Children's home run by Virgin Care Limited in Camden

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:

 This short-break service is well managed. Young people’s needs are placed at the centre of the care that is provided. There are positive relationships between the young people and staff, and the young people look forward to staying at the home.  Parents are very pleased with the care and support that is provided. They speak highly of the registered manager and staff team, and say that there is good communication between them and the staff.  The registered manager has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, and has a detailed development plan to address these.  Detailed placements plans provide staff with clear guidance on how young people’s individual needs are to be met. Staff use a variety of communication aids to offer young people choices in meals, drinks, and their daily routines and activities.  Young people benefit from a wide range of activities, both in the home and

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The children's home provision is good because:

the wider community. These include visits to local attractions and facilities including swimming, bowling and leisure parks. Well-planned themed activities take place during the school holidays. Staff evaluate the effectiveness of these and parents are kept informed of what activities their children are taking part in.  There are good play and leisure faculties available to young people in the home.  Young people’s independence is promoted. They are encouraged and supported to take part in household chores. In addition, they go shopping to local supermarkets to choose food items for their meals.  Areas for improvement that were identified at this inspection include matters relating to staff undertaking formal training in augmented communication, the updating of placement plans, record keeping, the environment and the gender mix of staff.

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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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard 6. In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(b)(iv) that each child receives personalised care that meets the child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking into account the child's background.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that an updated moving and handling assessment is completed following a review of all young people's moving and handling needs. 30/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

Employment of staff 33(4)(a) Ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development, in particular formal training in augmented communication. 31/01/2017

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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 that for children's homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of the children, they will in most cases be homely and domestic environments. In particular, review the current dining arrangements so that when the home is fully occupied the dining facilities are adequate to meet young people's individual and collective needs. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that, whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)  Ensure that all staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (Guide to

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Recommendations

the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4).

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Information about this children's home

This service provides short breaks for up to seven children who may have a physical disability, learning disability or sensory impairment. It is managed by a national care provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive good, individualised care and support. Detailed placement plans guide staff how to meet young people’s needs. These are supported by specific, individualised risk assessments. However, the process for updating placement plans is not always clear. This relates primarily to recording changes in the placement plan ‘summary of changes’. The registered manager acknowledges this. In addition, one young person’s placement plan identifies an update in their moving and handling needs. However, their moving and handling assessment has not been updated by the occupational therapist. This was brought to the attention of the deputy manager and registered manager, who took action at the time of the inspection to address this.

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Good

Some staff are qualified nurses and they provide the staff team with guidance and support in the management of young people’s healthcare needs. In addition, they liaise with a variety of healthcare professionals to ensure that young people’s specific health needs are being met and regularly reviewed.

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Good

One young person said, ‘I love it here and I like the staff. They listen to me.’ He went on to say that staff respect his privacy and dignity. Parents speak highly of the care and support that their child receives. One parent said, ‘He absolutely loves it there. He’s included in everything and they make it fun.’ Another parent said, ‘He’s really happy there. The home has been a lifesaver.’

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Good

There are good relationships between young people and staff, and the staff team are committed to providing young people with good-quality care and support. Young people are relaxed and comfortable in the home’s environment, and some young people have been accessing this short-break service for a number of years. It is evident that staff know the young people very well.

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Good

Young people have positive outcomes and experiences when staying at the home. Their self-esteem and confidence improve, and they learn new skills. Individual targets are identified for young people to achieve. Outcomes are clearly recorded and achievements are celebrated. One parent said, ‘He has learned to cook, and he now does some cleaning at home and tidies his bedroom.’ Another parent said ‘He’s now trying more foods and he’s now eating better.’

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Good

Some young people use alternative methods to communicate, including the use of signs and symbols. Some staff have the skills to sign, and there is information posted around the home that provides staff with information on how to do so. In addition, the home has a variety of resources to assist in communicating with young people. This is used to good effect with some young people, in particular using symbols to support them in planning their day, which includes what activities are taking place, mealtimes and bedtime routines. This provides the necessary continuity and structure for some young people.

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Good

Young people benefit from a wide variety of activities, both in the home and in the wider community. One young person gave 10 out of 10 for the activities. A parent said, ‘He likes to go bowling and going out in the minibus.’ Activities are well planned, and are evaluated and reported upon in each young person’s individual records. There are themed weekly activities during the school summer holidays. The most recent theme was ‘jungle week’. Some young people recently visited a local circus and, following this, they produced works of art. These are displayed in the home.

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Good

Young people often go shopping for food at the local supermarket and, with staff support, they choose what they would like for lunch. Family-style mealtimes are promoted and, where needed, staff sensitively support young people who require assistance with their eating and drinking needs.

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Good

There is one dining area in the home and, at times, space can be compromised when the home is fully occupied. This results in not all young people and staff being able to sit around the table without rearranging the tables and chairs and, at times, moving tables into the lounge area.

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Good

Young people are safe when staying at this short-break service. One parent said, ‘My child is safe when he stays at the home. I do not have any concerns.’ All staff have received safeguarding training, and demonstrate a good awareness of safeguarding processes and protocols.

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Good

There have not been any referrals to the designated officer since the last inspection. The registered manager alerts social workers to any concerns in respect of young people’s safety and well-being. Young people do not go missing from the home, and there are no concerns in respect of bullying or matters relating to child sexual exploitation.

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Good

Positive behaviour is promoted, and young people are encouraged and supported to manage their behaviours and feelings. Where required, comprehensive behaviour support plans are implemented, and guide and support staff to manage specific behaviours. The plans are signed by the registered manager and parent. This demonstrates good partnership working. Sanctions are not imposed, and young people are rewarded with praise and recognition for their achievements. These achievements are also celebrated in the form of a ‘certificate of achievement’, and these are displayed in the home. There has not been any recorded use of restraint since the last inspection. All staff have received training in the home’s chosen method of de-escalation and restraint.

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Good

The registered manager ensures that there is a robust audit trail to demonstrate the safe recruitment of staff, and recruitment files contain the required documentation.

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Good

Fire safety is promoted. Weekly checks are undertaken of the home’s fire system, firefighting equipment and the means of escape. In addition, all young people and staff take part in regular fire drills. All staff have received fire awareness training.

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Good

The environment is safe and well maintained. The registered manager ensures that there is regular servicing and testing of the home’s utilities, the passenger lift and the overhead tracking and hoists.

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Good

This short-break service is effectively managed. The registered manager has been in post since March 2013, and has the appropriate experience and qualifications to manage the service. Staff consider that they receive good support from the registered manager and that they feel listened to. One member of staff said, ‘She supports the team, there is an open-door policy and she directs the team.’ The staff place the needs of the young people at the centre of their care. There are very positive relationships between the young people and staff.

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Good

There is regular scrutiny of the service by the independent visitor. She makes regular contact with parents and social workers to seek their views of the quality of care that the home provides. The registered manager responds professionally to any recommendations that are made to improve the service further.

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Good

The registered manager regularly reviews the home’s development plan. The current development plan identifies further improvement in the following areas: improvements to the environment; implementing an individualised activity planning system; and quality assurance systems.

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Good

The vast majority of staff are qualified to level 3. Those staff who are yet to attain it, are working towards this qualification. They receive good training opportunities and receive specialised training to meet the needs of individual young people. However, the staff team has not received formal training in augmented communication. Undertaking this training will enhance awareness, confidence and skills in communicating with young people who have little or no speech.

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Good

The registered manager ensures that there are adequate numbers of staff on duty at all times to meet the needs of the young people. Staff report that staffing levels are sufficient and, if needed, extra staff are deployed to meet the specific needs of the young people and for planned activities. It is noted that there are no male staff employed at the home. In discussions with the registered manager, she said that she will review the home’s recruitment policy in an attempt to address this.

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Good

The registered manager informs parents, agencies and authorities of significant events at the home as required.

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Good

There is good communication and professional respect between parents and the staff team. One parent said, ‘Communication is brilliant. They are only a phone call away, and there is nothing I think that they can improve upon. It’s a fantastic place.’ Another parent said, ‘they are honest with me. If there are any problems or if something hasn’t worked, well, they tell me.’

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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