Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Greenwich

Unique reference number SC386134 Inspector Jackie Graves Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Esland South Limited Registered person address Unit 4, Ednaston Home Farm Brailsford ASHBOURNE Derbyshire DE6 3AY Responsible individual John Stamp Registered manager POST VACANT Date of last inspection 10/06/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 04/11/2014

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a limited company. It provides care for up to five young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2014 Full adequate 22/11/2013 Interim good progress 28/05/2013 Full good 06/03/2013 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

4 (2001) include in the Statement of Purpose a description of the children's home's approach to the monitoring of children accommodated there, details of the home's approach to the use of restraint, how persons working in the children's home are trained in the use of restraint and how their competence is assessed (Regulation 4 (1) Schedule 1 (13)) 31/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) include in restraint records the time, the name of the person using the measure, a description of any injury or any medical treatment administered, confirmation that the person making the record has spoken to the child and staff about the use of the measure, and any methods used to avoid the need 30/11/2014 4 of 11 to use that measure in restraint records (Regulation 17B (3) (d) (e) (g) (h) (i) (4) (b))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) provide evidence in staff recruitment records that staff are mentally fit for the purposes of the work they are to perform (Regulation 26 (3) (c)) 30/11/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children's home used by children are kept in good structural repair internally, with specific reference to a window restrictor which is broken, to a window which doesn't close and a window in a lavatory which doesn't open to allow ventilation (Regulation 31 (2) (d)) 30/11/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the children’s home taking into account views of others (Regulation 31 (1A) (a) (1b)) 31/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months and supply to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1). (Regulation 34 (1) (a) (2)) 30/11/2014

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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 further means of encouraging young people to communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support are explored and recorded, for example, in key work records (NMS 1.3)  ensure the registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home's current operation and resource (NMS 15.2)  evidence that telephone enquiries are made as well as obtaining written references (NMS 16.1)  destroy DBS information as soon as it is no longer needed (NMS 16.4)  ensure that all staff have attained a minimum level 3 qualification or are working towards this within 6 months of confirmation of employment, or can demonstrate they have an equivalent qualification. (NMS 18.5) 5 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people's outcomes in some areas show improvement following their move to the home. The potential for improving outcomes is somewhat hampered by the short- term nature of some young people's placements. Some young people have made general progress in aspects of their lives. Others have not fully engaged with the placement. For example, in one case, long-established patterns of behaviour including being absent from the home and, on a few occasions, engaging in criminal behaviour have continued. One social worker said their young person was 'missing a lot' but 'didn't think they (the staff) could do a lot more'.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people have access to the home's semi-independence programme to help them prepare for adulthood. In a survey, one parent strongly agreed that 'my child is encouraged to learn independence skills'. Not all young people fully engage in the home's programme. There is some improvement in preparing meals, managing laundry and learning to keep rooms clean but a minority of young people are not yet confident about paying bills.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from staying in touch with family when this is appropriate for them. They see friends regularly and take part in activities with them in the community.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Health outcomes are varied. Some young people take responsibility for their own health. They know the importance of attending medical check-ups and seeking treatment from the dentist and optician, do so regularly and attend all appointments. They make the most of any specialist services that they need, including attending psychological services. As a result, some experience fewer incidents of self-harm as their emotional well-being improves. Other young people have made only limited progress in improving health outcomes. For example, they register for services (which is an improvement), but do not attend follow-up appointments. Not all young people heed advice about the risks associated with substance misuse and smoking.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people's educational outcomes are also varied. Some travel considerable distances to maintain their school place and have attended regularly to make the most of their education. Some of school leaving age have gone on to apprenticeships where they can learn vocational trades. Other young people have refused to engage in any kind of education, employment or training. As a result, their educational attainment does not improve. This limits their learning and may affect their potential career and life choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people's identity needs are well met. They are supported to follow any cultural or religious practice identified in their plans. Some develop a more positive self-view as they explore aspects of their gender in an environment where they feel safe to do 6 of 11 so.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are supported to give their views. Young people generally do not attend resident's meetings but give their views informally, for example, when they are preparing meals, exercising in the gym or travelling in a car.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff are well-intentioned and nurturing towards young people. Staff describe a good thing about the home as being the 'warmth, good atmosphere, welcoming feel'. A social worker agrees that 'staff work well with them' and says, 'they are great and I enjoy talking and listening to staff.' Relationships between young people have not always been positive. Staff encourage young people to maintain their friendships with people outside of the home, for example, by transporting them to visit their friends.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff encourage young people to participate in enjoyable leisure activities. Some help young people go to the gym to exercise and improve their health. Other staff take young people ice skating. They view these activities as opportunities to get to know the young people better. Young people appreciate trying new experiences, for example, attending festivals with their friends which staff have arranged. Young people do like to organise their own leisure activities and spend time with their friends away from the home.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people's views are considered to some extent, for example, about the decoration of their rooms, choice of activities and food. Young people have been invited to take part in the recruitment of new staff. However, they have not done so yet. Residents' meetings are planned. These are not always a successful means of seeking views when young people are absent from the home or choose not to attend. Creative opportunities are taken to have a dialogue with young people; however, records of such discussions do not evidence that all aspects of young people's care are regularly discussed.

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Quality of care adequate

Individual needs are identified in care plans so staff can support these. In a survey, one young person 'agrees' that staff 'respect and support their culture and religious beliefs'. There is particularly sensitive care around young people's individual identity issues. This helps young people feel supported as they explore these matters.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff promote education. They find courses and placements that young people, who are not in education, may be interested in attending. This is based on knowledge of young people's individual interests and abilities. They encourage those in school to maintain regular attendance and do their homework so they may improve. A social worker says, 'The young person has not been to education but when a placement was found the staff were willing to take them every day.'

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Quality of care adequate

Complaints are well-managed. The outcomes of investigations are discussed with 7 of 11 young people so they know their complaint has been taken seriously. In a survey, a young person says they do not fear that making a complaint would have a negative effect on how they are looked after.

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Quality of care adequate

Medication arrangements are sound. Systems for recording the administration of drugs and for medication storage are suitable. Effective monitoring, by the independent visitor, discovered minor errors in recording medication. This has helped ensure that mistakes may be rectified and staff practice can change to improve the safety of medication administration.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff ensure that young people have access to the health services they need. They strongly encourage young people to attend their appointments and help them to understand the importance of doing so. For example, they telephone young people to remind them of appointments and agree to collect them by car to take them to their appointments when they are away from the home. They re-book when some young people refuse to attend and continue to encourage attendance. Staff are proactive in making sure young people get the specialist health services they need, such as psychiatric services, so they might make sense of their past lives and improve their emotional health.

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Quality of care adequate

The home is comfortable and very clean. Young people like their rooms which are very much decorated and furnished to suit their individual needs and interests. A few minor things detract from the general homeliness of the building, for example, health information leaflets in a lounge and a notice in a bathroom. However, staff already plan to further enhance the premises with some more homely touches.

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Quality of care adequate

Management has conducted an assessment of the local area. This does look at the facilities available to young people. However, it does not fully explore any risks associated with the area so that young people can be protected from them as far as possible.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff manage incidents of young people going missing well. They are proactive in reporting those who are missing, searching for them and trying to prevent reoccurrences. They help young people to understand the risks they place themselves at when they are missing. Some young people have continued to go missing during their stay in the home and place themselves at risk. There is a high number of incidents of young people going absent for up to three hours, or missing for longer periods. The home is efficient in working with the police to bring about young people's safe return. Management is effective in working with placing authorities to review the care plans of those who continue to go missing to try to improve their safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

For some young people, there is considerable recent improvement in their absences 8 of 11 from the home. Instead of being away for very long periods of time and remaining out of contact, they now share their location with staff (so the place where they are staying may be checked), generally stay in touch with staff and return when expected. As a result, risk is decreasing. An independent reviewing officer said, 'The young person has gone missing, however they keep in touch and informed me that they are happy there.'

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

In a survey, one young person stated that they 'feel safe all the time at the home' and that staff deal well with bullying 'most of the time'. At times, a minority have not felt safe in the home; they have been affected by the impact of one young person's very challenging behaviour and felt bullied and intimidated. Staff took appropriate action to deal with the bullying and to support the victim.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff are mostly carefully vetted before being appointed to work with young people, for example, by conducting checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service and obtaining written references. References are usually checked directly with the referee, but in one file a check is not evident. Although applicants are asked about their physical fitness they are not asked about their mental fitness, which would be an additional check to ensure their suitability for the work.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Behaviour management is generally effective with an emphasis on staff taking a calm approach and talking and listening to young people. Most staff feel that behaviour management training helps them to support young people to improve their behaviour. Some feel that there is potential for the staff to work more consistently as a team when managing behaviour and this is something they would like to develop with the new manager. Although staff are trained in the use of restraint, this is rarely used in the home. There have been two incidents using restraint since the last inspection. Permissible and low-key holds are used to keep young people safe. Records are kept of restraints, but these do not record all the details required by regulation. However, the service has developed a new restraint record which may be more suitable for capturing vital information in the future.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff recognise young people's diverse needs in relation to their particular vulnerabilities, for example, gang involvement, sexual exploitation and peer pressure regarding involvement in drugs and criminal activity. In a survey, a parent 'strongly agrees' that 'staff make sure my child is kept safe'.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

There are sound arrangements for child protection. In surveys, staff say they 'agree' or 'strongly agree' that they know the home's child protection procedures and feel confident about dealing with child protection concerns.

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Leadership and management adequate

9 of 11 Management and leadership of the home have seen recent change. The Registered Manager resigned in October; current arrangements are that the deputy is acting as manager and another staff member is acting deputy. The acting manager is preparing an application to be registered with Ofsted. The company providing the service changed last year. Some documentation is still in the name of the previous provider although this is gradually being reviewed and replaced. Two new staff are employed but staff vacancies remain and there is ongoing recruitment to employ further staff. Vacancies are being covered by the existing staff to ensure there are adequate numbers of staff in the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

Regular monitoring by someone appointed by the service provider results in reports which suggest actions for improvement, taking into account the views of those using and working for the service. These reports are available in the home for staff to read. This helps the home progress. However, monitoring by the manager of the home is not conducted regularly. This limits opportunities for management to fully utilise effective monitoring to drive improvement to the quality of care and outcomes for young people. Also, as reports are not being produced nor sent to Ofsted, the regulator is not informed about the manager's oversight of the service.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Statement of Purpose makes clear the aims of the home. A few details, which are required by regulation, are not included, for example, how staff competency in the use of restraint is assessed. The managerial direction for improvement is not clear as a current development plan is not available.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff training is sufficient. In surveys five staff 'agree' or 'strongly agree' that training needs are identified, met and help them meet young people's needs. Training covers areas such as child protection, behaviour management, first aid and gang affiliation, which helps prepare staff for their role. Of the ten staff, four have attained, or are working towards achieving, the minimum level 3 qualification. Some ff the remaining staff have other qualifications, but these do not meet the national minimum stadard.

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Leadership and management adequate

Support for staff is sound. A staff member says a good thing about the home is 'team work and support from colleagues'. New staff and young people receive an appropriate induction to the home. There are opportunities to meet individually with management in supervision and with the team in staff meetings. Most staff say that supervision helps support their work with young people and their own development. Annual appraisals for staff are ongoing.

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Leadership and management adequate

Most health and safety requirements are met. For example, there are fire drills involving the young people and systems and equipment to promote fire safety in the home. Checks of equipment, such as electrical appliances and gas safety, help ensure young people live in a building which is as safe as possible. However, one window restrictor is broken and may present risk. Another window does not close completely and another in a lavatory does not open at all, so does not permit ventilation in this room. 10 of 11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

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

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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