still in formal education have their own personal educational plans in place and are actively supported and encouraged by staff to attend. In addition, staff have developed positive working relationships with local colleges and training providers. This helps to ensure that young people are successful in their educational studies and training, which in turn ensures they will have the best possible life chances.

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Quality of care

Each young person has a health care plan in place which is overseen by the staff team. Members of staff have received training in safe food hygiene, first aid the safe administration of medication. All young people are registered with the local primary health care services, dentists and opticians and they are encouraged to make their own appointments. Young people who may have more complex health care needs are able to access specialist health care services such as the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS). The health and welfare of young people is promoted and safeguarded.

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Quality of care

The home is well decorated and furnished. Young people have their own rooms that they can decorate in their own style. Members of staff and young people try to make the living areas as friendly and homely as possible.

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Quality of care

The individual dietary needs of young people are catered for. They are offered a range of healthy choices on a daily basis. In addition, they also enjoy a variety of food from different cultures. Young people spoke positively about the quality and quantity of the food available to them and acknowledge that they are encouraged to have a healthy diet and lifestyle.

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Quality of care

The home has resources available to encourage young people to develop a wide range of worthwhile, community based hobbies and interests. However, the young people themselves have demonstrated some reluctance to do so. Trips to the cinema, shopping with staff or visiting old friends are, in the main, the preferred activities of the young people living at the home. The involvement of young people in a variety of leisure pursuits and pastimes within the wider community will help them to develop not only their own personalities and friendships but also socially acceptable behaviour.

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Quality of care

Regular formal meetings take place between staff and young people. Issues affecting the running of the home are discussed and young people are encouraged to make suggestions about how the home is run and how it can be improved. One suggestion put forward by young people was to have a seating area outside at the rear of the building in order to afford themselves some privacy whilst chatting amongst themselves or with friends. This suggestion was borne in mind by the home’s manager but took several months to be carried out despite funding being available. As a consequence, young people may feel that their voices are not fully heard or listened to.

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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 have been several instances since the last full inspection when young people have been reported as being missing from the home. However, an analysis of the information relating to these instances shows that the whereabouts of the young people was known and that they were in effect not missing, but late returning. The home’s manager has addressed this issue with staff. Risk assessments for individual young people have been reviewed and the home’s missing from home protocols have been revised. Young people living at the home are therefore kept safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A small number of complaints have been made by young people since the last inspection, one of which is in relation to perceived bullying and intimidation. The home’s manager has taken swift action to address all concerns raised and the young people have reported that they are satisfied with the outcome. The concerns of young people are listened to and they are protected from bullying and intimidation. All staff at the home has received training in safeguarding. Regular refresher training is provided 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

Risk assessments relating to the possible behaviour exhibited by young people have been undertaken. Risk assessments are clear and reviewed regularly. Young people are kept safe and are well looked after. Positive behaviour is promoted by the home’s staff and restorative techniques are favoured above punitive measures. The restraint or holding of young people rarely takes place. There has been one occasion since the last inspection when a young person has been held or restrained. Written records relating to the use of restraint are retained. However, they do not fully comply with regulations and national minimum standards. Consequently, detailed recording about the restraint techniques used and the reasons for its use are not retained.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Regular checks of the home's fire systems, smoke detectors and emergency lighting take place. Young people take part in fire drills and the time at which fire drills take place are fully recorded. In addition, regular health and safety checks are carried out and appropriate action is taken to address any shortfalls. Young people live in a safe environment.

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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, robust recruitment policies and procedures in place. 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 adequate . The home has adequate leadership and management in place for the benefit of the young people. Currently, the Registered Manager is absent from the home. Daily oversight is provided by one of the organisations directors and the home's deputy manager. Ofsted has been informed of their absence and the alternative management cover has been formally notified as required.

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Leadership and management

The home meets the aims and objectives set out in its Statement of Purpose which is regularly updated and reviewed. Placing social workers know what the home can offer young people, what the skills of the staff team are and how they can be utilised to help young people achieve their maximum potential.

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Leadership and management

Information relating to significant events in a young person’s life are not routinely recorded in the young person’s file. For instance, notes from looked after children’s reviews and child protection strategy meetings have been recorded in the home’s daily log. This means that each young person’s file does not provide an accurate account of their life within the home and they are unable to see how or why decisions may have been made.

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Leadership and management

Records relating to the valuables and possessions young people bring with them when they move into the home are not routinely retained. This means that staff and young people have no formal records to refer to if items go missing or are replaced and as such conflicts may occur.

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Leadership and management

There have been several new appointments to the staff team since the last full inspection. Recruitment procedures are robust and help to ensure that young people are kept safe from exploitation or abuse. Additionally, the home’s management provides regular supervision for staff. This helps to ensure they feel supported and remain motivated.

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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.

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Leadership and management

The home’s management has a development plan in place. The development plan is thorough and comprehensive but does not detail actual progress being made. Staff and young people do not know what the strengths and weaknesses of the home are and how the care provided, or the running of the home can be improved.

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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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