Children's Home run by Hollybank Trust in Kirklees

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people thrive as a result of receiving care from a well-trained, experienced, child centred staff team.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people‟s lives are enhanced through the variety of activities they enjoy within the home and in the wider community. This also gives them new life experiences.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are well trained to communicate with young people through their individual communication mediums, giving them a voice, choices and enabling them to give their views.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people greatly benefit from the partnership working with health and education professionals. All their needs are considered, regularly reviewed and holistically met.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The leadership team focus on how they can improve the care of young people, providing them with a safe, secure and nurturing environment to promote their wellbeing and progress.

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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 (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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. (2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and (b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home‟s records (except for a child‟s case records, unless the child and the child‟s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether— (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b)) 28/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

28/12/2015 (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) In particular ensure that the recruitment information held for each agency worker meets all of the above including references; employment history and ID.

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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 children are provided with appropriate furniture, such as a lockable cabinet or drawers to securely store items, including any personal information. Children should be given a choice about how their personal space is decorated in accordance with regulation 7 (2)(a)(i). (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 16, paragraph 3.19) In particular, ensure that all areas in the home are personalised, including bathrooms and the bedrooms in the short break service

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Recommendations

 ensure the design of the home includes any necessary adaption to meet the needs of children with disabilities or specific health issues. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17, paragraph 3.24) In particular, that young people can access the garden, supporting their independence to access the outside space safely.

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Recommendations

 ensure as set out in the regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61. Paragraph 13.1) In particular, ensure that refresher training in team teach is provided at suitable intervals. 

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered and run by a charitable trust. It provides long term care for up to eight children and there is separate accommodation for up to seven children at a time staying for short breaks. The service is for children with severe and profound learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairment. Children frequently have complex health care needs as well, for example needing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people are at the centre of all that the staff do. There is a real focus on supporting them well with their individual needs, having time to relax, play and have new experiences. Overtime they make good progress in their social interaction, communication, behaviour and independent living skills.

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good

Young people benefit greatly from the strong relationships that staff have built with them. Staff have good skills to communicate with all young people, which ensures that they have a say in their daily lives and are able give their views. This is achieved through eye pointing, choice from two options, sign and picture symbols. Some young people use electronic communication aides such as switch devices.

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good

Young people‟s attendance at school is good; staff encourage and assist in their transitions to and from school. Staff communicate well with the education staff. This ensures they provide all the necessary support required to facilitate their learning progress and make it an enjoyable and positive experience.

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good

Young people‟s health is given high importance so that it improves or is well maintained. The staff team includes a nurse on each shift, to support and provide a number of health procedures when required. Speech and language therapists form an essential part of the staff team. Those young people with chronic health conditions have made progress with their health stabilising.

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good

Parents say that the communication and relationships with the staff is excellent, which they find very assuring. This gives them great confidence in knowing their child is well cared for. A parent said, „I think they meet her needs and beyond.‟ Young people see their families regularly, with some having stays at home. For those families who live a long distance away, frequent phone and skype contact is facilitated. A parent said, „It‟s really great to be able to see my son, via skype and for him to see us, it‟s reassuring to us all, and brings comfort, knowing he is ok.‟ This promotes young people‟s sense of belonging and maintains relationships with those who are so important to them.

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good

The voice of young people has been extended with the development of their monthly meetings. There is a creative approach to enable young people to make choices about the things that affect their daily life. Different and creative mediums are used to communicate with young people to attain their views. This has enabled young people to make real choices. They have named their own young people‟s meeting. They are called the „Deciding Dolphins.‟ At the meetings they make decision about what activities they would like to do; have made choices about the colour of a new school uniform and the meals they would like on the menu. This makes sure young people make decisions about things which affect their daily lives, which empowers them. It also demonstrates that the voice of the child is highly valued.

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good

Staff uphold young people‟s independence at every opportunity, their privacy and dignity is promoted. Young people‟s wishes to spend time alone in their bedrooms is supported, with staff still being around in the vicinity to provide company or care when the young person chooses. Young people have achieved being able to undertake aspects of their own daily life. For example feeding themselves after a period of time being supported and shown how to accomplish this. This strongly promotes young people‟s dignity and independence.

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good

Young people have great opportunities to be involved in a wide range of social and leisure activities, within their home, on site school facilities, and in the wider community. They enjoy spending time in the sensory room, the soft play area, watching DVD‟s, being read a story and playing with sensory toys. Young people are calm, smile, laugh and have good eye contact with the staff caring for them. They like using the hydro-pool, go to football matches, bowling, visit museums, the theatre and sightseeing in York and Blackpool. This gives young people great opportunities to have new experiences and build their confidence. It provides them with a greater awareness of their local community and the world around them.

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good

Good staffing levels enables young people to have the support and provide suitable supervision to assist in keeping them safe.

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good

Staff are knowledgeable about each young persons identified risks and vulnerabilities. They clearly demonstrate how they support and keep them safe. Some risks relate to health conditions, others to their vulnerabilities and understanding of their environment and people around them. This enables them to protect young people and keep them safe.

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good

Young people benefit greatly from a staff team who are well trained. Their training includes child protection, first aid, medication administration, health and safety. In addition they complete more specialist training in gastro tube feeding, epilepsy, epipen, safe eating and drinking. This ensures young people needs can be met and that they are cared for safely. Young people gain enormously from staff that understand the things which trigger individual heightened anxieties, which can lead to distress, difficult or challenging behaviour. A stable staff team focus on giving reassurance, minimal change to routines and consistently deliver support strategies that reduce or eliminate young people‟s anxieties. From this, young people gain, coping mechanisms, become familiar with routines that enables them to manage their behaviour positively.

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good

Young people live in a safe environment, which is well maintained and clean. Most parts of the home are personalised, such as lounges and the bedrooms of young people providing a homely atmosphere. Recent sensory themed zones in the corridor areas have an added stimulation and point of interaction and interest to young people. However, the bathrooms and bedrooms used by young people accessing the short break service are not personalised and have a more clinical feel. Young people cannot readily access the garden area without staff assistance. This does not ensure all areas within the home are inviting to provide a homely environment and promote free access throughout.

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good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the action to take to safeguard young people. Safeguarding concerns are promptly referred to appropriate agencies and complaints have been swiftly investigated to ensure all necessary action is taken to protect young people and make changes where required to improve the care service provided.

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good

The Registered Manager is qualified as a registered learning disabilities nurse and has over twenty years‟ experience working in this field. In addition he holds a Level 4 in Leadership and Management in Care. Currently he is undertaking the Level 5 diploma in leadership and Management. He took up the post as Registered Manager in May 2015.

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good

The manager puts young people at the heart of everything he does. He has recognised the strengths and weaknesses of the service. This is demonstrated by a number of changes made since taking up post. For example the modifications made to the deployment of staff, revising a number of systems and working practices with the sole purpose of improving the quality of care provided to young people. A house keeper is now in post to cook the majority of meals for young people. This enables the nurses and support staff to focus more on the care of young people. The addition of a part-time bus driver is now employed. This further extends young people‟s opportunities to access the wider community and activities throughout the week.

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good

Young people strongly benefit from the constructive partnership working which has been established by the staff team with social workers, education and health professionals. This ensures young people‟s holistic needs are completely met.

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good

Staff access good training opportunities and receive regular supervision to ensure they are equipped to best meet the needs of young people. Staff report that they receive very good support that has improved since the appointment of the new manager. They say good communication systems assist them to do their job well. However, some refresher training is overdue in behaviour management. This could affect staff practice in managing young people‟s behaviour if not addressed in a timely manner.

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good

Monitoring of the service is undertaken by an independent person and the manager on a regular basis to ensure good standards of care of being maintained. A number of areas are covered which are required by the regulations but the monthly independent person‟s reports falls short of meeting the regulation in full. There is a focus on administrative issues, policies and procedures. It does not regular record the views of young people, staff and other professionals on the quality of care provided. The reports do not conclude if young people are effectively safeguarded and their wellbeing promoted. Therefore, this does not provide a clear account of the standard of the quality of care young people receive.

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good

Robust recruitment checks are undertaken for all permanent staff. However, there are shortfalls in the information held for the minimally used agency workers. The home does hold the DBS information for agency workers and all other information is verified with the staffing agency. The manager does not keep full recruitment information on site. This does not ensure a robust process is undertaken for these individuals to make sure that they suitable to work with young people.

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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.

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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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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

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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

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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 .

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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,

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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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

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