Children's home run by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Dartford

Unique reference number SC036911 Inspector Juanita Mayers Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust Registered person address Oxleas NHS Trust, Bexley Hospital Pinewood Place DARTFORD DA2 7WG Responsible individual Mary Tanner Registered manager Clare Patricia Morris Date of last inspection 06/03/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 10/03/2015

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

At the last full inspection, six requirements and four recommendations for improvements were made. Leaders and managers have been diligent in successfully addressing all the requirements. Of the four recommendations for improvements, three have been met. One recommendation is under discussion with Ofsted. One requirement is made as a result of this inspection.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager and staff have worked hard and are continuing to look at ways to improve the service they offer to young people with complex and high-level medical care needs. Staff work with parents and other professional to ensure short break plans meet young people’s individual needs.

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This inspection

Communication with parent and schools is good; this ensures a holistic and sharing approach to care. One of the parent’s commented ‘(the home) gives my son the opportunity to socialise with others in a safe way’.

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This inspection

Staff understand and demonstrate an excellent knowledge of young people’s care and medical needs. A parent said, ‘l sleep easy when he is at (the home).’ Parents have built positive relationships with the staff and have said that they always feel welcome in the home.

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This inspection

Since the last inspection staff make individual time during the day the short break commences to meet with parents. Parents bring in clothing, medication and any other items their child needs during their stay. A positive aspect of this time is it gives parents the opportunity to meet with staff to discuss any changes in the young person’s care or medical needs and individual space to discuss progress or any anxieties.

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This inspection

Any changes to a young person’s routine are agreed, recorded and signed by parents 3 of 5 and the staff team. This enables parents to know that changes in their young people’s care and health needs are understood. Staff say this makes parents feel safe in leaving young people.

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This inspection

Young people’s health and medical need are given high priority in the home. There are clear health plans and qualified staff who are trained to meet specific needs. Qualified nursing staff accept, record and administer medication. Where young people’s medication is sent to school with them, it is safely stored in individual bags and education transport staff have to sign for it to ensure it is safe.

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This inspection

Healthy eating is encouraged in the home. Cultural and specialist dietary needs are catered for well in the home; young people are encouraged to exercise choice and these are catered for. Where possible, young people are encouraged to develop skills through activities such as shopping and cooking.

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This inspection

Young people are encouraged to be healthy. A range of activities are available to help them exercise.

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This inspection

The home is designed to meet the needs of the young people accessing the service, with suitable equipment and adaptations. Young people can choose their bedrooms during their stay and these are organised and personalised to meet their individual needs. The home has recently improved the outside play area and is now able to provide a range of activities in the garden.

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This inspection

Recently the service has developed a digital programme to enable young people to comment on the care they receive during their short break. Staff feel this will enable them to be more efficient and enable them to empower young people to have a greater say and understanding of the decisions made about their lives.

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This inspection

Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and have commented that the support from management is of a good standard. Training is given a high priority to meet young people’s ever changing care needs.

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This inspection

Leaders and managers seek to develop and strengthen the service and have clear development plans and goals to achieve these. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a health authority. It is registered with Ofsted to provide short breaks for up to four children and young people with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide nursing care.

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Information about this children’s home

Children and young people usually stay either from Monday to Thursday morning or during weekends. The home does not routinely offer overnight stays on Thursdays.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2014 Interim good progress 24/07/2013 Full outstanding 25/02/2013 Interim good progress 24/07/2012 Full adequate

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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 Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that premises used for the purpose of a children's home are appropriately and suitably located, so that children cared for by the children's home are effectively safeguarded, and review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of those premises at least once in each calendar year. (Regulation 31 (1A)(a)(b) 31/03/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The 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 relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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