Children's home SC063080

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:

 Staff have good communication skills, enabling children with communication difficulties to engage in decision-making about their care.  Staff ensure that children have good physical care.  The registered manager maintains strict control on admissions, ensuring that they are in line with the profile of children as described in the statement of purpose. The admissions process includes an effective impact risk assessment, ensuring that staff respect and meet the needs of children living in the home when arriving at a decision.  The registered manager has successfully addressed all requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection.  The registered manager and staff maintain good relationships with local schools, placing social workers and parents of children accommodated.  Staff are good at ensuring that children’s cultural needs are respected and met.  Children with complex needs, restricted mobility and communication difficulties

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The children’s home provision is good because:

enjoy activities in the community, expanding their social contacts and confidence in public situations.

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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

25 (1) After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must: (a) take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the home; (b) provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(a)(b)) 31/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

44 (1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether: (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)) 31/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that at least one person on duty at any given time in a children’s home has a suitable first aid qualification (regulation 31(2)(a)). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.13)  Review the policy on protection of children from abuse and neglect, in particular arrangements in relation to dealing with allegations involving staff in the home. Ensure that it includes guidelines on how to investigate and report outcomes from an investigation, clearly evidencing how decisions were made. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.19)  Ensure that the review of the quality of care provided by the home focuses on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of

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Recommendations

high risk to the children the home is designed to care for. Consider what information or data to include. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months and how these actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children with learning disabilities. The home is adapted to be wheelchair accessible.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/08/2015 Full Requires improvement 30/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/02/2015 Full Good

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Good

During the inspection, there was only one young person accommodated in the home. The inspection also considered other young people who have lived in this setting since the last inspection. Observed activities, however, are limited to the young person accommodated during the inspection. Staff have completed training in the use of Makaton and working with children with autistic spectrum disorder. Training focused on providing staff with basic communication skills as described in the statement of purpose. Staff are improving their interactions with the young person and aiding him in making decisions about his own care and life experiences. The manager and staff in the home work well with the local school. A teacher from the school said that the manager attends all meetings at the school and contributes appropriately to support the young person’s educational development. The teacher said the school has ‘a good working relationship with the home’. She described a

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Good

positive relationship with the manager of the home. The young person is making slow but gradual educational progress. Staff interact positively with the young person and encourage him to make choices within the home. He enjoys their company and communicates his wishes to them. For example, after repeated questions, he made it clear to them that he wanted the inspector to leave the room. He waved a friendly goodbye when staff explained this to the inspector. Staff encourage him to celebrate his own culture and provide culturally appropriate meals and pictures of his family in his room. The manager and staff maintain good contact with the families of young people and other professionals involved in their care. They worked closely with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in managing a recently departed young person. Close working with CAMHS and a behaviour consultant enabled the young person to extend his stay in the home and reduce the frequency and intensity of

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Good

his difficult behaviour. The young person is making gradual progress in his self-care. He has restricted mobility, limited communication and learning disabilities; however, he is making tracked progress in developing self-help skills. He assists with clearing the table and washing up, tidies his toys after play and is taking his bedding to the laundry. During the inspection, he tidied his toys without prompting from staff and sought recognition of this. Staff inform him each time they record this on his star chart, bringing smiles and applause. His mother said that he does this at home without her asking him to. The young person is gradually developing some basic self-help skills, which he is able to transfer to other settings, aiding in his preparation for adult life. Staff are knowledgeable about the young person. They are sensitive to his cultural needs and ensure that he is encouraged to have good personal care, including

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Good

culturally appropriate meals. Staff are respectful and polite in their interactions with him. He enjoys their company and shows this with smiles, clapping and holding. His mother stated that he gets excited when returning to the home, which indicates that he enjoys living there. She praised the improvement in his personal care and in his appearance. She said, ‘He is always clean and tidy. He has a lovely wardrobe of clothes now. He looks a proper gentleman.’ His key worker is particularly skilled in caring for him and communicating with him and conducts regular meticulously recorded key-worker sessions. The sessions record in detail his means of communicating his wishes and provide him with opportunities to make choices and express his opinions. In particular, the key worker involves him in discussion about changes to the home and seeks his opinions on this, including new admissions. The key worker skilfully conducts these interactions and expertly

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Good

records them. This provides a superb record of the young person’s increasing involvement in planning his life and aiding in decision-making in the home. Staff have improved the range of activities for the young person. In particular, they now ensure that he has more involvement with other young adults in social situations. He attends youth clubs twice a week and has gone on trips throughout the summer. In the home, he enjoys interacting with staff and playing games with them, dancing and listening to music. His key worker has introduced him to more community activities, such as going to the cinema, bowling and shopping. The broadening of activities is preparing the young adult for leaving the home and engaging with other young people. The manager expertly controls admissions to the home. He ensures that they are all in line with the statement of purpose of the home. He completes a highly detailed impact risk assessment, which clearly explains how the home can safely

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Good

care for the young person. Where he refuses placements, he provides clear reasons why this would not be an appropriate setting. Using the impact risk assessment process, he ensures that the needs of existing residents are paramount in decision- making. The manager is ensuring that he maintains appropriate admissions which do not disrupt the progress of the young people living in this home. Staff are thorough in recording the receipt, issuing and disposal of medication. They store it in a secure cabinet in a locked room. The manager audits these excellently maintained medical records monthly. Staff ensure that the young person attends all medical appointments and work closely with the school and parent in meeting his health needs. Staff are competent and trained in meeting the specific health needs of the young person and all have completed basic training in first aid. However, there are insufficient staff with an appropriate first aid qualification to

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Good

ensure every shift has one on duty. The young person’s mother said that staff are excellent at meeting his health needs and have improved his health and personal hygiene. One of the targets on the young person’s star chart shows excellent progress in personal health targets.

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Good

The manager has improved the young people’s risk assessments. Key workers and the manager review these frequently, ensuring they accurately record current risks. They are comprehensive and include the risk of going missing. The thorough assessment of risks provides clear guidance for staff on actions to follow to keep young people safe. All staff have signed risk assessments and are familiar with their content. This provides a consistent approach to working with the young people. No young people have gone missing since the last inspection. The manager ensures that staffing levels are sufficient to appropriately supervise the young people accommodated since the last inspection and meet any identified risks. Young people enjoy good access to the local community in a safe manner. The manager commissioned a health and safety risk assessment of the home. This has produced a detailed health and safety audit/plan which he has successfully

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Good

implemented. This audit incorporates fire safety and specifies the frequency of testing of fire safety equipment and procedures which staff comply with. All young people have personal emergency evacuation plans which the manager reviews regularly. However, these well-constructed plans and a plan of the building are not readily accessible in the event of a fire. The registered manager requested a fire safety audit from the local fire and emergency authority in June 2016. Following this visit, the fire officer issued a notification of fire deficiencies. The manager has actioned all aspects of this notification. However, it is unclear if the safety changes in respect of the door to the staff sleeping-in room are compliant with the order. Testing of fire escape procedures is monthly and all staff are knowledgeable about emergency procedures and have completed training in fire safety measures. The manager has taken appropriate action to ensure the safety of the young person

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Good

and appears to have completed recommended actions from the fire safety authority to safeguard staff. The manager has updated the location assessment. This is a low-risk area; however, the manager has identified known risks and includes the management strategies to contain them. The assessment considers local transport and lists some of the resources nearby. The manager has completed the report in an accessible format which clearly indicates that this is a suitable location. The manager ensures a timely resolution of all complaints and any issues of underperformance. He contacts the designated officer in the home’s borough when appropriate. He ensures that either the designated officer or senior staff in the company investigate all complaints and provide written conclusions. The manager retains the investigation interviews and actions in one place. However, records of internal investigations lack a clear presentation of all information, in particular

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Good

showing a clear chronology of the investigation and decision-making. The stored information evidences that managers have completed appropriate investigations, enhancing the safeguarding of the young people in the home. Staff recruitment is in line with regulation and guidance. The checks on staff are clear and excellently documented. The manager is ensuring that staff who care for young people living in his home are fit persons who have all of the checks required in legislation. The registered manager has completed a comprehensive review and rewrite of the safeguarding policies and procedures. He has shared this with the staff team and enhanced their understanding of how to protect young people by further training. Discussion in the team meetings has included the ‘Prevent’ duty, which staff have now completed training in. Staff have completed updates in safeguarding and apply this in their work. They are aware of the risks and threats in the community and

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Good

online and ensure that they safeguard young people from these. All staff are trained and competent in the behaviour management procedures operated in the home. The one young person accommodated during the inspection has not gone missing and has not been involved in a restraint. A previous resident presented extremely challenging behaviour which involved the home in working closely with the placing authority, CAMHS and a behavioural consultant. Staff meticulously recorded all interventions with this young person and with the behaviour consultant, and constantly reviewed and modified their interventions. This brought about some positive change and enhanced the safety of other young people. The manager ensured that admissions to the home were restricted until the behaviours were manageable and the placement reached a planned end. Behavioural plans are effective and result in planned progress for young people.

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Good

The registered manager has been in post since July 2015. He successfully completed his registration with Ofsted on 24 March 2016. He has extensive experience of working in residential children’s homes, including as a registered manager of homes for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This experience has included working with some young people with mild learning disabilities. The manager has a postgraduate qualification in therapeutic care and a level 4 qualification in social care. Since his appointment, he has established effective monitoring of the home and regular staff supervision, appraisal and training, aiding their development of the skills and competencies necessary for their work. The manager has updated the statement of purpose since the last inspection. He has shared his updates with the staff team and discussed changes in staff meetings. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the aims, ethos and working

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Good

practice as described in the statement of purpose. All referrals to the home are rigorously scrutinised to ensure that they fit with the profile as described in the statement of purpose. These measures aid the provision of an effective and safe service for the young people accommodated. The manager has completed a workforce development plan which covers all of the aspects required. The plan clearly details the structure of the home and the processes for supporting staff development. The manager has constructed a separate training matrix which identifies staff training and ongoing training needs. Training for staff ensures that they acquire most of the necessary skills to work with young people as described in the statement of purpose. All staff have completed first aid awareness training. However, as previously mentioned, the manager has not ensured that all shifts have a member of staff with an appropriate

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Good

first aid qualification. Supervision is regular and allows staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice in the home. The manager records staff discussions in appropriate detail, including additional informal supervision sessions. All staff have annual appraisals which aid in their development. Staff and managers use the appraisal process appropriately to identify areas for development. Staff benefit from these appropriate professional supports to developing their skills and competencies in their care role. The manager maintains a development plan for the home. In this, he outlines his vision for the service and how he aims to achieve improved standards. In addition, he produces a report on the quality of care provided by the home. The manager covers all quality standards areas in his review of the home. The report provides a good overview of the conduct of the home. The manager includes an analysis and

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Good

evaluation of how effectively the home meets each quality standard; however, the report contains limited evidence of young people’s outcomes and progress. The report includes targets for each quality standard which are suitably challenging and inclusive of children and their families. The manager’s report on the home includes suitable targets to develop the service provided. However, he has not clearly constructed an ongoing action plan for the next six months from his evaluation of the previous six months. The independent person visits the home at least once each month and supplies a report on the visit in a timely manner. The reports contain a good audit of the young people’s files and the maintenance of records in the home. However, the registered person has not ensured that the visitor comments on whether the home is effectively safeguarding children or if the home promotes their welfare. The registered manager works effectively with other professionals. A social worker

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Good

completed a point-in-time survey, saying, ‘I had effective communication with the home and good joint working.’ A teacher praised the registered manager and said that relationships with the home are now good with good attendance and contribution in all meetings and school events. Young people benefit from the good joint working from the manager with other professionals.

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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 that 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

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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