Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Plymouth

Unique reference number SC471038 Inspector Janice Hawtin Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Advanced Childcare Limited Registered person address Pinnacle House 2 Oakwood Square, Cheadle Royal Business Park CHEADLE Cheshire SK8 3SB Responsible individual Stephen James Nevitt Registered manager Stephen Butchart / POST VACANT Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 10 Inspection date 28/05/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection None

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for one young person with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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

4 (2001) the registered person shall compile in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these regulations referred to as 'the statement of purpose') which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1. In particular, ensure that this document is clear, unambiguous and understood by all staff working in the home. (Regulation 4) 30/06/2014

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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 young people who have been excluded from school have access t appropriate education and training, so that they are supported and enabled to resume full time education (NMS 8.8)  ensure that the use of electronic monitoring devices promotes the welfare of young people and protects their privacy and dignity (NMS 10.5)  ensure that young people's case records are clear, and contribute to an understanding of the child's life. In particular, ensure evidence of progress an 4 of 10 planning information is accurate and readily accessible to inform staff practice (NMS 22)  support and encourage young people to reflect on and understand their history, and to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time in the placement. Staff record and help young people to make a record of significant life events (NMS 22.6)  continue to support and encourage young people to establish and maintain friendships. (NMS 9.1)

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

In a short period of time from being placed at the home the young people begin to develop a positive self-view and increased confidence. This is evident in their improved ability to make appropriate choices, develop independence skills and take increasing responsibility for their actions and behaviour.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

The home is personalised with young people’s belongings, including photographs. This helps young people to feel valued and contributes to their emotional health and well-being. There are no systems in place for collecting and preserving appropriate memorabilia though. This means that young people do not have an ongoing and permanent history of their time in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s physical and mental health is supported through regular attendance at health appointments. They are beginning to take some responsibility to increase physical exercise and improve their diet.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are supported to share their views, feelings and wishes. They participate in making decisions about the home through attendance at residents’ meetings, planning meetings and through individual support sessions. A parent commented, ‘I am bowled over by this home; there is a real difference in (the young person) and I feel their prospects have improved.’

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people have made some progress in engaging with alternative education provision. They have restricted opportunities to improve their educational attainment. This makes it difficult to compete with peers for further education, work experience and employment opportunities.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

The home accommodates young people who are local to the area and therefore have a sense of belonging. Consequently, any support networks developed during time in this home are likely to benefit the young person once they move on. Contact with families is supported and enabled. Young people do not currently engage in community groups and do not benefit from contact with friends or peers. Young people describe feeling lonely in the home and missing their friends.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people make progress in acquiring the skills they need in preparation for adult life. Practical skills are encouraged and young people frequently help with household tasks such as shopping and cooking. In addition, the focus on developing social and interpersonal skills has reduced aggressive and risk-taking behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

6 of 10 Relationships between young people and staff are positive and young people report that they ‘get on well together’. A parent commented, ‘I have been impressed with the staff, they are fantastic. I’m confident about them and I like the new manager. The staff are in regular contact with me and we sort out any issues.’

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Quality of care adequate

As a single bed placement, the care provided is not compromised by any potential for bullying, negative influences or negative behaviour seen amongst peers with similar or competing needs.

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Quality of care adequate

Behaviour management planning and risk assessment is comprehensive and individualised. Staff understand the young people’s needs and promote positive behaviour through the use of rewards and incentives. Regular key-work session provide opportunities to discuss anti-social behaviour. This helps young people to recognise and consider their conduct. Consequently young people are beginning to take responsibility for their actions, leading to a significant reduction in some elements of destructive behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

The care provided revolves around the young people’s needs, taking into account their views, feelings, and wishes. This means that young people contribute to the running of the home. Where it is not possible to act upon the young people's wishes, explanations are provided. Young people know how to make a complaint. Complaints are dealt with effectively and in a timely manner with appropriate feedback to the young people.

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Quality of care adequate

Individual placement plans completed by the home are provided for young people. Not all of these plans are well ordered, or in a format that promotes timely and successfully evaluated progress. The quality of care provided compensates for this shortfall in records and the young people make sustained progress in line with the placing authority’s expectations.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people have access to a variety of support services, particularly relating to physical and psychological health needs. Staff ensure that routine health check appointments and immunisations are up to date. The staff team has access to consultations with the organisation’s clinical psychologist and young people benefit from the staff’s understanding of their behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

Medication is kept secure; records are comprehensive and medication is regularly reviewed by health care professionals. This ensures that prescriptions remain suitable and beneficial to the young people.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff understand the importance of education. They produce weekly planners to provide suitable alternatives to full-time school. For example, specific activities are provided to broaden young people’s knowledge and experiences. In addition, incentives are used to encourage the young people to participate in the home tutoring. This is provided while staff continue to try and secure a full-time school placement. 7 of 10 Young people have access to an extensive and varied range of leisure activities. They are encouraged to use community facilities to support the development of their social skills and interaction with peers. They do not always take up these opportunities but they do continue to pursue hobbies related to their special areas of interest. This helps to promote young people’s self-esteem.

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Quality of care adequate

The home is located close to amenities and services, within easy reach of the town centre. It provides a homely, suitable environment for young people and is well- maintained. Movement sensors alert staff if a young person leaves their bedroom at night. The use of these devices is not subject to risk assessment or review. Consequently, it is not clear if this monitoring promotes the young people’s welfare. This potentially compromises their privacy and dignity.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people benefit from the care provided which has a focus on safeguarding them and protecting them from avoidable risk. Young people report that they feel safe in the home and trust staff to look after them. They get on with all staff and feel they have a particularly good relationship with their key worker and the deputy team manager. Young people have access to a phone that they can use in private. The children’s guide provides details and phone numbers of independent agencies that support young people. Young people also have contact with significant family members who would advocate on their behalf if necessary.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Detailed risk assessments and pre-incident action planning supports the safe return of those who go missing from the home. These documents comply with police protocols which promote effective partnership work when young people may be at risk or in danger. Following any period of absence, staff help young people understand the dangers of leaving the home without permission. Generally, young people have only been missing for a short period of time. The frequency of incidents has reduced, with none being recorded in recent weeks.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Risk assessment and management plans contribute to promoting positive behaviour. Restraint is only used as a last resort; for example, to avoid risk of serious injury. Young people have not needed to be restrained in this home due to aggression or threats of harm. This is a significant improvement in comparison with previous placements. Significant improvements in behaviour have also allowed the staffing ratio to be reduced, affording the young people opportunities for improving independence skills by reducing reliance on staff to manage their behaviour.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Regular health and safety checks ensure that the environment is safe and appropriately secure. Staff complete environmental risk assessments to protect young people from any risk presented due to the locality of the home. 8 of 10 Staff attend regular safeguarding training and know what to do to protect young people in the event of any allegations or suspicions of harm. The details of the Local Safeguarding Children Board and the Local Authority Designated Officer are readily available to support staff in dealing with any issues.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager has recently been appointed to this post and started work within the last two weeks. He is currently undergoing the registration process and has extensive experience of working with young people, including management of other children’s homes. The new manager has already identified service development needs prior to this inspection.

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Leadership and management adequate

A development plan is in place. The manager has identified additional improvements to enhance this document. The proposed changes will further promote continuous practice improvements in a timely and considered way.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people benefit from the care provided by a qualified and experienced staff team. Staff have access to essential and specialist training opportunities. Supervision and support is provided to ensure staff understand their role and responsibilities and have opportunities for reflection to improve their practice.

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Leadership and management adequate

This is the first inspection following registration. There are no previous requirements or recommendations to be met.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Statement of Purpose was recently updated and reviewed to reflect changes to the Children’s Home Regulations and level of information required. Whilst the aims and objective of the placement are clear, some descriptive content of the care provided is ambiguous. Therefore this document does not offer potential stakeholders and staff clear information which is easy to understand.

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Leadership and management adequate

The physical environment is well maintained and regular health and safety checks are completed to protect both young people and staff.

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Leadership and management adequate

Most records are up to date; all are stored securely to protect the confidentiality of the young people. Some case file records contain repetitive information and are confusing. Essential detail and planning is not summarised, making it difficult to find some information. In addition, records do not effectively detail the progress and developments made by young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

Managers and staff demonstrate a commitment to compliance with regulations and standards. Monitoring of the service under Regulation 33 is completed on a monthly basis by a Registered Manager who works in another of this organisation’s children’s homes. These reports contribute to identifying actions to improve the home and are forwarded to Ofsted as required by regulation. The first summary of monitoring by 9 of 10 the home’s manager under Regulation 34 has just been completed and consequently, has not yet been forwarded to Ofsted. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

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

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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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.

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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.

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