Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in East Riding of Yorkshire

Unique reference number SC457308 Inspection date 24/03/2014 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 01/08/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This privately run children's home is operated by a large national organisation. It is registered for up to five young women who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

There is a flat attached to the main house for one young person who is working towards independence.

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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

The home has enjoyed a significant period of stability. For young people who have resided at the home for a considerable period, their progress is exceptional. However, there have been a few placements made over recent months that have not been so successful. In these circumstances and as part of a robust admissions policy the manager has been proactive in quickly identifying the needs that cannot be met by the home. This enables alternative and appropriate arrangements to be secured for young people so their needs are promptly met. All the young people currently accommodated have made significant progress in relation to their starting point. For example, they no longer go missing, are not involved in risk taking behaviours and attend their education provision.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are cared for by dedicated, enthusiastic staff who offer high quality care in a nurturing environment. Young people respond to the consistent approach offered and generally behave in a socially acceptable manner. Social workers and independent reviewing officers speak highly of the care and consider that young people are extremely well looked after and are safe.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people confirm that they feel safe in the home. The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) considers that the management of the home has an excellent awareness of safeguarding issues and is proactive in working with them and other organisations to ensure young people are protected. Young people benefit from the highly individualised care planning that is in place. Although staff recognise they struggle to meet some young people’s needs relating to culture and ethnicity in this predominantly white area. However, this has been addressed with the placing authority.

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Overall effectiveness

The leadership and management arrangements are strong. There is a clear commitment to continued improvement and staff consider that they are well supported.

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Overall effectiveness

A recommendation was raised at this inspection relating to ensuring young people’s culture and ethnicity is central to every aspect of their care.

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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’s ethnic origin and culture are central to and integrated into every aspect of care, support and daily life so that they have the support they need to feel pride in their identity and heritage. (Volume 5, statutory guidance, paragraph 2.35)

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Outcomes for children and young people

For those young people who have lived at the home for a considerable time, their progress has been exceptional. They have developed in confidence, have a positive self-view and have formed strong attachments to the staff team. Independent reviewing officers speak very positively about the progress young people have made. The home is excellent at working with young people who have very complex needs and behaviours as a result of poor life experiences. From their starting point these young people have made good progress. However, the home has had some very vulnerable young people recently admitted who were involved in serious risk taking behaviours and needed more intensive support. The home responded promptly and identified that they could not meet these young people’s needs. Therefore, the outcomes were less positive for these young people

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s health needs are promoted and well met. Young people enjoy a healthy and nutritious diet and have good access to the health care services they need. Young people’s health is further promoted by the use of a Wii and they compete in a range of exercise regimes. The home operates a zero tolerance on smoking and staff effectively support young people with the help of smoking cessation services. Young people’s opportunities are enhanced by the homes expectations that they will attend an educational provision. This is particularly significant for those young people who are new to the home and have been out of education for a long period. These young people are able to attend the company’s educational provision until a suitable mainstream school is identified. Those young people who have lived at the home for some time have good educational achievement, with some expected to attain university places.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Some young people enjoy participating in community facilities. For example, they eat in local restaurants; use the local library and the nearby shopping centre. However, there is a lack of cultural diversity in the area which results in some young people being reluctant to go out in the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from having their contact arrangements clearly set out in their care plan and from the commitment of the staff team in facilitating this. For example, they welcome family members to come to the home for contact as agreed by the local authority and will transport young people home if this is required.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The current group of young people do not engage in risk taking behaviour, despite some individuals presenting these behaviours prior to admission.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy learning independence skills. Some young people are enthused by the opportunity to purchase items to furnish the semi-independence area they are to move into. This will enable them to practice their independence skills with the support from the staff team. The home also has a separate flat where young people are able to move into. This has enabled them to gain confidence in living independently while having support from staff if necessary. Social workers speak highly of the skills that these young people have gained, ensuring that they are able to make a successful transition to adulthood.

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Quality of care

Most young people enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with the staff. These are built on trust and a consistent approach so that the young people know clearly what is expected of them. This promotes stability. Reviewing officers consider that the staff are very compassionate and have a clear understanding of young people’s needs.

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Quality of care

Young people’s views are sought in all aspects of how the home operates; this includes menu planning, activities they participate in and the personalisation of their private space. Staff are proactive in encouraging young people to access advocacy services and will also speak to placing authorities about any concerns young people raise. Placing social workers speak positively about how the manager has raised issues about the appropriateness of some placements.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from having their individual needs set out in their care plan with guidance in place demonstrating how these needs are to be addressed. Although the home has been proactive is seeking ways in which needs relating to culture and ethnicity can be addressed, there have been difficulties in this area.

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Quality of care

Young people experiences are enhanced by the staff’s awareness of issues relating to equality and diversity. The team has recently undertaken training in anti-oppressive practice which has increased their knowledge and they work hard to counter the experience of oppression. The home has recently recruited male staff and individuals from different ethnic backgrounds to promote positive role models. Professionals outside the home speak positively about staff’s awareness on issues relating to gender and how the staff are skilful to support individual young people.

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Quality of care

Young people’s opportunities are enhanced from the staff’s commitment to their education. All have educational placements, albeit some temporary until appropriate mainstream placements are secured. There are good links with educational placements and any issues arising from these are promptly addressed.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from the well-established links the home has with a range of organisations they can access to help meet their complex needs. For example, the company has psychological services to help meet their emotional needs as well as the children and adolescent mental health services. Smoking cessation services support young people to stop smoking; sexual health services support young people on a range of sexual health issues and children’s rights organisations advocate on behalf of the young people.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy a range of enjoyable activities. For example, horse riding; trips to the cinema; the theatre; go out for meals either as a group or occasionally a couple will go out together. Independent reviewing officers consider that this is a significant development for some individuals who previously had serious confidence issues. They go on trips to London; and are planning an annual holiday. Within the home the group enjoy ‘girlie’ evenings, DVD nights; play cards and board games and listen to music.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy living in a well maintained, pleasantly furnished accommodation creating a homely environment for young people. It is situated in a large village but within easy access to the city.

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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

Young people are safeguarded by the vigilance of the staff who are extremely knowledgeable over safeguarding issues. The LADO speaks highly of the management of the home who works well with their agency and others to endeavour to keep young people safe. He says that the home is efficient in ensuring that he is informed of any out of authority placements made to the home and is alerted to any young people who are at risk. The home has an excellent awareness of what services are available to vulnerable young people so prompt referrals can be made.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say that they feel safe in the home and that there is no bullying.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected by having comprehensive risk assessments which identify potential risks with clear guidance in place to minimise the danger.

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Safeguarding children and young people

None of the current group of young people goes missing from the home or engages in risk taking behaviours. Although, for some young people prior to their admission these behaviours were a serious concern. However, there are individual protocols in place informing what action is to be taken in the event of a young person failing to return to the home when expected. This ensures swift action is taken. The home has excellent links with the police protection unit who they liaise with when they have vulnerable young people accommodated who engage in risk taking behaviours. This ensures that appropriate safeguarding measures are taken.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people respond to the consistent fair boundaries that are in place that promote socially acceptable behaviour. This creates a harmonious environment where young people thrive. No restraints are recorded although there are a few sanctions which are fair and properly recorded.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are protected by living in a safe environment. All health and safety checks are carried out regularly including the fire evacuation procedure held both during the day and at night. This ensures all know what action to take in the event of a fire.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

This is an exceptionally well managed home. The Registered Manager leads a sufficient number of enthusiastic, highly committed staff who are well trained and offer a nurturing environment where young people generally thrive. Independent reviewing offers speak highly of the care that young people receive.

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Leadership and management

The home admits young people in an emergency situation and following good quality initial assessment the manager is proactive and promptly identifies if the home cannot meet any specific needs of young people. This ensures that young people’s holistic needs are effectively met.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has a clear understanding of the strengths of the home. The staff team have the ability to work with some very vulnerable young people and make a difference to their life opportunities. The Registered Manager has the ability to learn from situations, and reflects on how things could be done differently to further improve outcomes for young people. For example, in relation to new admissions to the home. The development plan is detailed and sets out how the service can improve outcomes for young people in all areas including education attainment, health and independence skills. There are rigorous monitoring systems in place. Young people and parents are consulted during this process and they are positive about the care provided by the staff. Placing social workers speak highly of the communication they have with the home.

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Leadership and management

There was one recommendation raised at the last inspection relating to ensuring staff had an understanding of young people’s identity to enable them to respond appropriately. The team has undertaken specific training which was delivered by the psychologist and an individual from an ethnic minority to give a perspective on oppression and discrimination. This has resulted in the home challenging local authority’s placement decisions. For example, although welfare issues were seen as a priority on referral, issues relating to culture and ethnicity are seen as essential to sustain placements.

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Leadership and management

There is a comprehensive Statement of Purpose in place clearly reflecting how the home operates. This ensures interested parties have a clear understanding of what the home offers.

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Leadership and management

Young people’s records are in good detail and are easy to follow. They clearly reflect how their time has been spent in 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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