Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire YMCA in Nottingham

Unique reference number SC444681 Inspection date 15/01/2014 Inspector Tracy Murty Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 24/10/2012 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 home is operated by a national charity and provides care and accommodation for up to three young people at the main residential site and a further two young people at a satellite home close by. The home provides care and accommodation for 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

The home works hard to try and engage young people in all aspects of their care and regularly seeks their views, wishes and feelings. Young people are encouraged to read and make comments on their records which increases their senses of engagement in all aspects of the care provided to them and in the day-to- day running of the home. The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. He is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has recently produced and implemented a development plan for the service. He is motivated to improve the quality of care provided and the outcomes for young people.

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Overall effectiveness

A number of shortfalls were identified during this inspection. An application has yet to be received by Ofsted for the new manager. The Statement of Purpose for the service needs to be updated and sent to Ofsted. The Regulation 33 visitor does not routinely ensure that they meet with young people, parents and staff to elicit their views on the service provided. Staff require regular supervision and further training in a range of areas. Maintenance and repair works have not been completed in a timely manner. Sanctions and rewards for young people's behaviour are not consistently clear or understood by young people and staff. There needs to be a development plan and it needs to be reviewed annually.

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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 registered provider shall appoint an individual to manage the children's home if the registered provider is an organisation and is not, or does not intend to be, in full-time day to day charge of the children's home (Regulation 7(1)(a) and (b)) 17/02/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the statement of purpose and children's guide are kept under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and children’s guide and notify the HMCI of any such revision within 28 days (Regulation 5(a) and (b)) 17/02/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the person carrying out the visit shall interview, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home and inspect the premises of the children's home and records of any complaints (Regulation 33(4)(a) and (b)) 17/02/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed by the registered person receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 17/02/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure after consultation with the fire and rescue authority that arrangements are made for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 32(1)(d)) 17/02/2014

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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 the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated. Avoidable hazards are removed as is consistent with a domestic setting. This is with particular reference to the storage of tools and repairs to internal areas of the homes (NMS 10.3)  ensure that sanctions and rewards for behaviour are clear, reasonable and fair and are understood by all staff and children (NMS 3.8)  ensure that the registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home's current operation and resource. (NMS 15.2)

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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 begin to form a positive view of themselves and gain increased confidence in their skills whilst living in this home. They read and sign their records, increasing their sense of awareness and engagement in the care provided to them. Young people begin to make sense of their history and background. They receive support to meet their holistic health needs, including specialist services where appropriate. They feel listened to by staff and feel that their culture and religious beliefs are respected.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Not all young people engage well in education, despite the efforts of the staff team. Some young people aged 16 and over are not currently in education, employment or training. For those who do engage in education, they achieve to a satisfactory level. One young person stated, 'the staff are like my second family.' Education providers report having a positive working relationship with the staff team and praise them for their attempts to encourage complex young people to engage with their educational placements. Examples include staff asking that work be sent home for young people to do during any temporary exclusions and ensuring that work is completed with young people in a timely manner.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people get the support they need to maintain meaningful contact with family and friends. Young people are able to see and keep in touch with those people who are significant to them, in line with their individual contact plans. They feel supported by staff to have direct and indirect contact, which has included them being able to invite friends and family to the home for meals. Young people engage with the local and wider community, using public transport and accessing local facilities either alone or with staff support.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy sound relationships with the staff team. They can identify adults who they trust and feel able to share any concerns or worries they may have. The staff ensure that young people are consulted on all aspects of the care provided to them. Staff consult with young people about their case records, asking that they read and make comments on them, which they do regularly. Young people's views are sought on many aspects of how the home is organised and run. This includes weekly menu plans, decoration and furnishings for the home and activity planning. Young people assist in shopping and meal preparation.

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Quality of care

Young people know how to make a complaint and feel confident about being able to do so. The manager ensures that any concerns raised by young people receive a timely response and that young people are provided with a detailed account of what action has been taken to address their concerns. Young people also discuss any informal issues with staff during key work sessions or during the regular young people's meetings. Such meetings also enable young people to contribute to planning meals and activities and other aspects of how the home is run. Records reflect the discussions and agreed outcomes and are mostly signed by young people to reflect their understanding and agreement.

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Quality of care

Staff challenge barriers to ensure that young people have suitable education provision in place, ones that are suited to their specific, individual needs. A key strength of this service is how well the staff team tracks and chases agencies to ensure that they continue to meet the complex needs of young people. Staff diligently record all actions taken by them on young people's records. Staff support young people to engage with their educational placements and work closely with relevant agencies at all times. One teacher praised the staff team, stating that they communicated with the school on a daily basis, provided transport for young people and kept the school informed of all relevant issues.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from clear and detailed placement and care plans. However sanctions for behaviours are not always recorded clearly or followed through with young people. This could undermine the effectiveness of any sanctions put in place and lead to confusion for young people and staff.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from a homely environment which is generally well decorated and maintained. Whilst any damage or repair works needed are reported through a maintenance recording system, not all works have been completed in a timely manner. This includes damage to some internal walls, replacement doors for bathroom cabinets and a dishwasher not being sourced. The back garden of one of the homes is not welcoming or well maintained and there are garden tools which need to be securely locked away.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from clear health plans, with staff working closely and proactively with a range of agencies and professionals to meet young people's diverse needs. Staff support young people to identify their individual health needs and support them to attend appointments. The home has a positive working relationship with the looked after children nurses who have recently provided training to staff on medication. Medication is securely stored and well recorded by staff in both homes.

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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 feel safe and are safe in this home. The home is secure; staff demonstrate a good understanding of the home's safeguarding procedures and know how to keep young people safe. Another key strength of the service is its proactive and positive working relationship with local police to ensure the on-going safety of all young people placed at the home. Regular meetings are held between the home and the police to discuss any areas of concern and to plan how best to support and meet the needs of the young people. One police officer praised the staff team for this multi-agency working stating, 'the manager is excellent. The staff work really well with me; they are excellent at joint working.'

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Safeguarding children and young people

Missing from care protocols and risk assessments are robust and detailed. Staff regularly review and update them to reflect the changing needs of young people. Incidents of young people going missing are minimal and reflect the positive and close working relationships with the staff team and local police. Young people maintain contact with staff by phone and clear behaviour management plans set out what action staff should take in the event of a young person going missing or being absent without authorisation.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recently some young people have elected to spend increasing amounts of time away from the home. The staff team have ensured that this is reported to all the relevant agencies and that risk assessments reflect how such situations will be managed. The staff team work very closely with placing authorities and agencies involved to try and engage young people; records reflect the consistent tracking and monitoring work done by them. The staff team have requested meetings with agencies to discuss the more complex needs of some young people and ensure their attendance and full engagement. Even when young people have not been resident in the home, staff have maintained daily contact with them and continued to provide key work sessions and support. One placing social worker praised the staff team for their continued attempts to engage a hard to reach young person, 'they really do try and meet the young person's needs, they have worked hard to promote independence skills,

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Safeguarding children and young people

The use of physical restraint is minimal and reflects the positive behaviour management plans and strategies employed by the staff. A recommendation was made at the last inspection in relation to ensuring that young people and staff were given an opportunity to discuss any incidents of restraint they have been involved in. This now takes place and is well recorded. Young people also benefit from very detailed and clear anti-bullying plans. Managers monitor any incidents of actual or perceived bullying on a regular basis.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff working for the service are carefully selected and vetted. This prevents any unsuitable persons from being able to work with young people. Investigations into allegations receive prompt and thorough attention by the manager, with detailed records being maintained. This ensures that young people are protected from harm and also provides staff with support during the process.

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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 home has a new manager who came into post in October 2013. There has been a delay in submitting the necessary application to Ofsted and a requirement has been set as a result of this shortfall. The manager has many years' experience of working in residential settings and has a detailed awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. The manager has implemented a comprehensive development plan for the service since coming into post, with evidence of improvements starting to be made. The previous development plan for the service had not been reviewed on an annual basis or updated.

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Leadership and management

Young people are supported by an experienced and caring staff team most of whom are qualified. A number of staff require training in relation to fire prevention, first aid and restraint. The new manager has recently devised and implemented a training matrix for the service, identifying gaps in training for both permanent and relief staff. The new manager has also put in place a detailed supervision planning matrix but not all staff have had regular supervision and support since the last inspection.

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Leadership and management

The service has complied with the requirement and recommendations made at the last inspection. Visits by an independent person now take place every month and a report on each visit is produced. Staff and young people are provided with an opportunity to discuss any incidents of restraint they have been involved in. Staff are also supported to understand their own feelings and responses to the emotions and behaviours presented by young people. Staff speak positively of the new manager, reporting that supervision is now more frequent and provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and improve the care they provide to young people.

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Leadership and management

The manager makes good use of a range of monitoring activities such as Regulation 34 checks to ensure the home operates to a satisfactory standard in line with its Statement of Purpose. However the Statement of Purpose is out of date and does not accurately reflect the current staffing and management arrangements. Visits to the home are made under Regulation 33 each month, but do not routinely include speaking with young people, their parents or staff in private to elicit their views on the services provided.

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Leadership and management

Records for young people are clear, up to date and securely stored. The staff team ensure that regular reviews and updates of all risk assessments and plans are undertaken. Staff track and chase any outstanding reviews or visits, with good evidence on records of this being done on a very frequent basis. The home enjoys positive working relationships with a range of agencies and professionals. Police and education providers report high levels of satisfaction at how well staff communicate and work with them in order to meet the diverse needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

The home ensures that all relevant events are notified to the appropriate authorities and agencies in a timely manner. Placing authorities report satisfaction at the level and quality of communication with them about young people. Recognising the complexities and issues of engagement for some young people, one placing authority praised the staff team for continually striving to meet the needs of young people, taking into account their specific cultural, religious and cultural needs.

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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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