Children's Home run by Fairport Care Services Ltd in Kent

Unique reference number SC066129 Inspection date 25/03/2014 Inspector Helen Lee Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 03/12/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This service is a privately run children's home that provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

The last full inspection of this home took place in December 2013. The overall effectiveness was judged to be good at that time. Three requirements were made and have all been addressed. Five recommendations were also made following that inspection, four have been satisfactorily met and one has been raised further as a requirement. One requirement and two recommendations have also been raised as a result of this inspection.

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Progress

External monitoring reports assist in improving the quality of care and now include the comments of parents or family members. One family member comments that the young person is 'a different person, the work they have done with them is amazing'. The home was asked to review and update the Statement of Purpose. The Registered Manager has now ensured the Statement of Purpose includes the information on the use of bedroom door alarms, and the correct frequency of fire drills. The young person’s guide is relatively complex and lengthy. Young people have been planning to create a filmed document to show how the home functions, however, this has yet to be developed., All staff have a common understanding of when restraint can be used which is reinforced in training. The restraint policy has been updated and is now also fully compliant with regulations. There is minimum use of physical restraint. Incidents are carefully monitored and explored for any patterns,

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Progress

trends or practice learning. Although there is evidence of young people being given the opportunity to be examined by a registered nurse or medical practitioner this is not always consistently recorded. Additionally, the log used to record these incidents is unsecure as it is not bound or numbered.

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Progress

Young people continue to receive good quality individual support and guidance with behaviour management. Relationships between young people and staff are positive, warm and friendly. Staff foster humour and clear boundaries and expectations to provide young people with a stable homely experience. Although the log used for sanctions does not comply with the regulations, there is now recorded analysis of interventions within the internal monitoring reports. This includes rewards, sanctions and restraints. Young people feel that staff are consistent and that there are improvements regarding their behaviours.

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Progress

The home's procedures have now been updated to include reference to the Runaway and Missing from Home and Care (RMFHC) protocols. Due to key relationships for the young people and clear management of the incidences there has been a significant reduction in the incidences of young people going missing. When young people do go missing staff take all appropriate measures to find them and then welcome them back into the home. This inspection identified an inconsistency in the quality of records relating to young people going missing. Improvements are needed to include evidencing that, along with the responsible authority, a record is made on what action should be taken to prevent the young person going missing in the future.

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Progress

Young people are now aware of the content of their care plans and feel involved in the care planning process. Due to the home now completing a child's plan developed by the young people themselves, they were all clear about staff expectations and educational, health and care targets. One young person commented that, ‘we wrote our own plans and chair our own meetings and make the decisions if possible. We get a chance to contribute.’

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Progress

Young people continue to be cared for extremely well by a committed stable staff team. The Registered Manager has now ensured that all staff members hold, or are working towards, an appropriate level 3 qualification. This ensures the staff team remains refreshed on professional and legal developments. Young people are also fully involved in staff appraisals and their views are incorporated into the appraisal process. This improves young people's ownership of the home, develops their sense of responsibility and aids the improvement of staff performance.

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Progress

Young people’s health needs are fully met. Some young people continue to engage with individual therapy sessions. A healthy lifestyle is successfully promoted. One young person reflects, ‘I have been helped a long way, stopped smoking and taking weed cause I'm off all of that.’ This benefits young people’s emotional and physical well-being. Young people are benefiting from a range of educational input through regular school attendance or tutoring. This has resulted in them growing in confidence and self-esteem. Young people continue to be supported to learn independent living skills preparing them for adulthood.

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Progress

Young people are extremely positive about the home. Relationships between young people and staff remain strong and nurturing. One young person said, 'this is a good home because they really care, I get hugs now, also the other young people (are great) and I'm now allowed my pet hamster.’ Young people continue to have positive and purposeful engagement with the local community. All the young people know how to complain and feel staff listen to them. One social worker comments that 'this is the only placement where the young person has been able to discover themselves. The young person has done extremely well. The care stands out.'

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Progress

The Registered Manager continues to monitor all aspects of care and welfare. This ensures that high standards of care continue to be achieved and young people are appropriately safeguarded. The management team continue to strive for improvement and development for the benefit of the young people living at the home.

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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

17B (2001) the written record made in a volume shall include a description of any injury to the child or any other person and any medical treatment administered (Regulation 17B (3) (g)) 13/06/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) to maintain a written record of any measure of discipline kept in a volume which shall include all the necessary content (Regulation 17B (3)) 13/06/2014

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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 restraint records are in formats that cannot be tampered with after the event, for example, bound numbered records (Volume 5, statutory guidance, paragraph 2.91).  ensure that written records of children going missing detail action taken by staff, any reasons given by the child for running away and any action taken (NMS 5.10)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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