Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Hertfordshire

Unique reference number SC425418 Inspector Natalie Burton Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Esland South Limited Registered person address Unit 4, Ednaston Home Farm Brailsford ASHBOURNE Derbyshire DE6 3AY Responsible individual John Stamp Registered manager Sandeep Shabir Date of last inspection 05/12/2013 2 of 10 Inspection date 08/05/2014

p.1

Previous inspection inadequate progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness adequate

Outcomes for children and young people adequate Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management adequate

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe, listened to, and they contribute to the running and development of the home. They recognise that generally measures are in place to protect them and keep them safe. Staff are motivated, enthusiastic and have generally positive relationships with young people. They seek the views of young people about the quality of their care through key work sessions and residents meetings.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people make adequate progress in relation to their health and education. Others progress in relation to their behaviour, social skills and reduction in going missing. There are new systems in place to underpin young people’s well-being. For example, staff have developed positive relationships with external professionals and safeguarding has become a priority. There is a continuing plan to strive for further improvements in the running of the service and outcomes for young people.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

However, there are some shortfalls. These relate to administration of medication, training, and assessment for admission to the home. In addition, improvement is needed to the Statement of Purpose and some records. 3 of 10

p.2

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four children. A private organisation owns and operates this setting.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2013 Interim inadequate progress 18/06/2013 Full adequate 05/02/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 26/09/2012 Full good

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.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

5 (2001) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose (Regulation 5(a)) 27/06/2014

p.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed by him receive appropriate training. In particular with regard to self-harm and mental health awareness (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 27/06/2014

p.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure subject to paragraph (3), that any medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed, to the child for whom it is prescribed, and to no other child (Regulation 21 (2)(b)) 27/06/2014

p.3

Reg. Requirement Due date

9 (2001) ensure, having regard to the size of the children’s home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs of the children accommodated there, 27/06/2014 4 of 10 carry on or manage the home the home with sufficient care, competence and skills. Specifically around the assessment of needs of children admitted to the children’s home. (Regulation (9)(1))

p.3

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure records are up-to date and contribute to an understanding of the child life. (NMS 22) 5 of 10

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people make sufficient progress in most aspects of their lives. They are becoming aware of how their choices and actions impact upon them. Young people develop mature responses to anger, frustration and disappointment, and increasingly express their feelings in a more positive manner. Staff respond to the individual needs of young people enabling them to understand their life events and how they can move forward.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s individual needs and differences are met well. Open discussion and learning about equality and diversity is encouraged. Young people build confidence and self-esteem through the support provided by staff. They have good relationships with staff developed through regular key work sessions. This means they have an adult they can approach if there are worried about something. Young people are treated with respect, and their individuality facilitated and celebrated. Young people live in a caring environment and view the home as their own. There is positive interaction between staff and young people.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Overall young people make adequate educational progress. Some have improved outcomes in education. Other young people have also progressed despite not being engaged in education. For example, in developing positive attachments and relationships with staff and making sufficient progress in keeping themselves safe. For some young people insufficient contact with their tutors impacts on their educational attainment.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people maintain relationships with the important people in their life. They benefit from appropriate contact with their family member or significant people in their life. Individual arrangements are properly supported and facilitated by the home’s staff.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people enjoy meals that are varied, nutritious and meet their dietary needs, likes and dislikes. Young people have access to a suitable range of activities, both in the home and within the local community. Young people are now accessing activities such as cricket, trips to London and football. They are given opportunities to socialise and be part of the local community.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

In general medication arrangements are safe. However, on one occasion, staff administered medication to one young person that was prescribed for another young person. Whilst there was minimal impact medication must not be administered to a person other than who it is prescribed to.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are adequately prepared and confident for their transition to independence and adult life. Young people develop their levels of independence 6 of 10 according to their age and ability. They cook, do their own laundry (with the help of staff where needed) and keep their bedrooms tidy.

p.5

Quality of care good

Young people enjoy good relationships with staff, and interact positively with staff and managers who are warm and supportive of them. Staff fully support young people to access a variety of social and leisure opportunities. This may require careful and considerate planning and the care team are proficient in ensuring that wherever possible young people’s wishes are met. Staff are flexible, motivated and enthusiastic, and there is minimal use of agency staff. As such young people benefit from attachments to key people. Comments from staff include ‘we have a good team’ and ‘we are good at engaging with young people.’

p.6

Quality of care good

Young people know how to make a complaint. Where this has occurred, young people receive a prompt response. This ensures that young people receive feedback and are comfortable in raising complaints. Young people feel listened to by staff. This is because staff actively seek young people’s views through young people’s meetings, key work sessions and daily on-going conversations. Staff capture any moment possible to broaden young people’s horizons on areas such as current affairs, and teaching them about different countries and cultures.

p.6

Quality of care good

Practice is child-centred and personalised and staff review the effectiveness of the strategies to help young people address things they find difficult. After an initial assessment period, all young people have a placement plan, identifying their individual needs and staff implement these effectively. Young people and those significant to them have knowledge of the information contained in the plans. As a result, young people feel consulted and are fully aware of their targets. Progress is monitored through reports, which inform statutory reviews. These reports are shared with social workers. A social worker confirmed that information is ‘fantastic, really clear and concise’.

p.6

Quality of care good

Young people’s physical and emotional health is promoted and monitored. The young people are encouraged to attend appointments with their doctors and dentist. Staff are qualified in first aid. Healthy eating is promoted; menus are balanced and take into account personal preferences.

p.6

Quality of care good

Staff encourage young people to attend their educational provision. However, some young people are initially placed at the service before satisfactory education arrangements in place. Staff actively advocate for young people when their educational provision does not fully meet their needs and communicate well to address any issues to enable them to continue to resume full time education. Staff try to engage young people in educational activities: support young people to 7 of 10 complete work; support them in their learning; and ensure they have the facilities to complete any homework.

p.6

Quality of care good

Young people live in a pleasant family home. Maintenance arrangements promptly address damage and breakages to maintain a safe environment. The accommodation provides good spaces for group and individual activities. Young people have their own bedroom, which they are able to personalise to their own taste.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

The safety and well-being of young people is at the centre of the work by staff. Young people report they feel safe and can talk to an adult when they have concerns. Staff are well informed of policies and procedures through induction and training. They know how to safeguard young people and the procedures to follow in partnership with other agencies. If a young person makes a complaint or allegation it is referred or investigated in line with protocol.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff have received training related to countering bullying and the home has a written policy for the prevention of bullying. Young people are provided with high levels of supervision and there have been no incidents of bullying within the home.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are encouraged to behave positively and reward charts have been implemented to support them. Practice is informed by risk assessments which balance minimising risks without impeding young people’s independence. Anti-social incidents within the home and the local community have decreased significantly. This is because young people whose needs could not be fully met have moved on. Robust action from management further ensures staff practice is good and interventions comply with the homes behaviour management policy. Revised strategies reinforce expectations and team meetings are used to discuss managing young people’s needs. Young people have been involved in physical interventions and received sanctions. Records of interventions are clearly recorded and both staff and young people have opportunities to discuss these incidents. As a result: staff feel supported; young people feel listened to; and practice is focused on how to identify any areas of

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

improvement. This has resulted in a significant decrease of police involvement at the home, where previously the police were used to assist staff to manage young people’s behaviour.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by sound recruitment processes that ensures staff are carefully selected and vetted to prevent unsuitable people working in the home. Young people are also actively involved in the recruitment process and their views are taken into account in recruitment decisions.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

The environment is physically safe for young people who live in the home, taking account of the needs of the young people. Fire safety training and regular checks to the fire systems ensure due care is taken to ensure everybody is safe. In addition, 8 of 10 young people have been involved in fire drills. This ensures that all young people are aware of what to do in the case of a fire.

p.7

Leadership and management adequate

The service is adequately managed. Significant work has been done to ensure improvements in young people’s risk taking behaviour, quality of care and living environment. Most shortfalls described within this report have been identified by the manager, although there has been insufficient time to address all of these issues. A visit to the home reported that the compliance notices set following the interim inspection had been fully met. This is because the organisation has employed staff who have the skills and experience of working with young people and all young people have behaviour management plans that staff implement in their work.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

The five requirements made following the interim inspection have been met. Monitoring of records within the home is completed monthly and has led to improvements in the quality of care. The monitoring system also includes evidence of how consultation with parents and children has helped to improve the home. Risk assessments are up to date and clearly evidence identified risks and how these risks are managed. Records of physical intervention and sanctions include the effectiveness and consequence of the measure of control used. This helps staff to reflect if the measure used was effective. Young people are now cared for in a manner which respects their privacy and dignity. Staff practice is well managed and there have been no identified concerns. The recommendation from the previous inspection has been fully addressed. This is because the organisation has updated their whistle blowing policy to clearly reflect the support staff receive in the event of

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Regular monitoring activities are conducted by the management and external monthly visits are carried out. The organisation has recently implemented a new format that strengthens monitoring and identifies progress and improvement to the home. The service has a development plan that the manager and staff are working to. This includes for example, new carpeting of the upstairs and bedrooms. The plan outlines the aims and objectives to improve the quality of care and outcomes for young people. Good multi-agency partnerships have improved and surveys completed by the home show that interested parties are asked their views in improving the home. One case manager reported ‘the staff are very supportive to his needs’ and another commented ‘the verbal report on the young person was balanced and helpful’. Another professional linked to the home wrote ‘I’ve found the staff friendly and helpful and more than happy to involve me or my colleagues’, and ‘they

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

run the home well and are always doing their best for the residents and their care’.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Weekly team meetings focus on young people needs, current issues to share 9 of 10 information appropriately and improve the care given. Management has provided regular supervision sessions that ensure all staff are able to share their concerns, ideas for improvement and discuss progress. They have been robust in addressing any previous concerns of staff practice. All staff working at the home have now fully embraced the homes ethos and values and, are positively working with young people.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Young people admitted to the home do not have a robust pre-admission impact assessment. This is because: assessments are not completed in line with the admission policy; the young people’s needs are not fully identified prior to placement; do not clearly show how these will be met; and the potential impact on other children already living at the home. As a result, some young people have been placed at the home when their needs cannot be fully met, which has resulted in the placements ending.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

The home has a Statement of Purpose and young person’s guide, which describes the services provided. However, whilst there is minimal impact on young people, the Statement of Purpose has not been reviewed and updated in line with new schedule.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

Staffing levels are stable and sufficient. This is because, management have implemented additional processes to recruitment such as an end of probationary interview. This ensures that staff have fully understood all the training and induction that have been provided, and possess the skills for looking after vulnerable young people. All staff have completed mandatory training and have had some therapeutic training such as attachment theory. However, not all staff have received specific training to meet the needs of some of the young people placed for example, in self harm. Some staff lack an in depth understanding of mental health issues. Consequently there is a lack of robust understanding of some young people’s needs and how to respond in the event of an incident.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

Significant events are reported to Ofsted and placing authorities. Records of young people are adequately structured and held securely and confidentially. Management have also provided staff with training in recording. However, some paperwork such as information held in the responsible authority records is not available. This means that not all young people’s records are up to date. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

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.10

Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.10

Information 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.10

Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

p.10