Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Leeds

Unique reference number SC428895 Inspection date 17/10/2013 Inspector Debbie Foster Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/06/2013 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 children's home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to three 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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people living in this home benefit greatly from being looked after by a staff team who are persevering and show determination to address welfare, education and safety issues. Staff are committed to caring and supporting young people in a nurturing environment that enables them to move forward in their lives. Young people spoke positively about the care they receive.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are provided with a positive environment where staff see the importance of building strong relationships with staff, working to establish trust and confidence to enable young people to move forward in their lives. The progress young people are making is dependent on the length of time they have lived at the home and the life journey they have previously experienced. The practices staff implement help to protect young people from harm. The judgement for outcomes for young people is limited to adequate as a result of some young people's risk taking behaviour and limited educational progress.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have positive views about the quality of their care in the home and their relationships with staff. Young people say 'staff are fair.' Young people confirm that their views are genuinely sought and acted upon. The staff encourage them to make decisions about their lives and influence the way that the home is run.

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Overall effectiveness

Thorough systems and effective care practice ensure the welfare and safety of young people are promoted. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the risks young people face and take positive action to ensure risks are minimised. This means young people's safety is well promoted. Care planning is individualised. Staff are well aware of young people's assessed needs. The quality of written placement plans is good because they clearly outline where necessary how young people's needs are to be met. Staff have built strong links and work in a coordinated way with young people, their families and relevant professionals. This ensures the young people receive the right support and it assists them to make progress in their lives.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is effectively managed. The manager and staff team is committed to ensuring young people are provided with a good standard of care. Staff are well trained and receive good support through supervision and regular staff meetings. The home demonstrates a strong commitment to continually reviewing the care provided to improve outcomes for young people.

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Overall effectiveness

The shortfalls identified during this inspection relate to aspects of; education provision, attendance and attainment; a health assessment not being undertaken in a timely manner; evidencing the progress young people are making in placement plans and the new manager not submitting an application to register within 28 days as stipulated.

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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 young people have prompt access to health professionals, including specialist services, when they need these services. In particular health assessments (NMS 6.4)  ensure young people are supported to attend school, college or alternative provision regularly. In particular that suitable placements are accessed without delay (NMS 8.3)  ensure staff engage and work with schools, colleges, other organisations and placing local authority to support children's education including staff having up- to-date information about each child's education progress and school attendance record (NMS 8.7)  ensure young people who have been excluded from school have access to appropriate education and training, so that they are supported and enabled to resume full time education. In particular that education is provided by suitably trained staff (NMS 8.8)  ensure that each child’s placement plan is monitored by a key worker within the

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Recommendations

home who ensures that the requirements of the plan are implemented in full. In particular demonstrate clearly the progress young people are making. (NMS 25.2)

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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

Young people who have lived at the home for some time have built strong and sustained relationships with staff. Other young people who have more recently moved into the home are beginning to form positive relationships. They are at the start of their journey where they will emotionally benefit from consistency in their lives. Some young people have learned how to express their emotions positively; others are still to benefit from this. As a result, some young people gain good knowledge and understanding of their own backgrounds, they adapt to new situations and their view of themselves is more positive. Other young people are still on a journey to achieve this.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported well overall to develop healthy lifestyles and this includes young people attending routine health appointments. Staff understand the importance of a well-balanced diet and ensure young people enjoy healthy and nutritious homemade meals. A young person said ' We make suggestions each week for the menu,' and another said 'I've been to the dentist and opticians since coming to live here.' Young people have access to emotional and mental health services when needed. Staff have an understanding of young people’s specific health needs and have received relevant training to ensure young people’s needs are met. This has brought about some improved health outcomes for young people. However, health assessments have not been undertaken for all young people in a timely fashion. This could impact negatively on health outcomes for some young people now and in the long term.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Education is given importance in the home. Staff members are very encouraging and they enable attendance and participation, through practical support and the use of rewards. Progress in education for those with a history of non-attendance is adequate; with young people making small steps forward with regards to their school attendance from the starting point of their placements. Young people are being supported to get to school on time by staff providing transport and in addition, support in class when required. However, for the majority of young people, their attendance level in education is not good. This is affecting their ability to achieve. Not all young people have a Personal Education Plan where required. Therefore there is not clarity about the young person’s current education levels and target grades set for the school year. Where young people are waiting for alternative education placements; course work has been set for home tuition but education is not being

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Outcomes for children and young people

provided by a trained person. Therefore, this has a detrimental effect for young people, reducing their future educational course options, employment opportunities and life chances.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from positive contact with family and significant others. This promotes their identity needs and sense of belonging. A young person said 'I'm seeing my Nan and brother this weekend and I can phone them to chat.' Staff understand the benefits of contact and build positive relationships with parents. This has enhanced relationships further and built support networks. As a result this has improved communication and understanding between all parties, which is in young people’s best interests.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported by staff to practise independence skills including domestic tasks, cooking and managing money, appropriate to their age and understanding. Young people are at the start of a journey to assist in preparing them for leaving care and being able to look after themselves. Since moving into the home, young people are going out and about more, getting involved to in a variety of activities and social experiences in the community. A young person said 'I do my food shopping and am learning to cook,' and they have enjoyed 'going to the cinema and bowling.' This is broadening their life experiences and is assisting in developing their self-confidence.

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Quality of care

Some young people are starting to respond positively to the consistency, structure and routine that staff provide. Young people live in a stable, calm and supportive environment. Young people enjoy genuinely warm, friendly and positive relationships with staff. Two young people said that they 'get on with most staff.' Each said there are particular staff who they would share concerns and worries . Staff and young people were seen joking, discussing a number of topics during the inspection. Staff work hard to promote a culture of respect and acceptance in the home. As a result over time young people build and enjoy strong relationships with staff and each other.

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Quality of care

Staff are good at encouraging young people to express their views and contribute to the running of the home. One young person said, 'We are asked about a lot of things.' Young people do influence decision-making through a range of avenues. Daily discussions, house meetings, key work sessions and statutory reviews provide an opportunity to express their opinions. Young people know how to complain. There have been no complaints made by a young person or others since the last inspection. Previous complaints have been investigated, action taken and outcomes are recorded which indicate that complaints are dealt with appropriately.

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Quality of care

Staff actively ensure that the daily routine supports young people's participation in education and school attendance. Arrangements for young people's education are individualised and take into consideration individual circumstances and ability to work in a formal education setting. Young people have access to a stimulating environment which staff have created to encourage them to continue to learn whilst in the home. This is supporting young people to recognise the importance of learning. Staff are persevering in working with professionals to challenge and overcome barriers to young people's full participation in education. However, changes to education placements have not always been addressed in a timely manner by the agencies involved. This is not supporting good attainment to ensure young people have the best outcomes to support them into adulthood.

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Quality of care

Young people are cared for in line with their detailed individual placement plans and other supporting records. Placement plans identify specifically young people's personal needs and the individual support they require. Staff put young people's plans into practice to ensure their needs are met on a day-to-day basis. Care planning and staff's practice recognise young people as individuals with different backgrounds, interests and views. This has helped staff develop a good understanding of young people's needs. This ensures young people receive an individualised service that is tailored to meet their diverse needs, including personal identity. Staff regularly undertake direct and reflective work on specific areas with young people in line with their placement plans. Although, staff can demonstrate the progress young people are making, the placement plans and supporting records do not always clearly evidence the progress young people are making.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a suitably designed and comfortable house. There is good access to shops and community amenities that young people regularly use. The house is clean, tidy, well maintained, decorated and furnished to a good standard. Young people say they like the house and how it is furnished and decorated. Young people are fully involved in personalising their bedrooms and the house is made more homely with photographs of young people and staff.

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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 benefit from staff that care and provide them with good advice and support on safety matters. As a result, keeping young people safe is integral to daily practice. Young people say they feel safe. Some young people have made good progress in ceasing or reducing risk taking behaviour, while others still present some risk taking behaviour. Safeguarding procedures are strong and staff are well trained. Very detailed risk assessments are used as working documents by staff, who clearly understand young people's known risks and vulnerabilities.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people’s behaviour is improving in relation to their starting points. For those young people who have lived in the home for some time, good progress has been made. Where young people have recently moved into the home, there is evidence that some progress is being made in relation to their behaviour. When young people do go missing from home, staff always take action to minimise the risks and secure young people's safe return. For example, staff will routinely check out young people’s whereabouts and check on known addresses. They undertake direct work with young people to address this risk taking behaviour. Staff work effectively with the police to ensure a proportionate response is taken, based on the individual concerns and the level of risk. It is recognised that there has been some success in reducing risk taking behaviour relating to missing from home incidents. Although this is still to be

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Safeguarding children and young people

sustained over a longer period of time, to demonstrate a significant improvement and ensure all young people keep themselves safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say 'Oh, staff do explain rules to us,' and 'the staff are fair.' Staff respond positively to young people and remain calm through challenges. They effectively use their relationships with young people to help them manage difficult and challenging situations, supporting young people to learn alternative ways of expressing their feelings. Consequently, sanctions are minimal and there has been one instance where young people have been physically restrained since the last inspection. Some young people respond well to the structure, boundaries and the strategies that the staff implement. There has been a period when some young people have not been responding consistently to the rules and boundaries put in place to support them. However, staff continue to work with these young people and other professionals to bring better outcomes for them in this area and overall behaviour is settling and is more positive.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected from bullying. There has been one recent bullying incident which has been immediately addressed with the young people concerned. A young person said, 'I've been told I was bullying someone, staff spoke to me about this.' Staff have spoken to all young people at the residents’ meeting and individually, to try to stop this happening. Staff have put in place clear strategies to reduce and eliminate bullying. For example, all young people are closely supervised and this area is being monitored and reviewed. As a result this assists in preventing bullying behaviour.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from living in a safe environment. Staff make sure that the home is kept safe by doing regular health and safety checks and making sure that equipment is serviced. They also practise the home's fire evacuation procedure and test the system on a regular basis. Young people also participate in fire evacuation so that they know what to do in the event of a fire which helps to keep them safe.

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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

Leadership and management are adequate, this is due to a new manager being in post and an application to register has not been submitted to Ofsted within 28 days as required. Ofsted will write to the post holder to remind them of their legal obligation to register.

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Leadership and management

There is a stable and consistent staff team with a range of skills and experience among its members. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of written guidance during discussion and give examples of how it is implemented in practice. Management support and supervision are described as, 'good' by staff who clearly value the beneficial contributions of the management team.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from a manager and management team who understands their needs and wishes. The manager has suitable experience and demonstrates knowledge about her role and responsibilities. They are aware of the strengths and areas for improvement in the home and are developing further a clear plan to implement and manage this. This is supporting staff to provide a safe environment with sound care outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose records the required information to assist professionals and others making decisions in placing young people in a home. This along with the children's guide answers the relevant questions that young people may have before moving into or on arrival at the home.

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Leadership and management

The young people receive care from competent staff that are appropriately trained to meet their needs. Staff have good training opportunities and the majority of the staff team currently hold the level 3 Children and Young People's Workforce Diploma qualification and two are undertaking the qualification. This enables them to provide a sound quality of care to young people and act as positive role models, promoting lifelong learning. Training includes: first aid; behaviour management; health and safety; food hygiene; fire safety and safeguarding. A number of staff have recently undertaken further training in self-harm, sexual exploitation, missing from home and engaging vulnerable young people. This is a result of gaps being recognised in the staff team skills this supports them further in meeting the needs of the young people that they care for.

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Leadership and management

Thorough monitoring systems are in place to assess, and report on the administration systems of the home. Where weaknesses are identified, they are acted upon promptly. The monthly monitoring undertaken by the Regulation 33 visitor monitors a wealth of areas including the required areas set out in the regulation. There is an up-to-date development plan, for the service to bring further improvements to the quality of care.

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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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