Children's home run by North Yorkshire County Council in North Yorkshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people continue to benefit from having short breaks in a spacious, purpose-built home. They enjoy staying at the home and staff are creative, using fun activities to develop personal care skills. Children and young people get lots of fresh air and exercise to help them stay healthy. Children and young people are carefully matched together. This helps them enjoy spending time going out as a group and develops their social skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The high ratio of staff and effective monitoring processes keep children and young people safe and protected during their stay. Careful planning by staff allows young people with challenging behaviour to have experiences in the community. Staff choose quiet times to avoid children and young people being overwhelmed in busy public areas. This enhances children and young people’s everyday life experiences and develops additional skills such as eating out in public.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The dedicated staff team has many years of experience and its members have a warm and caring relationship with the children and young people. Some have been having short breaks at the home for many years, so staff know them very well. Staff meet children and young people’s complex healthcare needs. Meals are varied and nutritious, with specialist diets and feeding catered for. A social worker said, ‘Staff have a high level of skills in caring for children and young people with complex needs.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff set individual targets for children and young people within the detailed care plans; for example, looking at whether a young person would accept wearing a sleep apnoea mask. Staff discuss progress made, setting new targets at the team’s group supervision meeting. This ensures that children and young people continue to make progress. Comprehensive risk assessments are highly individualised, given the complex needs of the children and young people. Staff know what strategies to use to keep children and young people safe and protected.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, staff have supported some young people in transition from the home. Parents of the one child who has recently started attending the home report that she is settling well. A parent said, ‘Staff are fantastic and brilliant. They are very caring and can’t do enough for the young people.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The number of children and young people using the service is currently low. A local authority review of short-break provisions is being undertaken. A social worker confirmed that he could make referrals to the provision and packages of care for existing children and young people can be increased. However, staff report that until the review is completed, it is unclear how the home will be used in the future. This is causing some anxiety for staff who have worked at the home for many years.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is currently off work. The provider has confirmed that this will be until 31 March 2017. The registered manager of a neighbouring short-break provision is the interim acting manager. The deputy manager has also increased her duties. Because of the changes taking place, staff report they are, ‘Closer as a team. We have good team meetings and discuss the development of the service and how to move forward. As a team, we are good at coming up with new ideas.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The deputy manager monitors the care plans and this scrutiny detects shortfalls and omissions, for example medication recording errors. There are still some minor medication recording errors despite staff practice being addressed within regular supervision sessions and team meetings. This is a concern, given the number of children and young people who take medication. To resolve this, the deputy manager has booked a team day to provide further medication training to staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have good working relationships with family members who feel able to complain when necessary. There is prompt investigation of complaints, with records detailing the action taken. However, on one occasion the complaints procedure was not followed and aspects of the outcome not clearly detailed. Although the complainant felt that their complaint was addressed, the records do not demonstrate that all of the points and practice issues have been answered.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have sensory impairment, learning and/or physical disabilities. It is operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/11/2016 Full Outstanding 27/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/10/2015 Full Good 09/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that: a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23(1) (2) (c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, to ensure that staff have up-to-date training around recording of medication. 01/05/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Regulation 39 sets out the requirement on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.13)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that the complaints procedure is followed when a complaint is made. Ensure that full is action taken and outcomes are detailed in the records, especially when and how practice issues are addressed with staff.

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 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 children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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