Children's Home run by SWAAY Child & Adolescent Services Ltd in Bracknell Forest

Unique reference number SC431803 Inspector Stephen Collett Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person SWAAY Child and Adolescent Services Limited Registered person address 132 The Street West Horsley LEATHERHEAD Surrey KT24 6DB Responsible individual Gerard Colin Berry Registered manager Johanna Jacoba Henriette Meertens Date of last inspection 18/03/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 18/09/2014

p.1

Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness good

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

p.2

Information about this children’s home

The service is a four-bedded children's home registered for single sex occupancy and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation that specialises in the assessment and treatment of male adolescents who have experienced some form of abuse and have subsequently been involved in perpetrating abusive behaviour themselves.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2014 Interim good progress 05/08/2013 Full good 13/12/2012 Interim good progress 19/07/2012 Full adequate

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

(2001) ensure that there is at all times a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home. (Regulation 25 (1) (a) (b)) 30/11/2014

p.3

Recommendations

4 of 10 To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure entries in records are legible and clearly expressed, specifically in relation to notifications sent to Ofsted. (NMS 22.4) 5 of 10

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people living at the home make good progress in all aspects of their lives. They make positive attachments with staff and this helps them become more emotionally resilient. Consequently the young people develop increased self-esteem and confidence.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are fully engaged in planning day to day routines in the home and make positive contributions towards more complex decisions affecting their lives. Over time young people develop a sense of stability and security at the home and this enhances their ability to gain independence skills at a pace they feel comfortable with.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

The importance of living healthy lifestyles is recognised by the young people and they respond positively to the opportunities given to take regular exercise and learn about nutritional diets. Some young people are successful in giving up smoking and all recognise the dangers of the habit. Despite often having experienced traumatic backgrounds, the young people begin to come to terms with their past and experience with improved mental health as a result.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

All young people regularly attend education in either the organisation’s own school or in local colleges. Despite some young people not achieving as well as they could in their examinations, all the young people demonstrate a determination to improve their grades and recognise the importance of consistent attendance. Some young people request additional homework in order that they can be better prepared for examinations at the end of the academic year.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

For most young people, there is a decrease in the level of unsafe behaviour they display. However, at the time of the inspection, one young person had recently been involved in a serious incident. The young person has been able to reflect on this matter and spoke about techniques subsequently learnt to avoid a similar situation arising.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

All young people positively engage in a range of community based activities and demonstrate pride in their achievements.

p.5

Quality of care outstanding

The home is located on a modern housing estate with all amenities close by. It provides sufficient space for the number of young people residing in the home and is well furnished and maintained. A homely environment is provided for the young 6 of 10 people, with many photographs and acknowledgements of young people's achievements on display. Interactions between staff and young people are informal friendly and relaxed and young people feel valued.

p.5

Quality of care outstanding

Young people generally experience positive relationships with peers and staff. When relationships break down, swift and comprehensive action is taken to resolve difficulties, and the organisation makes full use of its resources to support the young people in this process. Young people are given the opportunity to express their views, on relationships within the home, and this increases their sense of staff consistently being concerned for their welfare.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Individual behaviour management strategies for young people are in place and these are regularly reviewed and updated, particularly when conflict has arisen. Young people respond well to an incentive and reward scheme which is prioritised over the use of sanctions. When sanctions are imposed, young people are given the opportunity to express their view on the measure taken, and the effectiveness of sanctions is monitored and evaluated. Consequently, young people feel that the imposition of sanctions is appropriate and fair.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Creative approaches are taken to resolving negative behaviours and young people are able to express their view on the underlying causes for their behaviour. Management and staff recognise when young people have difficulty managing their anger and support strategies are place for young people to manage this more effectively. This approach places young people's well-being at the centre of practice in the home.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

The quality of the young people's placement plans is excellent, with young people making a full contribution to the content, monitoring and evaluation of the plan. Strategies identified in their behaviour management plans and associated risk assessments are consistent with the placement plans . Staff are familiar with the placement plans and this helps ensure that young people receive consistency in the care they receive. Frequent review of the plans enables staff and young people to monitor the progress being made towards achieving goals and targets.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Young people are fully engaged in the running of the home and are encouraged to express their views in daily house meetings. These meetings provide the opportunity to agree daily routines and plan activities. This supports young people to learn the benefits of being well organised, and ensures they are familiar with the expectations placed upon them. All young people are familiar with the complaints process and young people who have made complaints feel it has been an effective way of resolving issues.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Staff are pro-actively engaged in supporting young people's education, particularly where they are attending external provision. In order to settle young people attending college for the first time, staff make themselves available on the college premises, until young people and staff are confident that young people can manage 7 of 10 without this close support being available. Young people are encouraged to work and revise for their examinations, through the use of incentives and rewards, but they have not always responded to the support offered.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Young people engage in a range of leisure activities and individual interests, such as music lessons, are encouraged. Many of the young people take part in sporting activities and learn the benefits of exercise and working as a team. Young people's achievements are celebrated and this further increases young people's self-esteem.

p.7

Quality of care outstanding

Good working relationships are maintained with external agencies, particularly with the police. Young people are supported to maintain positive relationships with professionals outside of the organisation, and resolve conflicts where they have arisen.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people at the home generally report that they feel safe. One young person indicated that a recent confrontation between a resident and a member of staff compromised this feeling of safety. The manager and staff at the home acknowledged this concern and have taken steps to fully address this. All young people at the home are able to identify members of staff, and therapists working within the organisation, who they can discuss their concerns with. All of the young people report that bullying is not an issue in the home.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Placement plans identify young people's vulnerabilities and these are regularly discussed and reviewed in multi-disciplinary professionals meetings. Risk assessments take all relevant information into account including the progress young people make in their therapeutic programme. Comprehensive risk assessments address key issues for young people, and cover child sexual exploitation, missing from care and internet safety. All staff are familiar with individual young people's behaviour management plans and associated risk assessments, ensuring consistency in the approach to keeping young people safe.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff communicate well with social workers and report safeguarding and child protection concerns promptly. Records of child protection issues are well maintained, although one minor administrative shortfall was noted in relation to the recording of a child protection disclosure. This did not have a negative impact on the young person and the safety of children and young people was not compromised.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people rarely go missing from the home, and when they do, staff take a pro- active approach to ensuring their safe return at the earliest opportunity. Agreed multi-agency protocols regarding young people missing from care are followed, and staff work effectively in partnership with the police. Young people are welcomed back to the home following a missing episode, and are supported to discuss the issues which led them to go missing. 8 of 10 Since the last inspection there has been one incident when physical intervention by a member of staff was necessary to keep ayoung person and a staff member safe. Appropriate action was taken following this intervention to ensure the young person's well-being and a record was made in line with statutory regulations. The organisation is currently undertaking a review of its procedures regarding physical intervention.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that unsuitable individuals are not employed at the home. New staff are supported to develop their safeguarding knowledge and practice and close monitoring of their performance is maintained throughout their probationary period.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe good

A physically safe environment is provided for the young people and all health and safety risk assessments are regularly reviewed. Electrical equipment, including the fire alarm system, is tested in accordance with regulations and all young people are familiar with the homes emergency evacuation plan.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

The manager at the home has been employed by the organisation for several years, and is currently also the registered manager at another of the organisations homes, which is a twenty minute drive away. This arrangement is a temporary measure to cover a managerial vacancy within the organisation. She obtained a Registered Manager's Award in 2006. One requirement to record the managers hours worked was made at the last inspection, in March 2014, and this has been acted upon.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Since the last inspection, three staff have left the organisation and delays in obtaining required checks for new staff has meant the home has not had a full complement of staff. Staff sickness has exacerbated the situation, and staff shortages have also occurred in the other home managed by the registered manager. To address the situation the manager has merged the staff teams from the two homes, but this has not fully resolved the situation. Young people said this can affect their leisure time, as sometimes there are insufficient staff to supervise external activities, and a young person said that things were better when the manager had responsibility for just one home.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Leaders and managers are aware of the problems insufficient staffing can cause and have taken steps to address the issue, but have not consistently been aware of the impact this has on the young people.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Apart from this issue, leaders and managers have a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There is a development plan in place, and the majority of actions noted have a timescale for implementation and a named member of staff responsible for progressing this. In general records are well maintained. However the quality and clarity of written notifications of significant 9 of 10 incidents to Ofsted has declined.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Leaders and managers demonstrate a clear commitment to meeting the individual needs of all young people, and to providing a service which reflects the aims and objectives defined in the statement of purpose. Staff feel well supported and able to discuss issues with senior management when the registered manager is not available. New staff benefit from undertaking a comprehensive induction programme and feel well prepared for commencing direct work with young people. Ongoing training is provided, and this equips staff with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the needs of young people referred to the organisation.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

The organisation strives towards continuous improvement by reviewing its practice and utilising its own resources to undertake research. There is a commitment to involving young people in these processes and this demonstrates the value the organisation places on hearing the voice of young people. 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