Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC432741 Inspector Gillian Walters Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager POST VACANT / Conrad Thomas Potts Date of last inspection 03/12/2013 2 of 11 Inspection date 18/09/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress 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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Overall effectiveness

Young people are well supported by staff that show warmth and genuine concern for their welfare. Most young people are generally settled in the home although some are eager to achieve their independence or return home to family. Some do participate in risk taking behaviours but the trend is currently declining. Generally young people speak positively about the home, they say that they feel safe and appreciate the support and guidance staff provide.

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Overall effectiveness

The home works collaboratively with external agencies to identify suitable educational resources for young people with a history of none attendance. Consequently, young people's education is planned in accordance with their presenting needs and this helps them to begin to take supported steps back into education.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls exist in the quality of the home’s placement planning as the home has not established a clear routine for reviewing and updating placement plans to ensure they remain current and relevant. Although the home is proactive in working with a range of professionals to secure appropriate support and intervention for young people, the home has not taken a consistently rigorous approach with all placing authorities to fulfil their responsibilities. As a consequence, a minority of plans are not sufficiently robust and effective to ensure good outcomes for young people. 3 of 11 Young people confirm they feel safe in the home and that their views are considered when decisions are being made about the home. However, some young people have not received a copy of the home's children's guide and are unaware of the home's complaints and representation procedures. As a result, young people are not routinely provided with essential guidance to help them should they be unhappy

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Overall effectiveness

with any aspect of their care or treatment in the home.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has experienced a rather turbulent period following the retirement of the previous Registered Manager. The provider has identified some practices and administrative systems operating within the home that have hindered the homes continued development and improvement. For example, the lack of a robust system to monitor the care provided in the home, including the suitable review of disciplinary measures, missing from home policy. Likewise, young people newly admitted to the home experience a delay in personalising their bedrooms including choosing suitable décor. The newly appointed manager and his senior management team have good insight to the changes and developments that they wish to make in the home’s operation to improve the quality of care and outcomes young people achieve.

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Overall effectiveness

As a result of this inspection eight requirements and two recommendations are made to address shortfalls and support the home’s development. They concern the quality of placement planning; the pursuit of information and support from placing authorities; internal and external monitoring activity within the home; the home’s Statement of Purpose; the complaints process; the maintenance of information concerning disciplinary measures and; the home’s missing child policy, recruitment procedures and the home’s décor. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This privately-owned children's home is registered to accommodate and care for five young people of either gender who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home accepts emergency placements and can offer care to young people on a short, medium or long-term basis.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/12/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 02/08/2013 Full good 17/01/2013 Interim good progress 14/11/2012 Full good

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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

5 (2001) ensure the statement of purpose and the children's guide is updated and revised and a copy supplied to each child within the home; notify Ofsted of the revision within 28 days (Regulation 5 (a) (b) (c)) 19/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children. This relates specifically to obtaining essential relevant information and services from placing authorities (Regulation 11 (1) (a)) 19/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary, seeking and taking into account the 19/12/2014 5 of 11 child's views so far as practicable having regard to the child's age and understanding (Regulation 12 (2) (3))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person prepare and implement a missing child policy that sets out the steps to be taken to prevent children being absent without permission, as well as the procedures to be followed in relation to a child who is, or has been absent (Regulation 16 (4) (b)) 19/12/2014

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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 that a written record including all essential detail is made in a volume kept for the purpose (Regulation 17b (3)) 19/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children accommodated in the home are enabled to make a complaint or representation (Regulation 24 (6) (a)) 19/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person establish and maintain a system for monitoring matters and improving the quality of care within the home as set out in Schedule 6 at least once every three months (Regulation 34 (1)) 19/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure visits conducted in accordance with Regulation 33 critically examine and scrutinise the way the home is carried on and managed; and the quality of care the children's home provides for the children accommodated there (Regulation 33 (3) (a) (b)) 19/12/2014

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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 the home provides a comfortable and homely environment that is well maintained and decorated, this relates specifically to young people's bedrooms (NMS 10.3)  ensure that all people working in or for the children's home are interviewed as part of the selection process and have references checked to assess suitability before taking on responsibilities. This relates specifically to ensuring that references are thoroughly checked as part of the verification process. (NMS 16.1) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Most young people share positive relationships with staff and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere created within the home. Young people have developed trust in the relationships they have formed with staff and this has enabled them to explore some very sensitive and complex issues in relation to their backgrounds and life events. Consequently, young people begin to develop a positive insight into how they manage their relationships and make positive future choices. One young person said, ‘The support of staff is very good. They help and solve problems with you and do all they can to help you get what you want.’

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from the range of schools, colleges and other education providers that are in place to promote and support young people’s learning. Although most young people are regularly attending and making positive progress, some are not as yet fully engaged with their education programme. Consequently, some young people are not yet making consistent progress in their learning and development.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are appropriately supported to understand and maintain good health. They are registered with local practitioners and encouraged to keep regular appointments to address their general health care needs. The home has established links with a range of health care providers and this ensures young people are able to access additional and specialist health care advice and support as required. Likewise, staff liaise closely with such professionals to ensure that consistent support is provided within the home to promote young people’s physical and emotional well- being. Furthermore, young people are provided with support and advice to avoid those activities, such as smoking, that are known to impact negatively on their health. However despite advice and the promotion of cessation support, most young people continue to smoke regularly. This means they are knowingly taking risks that may affect their good health.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people enjoy regular contact with their friends and family which enables them to maintain those relationships that are most important to them. For some young people this includes frequent visits and outings with parents and siblings supported by staff and for others, weekend stays at home with parents. Individual arrangements are clearly detailed and documented to ensure young people remain safe and are appropriately supported to have quality and meaningful contact.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are suitably supported to develop a range of skills that will support them as they move into independence. For example, all young people contribute to the household chores, take responsibility for their own rooms ensuring they are clean and tidy and develop skills in cooking and baking. Likewise some young people develop budgeting skills and confidence in using public transport independently. As such, although at different stages in their preparation for independence young people 7 of 11 are developing confidence in their abilities and receiving the age-appropriate support they require, preparing them as they move towards adulthood.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people are well supported by a staff team that are clear and consistent in their approach. Young people understand the house rules and the expectations held by staff in relation to their general conduct and behaviour within the home. Relationships between staff and young people are mostly positive and as a consequence the home has noted a reduction in some previous disruptive behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff show warmth and genuine understanding towards young people, both in what they say and do. Young people respond accordingly and voice feelings of respect and trust in certain members of staff. For example, one young person described a staff member as, ‘Mint, sound and totally awesome.’ A parent consulted also commented, ‘Since my daughter has been placed with this home, I have always been able to settle at home knowing my child is being genuinely cared for.’

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Quality of care adequate

The home’s care planning arrangements focus on the range of young people’s individual needs. However, shortfalls exist as plans are not routinely reviewed and updated. This lessens their effectiveness in guiding and supporting staff to provide a high quality of care. Additionally the home has identified shortfalls in the provision of information from some placing authorities, such as, signed placement plans and leaving care plans. However, concerns felt by home not consistently pursued or escalated to achieve prompt attention. Therefore, not all information about some young people is up to date in order to inform the planning for their changing care needs. As a result, young people’s welfare is not consistently promoted.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people are supported to maintain healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage regular attendance at routine health care appointments and have a good working relationship with the ‘looked-after’ nurse to address activities that could be harmful to their health. Most young people in the home have a smoking habit that they are reluctant to give up. However, staff show persistence in trying to discourage this with the support of healthcare support. The home works closely with health care professionals and placing authorities to ensure that young people receive timely assessment and intervention in order to address a range of health care needs. One social worker commented, 'There is a good multi-agency approach from the home, they communicate well with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and are consistent in sharing this information.’

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Quality of care adequate

Most young people living in the home have a history of limited or non-engagement with educational services. The home works hard to develop partnerships with external education providers and for some young people this has proved successful. 8 of 11 However, currently only 60% of residents have appropriate educational settings although attendance is inconsistent with young people regularly refusing to attend school. Likewise, some young people are not in receipt of a suitable educational provision. As a result, not all young people receive education that will serve to maximise their future life chances.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people can identify a number of activities that the home offers to promote fun and exercise. These include ice skating, football and swimming. However, some young people acknowledge that their engagement in these activities is limited but that this is a choice they make rather than the availability of things to do. Alternatively they enjoy trips to the cinema and playing console games. Although these provide fun and entertainment, young people are aware that they do not promote their need for physical exercise and at times this can lead to them feeling bored.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people have some understanding of their rights but are not so clear on the home’s procedure for making a complaints or accessing representations. Although no complaints have been made, it was not clear that young people were sufficiently empowered to raise issues that may concern them. For example, the young people’s guide does not provide details of whom a young person can approach or contact in order to raise matters of concern.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people live in a home that is comfortable and generally well maintained. Young people’s bedrooms on the whole reflect their personal styles and interests. During this inspection it was noted that one bedroom was still in need of decoration to enable the young person to start personalising his own space. This meant that there had been some delay in acting on his expressed choices. The young person said, ‘It didn’t yet feel like home.’

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people do on occasion absent themselves from the home. On such occasions staff implement the homes procedures to ensure their safe and early return. Staff are proactive in working with agencies to develop strategies to reduce the levels of missing’s from the home. Likewise, placing authorities are positive about the home’s response to such behaviours. One social worker commented, ' The home follows the agreed protocols and notifies me straight away.' However, the home’s policy and procedures do not include sufficient detail about the measures staff may take to prevent young people from absenting themselves. This means that staff do not have ready access to guidance that would support them identify the range of strategies and measures to prevent children absenting themselves.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people are encouraged to demonstrate socially acceptable behaviour and are routinely rewarded and praised for their progress. Episodes of disruptive behaviour are gradually decreasing and this includes incidences of self-harm. Staff work 9 of 11 collaboratively with external agencies that offer suitable support to young people and this supports the on-going work undertaken in the home. For example, police support officers regularly call at the home and have established positive relationships with both staff and young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The use of physical intervention in this home is rare. Young people demonstrate trust in staff and are confident that restraint only ever occurs as a last resort. One young person commented, ‘I can’t remember the last time I got restrained.’ However, records of disciplinary measures are deficient. Information is not consistently maintained in order to provide a detailed and accurate account of the event. Furthermore, records are not consistently maintained in a bound volume or in protected electronic format. As such, there is no assurance that records cannot be tampered with after the event. Consequently, young people’s safety is compromised because the systems for recording are flawed and are not routinely noted by either the internal or external monitoring processes.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The recruitment and selection of staff is deficient. Although all pre-employment checks are completed before new staff commence work within the home, not all references are sufficiently scrutinised as part of the verification process. Consequently, references are not routinely confirmed or explored in order to protect young people living in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff promote young people’s on-going protection by undertaking regular fire drills and service tests making sure that all faults are efficiently addressed. Evidence highlights sufficient monitoring of all systems within the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff are vigilant when managing visitors to the home and take appropriate steps to verify visitors identity in order to protect the young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has appointed a new manager following the retirement of the previous Registered Manager. He is appropriately qualified for the position, possessing a level five qualification in Health and Social Care. The provider made Ofsted aware of the change in management arrangements and an application has been made for the new manager’s registration with Ofsted.

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Leadership and management adequate

Internal monitoring of the home is deficient. There is an over-reliance on information provided by the external monitoring of the home. Matters as identified throughout the inspection are not routinely identified or addressed by the manager in order to tackle poor or inconsistent practice. Likewise, external monitoring takes place at regular intervals. Information is suitably recorded and serves to advise the manager of the care standards in the home. However, the external monitoring does not consistently identify short falls particularly with regard to records. As a result, the care practice in the home is not sufficiently monitored in order to aid development 10 of 11 and promote consistent improvement.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support the home provides. A social worker said, ‘This home tries really hard with young people. They update me all the time. I am happy with the service they provide.’ However, it is noted that omissions to the updated Statement of Purpose including information about religious persuasion and the homes missing from care procedures. A copy of the most recent document has not been received by Ofsted.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people live in a home that is suitably maintained and provides spacious living accommodation. The home is situated within a close knit community with easy access to transport links and local amenities.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under Regulation 30, Schedule five and has been consistent in the reporting of all incidents occurring in the home. This practice ensures that information is shared with the regulatory agency in order that the actions and outcomes for young people can be suitable assessed.

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Leadership and management adequate

One requirement at last inspection has been suitably addressed. A six month training programme is now in place for all staff and an individual programme has been developed for all new staff. Likewise staff confirm that regular supervision and annual appraisal takes place. Staff feel supported within the home. The home has an ambitious development plan to address a range of improvements including the continued development of staff, the premises and the quality of care received by young people. 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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