Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC033152 Inspector Nicola McEvinney Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person North Lincolnshire Council Registered person address North Lincolnshire Council, Pittwood House Ashby Road SCUNTHORPE South Humberside DN16 1AB Responsible individual Darren Chaplin Registered manager Lesley McKenzie Date of last inspection 18/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 20/01/2015

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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 outstanding Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people make excellent progress and are given opportunities to maximise their potential. This is made possible by the outstanding support they receive from the dedicated and motivated staff team. Parents say, ‘It’s absolutely outstanding, it’s like a second family to me and my son’. Care planning is highly personalised to meet the individual complex needs of each child or young person.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people are safe. Staff have a good understanding of the vulnerabilities of each child or young person and adherence to effective risk assessments ensure their safety.

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Overall effectiveness

Leadership and management arrangements are strong. Development plans are in place for the continued improvement of the home. These plans include extending this valuable service to other families within the area who have children with more complex health needs.

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Overall effectiveness

There was one minor breach in regulation relating to forwarding Regulation 33 reports to Ofsted. This does not impact on the safety or welfare of children or young people. 3 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a young people's home run by a local authority. The home is registered to provide a service for up to six young people, who have a learning disability and may also have a physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers a short-term respite service only; no one is accommodated on a long-term basis and one of the six places is used only for emergency short breaks.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2014 Interim good progress 12/09/2013 Full outstanding 13/02/2013 Interim good progress 11/10/2012 Full outstanding

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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) provide a copy of the Regulation 33 report to HMCI. (Regulation 33(9)(a)) 31/03/2015 4 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children and young people have made exceptional progress while they have been attending this home for a short break. Parents are gushing about the impact this service has on their children and family. ‘It is a lifeline,’ and, ‘he has gone through a lot in his life, they go way beyond that extra mile’. Each child or young person has individual targets set to enhance their self- esteem and sense of belonging. These targets may be small steps but their achievement significantly impact on their sense of well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Parents oversee their children’s education. However, there are effective links between the children’s home and school. Keyworkers go into school and observe how the children and young people present. They work alongside school staff to ensure a consistent approach is used to support children and young people in order to maximise their potential. Staff also attend education review meetings to ensure all information is shared. Parents oversee their children’s health needs. However, while they are on a short break children and young people’s health needs are well attended to. This is assured by having detailed health plans in place which set out their medical condition with clear details on how this impacts on the child or young person’s life. There are effective links with specialist nurses who devise the health care plans and epilepsy protocols. Staff receive training on these protocols to ensure that they take

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

appropriate action in the event of a child or young person having a seizure. There are robust medication systems in place to ensure children and young people receive their medication as prescribed.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

There is excellent communication between parents and the home. Parents say, ‘I always feel welcome and I can phone when he is there, ’.Other parents say, ‘there is good communication and we discuss his changing needs’. Some parents like to use a daily diary to share information between the children’s home and the family home. A recent well received initiative is a midway report. This gives good detail on the progress a child or young person has made between reviews. This report includes photographs of the child or young person achieving targets which provides parents with reassurance.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

The home enjoys good links with the neighbouring older people’s home. Staff, children and young people are invited to their fetes and the older people home’s staff and residents attend coffee mornings. This home is also identified as a ‘safe place’ in the event of an emergency evacuation of the children’s home.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Children and young people’s independence skills are enhanced by the encouragement from staff to maximise their potential. For some young people there has been a marked improvement in developing their self-help skills. For example, some are able 5 of 9 to make their breakfast. This may include scrambled eggs and bacon; some are able to dress themselves and for other young people small steps are being taken to encourage them to help with their personal care. Not only does this impact on their self-esteem it also promotes their dignity.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people receive high quality care and support from a committed staff team providing a nurturing environment where children and young people thrive. Each child or young person has a highly individualised behaviour management plan. These plans identify triggers to behaviours or what may cause distress and there is clear guidance in place to ensure that their stay is as rewarding as possible.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people’s views are sought in every aspect of their care and how they wish to spend their time. Staff are skilful in ascertaining children and young people’s views, even for those who have no verbal communication. For example, all staff are proficient in Makaton and some children and young people use a form of picture exchange communication system. For those young people who are visually impaired staff’s name badges and other information is in Braille. The use of the points of view book located on the children’s notice board enables them to comment on anything they wish to, including how they like the new kitchen or which bedroom they prefer to use.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people’s life experiences are enhanced by staff who challenge stereotypes. For example, those young people who are adept at reading Braille undertake voluntary work at the blind centre where they proof read Braille documents. This has had a tremendous impact on their confidence and well-being and enhances their life opportunities.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people’s care needs are set out in detail in their care plans. These plans are highly individualised giving clear guidance to staff on how each child or young person is to be cared for throughout the day and night. This includes contingency plans in the event of a child or young person waking at night and becoming distressed or if they wake earlier than usual. Not only do these plans ensure a consistent approach is maintained they reflect the excellent care provided and take into account the child or young person’s wishes and feelings.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people’s complex needs are met by accessing a range of services. For example, this service is part of an integrated service for children with disabilities. This includes a wraparound service with a number of other professionals including, complex needs and continuing health care nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and the complex behaviour team.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people enjoy participating in a range of exciting activities which enhance their life experience. For example, they go to the cinema, visit local parks; 6 of 9 some have been on outward bound activity where they have rock climbed in their wheelchairs. They can access a log cabin that provides a day care service and can practice independence skills. Within the home, children and young people enjoy a range of facilities including a sensory room with music and lights. This equipment is mobile and it can be moved into individual children or young people’s bedrooms if this is more appropriate. Outside there is an integrated slide/swing/ tunnel apparatus and a roundabout which is wheelchair accessible providing children and young people with lots of fun.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people’s individual needs relating to their identity are well attended to. Their disability does not prevent them from having a fulfilling life and staff will encourage parents to occasionally ‘let go’ to allow their children to maximise their potential. They say, ‘It took me a long time to accept but it is the best thing I have done’. Staff have a good awareness of young people’s emerging sexuality and ensure that they have private time which preserves their privacy and dignity.

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Quality of care outstanding

Children and young people come to a well-maintained and equipped and very pleasantly furnished home to have their short break. Children and young people’s experience is further enhanced by each having a building preparation plan. This entails the building being prepared for them, including their bedroom which creates a welcoming environment. Parents say, ‘It is like home from home’.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children and young people are safe. They are protected by staff’s adherence to comprehensive individualised risk assessments. These assessments identify any potential danger with clear strategies in place to minimise the risk.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children and young people are safeguarded by staff’s awareness of their vulnerabilities. This awareness is enhanced by all staff attending training on safeguarding children with disabilities. There are no incidents of children or young people going missing or any incidents of child sexual exploitation.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Optimum staffing levels ensure children and young people are supervised at all times. Effective matching of children and young people ensure that those more vulnerable are not put at risk by the more boisterous children or young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children and young people’s behaviours are well managed. There are no physical interventions recorded and only one sanction since the last inspection. This was proportionate and the young person was able to make comment and apologised for their behaviour. This reflects on the positive relationships staff have with the children and young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Children and young people are protected by all health and safety checks being carried out regularly. This includes all children and young people participating in a 7 of 9 fire evacuation drill. This ensures that they all are aware what will happen in the case of an emergency.

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Leadership and management good

This is an extremely well managed home. The Registered Manager is appropriately qualified with a long history of working with children and young people with disabilities. She has been the Registered Manager for eight years. She leads a team of highly qualified, committed and experienced staff that are well supervised and have excellent training opportunities. The staff team provide a nurturing environment where children and young people have the opportunity to maximise their potential.

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Leadership and management good

There have been changes in the system for the Regulation 33 monitoring. This has led to the Regulation 33 reports not being forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. The reports have not been received by Ofsted since August 2014. This does not ensure that the regulatory body has an oversight of how the home is operating.

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Leadership and management good

The innovative Registered Manager recognises the changes in government policy and has worked with her manager to continue to recognise areas for development. One such development is to extend the service to those families within the area who have children with complex health needs who are not provided with short breaks. The staff team are enthusiastic with regard to this development. They are highly motivated in accessing training and to this end a nurse educator is providing training to the team. This will ensure the staff team have the necessary skills to meet the needs of the children and young people who will access this valuable service.

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Leadership and management good

The comprehensive Statement of Purpose ensures all interested parties have an understanding of what services the home has to offer. A parent’s guide informs them what they can expect when their child comes for a short break. Children and young people have their own guide. This is a colourful child friendly document and is also available in Makaton to ensure they know what they can expect when they come to stay.

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Leadership and management good

There are robust monitoring systems in place. The Registered Manager undertakes regular monitoring in line with regulation and also monitors children and young people’s plans to ensure that they are current. Despite reports not being forwarded to Ofsted in a timely fashion the Regulation 33 visitor undertakes a comprehensive visit. They consider that the children and young people are well looked after.

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Leadership and management good

Children and young people’s records are excellent. They demonstrate the progress young people have made. Alongside written reports there are numerous photographs of children and young people having a good time. These photographs and records provide families with a clear picture of how their children have progressed during 8 of 9 their time at the home.

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Leadership and management good

There were no requirements or recommendations raised at the last inspection. 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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