Children's Home run by The Little Flower in Croydon

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 with limited communication skills receive support to make choices about their care during their short break.  The house is warm and welcoming and provides a home from home experience.  Detailed care plans provide clear information on the highly complex needs of young people.  Young people receive highly personalised and sensitive care that meets their needs during their short break.  Staff are skilled in effectively communicating with young people.  Young people engage in creative and fun activities.  Parents have confidence in the service and the care provided.  Staff know the young people well; they are experienced, committed and ensure young people experience a positive short break.  Internal and external monitoring of the service is good.  Policies and procedures reflect new legislation.

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Information about this children's home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who have a physical and/or learning disabilities. It is privately owned and provides a short breaks service.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

31/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.4

Good

The quality of care young people receive from staff is good. Positive relationships between parents and the staff team ensure that plans are individualised and personal to meet need. Consequently young people receive care that is responsive to their high levels of physical and health needs

p.5

Good

Staff communication with young people is effective and skilful; they interpret gestures, sounds and facial expressions well and take appropriate action to respond. For example to start or cease an activity with a young person, for one young person who enjoys dressing up, interpretation of sounds is key to understanding her wishes to ensure she has a fun time . Young people experience a range of sensory activities in and out of the home. These include sensory play; massage sessions for those where touch plays an important role for their well- being, trips out in the community. The outdoor area of the home is particularly well designed with sensory plants for young people to touch and smell and an area where they can help to grow fruits, such as grapes which they can then eat.

p.5

Good

The health of young people is well cared for in this home. Staff have undertaken additional training to ensure that they have the necessary skills to manage complex health needs. Arrangements for the storage and administration of medication is robust with detailed records. Staff ensure they communicate and engage with young people on all aspects of personal care. For example talking, showing and explaining to them about the care before it is undertaken. This helps young people to feel calm, secure and included in all aspects of what goes on.

p.5

Good

Young people are making good progress in this home, for example, one young person who was on a liquid diet has now progressed to tasting and eating more solid food. For another, the development of mobility and the use of single words has been a significant step. A parent commented, ‘They make my child feel special, medical care of him is excellent and this puts my mind at ease. I do not feel the need to continually telephone to check on him.’

p.5

Good

The staff team are committed and enthusiastic about the care and support they provide for young people. They maintain ‘memory books’ for all young people, visually recording progress and engagement in happy and fun activities during their short break. A parent commented, ‘The manager and staff create a positive family feel in the home, there are welcoming and thoughtful even when we turn up unannounced.’ Communication with schools and other professionals involved with young people is good. Teachers and placing authorities comment on the positive level of communication and the sharing of information. Social workers comment on the homes excellent pre-placement communication with parents and carers. Staff will visit young people in their homes, school and for one young person a visit to hospital. This ensures that the home follows young people’s established routines, allaying many parental anxieties on the care provided for their young people.

p.5

Good

The physical environment is warm and welcoming, displaying many of the activities young people have been involved in. Despite limited communication, young people make choices as to which room they would like to sleep in, activities they would like to do or just when they would like to spend quiet time alone.

p.6

Good

Young people are cared for in a safe and well-resourced environment. Safeguarding has a high priority in the home and staff meet all young people’s individual needs in a safe way. Detailed risk assessments advise staff on the procedures to follow to ensure prompt action to protect young people. Due to the complex and high levels of disabilities, young people do not go missing. The home has maintained good links with the host local authority to ensure its safeguarding procedures are up to date and comply with current legislation.

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Good

Recruitment and selection procedures are robust and ensures that only staff, who are suitably experienced and safe, provide care to young people. Safeguarding training for staff is detailed and up to date. Staff are secure in their knowledge, experience and know which procedures to follow to protect young people with disabilities.

p.6

Good

There have been no incidents of restraints in the home since the last inspection. The home has good guidelines in place for staff to intervene, when necessary, in an appropriate way. Sanctions are not in use due to young people’s limited ability to understand their behaviour. Staff work closely with schools and parents to ensure the sharing of information on behaviours or any changes in routine that may trigger these.

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Good

The procedures for personal care and moving and handling remains a strong focus for the safe care of young people during their short break. Plans are in place setting out specific individual needs. Staff are mindful and caring on promoting young people’s dignity, privacy and culture when delivering care.

p.6

Good

Warm relationships exists between young people and staff, they understand and know the young people well and are attentive to all their needs. This helps young people feel secure and enjoy their short break time.

p.7

Good

The physical environment is clean, well maintained and safely equipped to meet the needs of young people with physical disabilities. There is good maintenance of specialist equipment and all young people have personal emergency evacuation plans.

p.7

Good

All health and safety checks are in place and the building is physically safe and secure.

p.7

Good

The Registered Manager is also the owner of the service. She has appropriate leadership and management qualifications and has over twenty-five years’ experience of working in the social care field. She is passionate about providing a quality service for young people with disabilities. The service is very child focused and seeks to ensure that young people have a varied and enjoyable experience in a safe and secure home.

p.7

Good

The Registered Manager has a clear vision for the service and is committed to providing care that meets the cultural, religious and individual needs of young people, with their views, wishes and feelings forming an integral part of the homes practice. This ensures that young people and parents feel involved and have an active voice in the development of the service.

p.7

Good

Young people benefit from a stable, loyal and experienced staff team. This results in good levels of consistent care. Parents comment on the enthusiasm of the staff, their nurturing and caring quality and flexibility in meeting needs. The manager provides the team with strong leadership, good support and effective supervision. Staff comment that this gives them the opportunity to grow, develop, and discuss systems and new ways of meeting young people needs. A staff member commented, ‘The manager is always available to give a helping hand, she always make time and you can raise any concerns without feeling stupid.’ Young people make good progress during their short break. Staff are patient, allowing young people to develop at their own pace and ability and enjoy each new experience. The manager ensure staff receive effective training to extend their skills and knowledge in order to work effectively with young people. A staff

p.7

Good

member said, ‘The manager is supportive and ensures our training is always up to date. This means that we are able to offer young people a caring and nurturing home, where we are able to fully meet all their emotional and health needs.’

p.8

Good

There are effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care and the Registered Manager has clear plans in place to develop the service and make further improvements. She ascertains the views of young people, parents and placing authorities to improve practice and for the devolvement of the service.

p.8

Good

Monthly independent monitoring systems for the service are of a good standard and give an accurate reflection on what is currently happening in the home. The manager uses recommendations to further develop her procedures.

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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

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

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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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