Children's Home run by Kingston upon Hull City Council in Kingston upon Hull

Unique reference number SC034495 Inspection date 03/12/2013 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Date of last inspection 15/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

Brief description of the service

This local authority home is registered to care for and accommodate up to eight children and young people at any one time, of either gender, with learning disabilities. Some children also have physical disabilities and complex health needs. The vast majority of children and young people have short breaks at the home. Occasionally a child or young person is accommodated on a long-term basis.

p.3

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

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Children make excellent progress, as a result of attending this home, in all aspects of their development. This is confirmed by social workers who highly praise the skills of the staff team who enable children and young people to optimise their potential.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Care practices are highly personalised to meet the needs of the children and young people but care plans do not reflect this individualised care.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

Staff have an excellent understanding of safe working practices and social workers and parents consider that children and young people are safe.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

The well organised matching of sessions ensures the safety of all. The staff are skilful in managing children and young people’s behaviour which promotes their well-being.

p.3

Overall effectiveness

There is a resourceful Registered Manager who ensures that services required are secured for the children and young people. He continues to strive to improve the service and is committed to address the shortfall identified at this inspection. This shortfall is ensuring care plans demonstrate how children and young people are to be cared for on a day-to-day basis.

p.3

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.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) ensure care plans are prepared in accordance with regulation 9 of the Care Planning Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010. (Regulation 12A.(1)) 01/02/2014

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are outstanding .

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people make excellent progress from attending or coming to live at this home. Social workers say that they are astounded by the progress some individuals have made. On admission, some young people only had limited mobility and communication. These children and young people now present with much improved mobility, are communicating their wishes and are thriving in this nurturing environment.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people benefit from having highly skilled staff who attend to their health needs. Health professionals speak favourably of the commitment of the staff team who provide an excellent level of care at the home. Staff provide on-going support to children and young people when they are hospitalised. Staff said of a young person, ‘She can’t call out or get up and open a door so we are there all the time with her.’ This ensures that these children remain well cared for by staff that are familiar to them. There are excellent links with the local authority health services that work closely with the home and provide nursing support to some individuals. This enables those children and young people with complex health needs to remain living in their home. Children and young people enjoy healthy and nutritious meals. Staff work hard in encouraging those young people with a limited diet to try new

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

foods resulting in them having a more varied diet.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Parents of children and young people who attend the home for short breaks oversee the education of their children. However, the home has close links with schools to ensure continuity of practice. For example, key workers liaise with teachers to develop a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Staff visit children and young people in school at the point of the referral to ensure that they have all relevant information about them.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people benefit from the stability of the home which has enabled them to progress in their education. Education records demonstrate this achievement, showing real progress in their educational attainment since attending the home. This progress enhances the life opportunities for children and young people.

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people who live at the home are well supported to have constructive contact with significant family members. Where necessary staff will supervise contact, and are vigilant to ensure that this remains a positive experience for the child or young person. Social workers commend the commitment of the staff team who support family contact. Files contain birthday dates of family members to ensure that these occasions are remembered and celebrated. This ensures children and young people continue to feel part of their family.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people benefit from their independence skills being promoted. They are encouraged to access a wide range of opportunities to enable them to develop their confidence and skills. For example, some enjoy baking and are able to prepare their own breakfast; others are supported to undertake self-care skills such as feeding and dressing themselves. This maximises their potential and respects their dignity.

p.5

Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with the committed staff who provide them with excellent care and they thrive. Those young people who are living at the home have developed strong friendships with one another and are able to enjoy spending time together.

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from the skills of the staff team who are versatile in ensuring that they are able to ascertain their wishes and feelings. Parents speak positively about how well staff know their children and are able to clearly comprehend how they are feeling, one said, ‘The staff really know him so well they were able to tell he was not well, if they had not acted so quickly, he may not be here now.’

p.5

Quality of care

The home uses a range of communication methods including Makaton and PECS. For some children and young people they have produced a communication passport which stays with the individual and sets out their likes and dislikes and how they need to be cared for. This is particularly pertinent for those children or young people admitted to hospital. The home accesses the services of an advocate who attends the home monthly and is skilled in a range of communication methods, the advocate gains the views of the children and young people. Key workers visit families every three months to ensure that they are kept updated with children’s needs and to share information.

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people’s opportunities have been optimised by the persistence of the staff team. This ensures that their complex needs are met in the home. For example, for those children and young people who require nursing input, the home has secured services from the health department to provide this care in the home. This enables young people to remain living in the home where they have built up strong attachments.

p.5

Quality of care

Children and young people thrive from the excellent care they receive from highly committed staff that place children and young people at the centre of their practice. Parents and social workers say that the staff go beyond professional expectations to ensure that the children and young people receive exceptional care.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy a wide range of exciting opportunities. The adjacent service that provides activities for children and young people with disabilities is an integral part of the home enabling them to access a number stimulating activities including bowling, a youth club, swimming and the cinema. The staff take children and young people on shopping trips, to garden centres, horse riding and they have tickets for the pantomime on Christmas Eve. Within the home there are numerous activities to entertain them. For example, they have a cinema room to watch films or have a karaoke event; some enjoy baking and art and craft activities. For the young people that live at the home they have a separate lounge area that enables them to have cosy nights in or pamper nights.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from having their needs well met in the home. This is made possible by having a well-established staff team who know them very well and share all information with one another. However, care plans are rather basic and do not reflect the excellent care that is provided.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people’s needs relating to their disability and culture are addressed, staff have an inclusive approach and support families and value their differences.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from the excellent joint working with other services to help meet their complex needs. For example, the links with the health department ensures health needs are met safely and enable young people to live in their home; speech and language departments promote their communication skills; physiotherapists support staff and enable some tasks to be undertaken at the home; the occupational therapists advise on moving and handling.

p.6

Quality of care

Children and young people enjoy living at or coming to stay in this well-maintained child-friendly home. It is well equipped to ensure needs relating to their disabilities are well provided for. Those young people who live at the home have their own environment where, if they choose to, they can have time away in their own living space.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

The service is outstanding at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are protected by the effective planning of sessions which ensures vulnerable children and young people are not placed with more boisterous individuals. The permanent young people have their own lounge area which ensures that they too are cared for safely. Parents and social workers are confident that the children and young people are safe, one said, ‘They are absolutely safe.’

p.6

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are safeguarded by effective risk assessments that identify the potential dangers and include strategies to minimise the risks. However, these assessments do not prevent the children and young people from fully participating in adventurous activities such as horse riding and bungee bouncing.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are protected by individual behaviour management plans which identify triggers to unwanted behaviours and include strategies to diffuse situations. This ensures that behaviours are well managed promoting the stability of the home.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are protected by the robust recruitment procedures which ensure only suitable people are employed in the home.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are safeguarded by the vigilance of the staff team who ensure any injury is thoroughly investigated. They have an excellent understanding of safe care practices ensuring the safety of children and young people.

p.7

Safeguarding children and young people

Children are kept safe by having all health and safety checks carried out regularly. Each child or young person has an emergency evacuation plan ensuring that all staff know how they should be removed from the building in the event of an emergency.

p.7

Leadership and management

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

p.7

Leadership and management

This is a well-managed home; the Registered Manager leads a sufficient number of highly skilled, dedicated staff who are flexible and innovative in their approach to ensure children and young people receive exceptional care. For example, staff will stay with children and young people when they go into hospital or receive a break in another service to ensure continuity of care. This promotes children and young people’s well-being.

p.7

Leadership and management

Staff are well supported, they have purposeful supervision and comprehensive training that is relevant to meet the complex needs of the children and young people. Much of this is specifically commissioned resulting in a well-trained staff team who are confident in caring for children and young people. This expertise is valued by parents, social workers and other health professionals.

p.7

Leadership and management

The Registered Manager recognises the strengths of the staff team, who are knowledgeable and highly committed to ensure children and young people optimise their opportunities. The flexibility of the home to provide packages of support to families in crisis and the resourceful links they have with other services to respond to the ever changing needs that children and young people present are a strength of the home. Weaknesses are acknowledged such as the shortfall identified at this inspection. However, overall there are effective monitoring systems in place with the Regulation 33 visitor speaking to parents about the care provided in the home

p.7

Leadership and management

The Registered Manager is innovative in his plans for development and there are a number of significant initiatives which are being piloted, for example, the communication passports and the audio children’s guide both of which will enhance the communication for children and young people.

p.8

Leadership and management

There were no requirements or recommendations raised at the last inspection.

p.8

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.

p.9

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.

p.9