Children's Home run by One To One Crisis Intervention Ltd in Devon

Unique reference number SC068205 Inspector Sharron Escott Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person One to One Crisis Intervention Limited Registered person address 5 Newton Road Kingsteignton Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 3AL Responsible individual Annie Westbrook Registered manager Marie Clare Shepherd Date of last inspection 28/02/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 27/11/2014

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Previous inspection good 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 living at this home achieve good outcomes because they are provided with good quality nurturing care. Relationships between young people and staff are positive and constructive. The manager and staff team are highly motivated to support young people to achieve good outcomes from their placement. The staff team say they are very proud of the young people because their confidence has grown, they are thriving and have achieved beyond expectations.

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Overall effectiveness

Behaviour management is effective; staff have a clear understanding of young people’s history, their needs and associated behaviours. They focus on acknowledging positive behaviour and celebrating achievements. Young people progress well because they receive clear expectations, praise and reward. As a result, they are thriving.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding practice and multi-agency working is good. Young people benefit from receiving a variety of services that support their safety, health, education and wellbeing. They enjoy and engage in a wide range of activities and community based clubs. Young people's attendance and achievement at school is good.

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Overall effectiveness

Independence programmes include providing young people with good information and direct one to one work in relation to sexual health and relationships. This work 3 of 10 has informed young people how to avoid inappropriate or exploitative relationships, Young people have a greater understanding of their own bodies and their sexuality.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls from this inspection relate to record keeping, effective monitoring and an individualised missing from home protocol. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for one young person of either gender, who has emotional or behavioural difficulties. The property is one of a group of services run by an independent company.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2014 Interim good progress 01/11/2013 Full good 11/03/2013 Interim good progress 10/10/2012 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

(2001) ensure that the registered person shall maintain a system for robustly monitoring the matters in Schedule 6 in order to ensure that detailed records are maintained to evidence analysis of trends and patterns of behaviour management. (Regulation 34 (1)(b)) 30/01/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): 5 of 10  ensure that children understand how their views have been taken into account, and where significant wishes or concerns are not acted upon, they are helped to understand why (NMS 1.2)  ensure that the home’s procedures are compatible with and have regard to the Runaway and Missing from Home and Care (RMFHC) protocols and procedures maintained and managed by the police or the local authority for the area in which the home is situation’ (NMS 5.6)  ensure there is an effective system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (NMS 22.1) 6 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The home has a good track record of helping young people to achieve positive outcomes in many areas of their lives. Young people are fully involved in daily decisions about what happens in this home. For example, they plan the weekly menu and choose what they are going to eat each day. They also choose activities and tell staff what they think about things. Young people’s inclusion in planning and decision- making within the home contributes to their satisfaction with the care and support they receive. Young people like living in this home they say they feel safe and well cared for and scored it nine out of ten. They say that they do not have any complaints about the care they receive.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are developing their independent skills in preparation for their transition into supported living. They have successfully gained the skills to plan, shop and cook their own meals. They have opened saving accounts and have to set up direct debits in preparation for paying their own utility bills. They travel independently to health care appointments and activities which mean they take some responsibility for their self-care and wellbeing. Structured mobility time enables young people to enjoy activities within the local community independently. This has resulted in their self-esteem and confidence increasing and their social skills, talents and abilities improving.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Staff sensitively support young people who are engaging in external therapeutic sessions. Alongside this therapy, regular key working meetings provide young people the opportunity to share their feelings and emotions with care staff. This supports young people’s overall emotional well-being. Suitable arrangements are in place to safely manage the storage and administration of medication. However, currently no young people are taking any prescribed medication.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are fully participating in their educational provision, attendance is 100%. Education and care staff listen to young people’s views and support them to identify and access appropriate vocational local courses. This empowers young people to learn new skills and take responsibility for their future which will help them to move successfully into the world of work and adulthood.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s well-being is a priority for the manager and staff team who create opportunities for the young people living at the home. The manager maintains regular contact with the local authority and the Independent Reviewing officer (IRO).Despite this Looked after Children’s reviews (LAC) remain outstanding. The 7 of 10 manager has made substantial efforts to secure a date for all to attend. Her persistence includes escalating her concerns to senior managers within the local authority. To date she has not been successful which has resulted in the manager and staff team being unable to reduce the young people's anxieties as they have not been informed of the date the young person is moving, where they will be living and who will be supporting them.

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Quality of care good

Young people have detailed placement plans which are regularly updated to reflect emerging needs. Targets achieved demonstrate young people’s progress. However, targets set are repetitive and predominately focus on daily routine. For example; going to bed on time and completing chores. As a result, targets do not encourage young people to develop new skills in areas they are less confident in.

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Quality of care good

The manager and staff team work well with other professionals to provide coordinated support to young people to meet their needs. For example, the staff team work collaboratively with work experience providers, education and health professionals. Young people have good access to a range of medical practitioners and receive the medical treatment and therapy’s they may need to maintain their physical and emotional good health.

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Quality of care good

Staff understand the impact of young peoples’ past histories and recognise young people’s vulnerabilities and strengths. They ensure young people are treated equally and are provided with a wide range of opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and resilience within the home and community. The staff team have the necessary experience and skills to meet the young people’s needs.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say they feel safe living at this home. They have developed excellent relationships with staff and communicate openly and honestly with them. They are extremely relaxed and comfortable in their environment and are happy and confident to speak to visitors and share their views on the quality of care they receive.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour management techniques are effective. Young people do not engage in high risk taking behaviours. There have been no incidents of physical restraint or young people being missing from home since the last inspection. This reflects the good outcomes and achievements made by the young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff demonstrate a high level of vigilance in their protection and well-being of young people. The manager and staff have been successful in helping young people to understand how to protect themselves and how to keep safe from harm. Young people trust staff and accept their support and guidance.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people have not gone missing from this home; if they walk out of the building or are late returning staff maintain contact via telephone communication or follow 8 of 10 them to ensure they are safe and return home. Staff are provided with guidance and protocols to follow on what action to take in the event young people should go missing from the home. However, these protocols have not been approved or maintained by local police to ensure multi- agency information sharing includes safeguarding strategies that are specific and personal to the individual young person.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

At previous inspections, it has been identified that this home adheres to and implements safer recruitment guidance to ensure only suitable persons are employed to look after young people. This supports their protection. No new staff have been employed to work at the home since the last full inspection.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Health and safety checks take place on a regular basis; these include fire equipment checks. Young people are involved in fire drills so they know what to do in an emergency.

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Leadership and management good

The home is managed by an experienced, enthusiastic and suitably qualified manager who has a clear vision and supports her team to deliver good care for young people. The Registered Manager working arrangements currently include working four days a week and overseeing the management of a second home within the organisation. The current working arrangement of the manager has impacted on her capacity and her ability to maintain robust monitoring of the home’s documents. As a result, a number of deficiencies identified within the records have been identified at this inspection. These shortfalls do not directly impact on the safety or wellbeing of young people.

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Leadership and management good

Young people’s records are well ordered, indexed and up to date and provide care staff information on individual’s backgrounds and their needs. However, not all documents are robustly monitored to ensure the views of the young people are responded too and their wishes and feelings have been considered and acted upon. Targets and incentives are identified and consistently achieved. This means targets are not identified which enable young people to focus on and work towards areas which need developing. For example, spending time within the home alone.

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Leadership and management good

The home is currently operating with three staff on the rota which meets the needs of the young people. The manager works hard to ensure consistency for young people, so that they always know who is looking after them. Occasionally sessional staff are used to cover leave and sickness, but they are usually known to the young people. Agency staff are not used. All new staff complete an induction programme. The care team receive regular refresher courses, which means they are up-to-date to ensure their mandatory training is up-to-date. In addition, the manager and staff have attended training in specialist area’s that include; autism, attachment and child sexual exploitation. This means the care team professional development is being promoted and they are increasing their skills and knowledge to meet the changing 9 of 10 needs of young people.

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Leadership and management good

The manager has received and ensures that all her team receive good quality supervision. Their performance is appraised annually. Previously young people have taken an active role in sharing their views on staff practice. However, the young people’s views have not been included in staff supervisions and appraisals since the last inspection. This is a missed opportunity for young people to constructively comment on how well they feel individual staff care for them. 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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