Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

Unique reference number SC040638 Inspection date 10/09/2013 Inspector Emeline Evans Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 27/03/2013 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 one of eight local authority children's homes and caters for six young people of either gender. The home supports children and young people who present emotional and 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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

The home has had a vacant Registered Manager’s position for a period of 26 weeks; therefore, this has resulted in an inadequate judgement under leadership and management. Strong management arrangements have been implemented by the organisation to ensure this vacancy has not had an impact on the quality of care provided to the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have built positive relationships with staff and are confident about their ability to raise concerns as necessary. Young people generally talk positively about these relationships and comment ‘staff are ok and they do care.’ These attachments enable young people to discuss issues that are worrying them. Staff support and management of behaviour is effective and has equipped young people to manage these areas well. Young people's voices are an essential part of the process. Young people are supported to engage in activities in the home and community and are developing independence skills.

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Overall effectiveness

Positive relationships with external professionals are in place to ensure a holistic approach is achieved. There is a commitment from the management team in meeting the day-to-day needs of young people currently accessing the service. Placement plans detail the individual needs of the young people. However, some risk assessments require updating to reflect known risks for the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff and managers have been working hard to try to achieve consistency for the young people. Areas of shortfall were identified within this inspection and the majority of these shortfalls relate to records and ensuring they comply with regulations. These shortfalls include: improving the quality of the Statement of Purpose; notifications and ensuring young people’s case records contain all the necessary information.

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Overall effectiveness

Recommendations have also been raised to improve 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) update the Statement of Purpose to ensure that it includes all the criteria required by regulation (Regulation 4(1), Schedule 1) 31/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

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

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the necessary persons are notified without delay of significant incidents in relation to the children's home. (Regulation 30 (1)) 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

 ensure children have access to independent advice and support from adults and that children know there rights to advocacy and how to access an advocate, and how to contact the Children's Rights Director (NMS 1.5)  ensure where any sanctions are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records of the home (NMS 3.18)  ensure risk assessments are updated and include strategies to prevent risk to both the children and staff. (NMS 4.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff support young people in coming to terms with significant matters in their past which are potentially impacting on their emotions and behaviours currently. Young people often require extensive support in this area and individual time with staff provides opportunities for discussion and learning. Each young person is valued as an individual and staff’s positive regard provides the foundation to develop appropriate relationships with peers and family. One social worker reports that, ‘staff managed to build a rapport with the young person so she felt at ease. She was able to share experiences of things that had happened to her.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s health needs are fully met. Promotion of health means young people have an understanding and awareness of healthy lifestyles and what this means for them. Increased support from staff and external specialist agencies ensures young people are able to have access to an adequate range of information and advice on health issues. This enables young people to make informed choices and develop independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff recognise the value of education and encourage young people to attend their individual education provisions. Although attendance has been varied staff liaise with education services to ensure young people’s potential, aspirations and preference for future learning are fully recognised and explored. Staff support young people to make decisions in this area and this is enhancing their self-esteem.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Contact arrangements are supported by staff, and young people benefit from the continuing links with their families. These arrangements are subject to any limitations set out in care plans. Young people enjoy the home's flexible attitude towards visiting friends in the community and understand any boundaries are in place to ensure their safety.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff ensure young people are supported to engage in community-based activities. Young people talk enthusiastically about the activities they undertake; these opportunities mean that young people’s experiences of social interaction are further enhanced. Young people receive encouragement to develop independent living skills. Staff support young people to develop practical skills such as shopping, cooking and laundry. Young people are also encouraged to try new things. These activities are geared to prepare the young people to move onto independent living.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from good supportive relationships from committed and experienced staff members. Comments from a professional include, ‘I was extremely impressed with the skilled way in which members of staff got to grips with the issues for the young person within a short space of time’ and ‘after sharing experiences with staff she will be able to build on how she developed trusting relationships with other professionals.’ Young people say that they feel staff are genuinely concerned for their welfare, although they do not always like how this works in practice. For example, this includes being asked where they are going, what they are doing and being given a time to return. Staff ensure that young people have ample opportunities to share their wishes and feelings about their placement and the general running of the home. Young people comment that they feel staff listen to them and take their views seriously. House

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Quality of care

meeting take place regularly and individual choices are established in relation to areas including food and activity planning. There is also a reflection on how the week has been for young people and the home is now using these meetings to reflect on ways to improve the service. Young people are sufficiently confident to enter into debate and challenge staff decisions. Young people are supported to make a complaint and report that that they can talk to staff if they have concerns. During the inspection, a complaint was made by a young person and the home is currently investigating this concern. However, it was not clear how easily young people are able to gain access to independent advice and support.

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Quality of care

Young people have comprehensive placement plans that clearly identify cultural and health needs. These are positively addressed in both daily living and care planning and individual needs are understood by staff. Young people have a good understanding of the aims of their placement and what support they require to achieve this and are fully involved in this process. The joint work between staff and external professionals provides a strong basis for addressing young people’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. There is an emphasis on promoting the young people’s emotional well-being. This includes strong working relationships with the child and adolescent mental health service, youth offending teams, police and social workers.

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Quality of care

Staff work with educational establishments to promote educational achievement and attendance. The staff have also built effective links with the colleges that enable any issues to be addressed as they arise and consistent messages are achieved.

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Quality of care

The home is situated in a residential area within easy reach of local facilities. The home was closed for a period of time and during this period of closure the home was refurbished. This has resulted in young people living in an environment which is decorated and furnished to a good standard, providing a homely atmosphere. Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms to their own taste. One social worker commented, ‘The interior is warm and homely. Staff have worked hard to decorate the interior and have done a good job.’

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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 report that they feel safe and well cared for and they are able to talk to staff. Bullying is not presently identified as an issue in the home and staff are very aware of the group dynamics and the effect the young people’s behaviour have on others in the home. Staff are proactive in working with the young people and professionals to create a calm and safe place for the young people to live. Young people comment,’ I sometimes get annoyed that staff want to know what I am doing but I know they do it because they care.’ The relationships young people are developing with staff team mean they feel able to talk to staff should they feel worried or upset. Opportunities are regularly given for young people to discuss ways to keep themselves safe when out in the community.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding are readily available to staff. A range of information relating to young people’s individual vulnerabilities is accessible and discussed within the team. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding and have a sound understanding of their responsibilities in responding to signs or allegation of abuse. Regular staff meetings and supervisions enable staff to explore issues and agree strategies to minimise any identified risks. Risk assessments are incorporated into young people’s individual placement plans and reflect risk in relation to young people, activities and the environment. However, young people’s risk assessments do not identify all known information relating to a young person and do not reflect recent incidents in the home. These require updating to detail current information in relation to keeping the young people and staff safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are clear procedures and protocols to follow in the event of a young person going missing which staff implement and they work towards their safe return. The home has a copy of the police joint protocol ‘Missing from Care’ and each young person has a separate risk assessment relating to going missing. There is consistent communication with the necessary agencies and effective liaison with families and the police to minimise the risk of recurrence.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive appropriate behaviour management training and have a good understanding of de-escalation techniques. There have been no restraints since the last inspections and sanctions are low; this reflects the positive relationships emerging between young people and the staff. Staff are working together to ensure they are consistent and clear in their expectation of behaviour in the home. As a result, young people generally behave appropriately and interact positively with both staff and each other. Staff report that they use consequences to allow the young person to learn from negative behaviour. However, young people’s views are not consistently recorded and staff are not able to reflect and learn to inform future practice.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The management team ensures that all relevant agencies are informed of any safeguarding issues. The home follows the local authority’s recruitment and vetting procedure. These are consistently applied to ensure that the young people are not cared for by adults who may cause them harm.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people’s safety is supported by sound health and safety routines. The home is physically safe and appropriately secure to take into account the needs of the young people. Staff ensure that fire drills are regularly undertaken. Young people know what to do in case of an emergency. Effective maintenance systems ensure the home remains safe for young people and all who visit.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are inadequate . The organisation has very recently appointed a manager to the home. The home has had difficulties recruiting to this position and there has subsequently been a vacant Registered Manager’s position for 26 weeks. A manager from another service within the organisation was seconded to the home, to ensure this vacancy did not have an impact on the quality of care provided to the young people. There is currently a process of handover between the managers. The management and staff team are committed and focused on improving the quality of care provided. The managers understand the strengths of the home and are aware of areas for development. There is a development plan in place; this is comprehensive with an emphasis on achieving outcomes for young people. The manager has addressed the recommendation raised at the last Ofsted inspection. Records of fire drills now

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Leadership and management

provide details of those attending each fire drill.

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Leadership and management

Staff are familiar with the home's Statement of Purpose and its objectives and were involved in the review of this document. This is implemented in day-to-day practice. However, in some cases information required by regulations is not included or lacks clarity. For example: details of staff and their qualifications and experience; the current management arrangements and the arrangements for accepting emergency admissions. The young people’s guide is informative and comprehensive and explains what a young person can expect from the home.

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Leadership and management

Staff numbers, experience and support sufficiently meet the needs of the young people. The management team will be recruiting to the vacant positions and is aware of the impact that the shortage of permanent members of staff may have on being able to meet the individual needs of young people. The use of agency staff is currently necessary to achieve the required level of staffing but consistency and continuity of care is achieved by using a small number of regular agency staff. Regular supervision and team meetings also support staff to provide a high quality service to the young people. Staff undertake regular training which provides them with the necessary knowledge and competencies to fulfil their role.

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Leadership and management

Notifications involving young people have not been sent into Ofsted; this has resulted in Ofsted not being aware of serious incidents within the home. The home has received three complaints since the last full inspection. There is evidence to demonstrate these complaints have been fully investigated and the home has been proactive in working with the complainants to resolve any further issues or concerns.

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Leadership and management

There are various systems in place to audit practice in the home, including comprehensive monthly visits from a designated person. The views of young people are regularly sought during these visits and by the manager. This demonstrates that there is a focus on continued improvement within the home.

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Leadership and management

Young people’s files are stored securely and contain documents, which are relevant and contribute to an understanding of the young people’s life. This helps staff in supporting young people to understand their background. However, files sampled demonstrate inconsistencies between files regarding availability of information. Some young people’s files contain recent reviews, and others do not. In addition, files do not include information relating to the date and circumstances of any measure of discipline used on a young person.

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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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