Children's home run by Kids

Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 1 SC454707 Registered provider: Kids

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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 is a private short-break children’s home operated by a charity. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than seven children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. It may only accommodate children or young adults under short- break arrangements.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 21 to 22 September 2017

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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: 10 October 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have an excellent understanding of each young person’s needs and how these are to be met. Staff place young people’s well-being at the centre of their practice. They act as advocates for the young people and their families.  Young people’s personal care is delivered sensitively, ensuring that their dignity and privacy is respected.  Consultation with young people and their families is good. This information is used to improve practice.  The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement.  The quality of the environment has improved. Staff have made the home comfortable, welcoming and nurturing for the young people. The provision of greenhouses and a herb garden have been greatly beneficially for the young people.

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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

 The reports from the independent visitor do not provide effective challenge and do not assist the registered manager in developing practice.  As part of the recruitment process, a scoring system is used for interviews. Currently, there is no explanation of the scoring system and interview notes do not record a decision about whether to appoint or not.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/05/2016 Full Good 27/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/06/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 3

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Recommendations

 Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.9). In particular, these reports should provide challenge which enables the service to improve.

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1). In particular, the record of staff interviews should include an explanation of the scoring system and record the decision to employ or not.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive excellent individualised care. One-to-one staffing levels ensure that young people are able to make the most of their time at the home, enjoy new experiences and develop new skills. At the heart of this work is the excellent relationship staff have developed with the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The arrangements for young people moving into the home are well managed. The team works with parents and young people to ensure that this process takes place at a pace which is comfortable for them. Staff understand that parents can be anxious about someone else caring for their child, and so they take time to build relationships and trust.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide excellent support for young people who are leaving the home. Parents and other professionals praised the team for how it advocates on the young people and families’ behalf to ensure that the right placement is found.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for the young people in their care. Young people make good progress, especially with their independence skills. The record of young people’s achievements has recently been reviewed by the staff to make them more young person and user friendly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are very skilled at communicating with young people. They use a variety of communication methods, such as talking books. This enables young people to make choices and put forward their views and ideas. Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 4 Young people take part in a good range of activities. These are purposeful and fun, and improve young people’s access and engagement with the wider community. Parents say that their children get to do things now that they had not thought possible. One parent said her child is now able to use public transport.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked hard to provide young people with a comfortable, homely environment while incorporating any specialist equipment needed. The sensory room has been redecorated and new equipment has been installed. Young people really enjoy using this facility. In the garden, young people now have access to two greenhouses and raised herb beds. These provide young people with a sensory experience as well as enabling them to grow their own vegetables and fruit, which are used to prepare meals.

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

There are good safeguarding procedures in place, which protect young people from harm. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures and protocols. Designated safeguarding leads and the staff team receive regular safeguarding training.

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

Staff have an in depth understanding of young people’s individual needs and how to manage their behaviours. The main focus of behaviour management is positive reinforcement. Staff do not use restraint as they are skilled in the use of de-escalation. This has resulted in the number of incidents reducing.

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

Each young person has a bespoke risk assessment, which is kept up to date. These contain clear strategies for staff to reduce levels of identified risk.

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

There have been no incidents of young people going missing from the home. Each young person has a detailed missing-person protocol in place.

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

Young people have personal evacuation plans in relation to fire safety. These identify each young person’s specific needs and the additional assistance they may require in the event of a fire.

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

Young people’s healthcare needs are exceptionally well managed. Robust systems are in place to ensure that medication is correctly administered and stored. Young people’s healthcare plans are comprehensive, current and followed in practice. Staff receive training from a variety of healthcare professionals to ensure that their practice is of a high standard. Staff are trained in the use of specialist moving and handling equipment.

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

The vetting and appointment of staff is carried out in line with safer recruitment practices. This protects young people from those who may wish to harm them. Currently, a scoring system is used during interviews, but records of these do not provide an explanation of the scores or state the decision to employ or not. Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. He has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. There is a detailed development plan in place to further improve the home and enhance the experience of young people’s short breaks. In addition, he regularly monitors and reviews the quality of care and seeks the views of young people, parents, staff and other professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is regularly visited by an independent person. The reports of these visits cover all required areas but they do not provide challenge to act as an aid to drive forward improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are cared for by a committed, consistent staff team. All staff are very passionate about the work they do. They place high expectations upon themselves, which in turn leads to young people receiving excellent care and support. Parents say the staff team are ‘fantastic’ and that ‘nothing is too much trouble for them’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which is of a good quality. This enables them to reflect on and develop their working practices. Staff say they receive exceptional support from the managers and their peers. All staff receive an annual appraisal, which identifies their developmental needs. Staff training is of a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Consultation with young people, parents and other professionals is a strength of the service. Senior staff visit each family at least twice a year to gather views on what is being provided and look at how to improve the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager identified that the level of detail within young people’s records does not always demonstrate the high standard of care that young people receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose is current and provides an accurate reflection of 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 differences 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 whom 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 6 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: SC454707 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7–9 Elliotts Place, LONDON N1 8HX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Caroline Stevens

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC454707 8 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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