Children's Home run by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Cornwall

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 benefit from the high quality and personalised care they receive in this short breaks home.  Staff ensure that young people are stimulated in the home with good use of toys and activities. Young people have fun when they visit.  The home environment is clean, warm and welcoming. Equipment and furniture are well-thought out and arranged so young people’s comfort and enjoyment are prioritised.  The staff group are caring and committed. Young people and staff have good relationships and staff know the young people well. Young people’s views are encouraged. Staff work hard to observe, listen to and understand their wishes and choices.  Young people are supported with future transitions as they reach adulthood. Staff take an active part in ensuring young people have plans in place. Young people benefit from a series of well-thought out introductions prior to staying at the home.  Parents are delighted with the service provided for their young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

Parents and professionals report that communication is excellent.  Managers continually progress and develop the home. The requirement and recommendation from the last inspection are fully met.  Managers focus more on reviewing young people’s experiences than their progress. The managers do not regularly monitor care plans and care plan reviews do not always involve involved professionals when planning for young people.  References for a bank member of staff were not verified by the managers of the home. Therefore the managers could not be confident that this member of staff is suitable to work with the young people who visit this home.  The home operates without a child protection procedure document which is specific to the home. However, staff know what to do if a safeguarding concern arises.

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must-

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Requirement Due date

(1)ensure that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that—

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential, specifically position toilet roll holders so that young people can reach them if they are able to.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In addition, ensure all stakeholders are involved in the preparation and review of care plans and ensure manager has easy access to all necessary documents that assist supervision of staff (Regulation 13(1)(a)(2)(f)(h)) 26.01.15

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Requirement Due date

32: The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety (1) (d)and ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2, in particular the managers of the home should verify references (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 26.12.15

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Requirement Due date

34: The registered person must prepare and implement a policy 26.01.15 which- sets out the procedure to be followed in a the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. In addition, ensure reference to this is included within the statement of purpose (Regulation 34(1)(b)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is part of a local authority short breaks service for up to two children with disabilities, complex individual needs and fragile health.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13/12/2013 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Young people are well looked after in this home. They have complex health care needs and require nursing care. Staff ensure young people’s medical needs are met, but they are also committed to ensuring young people have fun and experience positive social interaction during their short breaks. Young people enjoy a variety of activities in the home as well as adventures outside. These activities range from pumpkin carving, messy play to trips to the aquarium and the ‘Eden Project’. Staff carefully plan activities that meet the individual needs of the young people. Scrap books and photos display these fun experiences and provide lasting memories for young people and their families. Individual toy boxes or belongings are placed in set areas of the home, which young people love to explore as soon as they arrive. Staff liaise with play specialists so they use the most suitable resources to enhance and progress young

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good

people’s experiences. Attendance at training dedicated to the importance of play has complemented this work. Staff also visit other places where young people are cared for. The knowledge gained from these visits increases consistent care and enriches young people’s experiences as staff explore new ideas to stimulate them. The home is clean, warm and inviting. Furniture and equipment is well thought out and arranged to meet young people’s needs. One young person struggles to walk so chalk and writing boards are placed at a low height to enable access to these boards. Special lights can be switched on in the lounge and bedrooms ceilings, enabling young people to have a rewarding, sensory experience. Staff use different methods to listen to, understand and act upon young people’s wishes. Some young people are given choices via cards and some use their IPad to communicate their opinions. Staff demonstrate positive and nurturing relationships

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good

with young people and spend time getting to know them and their preferred routines. For example, one young person closes their eyes when offered activities they do not want to try, so staff take note of the young person’s wishes and respond accordingly. Staff are now starting to systematically review each activity with young people, to have an even greater knowledge of what young people like doing the most. Parents and carers consistently describe the home as ‘wonderful’ and ‘brilliant’. One parent said ‘the young person really enjoys the break; when I drop the young person off, they are relaxed and smiley’. Parents describe how young people get to have experiences that they cannot have at home, whether this is a relaxing bath or an exciting trip. One young person has started using the service recently and had a number of introductions to the home, with her family, before coming to stay overnight. The parent felt the introductions process was managed extremely well.

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good

One parent will not use any other short break service or care for their young person. However, staff work with the family to prevent isolation. Staff ensure that, as the young person reaches adulthood, transition plans are in place that both the young person and family are happy with. A social worker said that a staff member from the home actively challenged the Local Authority to ensure that such transition plans are in place. Communication with families and other agencies is very good. A teacher commented that ‘handovers at the end of the day are comprehensive, on time and never rushed.’ Such attention to detail ensures young people receive safe, consistent and well thought out care.

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good

Young people are safe in this home. They do not go missing and staff do not restrain young people. When safeguarding issues arise, staff deal with these to ensure young people’s well-being. Regular supervision, including additional safeguarding group supervisions, and team meetings prioritise discussions and action that needs to be taken to safeguard young people. Staff also attend regular training to update their knowledge. One error in relation to the administration of medication has occurred since the last inspection. The manager has reviewed the process and put in additional safeguarding measures to prevent this happening in the future. Staff have also been given additional training. The managers and staff are committed and caring. They work hard to ensure the well-being of the young people. Many of the staff have worked in the home for several years. When staff are permanently appointed, the recruitment process is

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good

robust. However, the managers did not personally verify references for one temporary, bank member of staff. Although these checks were carried out centrally, the manager could not personally assure herself that the staff member has the necessary skills to meet the needs of the young people who use this service.

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requires improvement

Staff regularly review young people and their experiences in the home. Young people’s care plan reviews do not always include specific goals for young people and document the progress they make towards these. Staff consult parents during this process but not always the relevant professionals, which risks staff not having a complete overview of the young person’s needs. Young people’s care plans are detailed; they contain necessary information about how to meet young people’s complex care and health needs. However, the manager does not have regular oversight of all of these plans. Staff do attend external, multi-disciplinary reviews for young people, and contribute to these reviews. A new member of staff is in the process of being recruited and one vacancy remains. Managers are working hard to recruit staff and minimise the impact of any staff shortages. On occasions, young people’s stays have been cancelled due

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requires improvement

to lack of staff but parents and families have been kept fully informed. The office system results in certain information such as recruitment records, investigation records and appraisals being held in another location. The manager’s ability to supervise staff comprehensively is affected by this arrangement, as it does not allow her to review such documents during supervision. The manager supervises nursing staff and the deputy manager supervises support staff. Supervision records deal with necessary issues and is generally regular and of good quality. The requirement and recommendation from the last inspection are now met. Incident reports are more clearly documented, with resulting action and signature recorded. The home has a system which records concerns in addition to formal, written complaints whereby resulting action and impact is recorded by the manager. The manager and staff know what to do if they come across a safeguarding or

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requires improvement

child protection concern. This knowledge is not supported by written procedures for staff to adhere to, that specifically apply to the home and the needs of the young people that use this service. Without this document, confusion around safeguarding procedures, such as body mapping bruises or marks, has the potential to arise. Such information is not reflected in the statement of purpose either. The home environment is very well looked after and young people have access to all the equipment they need. Toilet roll holders are out of reach for young people using the toilet and this restricts the development of independence in personal care. The manager has a development plan for the home and this is available for staff to contribute to and discuss at team meetings. The development plan highlights the focus of the committed managers and staff to continually improve the service.

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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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