Children's Home run by SureCare Residential Ltd in Essex

Unique reference number SC462729 Inspector Rosie Davie Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Surecare Residential Limited Registered person address 19e North Street, 2nd Floor Bishops Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 2LD Responsible individual Simon Peter Barr Registered manager POST VACANT Date of last inspection 11/12/2013 2 of 8 Inspection date 12/11/2014

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Previous inspection good 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 management and staff team provide care tailored to meet the individual’s circumstances and needs. Individual behavioural programmes underpin the approach with young people. Psychological support is available for all young people. Clinical supervision takes place with all care staff. As a result young people are making good social and educational progress.

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Overall effectiveness

Agencies are confident in the staff and interim manager’s ability meet young people’s emotional and physical needs. One agency describes the home as ‘warm and welcoming.’

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Overall effectiveness

The interim manager is committed to delivering good quality care and has ambition to drive improvement across the service. There are no identified short falls as a result of the inspection. The staff team are dedicated and established with the majority continuing to work in the home since its registration. 3 of 8

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a small group of homes run by an independent provider. This home offers care for up to four young people assessed to have emotional or behavioural difficulties, mild learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good progress in developing a positive self-view and understanding of their circumstances. Promotion of family contact is a key strength of this home. Young people benefit from time spent with family, friends and others who are important to them. This supports young people to learn about attachments and emotional resilience.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people of school age attend school or have access to education. One young person has achieved 100% attendance at school. This enhances young people’s opportunity of employability or access to further education.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people who have completed formal education seek employment. One young person has successfully gained local employment in an industry that he had shown interest in whilst at school. This gives young people opportunities to realise their individual strengths.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The young people benefit from accessing advice and guidance in relation to sexual health. Young people are able to make informed choices about health and well-being. This encourages young people to take responsibility for their health.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good transitions to independence and adulthood. Young people follow a tailored programme focusing on specific areas to enhance their ability and confidence. This includes food preparation, laundry and budgeting. Young people are involved in planning an individual programme which reflects their age, stage and needs. As a result, young people are proactively encouraged to think about where they require help and support with their future independence. Comments from young people who have left the home and moved on to independence include, ‘thank you for believing in me when I didn’t or couldn’t.’

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Quality of care good

Staff have realistic aspirations for the young people in the home. Staff and young people develop positive relationships. Staff expect young people to behave appropriately and make constructive challenges where language or behaviours are inappropriate. As a result young people make links between behaviours and consequences.

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Quality of care good

Staff actively consult with young people about the running of the home, encouraging young people to feel their views and wishes are valued. When it is not possible to act 5 of 8 on requests staff engage with young people to discuss the rationale behind the decisions made.

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Quality of care good

Effective systems are in place for supporting young people to make a complaint. Managers deal with complaints providing clear responses for young people. Staff provide opportunities for young people to comment and discuss feelings in key work sessions where appropriate.

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Quality of care good

Every young person has an individualised risk and management plan. This document details the care plan and identifies the approach for managing risk. This gives staff a shared understanding of the aims and objectives of the placement which means that there is a consistent approach to young people’s care.

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Quality of care good

Staff provide young people with a guide about the home which includes information about the weekly awards for positive behaviour and attitude. Young people are clear about the reward system in place and understand this supports good behaviour. One young person new to the home said, ‘I think that any young person coming to live here is very lucky, there is a reward system where you get points for doing well and the staff are all really nice.’

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Quality of care good

External agencies have effective relationships with the staff. The looked after nurse is a regular visitor and meets with staff to share medical history and to focus on current health issues. The benefit for young people is that health appointments are appropriately and expediently actioned.

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Quality of care good

Staff provide a diverse range of activities for young people which are sourced and reflect the interests of the young person. Opportunities include sport, leisure and eating out. Young people actively engage with staff and participate in activities in the local community.

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Quality of care good

The home sits within a residential area. The premises provide ample space for young people in both communal living and private space. This helps young people feel relaxed in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say they feel safe in this home. One young person said, ‘I love it here and would be very happy to stay here until I reach 18 years old.’

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that there is no bullying in the home. Staff say that any emerging issues between young people are identified and dealt with quickly. This helps to promote a relaxed and calm atmosphere.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people rarely go missing from this home. Staff respond to any absences swiftly. Staff adhere to the joint police and local safeguarding procedures. The home 6 of 8 is developing local community mapping information. A visual tool records the spaces and places individual young people have shown an interest in. This means that good mechanisms are in place to speed young people’s return, promoting their personal safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Risk assessments are person and activity specific which means that staff are clear about the approach to take in different situations. Staff use restraint as a last resort to promote the safety of everyone in the home. Staff offer a range of diverse incentives and rewards to promote positive behaviour, encouraging young people to make positive behavioural choices.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The organisation carefully selects and recruits staff to work in the home. Safe recruitment and pre-employment checks are completed. All new staff receive an induction within their probationary period. This helps to ensure the suitability of adults working with the young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Managers investigate any allegations or suspicions of harm. They share information and findings with external agencies. Written records show that managers identify poor practice and take action. All staff are trained in safeguarding. This ensures staff understand what to do in the event of a disclosure or allegation.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff complete regular fire checks of the premises. Young people are included in fire evacuation practices. Staff identify deficiencies in young people’s responses and take action to address this. Staff discuss the importance of health and safety in group and key work sessions. This helps young people learn about the reasons for health and safety checks in and around the home and the action that all are required to take in the event of an emergency.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager left post in October 2014. The deputy manager is undertaking interim management arrangements and is in the process of registering with Ofsted. The interim manager is experienced and the internal appointment promotes continuity of care for young people and staff. He demonstrates confidence in leading the staff team and sensitivity in listening to and supporting young people.

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Leadership and management good

External monitoring systems evaluate the running of the home. The internal monitoring is comprehensive and analyses the performance of the home. Improvements are identified and actioned in partnership with the home’s senior management team who have an active presence. Managers have met the requirement from the previous inspection which has resulted in an improved system for the monitoring and recording of physical intervention. Young people know the senior management team. This is beneficial because the young people can make direct representation to the senior leaders about the running of the home. The combination of these monitoring systems enable the management team to have a 7 of 8 good understanding of the value that living at the home has for each of the young people.

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Leadership and management good

Staff receive supervision from their line manager, peers and a psychologist. Staff value supervision and say that ‘there is always opportunity to think about practice and to talk about how I feel about looking after the young people.’ Staff receive access to a range of training including first aid, working therapeutically and managing behaviour. Training is mandatory. The benefit for young people is that managers expect staff to be reflective and thoughtful about practice. This ensures that staff are fully equipped and well supported in their roles.

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Leadership and management good

Managers and staff work with placing authorities to ensure that reviews take place and that there is up-to-date, relevant information available from the home which reflects young people’s individual progress. Staff present information to external meetings which focuses on young people’s strengths and positive changes they have made. This increases opportunities for young people.

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Leadership and management good

Managers share information relating to significant events with parents and other agencies. Follow up action takes place alongside discussion with key stakeholders. This strengthens risk and management planning. 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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