Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Calderdale

Unique reference number SC001016 Inspector Pauline Yates Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Broadwood Residential Limited Registered person address Laganwood House 44 New Forge Lane Belfast Northern Ireland BT9 5NW Responsible individual Heather Ann Laffin Registered manager Mark Anthony Green Date of last inspection 05/02/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 11/11/2014

p.1

Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness adequate

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

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager currently divides his time between two home and this limits the necessary oversight required for quality assurance, audit and the monitoring of activity within the home. Robust scrutiny and evaluation is curtailed and limits the current capacity for improvement. Delays in updating of some care planning documents and searching examination of recruitment files has the potential to compromise how well care is assessed and delivered and the suitability of staff employed. These shortfalls result in the leadership and management of the home to be judged as adequate.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people make good progress in a number of key areas. The young people are positive about the quality of care they receive and their relationships with staff. They say they feel safe and are supported. Professionals endorse this view. The young people have good educational attendance and enjoy a wide range of community-based leisure activities. They have positive relationships with staff and actively contribute to decision making within the home. The young people benefit from the home promoting healthy lifestyle and choices.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

In many areas the home is well run with respect to the quality of care which is 3 of 10 offered and there are good outcomes for the young people who currently live there. There is good support offered to staff and they feel competent to carry out their role in providing individualised care to the young people. 4 of 10

p.2

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children's home providing accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 12/09/2013 Full good 11/12/2012 Interim good progress 11/07/2012 Full good

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure children rarely go missing and if they do, they return quickly (NMS 5)  ensure children receive care which helps them prepare for and supports them into adulthood, so that they can reach their potential and achieve economic wellbeing (NMS 12)  ensure children are looked after by staff who are trained and competent to meet their needs. Staff receive high quality training to enhance their individual skills and to keep them up-to-date with professional and legal developments. In particular, up-to-date training in gang culture and child sexual exploitation (NMS 18)  ensure the manager regularly monitors, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ensure compliance with the home's policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this 5 of 10 monitoring (NMS 21.2)  ensure the registered person's system for recruiting staff and others

p.4

Recommendations

include and effective system for reaching decisions as to who is to be appointed and the circumstances in which an application should be refused in light of any criminal convictions or other concerns about suitability that are declared or discovered through the recruitment process (NMS 16.5)  ensure clear arrangements are in place to ensure appropriate management of the home when the registered manager is absent (NMS 21.5). 6 of 10

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people good

The young people live in a supportive environment and make good progress across a spectrum of areas. They feel listened to and that the home is making a difference to their lives. Young people are able to describe the difference the home is making and the progress they have made. Young people improve in confidence and develop their commitment to achieving in education and training. They explore and engage with the choices that are available to them and they grow in confidence with the positive choices made.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have made good progress in their emotional resilience and self- confidence with one social worker describing the progress for one particular young person as ‘massive’. Young people report they enjoy and actively exercise choice about their leisure interests. One young person said ‘I have a really nice time’. These positive experiences and sense of growing achievement further embeds and increases the positive choices they make and their developing aspirations.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s health improves. They enjoy a healthy diet and regularly benefit from inclusive community-based sports and pursuits. Communal mealtimes and positive activities are important aspects of the home establishing good routines with the young people. One young person described the food as ‘fantastic’. Young people are developing self-awareness with regards to the benefits of personal hygiene, routines and positive use of time. Their immediate and long-term health outcomes improve.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are listened to and encouraged to use reflection in order to express feelings of anger and disappointment safely and more positively. They grow in confidence and self-worth as a result of being supported to make sense of their backgrounds. They are also supported regarding contact arrangements with their family. Regular one-to-one time with staff supports and improves young people’s emotional health, their understanding of safety, managing relationships, identity and risk-taking behaviour.

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are beginning to acquire skills and draw upon experiences which will assist them to make successful transitions into adulthood.

p.6

Quality of care good

Young people enjoy positive rapport with staff and each other, promoting positive relationships and good modelling behaviour. Staff understand how historical events and life experiences impact upon the young people’s decision-making and view of 7 of 10 themselves. The staff mitigate against these factors by offering safe and nurturing relationships. Positive reinforcement is used by the staff to encourage and support the young people to manage disappointment and conflict in a healthier manner. One young person commented, ‘This is the ideal place for me here.’

p.6

Quality of care good

Young people are cared for in an environment which actively promotes and celebrates differences in society. They are actively listened to and their views are taken into account in the running of the home. Through frequent keyworker sessions and young people’s meetings they are encouraged to identify their interests, hobbies and aspirations. One young person described a particular key work session as ‘awesome’. Young people say they feel listened to and another young person said, ‘You just need to tell the staff what you would like to do and they organise it for you’.

p.7

Quality of care good

Young people benefit from the positive relationships which the staff have with other agencies including education providers, police and social workers. These solid working relationships ensure that the young people are kept safe, they receive appropriate education, and that the plans for their immediate and longer term care are progressed. Communications from the home’s staff to other professionals was viewed as proactive and open by other professionals.

p.7

Quality of care good

Staff are thoughtful and considerate in assisting the young people to overcome personal barriers and support their progress in building self-esteem and confidence. Young people are encouraged to embrace new experiences resulting in some of the young people acting as representatives for other young people in the community. The staff tailor their support to each young person’s needs and their stage of development. One social worker commented that they had noted a ‘massive improvement’ in the young person’s emotional resilience and confidence since residing at the home.

p.7

Quality of care good

Young people live in a suitable and safe residential neighbourhood. There is easy access to shops and the town centre.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Safeguarding young people is judged as adequate as missing episodes for some young people who previously resided at the home did not reduce and, towards the end of their placements, increased. These young people struggled to make positive choices and for some, the risks associated with criminal activity also increased.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

With regards to safe recruitment, records lack contemporary evidence of further checks for one reference that questioned the suitability of the applicant. Although verbal reassurance was given by senior managers of appropriate follow up and decision making, the managers within the home did not have knowledge or oversight 8 of 10 of this issue which is unsatisfactory.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The young people report that they feel safe in the home and are able to identify adults who they would talk to if they felt unsafe. They also know how to complain and feel that staff are responsive.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

There are active assessments of risks which are individualised and understood by staff. The home has good working relationships with the local police and the missing from home liaison officer. This positive interface ensures that known risks and vulnerabilities for young people are shared and understood. The local police officer described the ‘working relationship as brilliant – can’t fault the staff’. Missing from home procedures for all young people are clear and staff understand how these are to be implemented. The staff ensure that young people are protected as far as possible if they go missing and that they are welcomed back into the home when they return.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

There are clear boundaries and expectations set for young people by staff and these are reinforced through positive consequences and rewards. Young people experience the benefits of appropriate behaviour in a constructive and encouraging manner. There is minimal use of sanctions and there is minimal and rarely used restraint. When physical intervention is used it is monitored and reviewed by the manager.

p.8

Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people live in a home that is safe and maintained. There are established systems in place and the manager maintains safe practices which fulfil health and safety requirements.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager has been in post since 2010. The current arrangements mean that he is not at the home for up to four days per week and this has been the case for the past six months. Management oversight is provided by the deputy manager in an acting capacity. While the Registered Manager and deputy undertake monitoring of the standards of care provided, these are not sufficiently robust to comprehensively evaluate the service, ensure staff recruitment issues are followed up, and that documents relating to care planning are updated. The lack of detailed oversight and scrutiny limits service improvement.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

Recommendations from previous inspections have been acted upon and the manager has insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Follow up and embedding of improvements is curtailed because of the Registered Manager’s limited availability to the home. Evaluation of the home’s impact upon the pace of young people’s progress is, in turn, reduced. Although care plans have been progressed, 9 of 10 documents had not been updated in a timely manner. The pace of young people’s progress, especially with regards to independence work, is therefore not reviewed as it should be and limits assessment and plans for future goals.

p.8

Leadership and management adequate

There are sufficient staff employed and they are trained in essential areas such as health and safety, first aid, drugs and alcohol awareness, food hygiene, and this helps them to provide good care to the young people. New staff undergo induction and the home’s mandatory training requirements. Few staff, however, have had training in child sexual exploitation and none have had training in gang culture. This limits the understand which staff have and may impact adversely on their ability to identify and work positively with young people who have these issues.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

The Statement of Purpose has been updated and is detailed about its provision of care to young people. This level of detail assists professionals in determining the suitability of care prior to placement of young people. Child-friendly documents are used by staff to engage young people in their care planning and individual key-work sessions. Complaints are minimal and are resolved in good timescales. The staff report good levels of support and they feel confident in carrying out their caring roles. They speak highly about the support and guidance they receive. The young people benefit from the skills and intervention of a stable staff team. As a result, young people’s progress is clearly evident and noted by other professionals. There is evidence of a co-ordinated team approach to caring for the young people.

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

Regular monitoring of the home’s activities is conducted by the independent visitor who identifies actions to improve the care offered to the young people. There is frequent consultation with young people and regular liaison with placing social workers and other professionals. One social worker commented that the manager was prepared to travel long distances to attend meetings on behalf of a young person. There are effective working relationships with key professionals and one of the noted strengths is the level of communication from the staff and managers. This commitment ensures that the care which young people receive remains flexible and responsive to both the young people themselves and other professionals’ views. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

Leadership and management adequate

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.10

Judgement Description

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

p.10

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10