Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC068206 Inspection date 05/12/2013 Inspector Pamela Nuckley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 21/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home, run by a private company, provides care and accommodation for one young person with 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

This is a good home with some outstanding features. As a result, young people make excellent progress from the starting point of placement. This is underpinned by effective, high quality support from staff. Young people receive personalised, well- planned care that takes into account their individual needs. Young people's views are clearly listened to and acted upon in all aspects of their care at the home. Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and feel happy and settled in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

An experienced staff group who demonstrate enthusiastically their commitment to addressing welfare issues supports young people living in this home. The staff work closely with other services to meet the range of young people's needs in order to promote positive outcomes for young people. There is a committed approach to enable young people to develop socially, physically and emotionally in relation to their starting points on entering the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff in the home demonstrate an excellent understanding of safe working practice. Young people feel safe and are protected by pro-active practice which safeguards them. The Looked After Designated Officer (LADO) said: 'The staff at this home are excellent in ensuring children are safe.’

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Overall effectiveness

Young people thrive within the warm, homely atmosphere provided. They are respected and valued as individuals. The staff actively challenge any discrimination and provide a range of holistic opportunities that supports the development of young people. The management and staff team are excellent role models who have respectful, consistent and warm relationships between themselves as well as with young people. The home is well managed with an experienced and competent staff team. They work well with other agencies to secure improved outcomes for young people. The strong management team is fully aware of the strengths and areas for development of the service and continuously strive to improve. The views of staff, parents and professionals from all disciplines are used constructively to constantly raise standards. As a result young people develop an increased sense of being valued and belonging.

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Overall effectiveness

Areas for improvement identified within this report are to ensure: that all documents are signed by the author; that menus show a balanced diet; that care plans contain factual information and that Regulation 33 reports are more thorough in detail. However, the home can demonstrate the positive difference they have made in young people's lives in their education, health, social inclusion and with relationships.

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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 visits of the home carried out under Regulation 33 include relevant checks set out in regulations and guidance (NMS 21.7)  ensure that children’s health is promoted. This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the menu reflects a balanced healthy diet (NMS 6.5)  ensure that all records are clear, up to date and stored securely, and contribute to an understanding of a child's life. In particular ensure that all documentation is signed by the relevant parties and the local authority care plan contains factual information. (NMS 22)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from a secure and stable placement where they are able to develop and grow. Young people are fully involved in their placement plan and understand that several options are being explored for when they move on. Placement plans show the specific needs of young people and therefore they receive individualised care. However, the local authority care plan has incorrect information within it. This is not currently impacting on the excellent care given but has the potential to do so.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people receive individualised care and support which helps them grow in confidence. They are involved in the daily running of the home, cooking, shopping, cleaning, menu and activity planning. They participate in young people's meetings and are consulted on a regular basis. These practices enable young people to have control over their own daily lives and contribute to the development of the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are in good health. Young people who had on-going health concerns have come to the end of their treatment and are doing well. Young people are fully supported to access services that maintain their health. Therefore, young people are able to access local doctors, dentists and opticians. Health plans clearly set out each young person's health care needs and how these will be met. Due to the excellent advice given, young people are not engaged in activities that would impact on their good health. Young people say that they plan and choose their own meals for the week. However, the home’s menus do not show that a healthy diet is offered to young people. The records show what young people chose to eat rather than what is offered. Therefore, it is not evident that young people are encouraged to eat a healthy diet.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s attendance and progress at school is excellent. One young person said ‘Another girl and me are sitting exams. I am doing English, maths and science. We are the first kids to sit exams at this school. If I do well I can then take the higher papers.’ This shows that young people are achieving beyond expectations and have ambitions to progress further.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's sense of identity and culture is reinforced through suitable contact arrangements with their families. The home is excellent in ensuring that contact is meaningful for young people. One young person said ‘I go to ‘Splash’ world with my sister, it's great.’ This has enabled the young people to develop and maintain a positive relationship. Young people are engaging in activities in the local community. One young person said ‘I go to the local youth club three times a week and I have lots of friends.’ Young people say their friends are welcome to visit the home and can stay for tea.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are effectively developing life skills appropriate to their age and ability. They are developing skills in budgeting, shopping, planning and cooking meals. Further to this, staff are assessing their specific needs and what support they would need to live independently. This means those young people who are preparing for the transition to independent living will have the resources they need.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy positive relationships with the staff and each other. Staff work strenuously to develop positive, constructive relationships with young people. They view young people in a positive light, are committed to improving outcomes for them and are proud of what they have achieved so far. One staff commented: ‘I have watched this young person grow over time and it is fantastic to see how they have developed.’ Another commented: ‘we take pride in making meaningful relationships so young people can progress.’ This is then reflected in young people’s comments of: ‘staff are great’; ‘I can talk to any of them’ and ‘they are always there to help.’ This shows that young people value these relationships. Practice is exceptionally child-centred and personalised. The experienced and nurturing staff team analyse each young person's needs and continually review the effectiveness of strategies. The excellent support provided by staff, encourages

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Quality of care

young people to work through difficulties and address the key areas in their plans. Young people are consulted, contribute fully to their plans and know what they are working towards. Therefore, young people are cared for in line with their placement plans which clearly identify their individual and diverse needs. These plans are regularly reviewed to evaluate progress and ensure the home continues to meet young people's individual needs.

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Quality of care

Young people confirm staff seek their views and opinions on all aspects of their lives and the running of the home. One young person said they can ‘tell staff anything’. Young people's meetings and individual consultation sessions enable young people to comment on the quality of care in the home. This means young people feel cared for and valued as individuals. Young people say that they are confident to use the complaint system if necessary. The manager has been proactive in ensuring that young people can raise concerns with their placing authority. The young person was very complimentary about this and said ‘( the manager) was fantastic. I would not have known that I could do this or what to do. I am really happy with the outcome.' This shows that young people views wishes and feelings are actively listened to and they are fully supported to raise any concern.

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Quality of care

Young people are encouraged to engage in activities, such as swimming and attending the local youth club. This helps to keep them fit, healthy, make friends and be a part of the local community. Young people enjoyed a holiday to Spain this year and said they had a ‘brill time’. Further to this, the home has fully supported, financially and with specific items of wear, a young person going on a school skiing trip. This shows that young people have the same opportunities as their peers.

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Quality of care

Young people live in a healthy environment where their physical, emotional and psychological health is promoted and where they are able to access the services to meet their health needs. If necessary, there is access to health agencies and specialised services. Young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their health and lifestyle choices; this leads to a positive impact on young people understanding the risks and choices that they make. Effective policies and procedures concerning the storage, handling, administration and disposal of medication safeguard young people's welfare. All staff have received up-to-date safe medication and first aid training. As a result, young people receive their medication in line with their prescription.

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Quality of care

The home's routines ensure young people's full participation in education. Documents such as personal education plans and educational reports are on young people's files. Staff at this home believe that education is important for young people. They are proactive and consistent in supporting the educational achievement of young people. They engage with educational provisions successfully and retain all documents, reports and certificates for young people. As a consequence, young people are achieving beyond expectations. Young people live in a clean, comfortable and well-decorated home. The house is well maintained and meets the young people's individual needs, personalities and tastes. They are able to decorate their bedrooms to their own style and taste. In addition, the home is personalised with young people's photographs. This gives young people a sense of ownership and belonging. The home is close to local shops

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding young people is paramount and central to practice. Young people report they feel safe and are supported to keep safe, within age appropriate boundaries. Young people know staff care about them and say they talk to them about risks and making safe choices. Staff are proactive in safeguarding young people, understand their responsibilities and act in accordance with local authority procedures where required. Further to this, effective behaviour management plans and risk assessments clearly identify any risks young people may face and the strategies to manage these so the welfare and safety of young people are protected. This ensures young people are protected in line with legislation. The Local Area Designated Officer (LADO) says that this home is excellent in sharing concerns, reporting responsibilities and initiating strategy meeting to keep young people safe. Staff demonstrate that they understand their role and responsibilities in protecting,

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Safeguarding children and young people

recording and following policies and procedures in all safeguarding issues.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people have not been reported missing from this home. The home has appropriate systems in place should this happen such as risk assessments; policy and police protocols would be used in this event. Staff demonstrated their role and responsibilities in ensuring that young people safety and well-being would be their priority. These systems help to keep young people safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff are trained in behaviour management which includes de-escalation techniques, positive regard and in applying physical restraint techniques. However, due to the excellent relationships staff have with young people, restraints have not been used. Staff actively encourage positive behaviour through the use of consultation sessions, incentives and restorative justice practice. Therefore, young people learn negotiation skills and positive appropriate ways to manage anger and frustration. The manager monitors the use of consequences for their appropriateness and effectiveness. As a result, minimal consequences have been used and a focus of positive reinforcement is a feature of this home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected by the organisation's safe recruitment practices which ensure that all staff are thoroughly vetted before they are allowed to start work in the home. The identity of all visitors is checked and their whereabouts in the home monitored during the time they are there. These systems ensure the safety and well- being of young people. The home has established systems and structures in place to maintain safe practices and fulfil health and safety obligations. Fire safety and health and safety checks are regularly carried out and young people confirm they know how to respond in an emergency or fire drill. No hazards were identified during the course of the inspection and all associated checks are undertaken on a regular basis. Therefore, young people live in a home that provides physical safety and security.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The manager is appropriately qualified and has an excellent range of relevant experience to guide leadership of the staff team. The manager is competent and confident and well able to promote positive outcomes for young people. There are clear and appropriate arrangements for covering in her absence. The manager has exceptionally high expectations of the staff team and is proactive in ensuring all staff receive a full training programme to equip them with specific skills relevant to the young people accommodated. There is clear evidence of how the care and support provided by the whole staff team have improved outcomes for young people.

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Leadership and management

The home is operating in accordance with its Statement of Purpose confirming that it is well organised and managed. This document provides young people, their families and social workers with a clear description of the services and support provided by both the home and the registered provider.

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Leadership and management

The manager and staff team demonstrate a strong commitment to providing excellent quality childcare practice tailored to address the individual needs of each looked after young person. This encourages young people to make significant progress across the many aspects of their lives, including accessing educational provision, sustaining their emotional development, accessing health provisions and keeping themselves safe.

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Leadership and management

The stability, close working relationships and good communication developed between staff contributes to the effectiveness of daily routines and helps provide young people with a nurturing safe environment. Staffing numbers provide good levels of support needed to promote recreational activities, visits and attending appointments for young people. Through the provision of training and regular one- to-one supervision staff confidently said they feel fully supported by their manager. Staff say they feel valued by colleagues and enjoy working with the young people in placement. When asked what was the best thing about the home, a member of staff stated, ‘the manager is fair and approachable, she works alongside us and gives up a lot of her time to ensure that everything is fine.’ Another member of staff stated, 'the best thing about this home is that we constantly discuss issues and support each other, therefore young people receive consistency of care.’

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Leadership and management

All the members of staff are qualified in the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in care. Staff complete all mandatory training. They also receive additional training specific to young people's individual needs. This ensures that young people are cared for by a suitable qualified staff team. In addition, they have had their work practice and development appraised to identify areas of improvement and training needs.

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Leadership and management

Young people’s records are detailed and well structured; these are held securely and confidentially. However, some paperwork is unsigned by the author, staff and manager. For example, a local authority placement plan has not been signed by anyone. This does not ensure that all parties are in agreement with the plan. Although this is not currently impacting on the care young people receive, it has the potential to do so.

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Leadership and management

There are various systems to monitor quality of care. Regulation 33 and 34 monitoring is regularly carried out and young people are consulted during monitoring visits. However, the Regulation 33 report lacks detail and contains over all phrases such as ‘all placement plans in place’, rather than commenting on the quality of them. Therefore, this system has not identified shortfalls such as unsigned documents. Further to this, these reports do not give Ofsted a clear overview of the quality of care between inspections.

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Leadership and management

Young people's records are stored securely. Staff ensure all information is up to date and provides a comprehensive picture of a young person's time at the home. All significant events are notified to the relevant authorities to ensure the welfare and safety of young people are further protected. There were no requirements or recommendations from the last inspection.

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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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