Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Autism Services Limited in Dorset

Unique reference number SC065261 Inspector Heather Chaplin Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Registered person Cambian Autism Services Limited Registered person address 3 Bunhill Row London EC1Y 8YZ

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Responsible individual Stephen Wallace Bradshaw Registered manager Ann Reed Date of last inspection 18/03/2014 2 of 17 Inspection date 21/08/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

The overall judgement reflects the strong ethos of child-centred, highly individual good practice in this home. Outcomes for children and quality of care are outstanding, and safeguarding is good. There are some significant shortfalls in leadership and management, resulting in a rating of adequate for that section. However, none of the shortfalls have any direct impact on young people. Three requirements and two recommendations have been made, which are discussed below.

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Overall effectiveness

Children make exceptionally good progress in relation to their starting points, across all areas of their physical and emotional health, development, education and welfare. The Registered Manager cited numerous examples of how young people had arrived with severe restrictions around their daily routines, because they were profoundly affected by overwhelming anxiety and difficulties in communication. Since arrival in the home, the vast majority of young people have developed skills in managing their disabilities. This has a major impact on their quality of life and chances of achieving some measure of future independence. A social worker commented, 'X seems very settled there and appears to be doing well in terms of his educational development. His parents are happy with his placement.' 3 of 17 The home provides an outstanding quality of care, with highly individualised programmes of education, therapy and behaviour management. One independent

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Overall effectiveness

reviewing officer said, 'I have been very happy with the standard of care and education provided, there is a calm and happy atmosphere, and the staff I have met have been very helpful and co-operative.'

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people enjoy exceptionally positive relationships with staff and benefit from highly-individual, well-designed care plans. As a residential special school, education is provided on site. The school received a rating of good in their Ofsted education inspection in November 2013.

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Overall effectiveness

The service is situated in a quiet, attractive location in a friendly seaside town. Children have supervised access to the nearby beach and a wide range of resources in the local community. Children's bedrooms are highly personalised to suit their individual tastes and preferences.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people are well consulted in line with their specific communication needs. They enjoy a wide range of activities; for example, at the time of this inspection, all were participating in a summer camp. Putting on the camp required a massive effort by all staff and managers to help to ensure that the activities were effectively and safely resourced. The home's commitment to inclusion is outstanding in terms of its ability to meet children's unique individual needs.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of appropriate working practices, which means that children and young people are kept safe in this home. Staff operate effectively as a team to ensure the young people's and their own safety in challenging situations. There are exceptionally clear boundaries around behaviour, and young people are provided with high degree of structure to inform their daily routines. The service also demonstrates exceptional standards of health and safety in terms of managing the physical environment.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has a very skilled, experienced and well-qualified Registered Manager in post. She is well supported by the senior management team and three care managers. Each living unit is overseen by a team leader and assistant team leaders, supporting the care staff. This structure ensures that all staff understand to whom they are accountable and the boundaries around their roles.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection found shortfalls in relation to physical intervention recording, staff numbers, training and supervision, resulting in three requirements. In addition, there are two breaches of the national minimum standards in relation to records and the children's guide, so recommendations have been made.

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Overall effectiveness

There are three separate issues in respect of restraint recording, two of which are breaches of regulation. Regulation 17B requires staff to record the effectiveness and consequences of any intervention, but this is not always done. This shortfall has little or no impact on young people, because there is robust, daily management and 4 of 17 therapeutic review of every intervention.

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Overall effectiveness

Secondly, the physical intervention recording format has recently been revised and improved. It is now significantly closer to meeting regulatory requirements, but there is still insufficient space for staff to record the factors that led up to the intervention.

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Overall effectiveness

Despite the company's strenuous recruitment efforts, the children's home is operating with approximately 30 staff vacancies at present, out of 180 staff. The shifts are covered by the home's own team of 20 bank staff, by permanent staff working additional hours and management support. The home has recruited successfully, and this is a continuous process. However, many children are on one- to-one staffing, and the number of recruits only just exceeds the number of staff leaving the service. This means that the home has found it difficult to increase overall numbers. There is no evidence that young people's activities and plans have been adversely affected at present, but until there is a full staff team, there is the potential for that to happen.

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Overall effectiveness

New staff in the home benefit from an extensive and well-managed induction, but it is unclear whether this meets national induction standards. Also, there is sometimes a delay in enrolling staff onto a level 3 programme. This means that some staff, including some at a supervisory level, do not yet hold the accepted qualifications for their roles.

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Overall effectiveness

Due to staff shortages, team leaders' time has also been stretched and as a result, not all staff have received regular supervision. This has particularly affected staff in one of the nine living groups, but conversely, supervision for staff in other living groups has been good. A lack of regular, supportive supervision has the potential to impact on practice, although there is no evidence that this has happened to date.

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Overall effectiveness

The following breaches of the national minimum standards have also been identified. The home uses a recently-improved system for recording physical interventions, but there is no space on the restraint form for noting children's views. This means that it would be easy to overlook this important opportunity for consultation.

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Overall effectiveness

Although children do have access to visual information around the school and home on how to obtain help if they need it, the children's guide does not include how a child can contact their independent reviewing officer, the Children's Commissioner, and Ofsted. There is also no information on how children can obtain access to an independent advocate.

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Overall effectiveness

Managers are keen to address the shortfalls identified by this inspection. For example, they amended the Statement of Purpose during the course of the visit, so that they met regulatory requirements. The three recommendations from the last inspection have all been met. 5 of 17

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Information about this children’s home

This national private organisation provides care and accommodation for up to 60 students with autistic spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. It operates as a residential special school which also provides accommodation for a number of students requiring 52 weeks boarding and is therefore registered as a children's home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2014 Interim good progress 14/11/2013 Full good 14/10/2013 Full good 13/03/2013 Interim satisfactory progress

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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) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which shall include all the matters listed in paragraph (3) (a) to (i); in particular, ensure that staff record the impact of the measure used (Regulation 17B (3) (f)) 15/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that, having regard to the size of the children's home, the Statement of Purpose, and the number and needs of the children accommodated, 30/11/2014 6 of 17 there are a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home (Regulation 25 (1) (a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all employees receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal; in particular, that training for new staff is reviewed to ensure compliance with national induction standards, that there is no delay in embarking on a level 3 qualification and that staff receive regular supervision (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 15/10/2014

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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 where restraint is used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home. In particular, ensure that there is space on the restraint recording form to note children's views (NMS 3.18)  ensure that the children's guide includes how a child can contact their independent reviewing officer, the Children's Commissioner, Ofsted if they wish to raise a concern with inspectors, and how to secure access to an independent advocate. (NMS 13.5) 7 of 17

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Outcomes for young people are outstanding because they make excellent progress compared with their starting points on admission to the home. For example, one young person had difficulties with relationships, low self-esteem and challenging behaviour. Remarkable progress has been made in terms of this young person's ability to manage their emotions. This has, in turn, increased their resilience and self- confidence. Another child, who initially could not tolerate any furniture or artefacts in his room, has reduced his anxiety levels significantly. He now has a fully decorated and furnished bedroom, with football posters, lots of personal toys and other homely items.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children and young people's healthcare needs are very well met. They enjoy an exceptionally good, healthy diet with home-cooked food. Their diet is imaginative, varied and is tailored to meet their cultural and religious preferences. Some young people had extremely restricted diets on arrival, but now enjoy a wide range of wholesome foods that support healthy growth and development. This often brings about improvements in their physical health and their acceptance of a greater variety of foods makes it easier for them to participate in whole-school and community events.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people benefit from exceptional support with their emotional and therapeutic needs. This helps them to manage their disabilities and to reduce their anxiety. For example, some young people were unable to tolerate any noise when they arrived in the home. Following a high level of occupational, speech and language therapy to develop their ability to manage arousal levels, these young people have increased sensory tolerance. This helps them to participate in everyday life and to develop their communication skills.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Many children and young people use non-verbal systems of communication, but they are encouraged to engage in decision making about their daily lives. Young people have access to excellent facilities for communication, including speech and language therapy and a wide range of strategies that help them to convey their views. Some children benefit from extensive use of symbols; for example, they have individualised place mats with a photograph and some symbols which help them with their daily routines.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are encouraged to understand their sexual health, learn about appropriate behaviour and respecting other people's personal space. Examples were seen of 'who can be safely touched' information, displayed in bedrooms to remind young people about appropriate boundaries. This helps young people to integrate socially and to keep themselves safe. 8 of 17 Young people have 100% educational attendance at the on-site school. Those of college age attend appropriate facilities, also on the premises. Many children and young people achieve exceptionally good educational outcomes. For example, they produce outstanding artwork, which is proudly displayed all around the school and living group areas. Some young people have won awards in the local arts festival for their work. One young person has completed work experience at a local farm, which included passing a digger-driving course. Another young person has succeeded in

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

There have been no incidents of children and young people engaging in any risk- taking behaviours in the community. Although their perception of risk is often reduced, young people are so well supervised that this is never an issue. Some children who initially had very limited self-management skills, have learned strategies to calm themselves and engage with others in an appropriate way. This in turn enables young people to participate in activities with peers. Many young people now enjoy tag rugby, a sport which requires team work and learning to make limited contact with others under clear rules. One young person who initially refused to engage with anyone, was able to participate in a three-legged race on sports day, which involved close cooperation with another person. This would have been unthinkable when they arrived in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Community involvement is exceptionally good at this home. For example, young people engage in local events, go walking on the beach, camp at a purpose-built site in the locality and enjoy frequent trips out in the minibus. Some young people help in charity shops, support disabled people at a day centre and deliver the local free newspaper. They have strong links with a school in Kenya and make sandwiches to sell in school in order to help the children there. This level of community involvement would have been unthinkable for many of these young people, when they first arrived at the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children and young people enjoy regular, highly-structured and well-planned contact with family members, as agreed on first admission. This helps them to maintain their culture and identity through regular links with their homes and families. An independent reviewing officer said, 'the family receives regular updates and photographs of their child participating in various activities. I know that the family is happy with the placement and have no complaints about his care.'

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are able to use the exceptional therapeutic services available to extend their range of activities and independence skills. For example, even the most profoundly disabled children participate in tidying their own rooms and doing the laundry. Signs on the wall remind young people positively about their abilities, rather than simply telling them what to do; for example, 'I can help make my bed'. This supports young people to become more independent.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Work experience has helped some young people to interact with others and acquire independence skills, such as using public transport. Although many young people will 9 of 17 not be able to live independently, they learn how to manage their disabilities to ensure that they reach their potential in the community.

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Quality of care outstanding

Relationships between staff and young people are warm, nurturing and respectful. The staff’s commitment to young people is exceptional. One member of staff who normally works at night accompanied a young person to new placement, because the young person had requested this. Other staff supported a young person’s lengthy hospital stay exceptionally well. Teachers and managers, as well as care staff, were helping at the camp to make it possible for all young people to participate. This shows that the staff have high aspirations for young people and have an expectation that everyone can participate.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people are provided with very clear boundaries to guide their behaviour. These are explained through their preferred communication style. For example, there are lots of signs around the home and school. These were also placed at the camp site, advising young people not to go near the fire pit. Young people showed considerable respect for this advice and seem very comfortable with the structured environment provided, even though they were in a relatively unfamiliar place.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people are exceptionally well consulted in every aspect of their daily lives. For example, a young person who has difficulty with transitions, was fully involved in the planning of a trip home to see their family. Social stories were used to help prepare him for this event.

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Quality of care outstanding

In addition to high levels of individual staffing and one-to-one time, there is a school council, at which students are represented. Issues raised include the wish for more regular staff, activities, food and the desire for air conditioning in some areas where it is not already fitted. Minutes are produced in symbols as well as type and the actions arising are clearly noted.

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Quality of care outstanding

The catering team uses a menu board to help students choose healthier options. There is very proactive consultation on any new foods introduced. For example, young people are surveyed every time a new food is introduced, and are invited to comment on whether or not they enjoyed it. The menu is then modified in response to their views.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home has received three complaints since the last inspection, all of which have been responded to appropriately. Young people are well aware of the complaints procedure, which is described in posters around the premises.

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Quality of care outstanding

Placement planning is excellent in this home. Every young person has a unique, 10 of 17 individually-tailored plan which is informed by a detailed educational, personal and therapeutic assessment of their needs. Very clear and detailed plans include support techniques such as verbal reminders, symbols and reward contracts, so that staff understand exactly what best suits each young person’s needs.

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Quality of care outstanding

Contact is very clearly planned, which the home finds works best for young people with complex needs. For example, some young people have a calendar with a photo of themselves for each day and then a photo of their parents at the weekend. The young person can cross off each day and staff use visual aids to count the number of ‘sleeps’ until the contact visit.

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Quality of care outstanding

Personal hygiene needs are addressed through a medium that means something to the young person. For example, one student is very keen on football, so a World Cup rules poster has been designed to help him understand that he has to shower each morning and choose clean clothes. This shows that the staff use creative strategies help young people to learn important life skills.

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Quality of care outstanding

The vast majority of parents who responded to the Ofsted survey were pleased with the level of communication from the school and home. A small number of parents find the structure around contact with their child very difficult to manage, but the Registered Manager explained that this is part of the home’s therapeutic strategy. Parents are closely involved from the point of admission onwards, for example, by planning their child’s bedroom with staff. They receive regular newsletters from the school to help them keep in touch. A social worker commented, 'I personally found all staff…to be very pleasant and professional in their approach. I have also received all relevant information as required in a timely manner.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Some young people are able to visit their family homes and go out with their relatives when they visit. They are encouraged and supported to produce a presentation on their achievements for their review meetings. This raises young people’s self-esteem and helps to show family members how far they have progressed.

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Quality of care outstanding

The school and children’s home promote children’s healthcare exceptionally well. Commissioners confirmed that they, and their child's parents, are happy with the service's healthcare provision. There is a whole-establishment target for ‘being healthy’. For example, the catering team has promoted super foods, such as ginger, blueberries and spinach. Food symbols and lists are colour coded for young people so that they can use red, amber and green colours to alert them to the contents. The home is justifiably proud of its catering. Special diets are very well catered for; special events are celebrated and children’s cultural needs are exceptionally well supported.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people benefit from lots of physical activity to keep them fit and well. The staff support them to use the trampoline, go swimming, horse riding, play tag rugby and other sports. 11 of 17 The home has excellent therapeutic provision. This includes occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, music therapy and psychological support. Therapy staff are closely involved in developing placement plans, monitoring behaviour and adjusting risk assessments, working through any incidents and physical interventions with staff and delivering training in sensory strategies. They use a variety of techniques to help young people to improve their communication and social skills. The high quality therapy available plays a major role in helping young people to progress through the school and reach their individual potential.

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Quality of care outstanding

Medicines arrangements are robust and safe. For example, they are kept in locked cabinets in a locked room. Each room has a photograph of every child, with their prescribed medication listed. Medicines administration records are also colour coded for the staff, for morning, lunchtime and evening medication. Staff who administer medicines are specifically trained to do so, which helps to ensure safe practice.

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Quality of care outstanding

Any medicines going off site for an activity are carefully packed in a portable locked box and taken with the medication record. This helps to ensure that all young people receive medicines that are prescribed for them at the right time and in the correct dose.

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Quality of care outstanding

The school promotes education very effectively. All young people attend school or college level provision on the same site. School and home staff work together to provide a joined-up approach to the young people. This helps to ensure consistency in behaviour management across the day, so that young people feel more secure in terms of adult expectations. Educational targets are clearly set, with long and short- term objectives, aims for the coming year and therapeutic targets.

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Quality of care outstanding

During the inspection, young people were observed taking part in a camping activity. The camp extends over several days and includes structured therapeutic activities, as well as walks and going to the beach or to the park. As they vary considerably in terms of their anxiety levels, some young people were brought back to the school site at various times of the day or for the night, to help them to manage this challenging experience. These students were then taken back to the camp the next day, if they were able to cope with this. This shows how the staff, supported by the therapeutic team, place individual children’s needs at the centre of everything they do.

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Quality of care outstanding

At the camp, some slept in tents, and others in bunkroom accommodation, closely supervised by staff. This posed a very new and strange environment for some young people, but they were happy and relaxed, relating extremely well to their staff.

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Quality of care outstanding

The service runs numerous other activities for young people, covering all interests and needs. Activities are linked to individual education plan targets and all are purposeful as well as fun. Activities are evaluated afterwards and staff take lots of photographs, so that young people can remember the event and share this with 12 of 17 parents.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home works very hard to ensure that all children's unique environmental, physical and emotional needs are met. Equality and diversity is very much part of the school’s ethos and runs through the school and residential day.

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Quality of care outstanding

The school and children’s home are situated near the top of a hill, on the outskirts of a small seaside town. This affords exceptional views from many parts of the site, and the home is within walking distance of the beach. This provides a highly attractive, relaxing environment for children.

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Quality of care outstanding

All bedroom accommodation, and the communal rooms, are of a very good standard. Every bedroom is personalised according to young people’s needs and wishes. Some rooms are relatively plain, to avoid stimulation, but others are colourful and contain many possessions, toys and family photos. Some rooms have en-suite bathrooms to help promote good hygiene and privacy.

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Quality of care outstanding

The older accommodation in the 38-week students’ living area is currently being refurbished to further improve the quality of the environment. The standard of decoration and adaptation to individual young people’s needs shows how the home values and promotes their identity and diversity.

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Quality of care outstanding

One off-site house provides group living for eight young people who have been assessed as likely to benefit from this environment. This house is also of very good quality and has an exceptionally pleasant, relaxing garden, offering, swings, a trampoline and cycle track.

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Quality of care outstanding

The main school site has a range of play areas with good quality equipment, a gymnasium and a sports hall. Young people have access to swimming and horse riding facilities at another school operated by the same company.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home places a high priority on safety for young people in every area of their lives. There are a number of designated persons for safeguarding, all of whom receive appropriate training to equip them for this role.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff communicate with each other very effectively through radios in order to alert colleagues to any need for assistance.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has a very good relationship with placing authority social workers, the police and the local area designated officer for child protection. Multi-agency discussions take place to review any causes for concern.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people receive reminders through their chosen communication system which 13 of 17 help them to keep safe; for example, ‘I will not use my phone to video people, take photos or go on the internet’.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people all have extensive time with staff members in which they can communicate any concerns. Staff are very sensitive to changes in individual young people’s presentation and demeanour, which alerts them to changes in mood and behaviour. This enables staff to respond promptly before an incident occurs. Consistent boundaries are used to help young people feel safe and secure.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

No young people have gone missing from the school or from the home since the last inspection. One young person ran away while out with relatives on the coastal footpath, and even though this did not involve the school in any way, staff worked very hard to locate the young person and bring him to safety. There are clear protocols on place, which have recently been re-submitted to, and accepted by, the local police missing persons’ coordinator. This shows that the home works well with other agencies to help keep young people safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Because of the young people’s complex needs, there are a relatively high number of physical interventions. The school and home staff have been re-trained in a different method of intervention. This training was very thorough and the message about the change is constantly reinforced.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There are two minor shortfalls in respect of staff practice and the restraint recording documents. Firstly, the staff do not always remember to record the effectiveness of interventions, as required by regulation, and there is no evidence that this has been challenged. For example, from 21 July to 16 August 2014, there were 19 restraints where nothing had been recorded in this section. This has little or no impact on young people, because the management team and psychologist review the effectiveness of every physical intervention on a daily basis. This ensures robust evaluation and review of tactics to manage young people’s behaviour. However, the recording issue is a breach of regulation and so a requirement has been made.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Secondly, there is insufficient space on the restraint recording form for staff to record the factors led up to the intervention. There is also no space on the restraint form for noting children's views. The home’s managers agreed to address this on the next revision of this document.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There is no evidence of any bullying in the home. Staffing levels are such that any inappropriate behaviour between young people is addressed very swiftly and effectively.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff recruitment follows a clear, anti-discriminatory process. Staff files are well constructed and carefully audited. They contain all the information required by regulation.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There have been no allegations made against staff that have required investigation. 14 of 17 Any safeguarding concerns have been appropriately discussed with the relevant authorities.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home manages health and safety requirements to a high standard. Fire safety checks are conducted at recommended intervals. Health and safety audits and checks on equipment have all been completed within the necessary timescales. External consultants manage comprehensive risk assessments on the premises and fire safety, while the young people's activities are risk assessed by staff concerned. This means that young people are kept very safe in this home.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has an extremely experienced Registered Manager who has been in post since 2001. She holds a social work qualification and level 5 in L & M. The manager is very well supported by the senior management team. She oversees three care managers, who between them, supervise the conduct of the nine living groups. Each living group has a team leader, supported by assistant team leaders, who supervise the care staff. The management team is therefore well resourced, with clear lines of authority and delegation.

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Leadership and management adequate

Senior managers provide effective scrutiny and challenge. For example, the service has taken on board the requirements and recommendations resulting from the inspection of another school in the county, which is operated by the same company. A number of changes have been made to policies and practice to address comments raised.

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Leadership and management adequate

The three recommendations made at the last inspection have been addressed. The home now uses body maps only for young people with a specific need for this measure. For example, one young person’s placement plan says, ‘X is generally able to tell staff if she has been injured or is in pain. Therefore undertaking a regular body check is not necessary. X’s parents and social workers are aware of this arrangement.’

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Leadership and management adequate

The home was asked to ensure that records were maintained of supervision sessions. An audit spreadsheet is now in place. Staff now have a learning and development plan, where future training needs are identified.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has a good quality statement of purpose which covered all the areas required by Schedule 1 in the previous regulations, but in the regulations as amended in April 2014. This work was completed during the inspection and the document has been sent to Ofsted, so no requirement has been made.

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Leadership and management adequate

The children’s guide is a well-constructed document which is available in various format to meet young people’s communication needs, but it contains no contact information for Ofsted, the Children’s Commissioner, children’s independent 15 of 17 reviewing officers or any advocacy services. Children do, however, have access to this information through wall posters, so the impact is lessened, but a recommendation has been made.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has a strong commitment to ensuring that equality and diversity is addressed. Religious and cultural needs are generally met very well, and the Registered Manager has worked hard to ensure that local churches understand the young people’s needs when they attend.

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Leadership and management adequate

There is an effective system for internal and external monitoring of the home. An independent visitor prepares monthly reports and these are submitted to Ofsted in a timely manner. The service is financially well resourced. There is active refurbishment taking place and the premises are maintained to a good standard.

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Leadership and management adequate

The bursar oversees health and safety and reports to the senior management team every month. This ensures that safety is overseen effectively.

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Leadership and management adequate

Parents, staff, managers and the independent visitor all acknowledge that there are staff shortages at the school and children’s home. The service has been actively recruiting in Spain, which has brought good results, but there is a high turnover of staff. The impact of low staff numbers has been moderated by using the service’s own bank staff, managers helping to cover some shifts and staff working extra shifts. This means that there has been no need to use agency staff this year. This helps to promote continuity for young people, but everyone is working extremely hard and this is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term. Therefore, there remains the potential for young people to be affected by staffing issues.

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Leadership and management adequate

Supervision records show that although the majority of staff are well supported, there have been gaps in supervision sessions. This applies to just one living group out of nine, the home unit that was affected by one young person being in hospital for a long time. This removed two staff and a team leader from the staffing complement to help hospital staff to manage the young person's care. Staff did an excellent job in supporting this situation, but there was a consequence in terms of supervising staff remaining at the home. For example, a new member staff who is on probation, received only two supervision sessions in five months, while another probationer from a different living group received frequent supervision since he started in post. The home’s managers identified this variation, and have now introduced a supervision monitoring system.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff at the home receive sufficient training to equip them to undertake the tasks assigned, but there are some areas that require further work. For example, the home uses the company’s own induction programme which staff say is very effective, but it is unclear whether the programme meets the national induction standards.

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Leadership and management adequate

Ongoing training at various levels is provided online, and most staff did not experience any difficulty with this. Some were very positive and said that they liked 16 of 17 being able to review their progress electronically.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home is; however, slow in starting some employees on their level 3 awards. For example, one person in a supervisory role started in post in September 2012 and did not register for their level 3 qualification until Dec 2013, 15 months later. This person still does not hold the level 3 award. Other similar examples were found, and only 67 out of 156 staff hold the level 3 award.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home generally maintains good quality records. Placement plans are of an exceptionally high standard and restraint records have improved recently. Incident and restraint records are reviewed daily to ensure that there are no omissions.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home works very well with other agencies and professionals. The Registered Manager also visits the near neighbours around the school grounds, to ensure that they do not have any issues with noise and other disturbances.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has submitted notifications to Ofsted in a timely manner. These have been appropriate. A review of significant incidents showed that none had been omitted from the notification process. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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.

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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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