Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Sandwell

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 receive good quality care and support from a committed and enthusiastic staff team during their short breaks.  Staff know the young people well and can identify the progress they make during their short breaks.  Young people engage in a broad range of activities.  The home continues to be led by an experienced and committed registered manager. He is child focused and committed to providing young people with good quality care. He recognises shortfalls and takes effective action to address them.  Partnership working is effective. Staff are tenacious at establishing good working relationships. They work collaboratively with other professionals to enhance the quality of care provided to young people.  There are a few shortfalls. Recording of safeguarding and physical interventions are not robust. Records of young people consulted about the day-to-day routine of the home are not secured. Modifications to the garden

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure staff;

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Requirement Due date

(a)(iii)) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

(vii)are familiar with and act in accordance with home’s child protection policies with particular reference to recording

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Requirement Due date

(d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child with particular reference to the garden fencing. 18/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home ,a record is made which includes :-

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Requirement Due date

(iv) a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

(viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure

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Requirement Due date

(c) within 5 days of the use of the measure record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3(a)(iv)(viii)(c)) 18/01/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure young people are able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon with particular reference following key-working sessions and children's meetings.(The Guide to the Quality Standards ,page 22,paragraph 4.11)

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Information about this children's home

This service offers short breaks for up to five children and young people. The service is available to children and young people with a learning disability, a physical disability and/or sensory impairment. This service is delivered and managed by an independent provider that operates other social care services.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Staff develop positive relationships with young people during their short breaks and ensure their diverse needs are met. This contributes to a secure and caring environment which young people are able to feel safe and comfortable in. As one parent comments ‘she is really happy there and loves the staff. She gets so excited when we approach the house’.

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good

The matching of young people on their short break is carefully planned and regularly reviewed. This ensures that young people are appropriately placed with others with similar abilities and needs. Parents feel confidence in the staff’s judgement as one said ‘they know her well, what she likes and doesn’t’. This contributes to young people overall experience whilst on their short break.

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good

The home has detailed and clear individual short break care plans. They clearly show how the young person would like to be cared for. Care plans include education and health care arrangements to ensure a continuity of care is achieved whilst young people are having their short break. Plans are updated on a regular basis to ensure that the correct information is in place.

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good

Young people’s progress and experiences are celebrated. Staff capture significant events and activities to document their development and engagement. These are collated to enable young people to share their experiences with their parents and carers.

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good

Young people’s health needs are well met. Comprehensive information about their health is obtained before they start their short break. This is kept up to date and accurate, so that their ongoing and emerging needs are monitored closely during their stays. Staff receive specialist training. For example, in gastrostomy feeding and their competency assessed by nursing professionals. This ensures that young people receive care from a staff team that have the knowledge and skills to meet their complex health care needs. Staff communicate effectively with parents and health care professionals to highlight any changes in health needs. This ensures young people experience continuity of care.

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good

Young people continue to attend their respective schools during their short breaks. Staff actively liaise with education professionals to ensure communication strategies deployed in the school are mirrored in the home. They effectively utilise daily diaries to ensure education staff are aware of any significant changes during their stay. As one education professional comments ’I am consistently impressed with quality of communication. The young people in my class always love their time there.’

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good

Young people are able to participate in a wide range of activities. These are well planned to meet their specific interests and abilities so that young people can gain the most from them. Recent activities have included trips to the seaside, visits to soft play areas, and switching on the Christmas lights. They regular attend activities in the local community such as disco’s which broaden their experiences. Young people have access to activities in the home such as arts and crafts and a well-equipped sensory room. The outside play area is well maintained with a range of play equipment for young people to enjoy. There are raised flower and vegetable beds in the garden which young people who are wheelchair users can easily access.

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good

Staff seek the views of young people about their day-to-day care and the running of the home. This includes choosing activities and outings each day and contributing towards menu planning. Staff utilise a range of communication methods to ensure all young people are able to contribute. However, these meaningful engagements are not formally recorded.

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good

Complaints are effectively addressed and managed by registered manager. The complaints procedure reflects the communication systems used by young people who access the service. For example, a symbol adapted guide is used to help young people understand how to make a complaint. The registered manager is aware that for many young people this is their first experience of being away from their parents overnight and is aware of the trust placed by parents in their care.

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good

The home works in partnership with young people’s parents and carers and make sure they stay in contact. One parent reports ‘they always keep me informed of things’. These positive relationships help to contribute to the continuity of care and good outcomes for young people.

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requires improvement

Staff have a good knowledge of the particular vulnerabilities of young people with disabilities. However, records does not reflect the staff’s actions in response to a safeguarding concerns. Patterns of concerning behaviour are not consistently recognised and evaluated. This means significant information fails to inform safeguarding plans to ensure young people are fully protected from harm.

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requires improvement

Staff understand how to support young people to behave in socially acceptable and safe ways. This is done through skilful redirection, de-escalation and gentle guidance. Physical intervention is only ever used when it is necessary to keep young people and others safe. There has been very few incidents since the last inspection. However, records of interventions are not comprehensively completed and young people are not consistently spoken with following an incident. This means that staff are not able to reflect and learn to inform future practice.

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requires improvement

Staff are aware of what action to take should any missing from care incidents occur. There are clear protocols and procedures in place. Since the last inspection there has been one incident where a young person went missing from the home. This an exceptionally rare occurrence given the high levels of staffing and robust risk management planning. An independent review of the incident was immediately commissioned and recommendations in the report have been actioned. As a result of the incident, fencing in the garden has been heightened. Its design however, is not sufficient to deter further incidents of young people climbing over.

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requires improvement

Care staff are all trained in the safe storage and administration of medication. Their competency is assessed by nursing professionals. There are clear policies and procedural guidance. Medication is regularly audited to ensure that any errors are quickly identified and rectified. This promotes young people’s safety.

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requires improvement

Staff recruitment and selection practice is robust. Managers ensure that all staff are appropriately qualified, experienced and vetted as suitable to work with young people before starting work in the home. This ensures that young people are protected and not exposed to unsuitable adults that may cause them harm.

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requires improvement

The home is well maintained and appropriately equipped and furnished. Regular checks are completed on gas, electrical and fire safety equipment to ensure they remain in good working order. Fire checks and evacuations are regularly undertaken.

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good

There is an appropriately qualified and experienced registered manager, who has had in post since September 2012. His role has been strengthened by the appointment of a deputy in June 2015. He is committed to developing a culture of continuous learning and improvement in the home. He recognises shortfalls and puts appropriate plans in place to address these.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose has recently been updated. It provides a comprehensive account of the home’s working practices and ensures all interested parties have an understanding of what the service offers. Monitoring and quality assurance of the home is good. This includes monthly independent visits and quarterly monitoring reports completed by the registered manager. These ensure there is effective evaluation of young people’s care and enables any emerging trends or patterns to be addressed.

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good

The home’s location risk assessment has recently been updated with appropriate consultation with key agencies. This ensures that any risks presented by the home’s location, are being identified along with strategies for managing them.

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good

The home is appropriately staffed to ensure the needs of individual young people can be met. Staff are supported through monthly supervision, annual appraisals and regular staff meetings. The staff have access to a good range of training opportunities which helps ensure they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of young people. This includes specialist training. For example, in epilepsy and autism. Following the recent shortfalls in safeguarding practice the registered manager has prioritised safeguarding training for staff. Team meetings and individual supervision sessions are used to consolidate learning and understanding. He is committed to encouraging staff to reflect and learn from shortfalls.

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good

Partnership working is strong. There is effective communication between staff, parents, social workers, specialist health care professionals and education services. This results in a good coordinated support to meet young people’s needs. Staff actively advocate on behalf of young people to ensure robust plans are in place to meet their needs. Where young people are transitioning to adult health services they challenge services to ensure a lead health professional is always identified to update any plans to ensure young people’s changing needs are promptly addressed.

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good

There are no requirements or recommendations from the last inspection.

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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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