Children's Home run by Nottingham City Council in Nottingham

Unique reference number SC034969 Inspection date 07/11/2013 Inspector Caroline Brailsford Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 05/02/2013 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, which is provided by a local authority, is registered to care for three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is a short-term assessment provision whereby needs are assessed and a suitable long-term placement is identified within a 12-week assessment period.

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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

Outcomes for young people are generally good in this home. However, the home is a short term assessment home for young people who might be at a crisis point in their lives. This means that their behaviours are at times difficult and that they are already involved in risk taking behaviours when they arrive. These risk taking behaviours start to reduce during their time in the home and young people are therefore safer.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff are vigilant in their supervision of very complex young people and safeguarding issues are picked up quickly and dealt with well. In addition, young people are fully supported with their emotional wellbeing and their confidence grows as a result. Education and vocational choice has a high profile in the home and many young people leave the home with a clearer view about what their options are in relation to further education and finding employment that suits them.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people all feel that they are safe, however not all staff agree that placement matching is appropriate. Other professionals and managers are positive about the complex needs of young people being well met in the group. Despite this, documentation in this area is not reflective of the decision making process. The home has been asked to ensure that the admissions procedure is improved to show an audit trail of the decision and that the safety of all young people has been fully considered. In addition, some improvements are required to the recording of young people's information in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

There are some staff moral issues in the home. For example some staff feel that they have not been able to discuss their concerns about admissions with their manager or the senior management. Despite this, the systems in the home for the management of staff are good and staff are given opportunities to discuss their concerns with their manager.

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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) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated there, this is in particular relation to the impact of new referrals on the existing group of young people (Regulation 11,1(a)) 29/11/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the Statement of Purpose consists of a statement as to the matters listed in schedule 1, this is in particular relation to any criteria used for admission to the home, including the home's policy and procedures for emergency admissions. (Regulation 4 Schedule 1, (9)) 29/11/2013

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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 information about individual young people is kept confidential and only shared with those who have a legitimate need to know the information, this is in relation to the personal information kept in the home's daily log book (NMS 22.4)  ensure records are legible, clearly expressed, non stigmatising and distinguish as far as possible between fact, opinion and third party, this is in relation to inaccuracies in the homes daily log book. (NMS 22.4)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people, who are often admitted to the home at a time of crisis in their lives, make good progress towards developing a positive self-view and emotional resilience. As a result, young people are able to look forward to a more positive future. One staff demonstrated this by reporting that for one young person 'in spite of everything and so much emotional turmoil the young person still improved while they were here.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Educational outcomes are good. Young people receive improved attendance and attainment with regard to education as a result of moving to the home. Education is tailored to young people's needs, understanding and starting point. In addition, young people are assisted to develop their independence skills ready for moving on into the adult world. This equips them with skills they will need in the future and helps them to build up their confidence. Young people are also fully involved in their own reviews, are supported to attend meetings, with their contacts and take responsibility for their health, education and independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's health improves because staff are very aware of their needs in this area. They attend appointments where they have not felt able to attend previously. This enables them to receive the right support and to access health information. They also feel very able to talk to staff about their personal problems such as hygiene and personal relationships. Key working sessions and one to one support gives young people opportunities for discussion and staff are very knowledgeable in their teaching to young people about a variety of topics such as sexual health. In addition, where young people are not making good progress, managers make difficult decisions about them moving on so that they are not allowed to coast in any area of their life.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's behaviour in the home is improved, although for many young people this is a time of crisis in their life. Therefore, behaviours may be displayed which are more difficult to manage. However, Young people do make progress with regard to their behaviour and some risk taking behaviours are reduced as a result of staff support. One young person said, 'I have made progress since I got here with my behaviour.’ This is because young people are supported to understand the difference between right and wrong and about the impact of their behaviour on others. Young people are assisted to reflect on their behaviour and to think about their actions. Staff help them to learn from the incident whilst thinking about the impact that they have had on others.

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Quality of care

Young people feel that the quality of care is good. The home provides an environment for young people which is supportive and helps them at a time of crisis. The nature of the assessment and short term basis of the home, very often means that the young people are in a very difficult stage in their life on their arrival. Staff are consistently supportive and non-judgemental. This supports and enables young people to reflect on, and come to terms with, previous life experiences. Staff are skilled at meeting the emotional and psychological health needs of young people and regular key working sessions promote their emotional welfare and self-esteem. In addition, staff are creative and thoughtful in ensuring that all young people develop their self-esteem and use a range of resources which are very individual. The work completed is fully captured in records so that young people can reflect on their own progress.

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Quality of care

Young people are very often admitted having limited attendance at school previously. However, there is an educational ethos in the home, where there is a clear expectation that all young people should attend school, college or be in work placements. Consequently, young people make good progress. Young people are supported in the home to make appropriate choices about their future and many leave the home with college placements and apprenticeships. The range of purposeful and constructive activities available further supports young people to develop improved self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of care

Young people feel confident to express their views with support and without fear. They feel that their views are listened to and respected. Where they do raise issues, these are resolved through a robust complaints procedure where young people are fully empowered and as a result, increase in their confidence. This is because they are always encouraged to express their views and they are taken very seriously. For example, all complaints are fully investigated and the young person's view about the outcome is seen as very important. In addition, all young people have access to the Children in Care Council meetings and developments. This further promotes opportunities for them to have their say about the care they receive. Young people develop improved confidence and self-esteem because they feel valued.

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Quality of care

A thorough care planning system ensures that the needs of young people are clearly identified prior to admission. The home is pro-active in identifying and meeting needs related to personal identity and culture. Effective care planning processes ensure that young people are cared for in a way that is tailored to their own individual needs and wishes and that care is regularly evaluated. Well-managed health plans and clear medication administration procedures ensure that the home is also good at meeting the physical health needs of young people.

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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 are safe in the home. All staff receive safeguarding training. This means that they are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and follow the safeguarding procedures of the home. The home has good working relationships with social workers and notifies them when concerns are raised. This ensures that prompt and effective action is taken to protect young people from harm. Young people who display high risk behaviours are monitored carefully and regularly. In addition, their safeguarding issues are very well considered through individual risk assessments, which are thorough and include all important safety information.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Feedback from some staff in relation to placement matching is negative. They feel that there have been times when young people have not been compatible. They feel this has impacted on young people's safety. However, managers dispute this and other professionals confirm that despite being very complex, the young people have been as safe as they can be in their placement. The placement matching process does not include a thorough documented risk assessment or audit trail in relation to the impact of the new admission on the existing group of young people. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain that all young people's needs have been taken into consideration. Therefore, a requirement has been set as there is a breach in the Regulations and this may impact on young people in the future.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Where young people go missing, the staff and managers take every opportunity to encourage the young person to come back to the home. Young people know that staff really do care about them which promotes their safety. This is because they are more likely to want to return. In addition, there are good working relationships with the police who are very positive about the safety and welfare of the young people, particularly around episodes of missing and around exploitation risks to young people. They said 'staff go the extra mile.’ In addition, another professional explained that issues of missing are 'safely managed'. This ensures that despite risky behaviours, young people are as safe as they can be and their welfare is promoted.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home’s recruitment and vetting processes are effective. Consequently, the risk of unsuitable people having the opportunity to harm young people in the home is minimised. Where allegations or concerns are raised the home undertakes thorough and comprehensive investigations that ensure young people are kept safe. At the conclusion of investigations the home undertakes a further review to identify what lessons might be learned to inform and improve future practice. This protects the welfare of the young people and empowers them to pass on their concerns in the future.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Risk assessments are comprehensive and frequently updated in response to identified risk. Staff are aware of the home’s risk assessments and, because they adhere to them fully, the risk of accident and injury is minimised. Fire safety systems are effective and appropriately monitored by the manager and senior staff. Periodic testing of heating and electrical systems ensures that the risks to young people and staff are minimised.

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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

The requirement set at the last inspection has been met and young people are now involved in the visits when the provider inspects the home. The home demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement through quality assurance processes. Improvement is further promoted through the comprehensive development plan for the home.

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Leadership and management

Training is organised through a programme of mandatory training, for example behaviour management, first aid and safeguarding training. Training is also tailored to the individual needs of the young people. When young people come to the home with specific needs, for example Autistic Spectrum Disorder, the staff have access to visiting speakers at staff meetings. This helps them to learn about their approach to young people in relation to their specific individual needs. Staff undertake a comprehensive induction which supports them to develop good quality care practice. One new staff confirmed that this prepares them well for working with the young people by saying 'induction is thorough and organised'.

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Leadership and management

The home’s aims and objectives are set out clearly in the Statement of Purpose. This means that families and social care professionals are provided with accurate information about the home. The section on new and emergency admissions does not fully set out how new admissions will be managed against the needs and impact on the existing young people, therefore a requirement has been made as this has the potential to impact on young people in the future. The new young people's guide is informative and supports the young people through the admissions process. Young people have contributed to this and they have told managers where improvements would assist young people further. The manager has ensured that these changes have taken place and the document is now more accessible and interesting to young people.

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Leadership and management

Supervision for staff is up to date and staffs' progress is monitored very carefully through a robust review process. Young people are fully involved in this and complete regular questionnaires on individual staff which are then used in supervision. As a result, young people's views about staff development needs are all captured in the staff's annual appraisals. In addition, where staff do not perform to enhance the lives of young people and promote progress, they are very well monitored and where appropriate, disciplinary procedures are used to ensure that all staff are appropriate to work at the home.

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Leadership and management

Records reflect the young people's lives fully and capture patterns trends, improvements and difficulties. However, there are examples in the home of poor recording in the log book. Some recording identifies young people and contains very personal information and other records contain inaccuracies. Whilst this does not impact on young people, there is a shortfall in reaching the Standards so a recommendation has been made.

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Leadership and management

Some staff are negative about senior management arrangements and feel that moral is low. They say that they do not feel able to raise their concerns in team meetings, more informally or to senior managers about new admissions to the home. The ethos does not promote the safety of young people. This is because if staff feel unable to pass their concerns on, this has the potential to impact on young people's safety in the future. However, other staff are positive and say that moral 'is improving and is now good'. Records show that the management arrangements have been robust and there have been opportunities for staff to be open with the management and to contribute to the operation of the home. For example, there are regular staff meetings and all staff receive regular supervision with their manager. The management team were not aware of this issue but are very forward thinking in their approach. They are fully committed to hearing about staff views regarding the care

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Leadership and management

to individuals and any concerns they may have. This will promote the safety and welfare of the young people living at 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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