Children's Home run by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in North Northamptonshire

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people are provided with good quality, individualised care from an experienced and committed staff team. The team is made up of nursing and care staff. Children‘s and young people’s needs are well known and well understood.  Staff develop nurturing, trusting relationships with the children and young people. Parents and carers report that children and young people are enthusiastic about their stays and respond positively to the familiar, stable staff group.  Admissions are carefully planned so that children, young people and staff are prepared and their needs are sensitively matched. The manager also takes account of friendship groups, to encourage and promote positive social experiences.  There are detailed health care plans, risk assessments and behaviour management plans that underpin safe care.  Children and young people are provided with opportunities to participate in a

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

range of activities. Progress and achievements are recorded, celebrated and shared with family and involved professionals.  The manager and staff team are aware of areas for further development and have detailed plans for continuous improvement of the service.  There is one requirement regarding the need for the garden area to be more accessible for wheelchair users. There are recommendations regarding the need for placement plans to be informed by up-to-date care plans and for staff to consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures in respect of recording practices. These do not impact on the safety of the children and young people.

p.3

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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

6 The quality and purpose of care standard. In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must: 2(c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of each child: and (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. 30/10/2015

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54, paragraph 10.20) This is specifically in relation to recording practices.

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4). This is specifically in relation to the home’s placement plans being informed by up-to-date local authority plans.

p.4

Information about this children's home

This home, operated by a healthcare trust, is a six-bedded residential short breaks service for children and young people with learning disabilities.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

05/06/2014 Interim Sustained Effectiveness

p.5

Good

In this children’s home, children’s and young people’s needs are well known and well understood. Admissions are carefully planned so that children, young people and staff are thoroughly prepared for their stay. Staff visit children and young people in their family homes and staff are also in the process of visiting all children and young people in their education setting. Consequently, their placement plans and needs assessments are informed by their care experiences at home and in school.

p.6

Good

The home provides a service for short breaks to children and young people with a wide range of needs and abilities. The registered manager is conscientious about matching their needs and friendship groups where at all possible, so that they have safe, positive, social experiences.

p.6

Good

There is good communication between the family home, children’s home and education setting to ensure consistent care. This also supports a timely response to any changing care needs. One parent said: ’I have absolute confidence in the care my son receives, staff communicate well with me but also listen to me.’

p.6

Good

Children and young people are supported to continue with their education arrangements during their stays, and ongoing liaison supports shared targets and goals so that they continue to make progress.

p.6

Good

Children and young people have a range of detailed healthcare plans and records. These are reviewed with carers at each admission to ensure there is accurate information, particularly in respect of prescribed medication. As a result, children and young people with a range of complex health and medical needs receive safe care. For example, one parent explained that her son had recently had surgery, required an increased level of monitoring and his medication had changed. She said: ’My son wanted to go for his short break, the staff listened and were not anxious about the impact of his recent surgery. I would not have let him go anywhere else at that time.’

p.6

Good

Children and young people have placement plans that detail daily routines, and staff are organised so that there are high levels of supervision and support for each child and young person. This means that individual needs are met throughout the day and evening. There are also opportunities for children and young people to spend time on their own, in their room or in the sensory room, where it is assessed to be safe and appropriate. One child likes to watch sports tapes in his room and another likes to listen to music; this is facilitated and sensitively monitored.

p.6

Good

The home is comfortable; there is a sensory room and a range of play equipment in the garden. There is a pet cat that the children and young people respond to positively. Children and young people are encouraged to make choices and are supported to enjoy taking part in a range of activities. Currently, children and young people who use wheelchairs require support to access and spend time in the garden. The provider needs to ensure there is access for wheelchair users so that they can independently access and use the garden. This is an unmet recommendation from a previous inspection which has been escalated to a requirement.

p.7

Good

Children and young people have a ‘this is me’ record which is child-centred and includes their likes, dislikes, preferred method of communication, and interests. Staff also maintain activities logs and chart progress on agreed, identified goals. In this way, staff are able to share progress children and young people are making and celebrate achievements with families and carers.

p.7

Good

Staff attend multi-agency planning meetings, they contribute to assessments for transitional arrangements and promote progress with care plans. Staff send monthly summaries to case-responsible social workers. One professional said: ‘I am kept up to date with this young person’s progress and needs. Staff are approachable and receptive to the family’s needs.’ Consequently, everyone in the child’s and young person’s network is kept informed, which is essential when children and young people have complex and changing needs.

p.7

Good

Staff in this children’s home are acutely aware of the additional vulnerabilities of disabled children and young people, such as significant personal care needs and limited communication. Therefore they ensure that the children and young people have a range of detailed risk assessments, and behaviour and health management plans.

p.7

Good

Staff receive mandatory safeguarding training and have a good understanding of the relevant policies and procedures to ensure children and young people are protected from harm. Children and young people benefit from high levels of supervision and consistent routines.

p.7

Good

There are a proportionate number of reported accidents and incidents and low numbers of physical interventions. Accidents, incidents and physical restraints are recorded in detail; this includes a debrief discussion with staff, parents, children and young people as appropriate. The registered manager oversees and reviews any such reports. Reports are shared with parents, carers, and case-responsible social workers. As a result, children and young people are kept safe within this home.

p.7

Good

There are clear and careful arrangements for the dispensing of medication, including a process whereby a second member of staff checks and signs off each dispensing episode. Consequently, children and young people with complex health needs and conditions are receiving safe care.

p.8

Good

Challenging behaviours presented by children and young people are known and understood and therefore well managed. They are helped and protected as a result of staff knowing their needs.

p.8

Good

The home’s facilities include a range of adaptations to support children and young people to have access, to meet their potential and to meet their individual care needs. There are detailed risk assessments, management and maintenance plans in respect of the full range of adaptations and support systems. The risk assessments in respect of the use and maintenance of adaptations are subject to robust monitoring, auditing and review. This means that highly vulnerable children are kept safe.

p.8

Good

Staff are recruited through robust, safe, recruitment policies and practice. Staff are aware of procedures supporting them to raise concerns about practice and/or management of the home. These processes are monitored by the independent visitor and a range of quality assurance mechanisms. Children and young people are receiving good care within a safe environment.

p.8

Good

The registered manager is a qualified nurse, experienced in working with adults and children with learning disabilities. He is currently undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Management for Residential Childcare. Staff and parents respond positively to his approachable, receptive manner. He is supported by his senior manager and by the senior nurses within the home to proactively develop the service and challenge and address any weaknesses. He prioritises direct work with the children and young people, having introduced the setting of goals for each child and young person and increased their opportunities for activities outside of the home. As a result, children and young people are being cared for by an established, experienced staff group, who are committed to meeting children’s and young people’s needs, supporting them to enjoy their stay and make progress.

p.8

Good

Staff receive regular, recorded supervision and appraisals. There are also a range of training and development opportunities. The manager uses team meetings and development days to consult and to ensure staff understand the need for continuous development and change in response to service needs. There is robust auditing of records and quality assurance of practice, which includes contact with professionals and families. The manager responds to recommendations from the quality assurance mechanisms in a timely manner.

p.9

Good

Staff do not consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures in relation to child-centred and child-focused recording practices. There is good multi-agency working; staff attend multi-agency meetings, contribute to ongoing assessments and communicate effectively with case-responsible social workers. However, there is not always an up-to-date local authority plan to inform the home’s placement plan.

p.9

Good

The manager is in the process of establishing and embedding consultation with children and young people to inform the development of the service; this includes the development of a young people’s forum. There is also a quarterly newsletter to parents and carers. The manager and staff listen carefully to parents’ and carers’ feedback about their child’s response to their stay in the home.

p.9

Good

There have been no formal complaints about the service since the previous inspection; however, the manager has implemented the opportunity for families to provide feedback or raise a concern, referred to as ‘niggles’. This provides the opportunity to resolve a concern informally; they are recorded and monitored to inform management and development of the service. He has responded to and has resolved two different issues raised by carers this year. One parent said: ’The current manager and his manager have developed and improved the service significantly. Children are enjoying more activities and communication with staff is excellent.’

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

p.11

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.11

Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.12