Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC396463 Inspection date 05/07/2013 Inspector Jo Stephenson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 24/01/2013 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 provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This service is operated by a private organisation.

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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

Staff provide individualised and well planned care for young people. Staff provide personalised care plans that identify risk factors for young people and these are incorporated in behaviour management strategies. Young people have internal and statutory placement plans in place to support their education, health and promote positive behaviours, and plans are regularly reviewed to monitor progress. Subsequently, young people experience an integrated approach to their care.

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Overall effectiveness

The views of young people are actively sought regarding the progress they make in line with their care plans, and this is a considerable strength of the home. The thoughts and feelings of young people are consistently included and recorded in internal placement plans and review reports. This means that young people are consulted in all aspects of their care.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have generally positive relationships with their peers and the staff. However, young people state they have previously experienced bullying in the home and although staff undertake one-to-one work with young people around this issue, young people say they have felt unsafe. Furthermore, procedures in place for assessing and evaluating emergency admission to the home are lacking. Young people say they experience apprehension regarding the impact the emergency admission of new young people may have on the home and that this leaves them ‘feeling anxious’. As a result the welfare of young people is not constantly promoted.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager ensures that monitoring systems are in place to evaluate the quality of care provided by the home and promote positive outcomes for young people. Nevertheless, shortfalls in suitably experienced and substantive staff are evident in the home. Consequently, young people do not benefit from a consistent approach to their care and welfare. Furthermore, arrangements for the management of the home and decision making processes, in the absence of the manager, are not robust and this impacts on the usual supportive structure of the home 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) compile in relation to a children's home a written statement which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1. This specifically relates to the homes policy and procedures for emergency admissions (Regulation 4(1)) 29/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provisions for the welfare of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1)(a)) 29/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there is at all times, having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of the children accommodated in the home, a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home. (Regulation 25 (1)(b)) 29/10/2013

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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 do not identify bullying as a problem in the home and children understand bullying is unacceptable (NMS 3.11)  ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3)  ensure the home has and implements clear procedures for introducing children to the home, the staff and other children living there, which covers emergency placements (NMS 11.1)  ensure the home only provides admission to children whose assessed needs they can reasonable expect to meet (NMS 11.2)  ensure the overall number, competence and deployment of staff, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, can fulfil the home's Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the home (NMS 17.1)  ensure there are clear arrangements for staff to deputise in the registered persons absence (NMS 17.4)

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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

Education is a priority for the home and staff encourage young people to regularly attend their school provision. Attendance has significantly improved for young people and the home continually celebrates the educational achievements of individuals. The manager has established multi-disciplinary links with education providers and this means that young people have been able to change their opinion of attending school and make positive and measurable progress with their education. As a result, young people benefit from an integrated approach to their education and stability for their learning and their school achievements are in line with their age and abilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

There are many excellent examples where young people receive personalised care that meets their individual needs. Young people’s achievements are continually verbally encouraged and this gives them a sense of well-being and self-esteem. Social workers refer to the service as providing a ‘stabilising environment that lets young people grow’. Relationships between staff and young people are observed to be mostly positive and promote social skills and development. As a result, young people generally respond well to staff and are able to form relationships. Nevertheless, policies and procedures for the emergency admission of young people to the home are not robust. Compatibility or impact risk assessments are not thoroughly completed, particularly in the absence of the Registered Manager, to evaluate the influence an emergency admission may have on other young people living in the home. Young people say they feel apprehensive about admissions to the

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Outcomes for children and young people

home and subsequently these feelings of anxiety affect the progress young people make in their placement and the outcomes they achieve. This means that the welfare of young people is not consistently promoted

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff work in partnership with primary health care provisions to ensure that young people’s physical health needs are met. As a result, young people receive a consistent and bespoke approach to meeting their health needs. Staff are able to identify the need for young people to access specialist heath support, such as drugs counsellors, and staff liaise with the organisations psychological health specialists when necessary. This means the emotional well-being of young people is supported and that young people enjoy good health

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people sustain and progress relationships with their families and enjoy visits with their families in private where appropriate. Young people identify the support provided by staff during contact visits as ‘one of the best things about the home’. Young people and their families enjoy participating in positive and meaningful activities that are arranged by the home. Young people confirm they are involved in choosing food menus and decide on activity plans. Young people benefit from community-based activities that consider their abilities, age and interests and encourage them to expand their social circle. Young people participate in young people’s meetings. This allows them to express their views on their care and the activities in the home, such as the purchase of games and play equipment. As a result, young people are involved in the homes development.

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Quality of care

Young people have generally positive relationships with staff. Nonetheless, the home has experienced some changes to the stability of the staff team. The excessive use of casual and probationary staff to lead shifts has a detrimental impact on the consistency of care for young people. However, staff are motivated and enthusiastic and verbally promote the importance of socially acceptable behaviour, respect and consideration for others. Statutory and internal care plans and behaviour plans are in place for all young people. This means that strategies used by staff to promote positive outcomes and address unacceptable behaviours are formalised and recorded. As a result, young people benefit from clear and appropriate feedback on the progress they are making.

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Quality of care

Managers and allocated keyworkers formulate, review and amend internal support plans for young people and because of this their progress is continually monitored. Staff are able to identify behavioural changes and raise these for discussion with social workers and other professionals. Staff ensure that internal behaviour plans and risk assessments are in place for all young people. Plans are detailed, evaluative and reflective of complex behavioural issues. This means that young people experience a comprehensive and continual review of their requirements and the services they require.

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Quality of care

Young people participate in regular ‘placement plan’ sessions and are encouraged to comment on their support plans during these sessions. Staff provide placing authorities with opportune feedback on young people’s progress and development and this is assimilated into statutory care plans and highlighted during case reviews. This means that staff are able to ensure the compatibility between internal support plans and statutory care plans. As a result, young people experience an integrated approach to planning and assessing their care.

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Quality of care

Young people have detailed health care plans in place that identify their physical, emotional and psychological health needs. Plans are regularly reviewed and changes discussed with social workers and health practitioners. General health information sessions around maintaining a healthy lifestyle, keeping active and the dangers of substance abuse are included in regular young people’s meetings. As a result, young people are provided with necessary information to inform the choices they make regarding their health and lifestyle. The home is committed to supporting the educational achievements of young people. Staff attend parent’s evenings and provide young people with feedback on the progress they are making. Achievements are enthusiastically celebrated and rewarded and because of this young people are able to understand the benefit regular school attendance has on their development and future ambitions.

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Quality of care

Managers and staff consider the backgrounds and identity of young people in all aspects of care. Young people are encouraged to research their culture along with the culture and background of others. As a result, young people are able to explore their personal identity and develop their understanding of cultural diversity.

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Quality of care

The home operates a detailed and robust complaints procedure and young people confirm that they understand how to raise a concern. Independent advocacy is provided to further support the young people to express their wishes and feelings. Young people are able to make a complaint and say they feel confident that this will be appropriately resolved. Issues raised from complaints are addressed within suitable timescales. Consequently, young people feel their concerns are taken seriously.

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Quality of care

The service is suitably located and young people have access to a wide and varied range of community facilities and activities. The home and gardens provides a suitably spacious environment for young people. However, the internal decoration is tired and requires re-decoration and minor maintenance to ensure that the home provides young people with a comfortable and homely place to live.

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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 state they have previously experienced bullying in the home but say they felt supported by the manager and staff. Staff are alert to the signs of bullying and intimidation and individualised strategies are in place to keep young people safe. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of one-to-one sessions with perpetrators is not evaluated or revised. Consequently, young people do not always feel protected from the risk of bullying. Furthermore, the safety of young people is compromised by emergency admissions to the home. These are not effectively assessed in relation to the impact they may have on young people already residing in the home. This is because the policies and procedures for the assessment and evaluation of the needs of young people admitted to the home in an emergency are not robust.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Incidents of young people missing from the home are minimal and staff ensure rigorous missing from home risk assessments are in place. These are supported by close working relationships with the local police. Risk assessments identify potential triggers to missing from home episodes and include personalised action plans. Staff work in partnership with other agencies to ensure, as far as possible, that young people are protected from significant harm should they go missing from the home. Staff receive training in physical intervention and de-escalation techniques, although the use of physical restraint is rare. Records of restraint are detailed and appropriate. Young people are encouraged to comment on the reason for this intervention being used and how they feel about being restrained. Staff implement behaviour management strategies that encourage young people to display socially acceptable behaviour and work toward attaining their goals. As a result, young people rarely

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Safeguarding children and young people

receive negative consequences’ for unacceptable behaviours and staff practice underlines the homes’ ethos of frequently rewarding positive behaviour. Young people receive continual positive praise that recognises both small and significant achievements and developments. Staff use ‘placement plan’ sessions to encourage young people to consider the impact of their behaviour. This means that young people develop an understanding of the possible consequences of their actions and the effect this may have on others.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager completes general environmental risk assessments to monitor and ensure that young people are kept safe from known hazards. These are extremely detailed and effective, and regularly reviewed. Young people take part in regular fire drills; checks and tests of fire safety equipment are also carried out.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Child protections policies and procedures support and promote safe work practices. Staff have a sound understanding of safeguarding procedures and receive regular training to support their knowledge. Allegations and suspicions of harm are effectively managed through liaison with local safeguarding teams.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recruitment records are held centrally. The home adheres to robust organisation recruitment procedures in place to safeguard young people. Safety checks are carried out in full on all new starters. This means that young people work with suitably vetted and selected staff.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are adequate .

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Leadership and management

Young people and staff benefit from an experienced, enthusiastic and permanent Registered Manager. Young people and placing authorities are clear about the support staff provide, and the aims and objectives of the home are detailed in the Statement of Purpose. The manager and staff have a strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people. Nonetheless, changes within the staff team means the home is over reliant on the use of casual staff. Probationary staff, without necessary qualifications or competency, is not constantly supported on shifts by experienced staff. Furthermore, the home does not have clear arrangements in place for staff to deputise in the absence of the Registered Manager

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager is central to the daily running of the home and reviews the progress made by young people. The manager is able to recognise the strengths and weaknesses of the service and identify opportunities to improve services. However, the detailed development plan in place has not been actioned to address known shortfalls and promote service improvements. Staff complete mandatory training that supports their role. Staff say they feel empowered and involved in the development of the home and praise the commitment of the manager. They say they receive regular supervision and participate in staff meetings. The manager is proactive at addressing any complaints raised by young people. As a result, young people are confident that issues they raise will be taken seriously and appropriately addressed. All complaints raised since the last inspection have been resolved.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager's review of the quality of care provided by the service is adequate. The manager ensures that significant events are recorded and the appropriate authorities notified. The home operates central systems to record incidents and monitor actions taken. Records are cross-referenced to case files and detailed accounts of incidents are completed. Young people have individual documents to record their activities and behaviours. Therefore, records contribute to the understanding of a young person’s life.

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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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