Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Sandwell

Unique reference number SC437486 Inspector Carole Moore Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Progress Children's Services Ltd Registered person address Progress House, 127 Millfields Road Wolverhampton West Midlands WV4 6JG Responsible individual Claire Elizabeth Louise Haynes Registered manager Phillip James McDonald Date of last inspection 10/02/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 09/09/2014

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

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides a short break environment in which young people are happy and parents express how happy they are that their children are being well cared for by a well-qualified and competent staff team. Statutory short break care plans are in place and outcomes for young people are regularly reviewed.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people receive good standards of personalised care in this home. Staff place the young person's well-being at the centre of their practice and are able to demonstrate a good understanding of the individual needs of the young people. There are a number of young people accessing this service with a variety of communication needs and the staff communicate with them using a wide range of pictorial tools and symbols. Young people are very involved in using these tools. Young people's individual needs are well met and young people achieve good positive outcomes, acquire skills as a consequence of their short stay and really enjoy their time in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides a comfortable and spacious environment for young people with outside facilities. Young people demonstrate by their trusting and relaxed behaviour in the home that they feel safe. Staff underpin this by good quality risk assessments and by their detailed understanding of each young person's moods and behaviours. 3 of 9 Two requirements have been made as a result of this inspection. However, these shortfalls have had no impact on the overall good quality of care that young people receive from the staff team and manager. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This service offers short breaks for up to five children and young people. The service is available to children and young people with a learning disability, a physical disability and/or sensory impairment. This service is delivered and managed by an independent provider that operates other social care services.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2014 Interim good progress 05/06/2013 Full good 19/02/2013 Interim good progress 18/10/2012 Full adequate

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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

(2001) ensure the written record of complaints contains, the action taken in response and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24 (5)) 30/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person supplies to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted by him every 3 months.(Regulation 34 (2)) 30/09/2014 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people receive personalised care in the home that meets their individual needs. Staff use bespoke verbal, non-verbal and picture communication systems to continually encourage and support young people. This gives young people a sense of well-being. Relationships between young people and staff are positive and staff are motivated and enthusiastic in their interactions. Positive behaviours are promoted through individualised plans and risk assessments that detail the vulnerabilities of young people and identify triggers to unacceptable behaviours. Staff practice adheres to strategies devised to reduce incidents of negative behaviour and therefore young people benefit from a consistent approach to implementing interventions.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to promote the health needs of young people. Procedures are in place to ensure continued access to specialist health services for young people when they are having a short break. This means that young people experience continuity in their health care and necessary services are not disrupted when young people are staying at the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people continue to access their respective schools whilst having their short break. The home has working agreements in place between parents, carers and education services for young people. Education is not disrupted during periods of overnight stays because staff work with the schools to ensure young people can continue to access their education provision while at the home. Staff visit the education provisions young people attend and liaise with education representatives to ensure communication strategies deployed in the school environment are mirrored in the home. This means that young people benefit from the use of bespoke communication systems that enhance their understanding and development.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s meetings take place and staff use a varied range of verbal and non- verbal communication systems, including picture exchange systems to gain feedback from young people. Young people have ready access to pictures, signs or symbols to enhance and support communication and this means that young people are able to converse with others who are enjoying a short break. Young people are consulted on the development of the home, changes to decoration and what they enjoy about staying at the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy their leisure time. Activities are highly individualised and good use is made of community resources to allow young people to have as many experiences as possible. Young people's activity planners are age appropriate and responsive to their likes and dislikes such as soft play, the park, various theme parks, cinema and eating out. Within the home environment young people systematically develop their confidence by having access to stimulating resources with staff. As a result, young people experience a range of stimulating activities that promote their 6 of 9 social skills and interactions or encourage their hobbies and interests.

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Quality of care good

The quality of care provided at the home is good. This is achieved through a committed staff team who have a thorough awareness of the differing needs of the young people and how to respond to their complex needs. Staff use a variety of diversionary techniques for young people regarding their behaviours and innovative ways of effecting change in communication and in improving independent lifestyle skills. One parent said,' The team have bent over backwards to make the transition work.'

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Quality of care good

The home schedules short breaks for young people giving consideration to age, ability and communication preferences and this means young people are supported to develop friendships. The planning of the short breaks is regularly discussed to ensure as far as is possible the compatibility of the young people. One parent said,' I am impressed at their commitment and how they consider each individual child's needs.'

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Quality of care good

Short break care plans are informative and contain clear information for any new staff. A high level of detail is included within these plans and they clearly show a wide range of information about how the young person would like to be cared for. Care plans include education and health to ensure a continuity of care is achieved whilst young people are having their short break. Plans are updated on a regular basis to ensure that the correct information is in place. There are defined targets set and these are measured so as to ensure outcomes for young people continue to improve and that they really enjoy their short time at the home. One parent said, 'Care is brilliant and my son really looks forward to coming.' A social worker said, 'The young person has settled in well and I am impressed with the work the home are doing.'

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Quality of care good

The home has a complaints procedure in place for young people and their families and this reflects the communication systems used by young people who access this service. For example, a symbol adapted guide to making a complaint has been produced to help young people to understand and use the complaints procedure. Records show that complaints are addressed within suitable timescales and actions taken by the Registered Manager to resolve complaints are clearly detailed. Consequently, young people and their families are empowered to raise any concerns they have and are confident that these will be taken seriously. The complaint log is clear but does not adequately evidence the outcome of any complaint.

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Quality of care good

Staff provide practical assistance to ensure that school placements remain stable 7 of 9 when young people are accessing this short break service. Staff encourage young people to communicate their achievements and successes in education and the home operates a ‘home to school’ diary system to effectively liaise with teachers during periods of placements.

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Quality of care good

Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the individual health needs of young people because the home works with parents, carers and external health services to provide interventions to support a healthy life style. All staff who provide personalised care have specific training to ensure they have the competence to undertake the task. There is a robust medication administration recording system in place.

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Quality of care good

The home is very well maintained and provides young people with a very pleasant environment to live in. All necessary adaptations are in place depending on the young people's needs. As one parent stated, 'It is home from home.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by robust and effectively implemented safeguarding arrangements. Their well-being is promoted at all times because safeguarding is at the heart of the service. Through discussions, parents have expressed they are confident that the service keeps their young people safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

All staff are aware of their own roles and responsibilities, and those of other agencies involved in keeping young people safe. The manager and staff are proactive in establishing effective links and working partnerships with the police and the local safeguarding children's board. This liaison results in safeguarding concerns being robustly investigated and addressed. All staff are up to date with their safeguarding training.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home completes and regularly reviews environmental risk assessments to identify health and safety hazards and ensure measures are in place to reduce known risks. Fire risk assessments are in place and the home completes regular fire safety checks. Young people who use this short break service have received an induction to the fire alarm system and participate in fire drills and tests. This means that in the event of a fire, young people know how to respond and staff are able to predict the reactions of young people and ascertain if additional support is required to effectively evacuate the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The atmosphere at the home is relaxed. The staff team are calm, skilled and confident in defusing any potentially difficult and challenging situations swiftly and without issue. They are aware of the known triggers and the primary intervention to follow. Staff receive regular training and updates regarding behaviour management. All staff have a good understanding of individual plans relating specifically to differing behaviours and the strategies in place for responding to these. Young people 8 of 9 experience high quality nurturing, warm and positive relationships with staff. This in turn creates effective routines and boundaries and these are well established. Physical intervention is used as a last resort. However, in the event of a physical intervention taking place appropriate records are maintained.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by robust recruitment processes. There have been no newly recruited staff since the last inspection. Visitors are checked, vetted and monitored. This further ensures young people are safe.

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Leadership and management good

The home has a Registered Manager who has completed the Level 5 Diploma and is fully qualified, experienced and knowledgeable in this role. Young people, their families and the placing authorities are clear about the support the home provides, and the home meets the aims and objectives detailed in the statement of purpose. Parents have said; ‘We are always made very welcome.' 'Everything is planned together with the child and the family.'

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Leadership and management good

There were no actions raised or recommendations made at the previous inspection visit.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager offers clear leadership to his staff team. The standard of management monitoring is high, so the manager is well aware of the home's strengths and weaknesses and it is evident he challenges practice when required. He has a clear development plan in place and the locality risk assessment is well underway. However the Regulation 34 quarterly report has not as yet been forwarded to Ofsted as required.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are looked after by competent and well-supported staff. They provide the young people with a high level of consistency and a very good quality of care. They are enthusiastic, caring and work well together to promote young people’s welfare. The skills within the staff team match young people’s needs very well. The numbers of staff on duty ensures that the young people's needs are effectively met. Staff are suitably qualified and receive good supervision and training to develop their individual skills and knowledge relevant to the young people they are caring for.

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Leadership and management good

Team meetings also take place regularly, which allows the whole staff team to reflect on young people’s progress and how best to support them. It also enables all the staff to discuss the running of the home and to look at ways to improve the service they offer. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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