Children's Home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Southampton

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:

 Children and young people who live in this home receive a high degree of personal care, provided with attention to their medical condition, with dignity and with affection. As one professional put it, ‘The staff treat them like their own family.’

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This extends to the young person who has short breaks at the home. His carer commented that he gets invitations to join in activities and outings even when not resident, such as a trip to see a pantomime, and ‘he feels part of the organisation’.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Great emphasis is given to ensuring that medication is administered safely and appropriately, with careful storage and recording of a substantial number of prescriptions and other remedies. These systems ensure that the margin for error is very slight.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The same level of care is given to ensuring that children and young people have the most appropriate support to meet their physical needs. Staff work well with other professionals to provide support for posture, comfort and careful manual handling.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Goal planning for individual children and young people and liaison with educational professionals mean that the children’s and young people’s progress is focussed on well, and that improvements are being achieved for some. These include increasing vocalisation, making choices, responding to things going on around them and greater toleration of the use of a toothbrush and inhaler.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager has made considerable progress with improving procedures, documentation and professional standards. A number of staff and professionals spoken to noted the progress of the home in the last 18 months to two years. A particular development is tailoring activities to the interests of individual children and young people and providing more of what they respond to best.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager leads a dedicated staff team that enjoys its work and takes pride in achieving the best that it can for children and young people. Staff members’ comments include: ‘What I like about here is that everything is done for the children, which suits him’, and, ‘I wish I had moved here sooner’.

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

 The team spirit is exemplified by a planned outing that all staff intend going on, even if not on shift. Those who are working and so do not have to pay an entrance fee are sharing the cost of the others having to pay. This collaborative approach benefits children and young people as there is a common striving for best practice and an atmosphere of warm, friendly care in the home.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. This is with specific regard to ’Joint guidance for CQC and Ofsted staff, and providers, Annex 4, page 19, which states: ’The permitted tasks for non-health qualified staff and focus of training for these tasks must be on the care as it applies to a named child. The individual carer will require specific training and assessment in order to participate in the care of a second or third child’ (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12).

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with the home's statement of purpose, with a record made of the reason for cancellations and a new appointment made (‘Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3).

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Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the quality standards. It should identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home's care, which will be captured in the written report and should clearly identify any actions required (‘Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraphs 15.2 and 4).

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Information about this children's home

This home is privately owned by a national organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people with complex health needs. One bed is currently used for short-break care.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

14 September 2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

23 January 2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

15 January 2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory progress

p.5

Good

This home specialises in providing care for children and young people with complex health needs, who require an environment in which wheelchair users have easy access to facilities, and medical and other equipment is close to hand. One parent thought the environment overly clinical but, whilst maintaining a hygienic and safety-conscious environment, the manager and staff strike a balance with maintaining a homely atmosphere. One professional commented that on her visits the home was ‘clean, tidy and orderly, but they had also given attention to what the child may like on walls’. Each bedroom has a different feel, personalised to reflect the character and interests of each child and young person.

p.6

Good

The provision of a dedicated clinic to store and prepare drugs away from the residential areas goes a long way to ensure that administration of medication is carried out in a calm atmosphere and does not intrude unnecessarily in the life of the home.

p.6

Good

The ethos of ‘being person centred at all times in our approach’, espoused in the home’s statement of purpose, is well met, even though most children and young people are unable to verbalise their wishes or feelings. This is achieved through staff paying close attention to children’s and young people’s moods, expressions and vocalisations. One social worker commented on how staff respond well to a particular young person saying, ‘They are really good at tuning in to his interests, for example going to hydro pools and taking him to see a play based on books he likes.’ Increasingly, children and young people are helped to have a wider range of experiences such as a day out to see the ballet or watch a rugby match, where sights and sounds stimulate and animate them.

p.6

Good

There is not much room in the house or garden for specialist equipment, or to have a wide range of activities available, but, in addition to sourcing community facilities, plans are in hand to have a purpose-built sensory room in an extension. The appearance of the home is somewhat spoilt by a ramp stored and secured to a wall at the front of the house. This is not required for an emergency exit from the building and a risk assessment is being undertaken to ascertain if it can safely be removed.

p.6

Good

Established routines are used to give a sense of predictability, which helps children and young people to make transitions. Goal planning identifies the progress that each child and young person is making, even though it may be slight, and each shift records how children and young people have been helped to achieve their goals. This assists children and young people to reach their potentials.

p.6

Good

The administration of medication and its recording is meticulous, further improved during the inspection by the devising of a simple means of showing what has been sent with a child or young person when admitted to hospital. This ensures that it is always clear what medication is stored at the home.

p.7

Good

Some children and young people require frequent hospital admissions, often unplanned. There are robust procedures to ensure that staff know exactly what to do in each circumstance, so that information, medication and feeds are all passed on to nursing staff, whilst making sure that children and young people are well supported. Staff are well aware of the procedure to follow if there is a safeguarding concern and know of the provider’s whistleblowing policy, including the guidance that ‘even if not 100% sure you still report it’.

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Good

Team meeting minutes demonstrate that health and safety issues are frequently discussed and are a high priority. Records of fire drills indicate that practice is improving, and staff spoken to know what is expected in case of the alarm being sounded. There is an endorsed policy of staying put whenever possible in the event of a fire, with reliance on fire doors and a sprinkler system to protect children and young people. This is a proportionate response to the potential danger of a fire (as ameliorated by protection systems), and avoids vulnerable children and young people having an adverse reaction to being evacuated.

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Good

The level of supervision for children and young people is very high to meet their health and welfare needs; this promotes a high degree of care and protection. As much as possible is done to involve parents and carers in providing for children and young people, and some take the opportunity to participate and provide feedback. In addition, some children and young people have advocates to increase the involvement of people from outside the care system. Seeking others where families have limited contact would provide a level of oversight of their care for these children and young people too.

p.7

Good

Staff were observed to work well with other professionals to promote children’s and young people’s welfare and comfort. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists were present to assess the most appropriate sleep system for a young person, and staff provided information, made helpful suggestions and took advice so that her bed would help good posture and rest. There are systems in place that allow managers to monitor safety procedures, such as portable appliance testing, and audits demonstrate a high degree of compliance with health and safety requirements.

p.7

Good

A location risk assessment is in place that takes into account opportunities afforded in the local community to facilitate meeting the needs of children and young people as well as potential threats to their safety. The home has addressed the latter as far as possible.

p.8

Good

Leaders and managers have responded to requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection, including compliance with guidance that the focus of training for permitted tasks for non-health qualified staff must be on the care as it applies to a named child or young person. Although progress is being made to provide this, it is not yet in place for all staff and so the recommendation has been restated.

p.8

Good

The manager has a post-graduate certificate in leadership and management and plans to have completed the necessary modules to make this equivalent to a level 5 in leadership and management for residential childcare by September this year.

p.8

Good

A development plan is in place for the home as are all the elements of a workforce plan, although these are not drawn up into a single document. Care files are in good order, allowing staff to follow agreed plans and to understand each child’s and young person’s personal circumstances without difficulty.

p.8

Good

Most parents and all professionals spoken to said that the manager and staff have communicated well with them. A foster carer said, ‘They make sure we have all the info we need for our monthly reports’, and a professional complimented the staff on chasing her to make sure aspects of a young person’s care plan were followed through. Where communication has faltered, parents have appreciated the intervention of a senior manager to smooth matters and improve relationships.

p.8

Good

Collaboration with education providers for some children and young people is enhanced by staff liaising regularly with teachers. The manager has plans to extend this to other children and young people. A headteacher reported that home staff ‘will follow through on development programmes’ and that the manager has made ‘big, big improvements’. The manager reviews the quality of care regularly but reports should clearly focus on the quality standards and include actions to be followed up in the next half year.

p.8

Good

Staff comment on the improvements made regarding professional standards and procedures in recent years. They feel well supported by the organisation, including having effective induction training, helpful supervision and the opportunity to request a keep-in-touch meeting, if necessary, between sessions. However, records show gaps in supervision records without explanation. As they are not then rearranged, the timescale for holding supervision is sometimes missed.

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Good

The team is a dedicated group, with some commenting that ‘everyone goes beyond their job role’, or ‘I love my job’. Team members are confident enough to suggest improvements, challenge each other’s practice and seek the advice of other providers to maintain the highest standards they can.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 whom 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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