Children's Home run by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in North Northamptonshire

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 breaks home provides a child-centred environment, and nurturing care by skilled, experienced staff.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children are well supervised and monitored in this home, and staff prepare carefully for each child’s stay.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children have detailed placement plans, informed by social workers’ and involved professionals’ assessment of needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff carefully plan and prepare so that children can safely enjoy a range of activities and interests.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is a need to refurbish one of the bathrooms to prevent hazards for children, and a small number of staff need to complete their childcare qualifications.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

(2)The registered person is required to ensure:-

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm

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Requirement Due date

(d) that the premises used for the purposes of home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. This specifically refers to the essential refurbishment and maintenance of a bathroom, and ensuring a risk assessment is in place to prevent children using this bathroom independently until the refurbishment is completed. 20/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification. (Regulation 32 (4)) 03/04/2017

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Information about this children's home

This home, operated by a healthcare trust, is a six-bedded residential short breaks service for children and young people with learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/08/2015 Full Good 06/01/2015 Full Good 05/06/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

This children’s home provides good short breaks for children with learning disabilities and associated health conditions. Since the last inspection, the garden area has been improved; there are more displays of children’s activities and themed displays to encourage children’s interests. The manager and staff support children to feel comfortable in a relaxed, child-friendly environment.

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Good

When children are referred for short breaks, the manager ensures all information is shared. Staff visit the families, who provide helpful information about children’s routines, likes and dislikes. Staff share information with families about the home and encourage the children and families to visit. When it is agreed for a child to receive short breaks, the manager will consider the peer group that is the best match for that child’s needs.

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Good

Children have detailed placement plans, informed by social workers’ and involved professionals’ assessment of needs. This helps staff to prepare for, and meet, each child’s needs.

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Good

Placement plans include up-to-date health information, so that children’s specific needs can be met, for example some children may have difficult sleep patterns, and specific dietary needs. Some children have a range of prescribed medication. Staff check that information about medication is correct for each stay. This home has safe arrangements in place for dispensing medication; there is a medication room that provides a controlled environment for preparing and recording medication. Children’s health needs are met during their stays.

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Good

Staff visit relevant education placements to learn about children’s needs and abilities and their preferred methods of communication. Each child has ‘goals’. These are targets, chosen to encourage children to make progress, and are regularly reviewed.

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Good

Staff also develop and maintain a ‘my journey’ book with the children. This captures the story of their stays, including photographs and progress made. Children’s information includes ‘all about me’, an opportunity for children and families to share personal likes, dislikes, abilities, routines. This is regularly updated. A social worker reported: ’When I visit the home, it is unannounced. Staff are always very receptive, there is a positive atmosphere, and children are engaging with staff. There is a good staff-to-child ratio.’ There has been an increase in children taking part in activities since the last inspection. Staff plan and prepare well so that children can safely attend a wide range of activities. Children have been swimming, attended a music group, and visited parks and canals. Some children recently visited the national space centre and an animal holding farm. There are displays about recent trips and activities in

p.6

Good

Staff have a daily handover of information, and plan the shift so that there are detailed arrangements for each child, including planned activities.

p.7

Good

The inspector observed staff prepare to take children out and accompanied staff and children on a trip to a nearby outdoor activity centre. The group of children had been well matched for their stay, sharing abilities, tolerances and enjoying each other’s company. Staff ensured that they had information for emergencies, essential medication and appropriate food and snacks. The children enjoyed their trip, demonstrated by positive verbal feedback and by smiles and laughter. Two of the children are wheelchair users, and, as part of the preparation, staff had researched access.

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Good

A member of staff said: ‘We want this to be a fun, child-focused home, for all of the children. We have routines and boundaries but it is also a break for them, an opportunity to socialise with other children and try different experiences and activities.’

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Good

Staff know children’s individual needs well, they take account of their identities, their cultural needs, their personalities, likes and dislikes. Staff attend and contribute to planning meetings. Staff report that they find such meetings helpful to understanding each child’s needs. Families report that they believe their children benefit from having staff contribute to their assessments and plans.

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Good

The staff support families with transition plans for young people. They share information about needs and life skills with providers of future adult placements. They support young people and families to visit these places as well. In this way, young people are well supported to move on from their short breaks in this home. Judgement grade

p.7

Good

Children are well supervised and monitored in this home according to their individual needs.

p.8

Good

Many of the children require high levels of care, and personal care plans provide detailed guidance for staff. Staff prepare for each child’s needs before their stay. This includes ensuring there are sufficient staff to manage their needs and any risks safely.

p.8

Good

A parent said: ’The Squirrels is a kind and caring environment. Staff are patient and nurturing. I have peace of mind when my daughter goes. She loves going and counts the days down on the calendar.’

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Good

Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training, which enables them to understand the additional vulnerabilities and risks for disabled children.

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Good

Staff understand that children with limited communication, some of whom are non- verbal, need to be supported to complain, or raise concerns. Staff carefully observe and record in detail if a child is showing distress or anxieties. Professionals and parents are encouraged to advocate on children’s behalf.

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Good

Placement plans include information about children’s communication skills and preferred methods of communication. Staff seek children’s views, wishes and feelings. They also explore with family and professionals how children are feeling and presenting. This information contributes to continuous risk assessments.

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Good

Staff respond to concerning behaviours, such as self-harming. Occasionally, as a result of his or her needs, a child may target other children. Staff intervene appropriately to keep children safe. They are also well trained in and use low-level interventions.

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Good

There have been no incidents of physical restraint, or of children going missing. Staff are familiar with local authority missing procedures, and children’s risk assessments include any concerns about children running away from staff when they are out. There are also ‘grab sheets’ which have up-to-date information and photographs for emergency situations, such as a child running off. This means that staff are prepared for emergencies, and keep children safe.

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Good

Placement plans contain detailed risk assessment and risk reduction strategies. These include information about triggers to behaviours that may present risks. Staff are skilled in managing challenging behaviours and in distracting children.

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Good

A social worker reported: ’I am confident that staff follow child protection procedures. I have received appropriate concerns and referrals. In my experience, children very rarely have accidents or injuries in this home.’

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Good

Staff continue to assess children’s behaviours and respond to emerging needs. They liaise with specialist agencies and social workers. An example of this is that the manager recently requested a multi-agency meeting for one child when his behaviours changed and he began targeting other vulnerable children.

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Good

Staff have received training and understand the policies and procedures regarding allegations against staff who work with children. There have not been any referrals to the designated officer since the last inspection.

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Good

There is a shortfall identified in the provision of a safe environment. One of the bathrooms requires refurbishment, to ensure adapted equipment is reliable to meet the needs of the children and that the bathroom is free from hazards. There should also be a risk assessment in place to ensure that children do not use this bathroom independently until this is completed.

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Good

The registered manager is a qualified nurse, experienced in residential care and management, and is currently completing an appropriate leadership and management qualification.

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Good

The registered manager and staff are very good at communicating with families and working in partnership with them. They are receptive and flexible when families have crises or additional needs.

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Good

The manager says his vision for the home is: ‘To continue to improve the service for the benefit of the children, to work with agencies and families to make this happen.’ He also wants to: ’Further embed the ethos of the Squirrels being a home from home.’

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Good

There have been a number of positive developments since the last full inspection. There have been improvements in the environment to make the home more child- centred. There has been a team development day focusing on shift leader skills, and a development day is planned for senior staff across the three health trust short breaks services, to enhance skills and knowledge.

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Good

The senior staff have been auditing all of the children’s ‘goals’, with a view to ensuring they are aspirational, they are consistent with, or link to, education targets and that they are making a difference for children. They are ensuring that goals have been reviewed in a timely way and changed when they are met.

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Good

There has been progress in staff developing and maintaining a ‘my journey’ book for all of the children. A record of each child’s personal story, such as favourite activities, achievements, and friendships developed during their stays.

p.10

Good

There has been recruitment of new staff as staff have moved on. Recent recruitment was for two posts for qualified nurses, and these staff have brought new skills and enthusiasm. One member of staff is now lead for linking with schools, and will focus particularly on enhancing information and knowledge about the communication methods and skills of children.

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Good

There is an identified link social worker with the commissioning local authority, and the manager reports that this has improved communication and liaison. There has been progress in receiving essential information and children’s plans in a timely way. Staff attend planning meetings, gaining helpful information and contributing to assessments and plans.

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Good

The manager and the team recognise that an area for continued development is supporting children to make choices and to contribute to their plans, and capturing the evidence of this. They have a consultation book, where staff record children’s views about activities, likes and dislikes, expressed or assessed during their stays.

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Good

The managers have listened to feedback regarding the improvement of independent visitors’ reports, and recent reports have included evaluation of incidents. Also, visits are taking place at times when children can be observed in placement.

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Good

The manager regularly meets with colleagues to share knowledge and skills and agree plans to further develop the short break services.

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Good

There are a range of quality assurance mechanisms in place to review the effectiveness of the service. Recently, the home has benefited from access to the health trust’s database; daily records and children’s plans are now inputted directly to this. This improves timely sharing of information. There has been reduced staff sickness. Staff attend and contribute to regular staff meetings. The meetings include a discussion about children’s needs, safeguarding and practice development. Staff benefit from training and development opportunities.

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Good

There is a shortfall in respect of staff qualifications. There is a small number of staff who have not completed their childcare qualification within the regulatory timescales. They are undertaking the relevant qualification and are expected to qualify by April 2017.

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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 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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