Children's Home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Sandwell

Unique reference number SC404994 Inspector Julia Wright Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person St Christophers Fellowship Registered person address 1 Putney High Street London SW15 1SZ

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Responsible individual Jonathan Joseph Michael Farrow Registered manager Peter McAteer Date of last inspection 07/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 01/10/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory 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

Young people benefit from a committed and caring staff team. They receive good support from staff to discuss their individual care and how their global needs can be met. Young people participate in a range of community activities. The home is furnished and decorated to a very high standard providing a safe and comfortable environment in which to live.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are kept safe through well understood safeguarding procedures. Positive behaviour is encouraged and supported by staff and relationships between staff and residents are strong. Although there have been incidents of young people going missing or having unauthorised absences, these have been well managed by staff, and young people receive ongoing support to minimise any risky behaviours.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff team is led by an experienced Registered Manager who has made positive changes to the home since being in post. This has been recognised by the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

There is one minor shortfall in national minimum standards that requires improvement relating to records of staff training but to date this has not had an impact on the quality of care that the young people receive. 3 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This service provides care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. A charitable organisation owns and operates this setting.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 16/05/2013 Full adequate 30/10/2012 Interim good progress 10/05/2012 Full adequate

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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 there is a good quality learning and development programme which staff and volunteers are supported to undertake. It includes induction, post-qualifying and in-service training to enhance individual skills and to keep staff up-to-date with professional and legal developments. Staff are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of the children and the purpose of the setting, and training keeps them up-to-date with professional, legal and practice developments and reflects the policies, legal obligations and business needs of the home. In particular ensure that the training matrix is up-to-date. (NMS 18.1) 4 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are positive about their experiences of living at this home. They value the support they receive from staff. Young people comment that the home is ‘brilliant… the best’ and that staff have helped them gain confidence and ‘sort my life out’. Young people report that staff are kind, approachable and supportive. Social workers say that the home has made a difference to the young people, and that self- esteem has improved.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are safer because they are better at managing their behaviour. For example young people who have a history of unauthorised absences or missing from care have reduced these behaviours and are safer as a result. Young people who experience significant challenges with their behaviour are supported by staff to develop strategies to manage their behaviour and these are effective. Young people are safer as a result. Good relationships with staff have helped young people to build emotional maturity and resilience. Young people have learned to develop mutually respectful relationships and to replicate these experiences in other areas of their life. For example one young person said that staff had taught them about boundaries and, as these have helped, they plan to use boundaries if they have children in the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people say that they feel valued because they are consulted about their placements and the running of the home. Young people benefit from an independent advocate who visits them and helps them where necessary. Young people feel that their voice is heard and that they are valued. They are involved in weekly meetings and they say that these and the feedback from staff team meetings make them feel involved in the home. As a result their self-esteem is improved.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are encouraged to attend clubs and events in the community and this helps them develop new friendships and learn new skills. As a result young people improve their self-confidence. Young people were recently involved in a charity fundraiser in the community. They said that they learnt about difficulties other people face. These activities increase young people’s participation and understanding of society. Young people can welcome friends and family into the home wherever appropriate and they report that this makes them feel that they are like any other young person in the community. As a result stigma that some young people may feel about being in care is reduced.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people maintain contact with family and friends with the support of staff. This ensures that they remain in touch with important people in their lives. As a result, young people feel valued and supported.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people use the advice and support of staff to attend college or to seek work. This helps young people achieve their aspirational goals and make a contribution to 5 of 9 society. Those who are not engaged with education or training are supported to look for work or an apprenticeship. This ensures that young people are participating in society and improves their emotional well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have a nutritious diet and are involved in menu planning and cooking. This helps them develop valuable life skills and contributes towards their independence planning. Young people listen to staff advice about the risks of smoking and substance misuse. Some have demonstrably reduced their substance misuse, leading to better general health Young people’s willingness and enthusiasm to engage with staff means that they develop important independence skills. They are able to move towards an independent life with increased confidence.

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Quality of care good

Good relationships exist between the young people and staff. Staff are seen as consistently supporting the young people and responsive to their views and opinions. For example, staff relocated a display board to a quieter area of the home when a young person requested it. Social workers and other professionals say that staff work hard to develop positive relationships with the young people and involve them in activities. One parent said that young people are 'really well cared for and are safe' and she had no concerns about her child living at the home.

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Quality of care good

The staff team advocate effectively for the young people. One young person was able to return to the home when a placement was withdrawn, following intervention by staff. Another, who has since left, said that this was the best home he had known.

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Quality of care good

Care staff work diligently to make sure that case planning is relevant to young people's needs. The success of care planning is reflected in a multi-agency approach to support young people to ensure that their global needs are met. This ensures that young people have the optimal opportunities to enjoy and achieve in their lives. Young people say that they are happy with their care. They have access to a wide range of opportunities to develop their independence and this ensures consultation and participation by the young people.

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Quality of care good

Young people either attend education or training or are supported by staff to seek work. Staff actively seek opportunities to assist the young people to make progress. For example by accompanying the young people to interviews, advising them about volunteering opportunities or addressing difficulties some may have in changing college courses. This ensures that young people's needs are met and that they are listened to, maximising development and achievement. Young people say that they value staff help in these areas.

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Quality of care good

Complaints from young people are rare. Young people know how to make a complaint if they want to, and information and advice is available in the home to 6 of 9 assist them.

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Quality of care good

Diversity is a consistent theme in staff practice throughout the home and reflected in key work discussion, menu planning, and information displayed in the home. The young people and staff are planning a trip to celebrate Black history month. Experiences are celebrated with the young people at this home, and a recent evening event celebrated the young people's achievements over the year. This improved young people’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of care good

The home provides an excellent environment for the young people. It is very comfortable, well maintained and has many personalised details, for example photographs of the young people. This gives the young people a sense of belonging and ownership and reflects that they are valued individuals.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has good arrangements in place to make sure that young people are safe and feel safe. Staff know how to protect young people and what actions they should take if they have concerns. Detailed risk assessments and care plans are completed with professionals, family (where appropriate) and the young people to ensure their well-being and safety. Young people say that they feel safe at this home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The staff team work consistently to reduce missing from care and unauthorised absences. Staff record incidents fully and work with young people through key worker sessions. This reinforces young people's safety. Referrals to other agencies are made if necessary. Incidents of missing from care or unauthorised absence have reduced at this home. Staff are knowledgeable and respond to any such incidents in line with clear procedural guidelines. Young people say that they feel safe at the home, and that the home has changed positively since the arrival of the Registered Manager last year. The Registered Manager sits on the local Young People at Risk of Sexual Exploitation or Missing panel, has a good knowledge of local safeguarding issues and has developed links with local professionals including police to ensure young people's safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff encourage young people to use thinking skills to manage their behaviour. This avoids the care staff having to use physical intervention. Where sanctions are used, these are proportionate. Recording ensures that young people's views are noted. The last recorded use of physical intervention was over five months ago. Staff ensure that physical intervention logs are fully completed and young people are given the opportunity to contribute their views. This ensures that young people participate and that their voices are heard.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are appropriately vetted prior to commencing their employment in the home, and visitors are checked and monitored to keep the young people safe from adults who may wish to harm them.. Deployment of staff is dependent on the needs of the 7 of 9 young people. The Registered Manager has ensured that shift leaders are suitably experienced to undertake this role. This means that young people are well cared for by suitably trained and experienced staff. The home provides an on call service by senior staff to ensure that young people and staff are fully supported 24 hours each day.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

All necessary checks for gas, electrical and fire safety have been undertaken. This ensures that young people live in an environment which is safe and hazard free. Regular fire drills take place involving all young people and staff to make sure that everyone is familiar with the evacuation drill from the home.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has been in post at the home for 12 months. He holds a Level 5 Diploma in Health and Social Care, Children and Young People. The Registered Manager has ensured effective management systems in place. Regular and systematic quality assurance ensures that all records are updated, stored appropriately and shared where necessary. As a result staff have available up to date and relevant information about the young people they care for to ensure that their needs are understood and met.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are looked after by a majority of staff who are trained in all key areas. Where there were gaps in the training matrix for staff, most staff could validate their completion of online training. Staff receive supervision and support from their line managers, and new staff complete a planned induction. This ensures that the young people in the home receive a consistent service from well trained staff.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has a secure knowledge of the home's strengths and areas for development. The staff team are highly supportive of the young people and young people say that staff are all approachable and helpful. The home's Statement of Purpose has recently been updated and the young people's guide is being updated to reflect this.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has developed an innovative way of involving young people in the recruitment process. Staff have also encouraged young people to take part in a DVD talking about their experiences of living at this home and young people found this to be a good experience. Young people feel involved and feel their views are valued.

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Leadership and management good

A previous requirement relating to young people's access to a telephone has been met. This ensures that young people are able to contact family, friends and professionals at all times without reference to staff. This protects young people and makes them feel safe. A previous recommendation regarding the experience of shift leaders has also been met. This ensures that young people are cared for by staff who have the necessary skills and experience to meet their needs and further strengthens 8 of 9 care practice.

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Leadership and management good

Staff are vigilant and make sure that the environment is safe and any deficits are quickly repaired. This ensures that young people are protected from hazards in the home. Young people have a good quality environment in which to enjoy their lives. Strong relationships between staff and young people are evident in this home. Staff work hard to enable young people to explore and resolve their concerns. The Registered Manager and staff make clear efforts to address issues and improve the service. This ensures that young people's well-being is of primary concern.

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Leadership and management good

Developments in building a strong core staff team are a credit to the Registered Manager and have resulted in improved behaviour in the young people. The home development plan exemplifies the home's commitment to continued development and improvement. 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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