Children's home run by Dame Hannah Roger‟s School

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:

 A newly appointed manager and her team have been successful in updating and introducing new systems and procedures to ensure young people are safe. The quality of care, attention to effectively communicating with young people, and engaging them in meaningful activity enhances young people’s experiences and contributes to their emotional well-being.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Trustees and senior leaders regularly visit the home and monitor the care provided. They recognise good practice and consult with the staff team members, seeking their views on the development of the home and the quality of care provided to the young people. This practice complements the guidance provided by the manager and lead nurse. They are in day- to-day control of the home and readily available to the staff team. Staff morale is good; they refer to themselves as a team, and together provide a positive and upbeat atmosphere in the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from living in a home that is well maintained and child friendly. The manager and staff team take pride in the home’s presentation. Certificates of achievement and photographs of young people are displayed for all to see. Refurbishment of the communal areas includes colourful redecoration, themed picture displays and a range of soft furnishings. For those young people who prefer not to join in with group activities, they are supported to access a dedicated sensory area which can be separated from the main lounge.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff team delivers dedicated, nurturing and highly supportive care to young people whose needs they have been trained to meet. Staff know young people well; they deliver care that is attuned to young people’s individual needs by observing body language, eye contact and expression. Staff respond well to individuals preferred style of communication and are skilled in recognising individual’s preferred communication styles. Young people express choice and their views are constantly sought.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager and staff work effectively with parents and social workers. They facilitate and promote contact with family members and consult with parents and social workers when reviewing care plan objectives are met and reviewed.

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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 make arrangements for the handling, recording and safe administration of medicines received into the children’s home. In particular, ensure stock balances are in place and hygiene procedures are followed when handling medication.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  As set out in regulation 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. In particular, when interviews for new staff are conducted the registered person evaluates their suitability and maintains equal opportunities. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraph 13.1)  Ensure a system is in place so that all staff, including those staff still within their probation period receives supervision, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraph 13.2)  Ensure staff are familiar with the home's policies on recording keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be helpful to the child. (The Guide to the Quality

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Information about this children's home

Dame Hannah Rogers is operated by a charitable trust, providing care and education for young people with physical and learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2015 CH - Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive good quality individual care from a motivated and dedicated staff team. Young people are provided with experiences that are meaningful to them and may be difficult to find elsewhere. One parent said, ’I struggled for years to get equipment and the services we needed. This home provided them within weeks’. Another commented, ‘I am so impressed; they have helped and changed our lives for the better’. Celebrating young people’s identity is at the heart of the home. Photographs of young people enjoying activities with staff and each other are displayed in the main corridor of the home and within young people’s bedrooms. Visual reminders of young people’s achievements and events such as attending the school’s prom are proudly displayed. Care staff are skilled in communicating with young people. They use a wide range of signs, symbols, and electronic devices that support and promote young people

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Good

to express wishes, feelings and choices. A professional stakeholder described the care as ‘attentive and good humoured’, adding that he felt ‘the communication with young people allows for them to be included, and make decisions about their care’. The young people’s achievements and progress exceed parents’ and social workers’ expectations. One to one staffing levels provide young people space to build trusting relationships and receive continuity of care. Young people are provided with structure to their daily routine which helps them to focus on particular tasks. Care plan targets are actively promoted and achieved. For example, one young person has started to walk rather than run between communal rooms. Another young person is learning to drink from an adapted cup, whilst another is selecting food preferences and smaller portions. Care and health plans are currently under review. The manager has consulted with

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Good

the care team on how they can streamline essential information to guide them to meet the current and changing needs of the young people. Due to the complex health needs of the young people Staff have been provided with training to enable them to meet assist the nursing team and meet young people’s complex health needs.

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Good

The activities provided contribute to the emotional well-being of young people by affording them positive and enjoyable experiences. They are involved in a varied range of opportunities to engage with peers both in the home and when using community facilities.

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Good

The young people are given appropriate levels of responsibility and are supported to develop independent skills in line with their abilities. Young people are encouraged to enjoy activities within the community. For example, wheel chair disco and trips out to local historic sites. The staff are not risk-averse and allow young people to experience and enjoy a range of meaningful and enjoyable activities.

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Good

Young people’s complex health care needs are met well. The lead nurse and nursing team have received training in the safe handling of medication. Revised audit systems assist nurses in the safe management of medication. This has resulted in a significant reduction in medication errors. For the small number of incidents that have occurred, the management team has taken prompt action and notified the appropriate people in a timely manner. Currently staff do not maintain a full record of medication stock balances but are reliant on medication audits to determine if stock levels are accurate. Staff are not always mindful of hygiene when handling medication and disposable gloves are not worn to protect against cross contamination. The lead nurse continues to work with the local pharmacist and is looking into these issues.

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Good

Handover procedures are effective; they have enabled the manager and shift leaders to identify the current needs of young people and any weaknesses in practice. In addition, the manager has introduced impromptu observation checks on staff practice which has enabled her to recognise good practice, areas for improvement and provide development opportunities. Although the observation checks are informative, they are not currently reviewed and referenced within staff supervision sessions.

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Good

Young people develop trusting relationships with staff that indicate they feel safe. Staff know the young people well, they are responsive to their needs and any changes to their health, behaviour and well-being. Staff report any cause for concerns to the manager who consults with all appropriate agencies. A detailed audit trail demonstrates that the manager deals with safeguarding concerns and or incidents well. For example, she recognised immediately when a young person returned from school with the wrong oxygen cylinder and took appropriate action.

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Good

The home provides a safe and secure physical environment for the young people. Fire safety and other regular checks are managed well in order to ensure that the young people are protected from unnecessary risks.

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Requires improvement

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed who has applied to register with Ofsted. She is currently undertaking the Diploma level 5 and has extensive experience of working with young people who have complex health needs. She takes ownership in developing her skills, consulting with other providers and keeping up-to-date with current legislation. Monitoring reports produced by the manager require improvement to ensure they are detailed, concise and factually accurate. Some reports contain repetitive information, which is confusing. The manager identified this as an issue prior to the inspection and has reviewed and updated systems to improve monitoring. The formal supervision of staff lacks attention to developmental needs as identified in observations of their performance. Newly employed staff do not receive formal supervision alongside probationary assessments. This means not all performance

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Requires improvement

issues or support needs are identified and remedied with staff. The manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has clear ideas and plans to continue improvements which will benefit young people. The formal development plan does not reflect these plans. It is complicated, wordy and lacks target dates. Safer recruitment procedures are robust. This protects young people from the employment from those who may seek to harm them. However, the manager has failed to make sure recruitment records are completed effectively in demonstrating attention to equality and diversity when interviewing and selecting new staff. New staff commented on the comprehensive induction programme and said that they have not experienced that level of training in any previous employment. Safeguarding and other essential training is mandatory for all staff. This provides staff with additional skills to identify risks in caring and supporting young people.

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Requires improvement

The manager is a good role model for staff. Her approach and her ability to form respectful relationships with the care staff, young people and parents has contributed to a positive atmosphere within the home. The staff team say that they have the confidence to approach the manager with any concerns they may have because she is approachable, flexible and values their contribution. Professionals have commented on the positive relationships that they have with the staff and the manager. The manager and staff work hard to promote and maintain really effective, positive relationships with parents and placing authorities. A parent said, ‘The manager is good; she makes herself available to talk through any concerns’. Parents are welcomed into the home and are consulted with when care plan and targets for young people are reviewed.

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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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