Children's Home run by Fairfield Residential Limited in Trafford

Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 1 SC387148 Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. The home is run by a private company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 25 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff provide children and young people with a wide range of stimulating activities that increase their social interaction.  Professionals and parents confirm that the home is having a positive impact on the progress of young people.  Staff work well to prepare young people for significant transitions that occur in their lives.  Observations confirm that young people have good relationships with the staff, who respond well to them.  Young people receive high levels of supervision that help to keep them safe.  Young people are supported to develop a level of independence in their daily lives that is dependent on their abilities.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s individual targets are not measured, so it is difficult to see how the manager tracks their progress.  Staff have not signed young people’s risk assessments to demonstrate that they have read and understand them.  Staff have not undertaken training in autistic spectrum disorder to enhance their practice in their specialist area.  The recommendation made at the last inspection in relation to the training matrix has not been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 02/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/06/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This specifically relates to staff signing each young person’s risk assessments to demonstrate that they have read and understand the risks associated with providing care and support to each young person. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. This specifically relates to the monitoring of young people’s personal targets to capture progress and to plan the next step. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)  Ensure the registered person undertakes a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children.('Guide to the children's home regulations including the quality standards, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home cares for young people who may have autism and other associated difficulties. The staff have a good understanding of each young person’s needs, and this ensures that they are safely and effectively cared for. Observation of interaction between the young people and staff throughout the inspection demonstrates that staff are positive and supportive towards young people. Young people continue to make progress because they enjoy access to a range of social, recreational and educational opportunities that enhance their knowledge and experiences. Those young people with little or no verbal communication were observed seeking the staff out for help and re-assurance. The staff are effective at recognising non-verbal Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 5 cues from young people. For example, when a young person was showing signs of distress, a member of staff recognised it was because the young person did not like the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

tune that was playing on his phone, so quickly changed this for him. Another young person’s mobility has increased following a reduction in their medication. Young people’s care plans and individual development targets ensure that staff know how to support each young person. However, their individual targets are not currently being measured, and this makes it difficult to see how the manager and staff are tracking young people’s progress. Staff encourage the young people to contribute their views and opinions, dependent on each of their communication styles and ability. For example, some young people use a pictorial exchange system (PECS) that they use in school, which enables them to ask for help when needed. A young person enjoys one-to-one time with the registered manager each week. This gives the young person the opportunity to discuss any concerns or worries that maybe impacting on her. Consequently, this has reduced her anxieties and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

significantly contributed to the reduction in her anxiety-related behaviours. All young people attend school or college. The staff ensure that young people’s routines support their participation. There is regular liaison between home and all the schools to ensure that the young people’s learning needs are fully supported. Staff supported one young person to complete her CV and hand this out to some local businesses. As a result, the young person has secured herself some voluntary work at a local hospital. The young person commented, ‘I absolutely love it [working].’ This has helped to improve her confidence and feelings of self-worth. Young people’s health needs are effectively supported. Staff work well with parents and health professionals to ensure improvements in young people’s overall health and well- being, including regular medication reviews. The home has safe and effective medication arrangements in place and the staff receive effective training in how to administer

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

medication safely. Management recognise the importance of transitional work to help young people understand why change is happening and ensure that they are well prepared for moving on from the home. For example, one young person who was preparing to move on was gradually introduced to his new home over a number of weeks. This ensured a smooth transition and continuity in his care, as well as keeping his transitional anxieties to an absolute minimum. The home supports young people to experience a range of activities. They visit the beach, go shopping, regularly visit the farm and go the science museum. One young person recently enjoyed her first visit to a disco. Staff take lots of photos during these activities so that young people have memories of their time at the home. Staff work proactively and positively with family members to promote safe and meaningful contact. Young people make progress in their independent living and self-care skills dependent

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

on their needs. For example, some young people develop a level of independence in their bathing and toileting. One young person is now travelling independently on public transport and regularly goes shopping for food items. This has significantly enhanced their life skills. Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 6

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding vulnerable young people. Staff are experienced in safeguarding young people, and have a sound knowledge in safer care practices. Comprehensive risk assessments provide clear direction to staff in order to support young people to live safely in the home and to spend time in the community. However, staff have not signed the risk assessments to demonstrate that they have read and understood them. High staffing ratios ensure that the young people do not go missing from the home. Staff do not use sanctions to modify behaviour. There has been one physical intervention since the last inspection. Records show that this was a low level intervention to prevent the young person from hurting themselves and the member of staff when they became distressed during a car journey. Despite a lack of training, staff have a good understanding of caring for young people

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

with autistic spectrum disorder. Staff are able to identify triggers in behaviour and implement sensory activity to help individual young people to self-regulate. This increases their sense of security and leads to improvements in self-harming behaviours. There have been no safeguarding concerns or complaints about staff since the last inspection. Parents confirm that there is effective communication between them and the manager, which means that any complaints or grumbles they may have are resolved swiftly. All staff are checked and vetted as part of the organisation’s recruitment procedures. Staff ensure that visitors provide identification before entering the home and are suitably monitored throughout their visit. This ensures that young people are protected from unsuitable people who may pose a risk to them. Young people live in a physically safe and secure environment. They are protected by a number of health and safety procedures and routine checks. The home is clean and free

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. She has been registered with Ofsted since December 2015. She provides effective leadership and direction to the staff team. The manager is well supported by a service manager and two senior care workers. Together, they are committed to delivering good-quality care to young people with highly complex needs. A professional commented, ‘The management is proactive in ensuring and striving towards ensuring [name] gets the best outcome she deserves.’ A member of staff said, ‘This is a good place to work and the managers are approachable.’ The statement of purpose, which is kept under review, clearly sets out the ethos and objectives of the home. Young people continue to make small but measurable progress because they receive good-quality and stable care. This was confirmed by both parents Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 7 and professionals. A professional commented, ‘I have to say I am encouraged and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

impressed, this is the most appropriate placement. I am impressed with the comprehensive and robust assessment they have done identifying and addressing her needs. She has had a number of previous placements, this was down to her communication and complex needs not being understood.’ Following the last inspection, the manager has increased the number of permanent staff. However, there is still a reliance on bank staff to cover gaps in the rotas. The home does use a pool of regular bank workers to ensure that consistency for young people is maintained. Staff confirm there are good support systems in place, including regular supervision and team meetings. Staff either hold or are working towards a relevant childcare qualification. However, the training matrix still does not provide a clear account of the mandatory training that staff have undertaken. Therefore, the recommendation from the last inspection regarding the home’s workforce plan is repeated. Some staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

have only undertaken a basic autism awareness course, and they have received no training in the use of PECS to ensure that they are up to date in their specialised area. The manager has addressed the one requirement and two of the recommendations made at the last inspection. The manager and provider effectively monitor the operation of the home to ensure that the quality of care is maintained. The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The home’s development plan clearly identifies targets going forward to help improve the service.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Ltd

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Inspector

Michelle Bacon, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC387148 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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