Children's Home run by MGM Care Services Ltd in Telford and Wrekin

Unique reference number SC438427 Inspector Julia Wright Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Mathew Varughese Date of last inspection 06/03/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 31/12/2014

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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 outstanding Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

Considering their starting points, young people make very good progress in all areas of their welfare and development. The Registered Manager is effective. The staff team are stable and consistent, well supported and demonstrate a commitment to the young people. Outcomes for young people are outstanding. Young people develop new skills, their communication is enhanced and positive relationships between young people, staff and others are improved. Achievable targets are identified and good interagency working ensures that communication assists young people to make progress. This maximises life chances and improves confidence. Relationships between staff and young people are excellent. Staff are caring and respectful towards young people. Young people learn how to relate to others in a respectful way, thus enhancing social and interactive skills. Young people feel safe, and feedback from young people and professionals echoes this view.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager is committed to continually improving the service for young people. One requirement made at the last inspection in relation to the home having a young people’s guide including details of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Ofsted, has been met. Two recommendations are made at this inspection. One relates to the need for the Registered Manager to ensure that he keeps up to date with regulatory changes, in particular the need for an independent visitor and the need for a location risk assessment. The second relates to the need to improve an area of the 3 of 10 home following a period of redecoration. These do not impact on the overall care of the young people. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

Sunningdale Cottage is a small private children's home looking after up to 2 young people aged from 10 to 17 years, who may have learning disabilities or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2014 Interim good progress 14/11/2013 Full good 25/10/2012 Interim satisfactory progress 05/07/2012 Full adequate

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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 and is well maintained and decorated, in particular the radiator is replaced in the games room (NMS10.3).  ensure the Registered Person has good knowledge and experience of law and practice relating to looked after children, specifically in relation to the Department for Education Guidance (2014) relating to the appointment of independent visitors and the completion of a location assessment (NMS 14.1(a)). 5 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress in all aspects of their lives. They develop a positive self-view and resilience. This is because young people receive comprehensive and individualised care that reflects their abilities, interests and vulnerabilities. Young people say 'I am well looked after.’ Parents highlight the difference the home is making ‘my child has made progress in so many ways, especially with communicating with other people. There are so many people who care about my child now.’

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people attend educational placements full time and their attendance and punctuality are excellent. This maximises the learning opportunities available to them and provides routine and structure further enhancing their academic, practical and social skills. Liaison between the home and educational placements are highly effective. As a result, seamless care is promoted enhancing the support young people receive.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Where young people exhibit risky behaviours, often relating to their particular vulnerabilities, they harness the support of staff who provide consistency and routine, reflecting individual need. As a result, young people understand how staff will respond and their behaviour improves, enhancing their overall safety.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Contact with family and friends is given high priority, and young people use staff support and transport to maintain contact with their families and friends wherever possible. Family members are invited to the home where appropriate, and they report being made to feel welcome and involved. This ensures that young people retain links with their family members contributing to their understanding of their background and their life history.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people enjoy and participate in a variety of activities within the local community and in the home. They are able to choose and suggest activities and outings. Young people are encouraged to read local newspapers, and this prompts interest and knowledge about community events. This supports young people’s development and improves their personal, emotional and social skills. A parent commented ‘my child has so many opportunities – things we could not manage at home.’

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Quality of care good

Young people develop positive relationships with a committed staff team. Staff are consistently concerned with, and actively promote, the young people’s welfare. Young people know that staff value them and care about them and there is a culture 6 of 10 of trust and mutual respect in the home. Professionals say ‘I am really pleased with the impact of the care received from the home on my young person.’

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Quality of care good

Staff use individualised behaviour strategies to help young people develop relationships with others and to develop trust with adults and peers alike. This assists young people in forming mutually respectful relationships and to participate fully in society. Where challenging behaviour may be an ongoing issue, staff are resilient and resourceful with the strategies they employ, and young people understand that staff will continue to support them, and want to spend time with them. As a result, barriers are broken down and trusting relationships are formed.

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Quality of care good

Staff involve young people in the running of the home through participation in monthly young people meetings, and through an ongoing daily dialogue. This ensures that young people’s voices are heard and that they understand that their views are important, enhancing self-esteem. Young people’s views and wishes are discussed at team meetings, reinforcing the focus of staff on young people, and ensuring responsive care from staff.

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Quality of care good

Young people are also involved in the planning and review of their care. Where they have difficulties expressing their views, young people write down their wishes and these are discussed with staff and others and ensure young people’s participation in decisions affecting their lives.

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Quality of care good

Staff assist young people to record outings and achievements and keep mementoes in their life story books. When they leave the home, young people take their life story books with them. This means that young people have a record of their life events, and information about their history is not lost. In addition, this can enhance young people’s communication with others. Young people are able to show relatives and professionals information about their important events, resulting in increased self- esteem and self-confidence.

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Quality of care good

Whilst complaints from young people are rare, young people are aware of how to make a complaint. This is reinforced through young people’s meetings and key work sessions, and ensures that they have the necessary information should the need arise.

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Quality of care good

Staff actively promote young people’s attendance and achievement at school/college. Staff have an excellent working relationship with school staff and communication between home and school enhances the experience of the young people. In addition, this ensures that seamless support is offered and that adults work closely together to meet young people’s needs. Staff work with young people to enhance individual skills. For example, in supporting educational projects or enhancing computer skills. As a result, young people grow in self-confidence and relationships between staff and young people are further reinforced. Good professional relationships are also evident between staff and safeguarding professionals. These ensure positive outcomes for the young people. A social worker commented ‘I am kept very well informed by staff 7 of 10 at all times.’

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Quality of care good

Young people’s health needs are proactively addressed by staff. Staff work with health professionals to meet young people’s global health needs thereby promoting their optimal health. Young people have access to a healthy menu, which they devise with staff support. Menus are individualised meeting young people’s choices and needs. Consequently, young people learn about nutrition and balanced diets as part of their global learning.

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Quality of care good

Independence planning is a strong point of the home. Clear independence planning with the young people takes place, with measureable and achievable goals. These are regularly reviewed and progress is celebrated. As a result, young people make progress and the support they receive from staff means that they are confident and reassured with each step forward.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they feel safe at the home. To ensure and enhance their safety from risks such as challenging behaviour associated with their disabilities, young people have risk assessments and a management plan associated with these risks. Staff work together and offer a consistent approach with young people. This has resulted in an improvement in young people’s safety. For example, staff are vigilant and aware of triggers where young people may try to run away in the community. Consequently, incidents of running away have reduced, and young people and staff are more confident in participating in community activities together.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There have been no incidents of young people going missing since the last inspection. Staff and managers are knowledgeable of the local protocol to follow with local police should such an incident take place. The ratio of staff working one to one with young people and careful risk assessments mean that these risks are reduced and the safety of the young people is enhanced. The Registered Manager has made links with the local police community support officers who have visited the home. This further strengthens safe working practice at the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There has been minimal use of physical restraint since the last inspection. Where this has been used, it is recorded clearly and appropriately. Debrief sessions are held with staff and young people. These ensure young people are safe and well following a physical intervention, and that they understand why this was used. In addition, their views are gained and recorded. As a result, young people are supported to gain insight and learn to self-regulate their behaviour. Positive and negative sanctions are also used by staff to manage and reward behaviour. These measures also assist young people to demonstrate socially acceptable behaviour. As a result, young people learn how to behave in society and develop a sense of citizenship.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The organisation has thorough and safe recruitment practices. Staff are appropriately 8 of 10 vetted prior to commencing their employment in the home. This means that the young people are kept safe from adults who may wish to harm them. Visitors are checked and monitored, again to reinforce young people’s safety. The home provides an on call service by senior staff so that young people and staff are fully supported 24 hours each day.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

All necessary health and safety checks have been undertaken. As a result, the young people live in an environment that is safe and hazard free. Regular fire drills take place involving all young people and staff to make sure that everyone is familiar with the evacuation drill from the home, thereby enhancing safety for all.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home provides a warm and comfortable environment. There is one minor shortfall relating to work needing completion in one of the living areas, but this is not having a negative impact on the care of the young people.

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Leadership and management good

The home is well managed by a Registered Manager who has been in post for over two years. The Registered Manager has a substantial amount of experience in social care. He holds a National Vocational Qualification in Health, Social care and Young People, level four, gained in 2009, and a National Vocational Qualification level four, Leadership and Management, gained in 2010. The Registered Manager hopes to complete the Diploma Level five in January 2015.

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Leadership and management good

Young people, their relatives and professionals are unanimous about the good service offered to young people. A parent said ‘staff are fantastic to my child.’

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Leadership and management good

The home has a clear and updated Statement of Purpose which reflects the work undertaken with the young people in the home. The details of the staff, their experience and qualifications are included in the home’s Statement of Purpose. A young people’s guide is also in place and has been given to each young person. This meets a previous requirement from the last inspection.

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Leadership and management good

The home is well resourced and comfortable. Staffing numbers, their level of experience and support provided to them are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager and senior team exercise effective leadership in the home. They ensure that the delivery of care meets the needs of the young people through monitoring staff practice and auditing files and information stored. Whilst there is rigorous scrutiny by the Registered Manager of the running of the home, it is out of step with recent changes of regulations regarding the appointment of an independent person to complete the monthly auditing reports to Ofsted, and the contents of the location risk assessment. 9 of 10 Feedback is regularly sought by staff from young people, visitors, professionals and families and this feedback contributes to service oversight. Good relationships have been forged with families and professionals. Social Workers and other professionals have commented about the positive recording they receive from the home. Staff provide regular updates to Social Workers about young people’s progress and, as a

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Leadership and management good

result, young people experience comprehensive and integrated care.

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Leadership and management good

Staff receive thorough induction training, and this is refreshed at appropriate times to ensure that staff skills are maintained. Other specific training relating to young people’s needs is provided, for example working with young people on the autistic spectrum. Consequently, staff have the knowledge and skills to work effectively with young people. Staff supervision takes place regularly and considers staff development in addition to the day to day requirements of their role. As a result, young people are cared for by experienced and skilled staff who are able to support their development.

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Leadership and management good

Administrative processes, such as the management of the young people’s files and storage of information are excellent. Managerial oversight ensures that all information is sought from relevant professionals in a timely manner, is up to date, reviewed, and that systems are in place for staff to read and review information. This means that staff have the most relevant information and understanding of young people’s needs to ensure safe practice.

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Leadership and management good

A previous requirement made at the last inspection has been met. Two recommendations are made as a result of this inspection. The first relates to the need for the Registered Manager to keep up to date with changes in regulations and guidance. The second relates to a minor shortfall in relation to completion of work following decoration. Neither shortfall has an impact on the overall care of the young people. 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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