Children's home run by Hamelin Trust in Basildon

Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 1 SC018039 Registered provider: Hamelin Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is run by a registered charity trust. The home provides short-term respite care for children and young people who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities, some of whom may also have sensory impairment. The home is registered for six children.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 November 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: 7 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: None.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The children are nurtured. They trust and value the relationships that they have with staff.  Good partnership working means that the children and their families are able to access the support they need.  Professionals and parents are complimentary about the service, highlighting that this highly valued short-break service ensures that children’s individual needs are well met.  The children benefit from being cared for by staff who know them well, and who ensure that their preferences for daily routines and a calm and ordered environment are fulfilled.  Staff consistently employ communication regimes which help the children gain more control over their environment.  The children enjoy their short breaks. They are safe, happy and relaxed, enjoying opportunities to take part in activities and pastimes that otherwise would not be available to them.  Detailed individualised care plans and risk assessments paint a picture of each

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Key findings from this inspection

child and really help the staff to understand them and their support needs.  The service is well managed by a manager who is able to maintain the balance between management and a hands-on approach to the children who are accessing the service. The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Ensure that all staff complete a suitable professional qualification in working with children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/08/2016 Full Good 14/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/05/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, the level 3 diploma in residential childcare (England), within two years of working in a care role in a children’s home. (Regulation 32(3)(b)(4)(a)(5)(a)) 02/04/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides short breaks to children who have learning disabilities and associated complex communication, health and behaviour support needs. Many of the children have enjoyed short breaks at the service for a significant proportion of their lives and, as a result, the staff have become an integral part of the team around the child. The consistency of staff helps the children feel safe and settled in their environment. This is particularly important for those children who are often unable to verbally articulate their emotions and anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

While there were no children were staying at the home during this inspection, it is clear that the children and young people enjoy and look forward to their short breaks. One young person told the inspector on the telephone, ‘It’s excellent and good. I do look forward to coming. I count down the days until I come. I love it, I love it.’ The children’s parents said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

 ‘He counts down the days before he goes on each break. He helps pack and gets so excited every single time, it’s unbelievable.’  ‘When he knows he’s coming, he updates the calendar and count the days. He even wanted to have his birthday at the house.’  ‘She loves it. When she sees it she shrieks with glee.’  ‘Of all the places he’s been to, he says this is top of the list.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The level of progress made by the children is highly individual in accordance with their particular disabilities. The children are well supported by the staff to develop their skills Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 4 and maintain optimum health. The staff ensure that the children’s complex care needs and medication are well managed. The children are appropriately stimulated and enjoy a variety of physical and sensory activities that promote a better understanding of the world around them. The children are encouraged to develop their personal skills to the best of their abilities. For example, one parent said, ‘He is developing independence skills. He’s been cooking and he helps to do the washing up, because he wants to.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Inclusion is central to the organisation’s philosophy of care and the staff effectively embed various photographic, pictorial and symbol systems into the day-to-day life of the home. This promotes the children’s use of communication systems and their ability to express their needs and desires. Consultation and communication are embedded into the support that children receive. For example, the children are encouraged to have their say about what they want from their short break using the ‘wish box’. This has enabled many of the children to direct aspects of their short breaks, and has provided opportunities for them to enjoy things they otherwise would not. As a result, the children really enjoy and look forward to their short breaks. One young person said, ‘We go out places. I like the bowling and the cinema. We went to the fireworks last time I came. It was great, I loved it.’ Personalised photograph books help the children remember and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work well in partnership with the children, parents and professionals and as a result the staff are held in high esteem. The parents said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

 ‘The staff are very caring and supportive. They look after my children very well. It’s a good to brilliant service, the children really like it.’  ‘It’s a home from home for him and the staff are absolutely lovely.’  ‘It’s the first place I’ve been able to take him that can actually supply him with a meal. They are able to cater for his every need.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals comment on how flexible and child focused the service is. The staff really try to meet each family’s needs in times of crisis and ensure that the child’s needs are central to the support provided. For example, they provided options such as shared-care arrangements or even daytime support during one child’s school exclusion. One foster parent said in respect of the staff support provided through an extended crisis, ‘If it hadn’t have been for them, I don’t think I would have been able to keep him.’ The staff’s responsiveness to families’ needs has therefore been essential, and on occasion has prevented the child from potentially moving into long-term residential care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager undertakes a comprehensive assessment and ensures a well-planned transition, led by the child and the family, prior to each child using the service for the first time. One parent said, ‘It was lovely for the manager to say we really want to be able to help you.’ They described how they felt exceptionally well-supported by the staff throughout. As a result, the child has settled well and the parents experience a reduction in separation anxiety. Good-quality assessments and short-break plans guide staff effectively in how to meet the individual children’s complex needs. The short-break plan is child focused and highly individualised, giving staff a clear sense of the child’s personality, interests, likes, dislikes and needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 5 When the children require alternative services, such as a full-time placement or an adult residential short break, the manager ensures that sensitive, well-planned transitions take

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

place, involving all key people. This minimises distress for the vulnerable children and helps to ensure that the routines which help them feel safe and secure are adhered to. This strong partnership approach ensures that the children and their families continue to feel well supported.

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

The staff are well trained and conversant in the home’s policies and procedures for safeguarding. The staff understand the particular issues which can increase disabled children’s vulnerability, and are keenly aware that keeping them safe is their core duty. One professional said that the staff are very committed to the children’s welfare and described strong safeguarding partnerships, saying, ‘They want to get it right.’

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

The manager ensures that the building and all equipment used are safe. The manager ensures that any potential issues are swiftly addressed and there have been no safeguarding concerns.

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

The children feel safe and are safe. One child said, ‘Yes, I do feel safe. There’s nothing I would change.’ The families of non-verbal children say their children clearly show that they feel safe. One parent said, ‘He has never showed any anxiety or resistance to any of the staff, which shows he really does trust them.’ Another said, ‘I know he is 100% safe. He absolutely loves it there; he’s loved it from day dot.’

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

The staff ensure that the routines that are important to children, particularly those who have autistic spectrum disorders, are followed. This helps the children feel safe and enjoy their short breaks. Behaviour management is appropriate and sensitive to each child’s particular needs. The staff understand behaviour as a means of communication, and seek to understand the child’s needs and what is causing any challenging behaviour. One parent said, ‘It was a pleasant surprise that they [the staff] were so empathetic and looked at how they could do things differently to prevent such an incident happening again. The difference in attitude between them and somewhere else is amazing.’

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

Significant incidents are rare and when they occur, the staff manage these complex situations effectively. The manager effectively reviews any accidents, incidents or near misses, ensuring that all children are well safeguarded. The staff are suitably trained and are clear on the thresholds for the use of physical intervention and environmental restraint. Physical restraint is rarely used and the staff keep themselves and others safe by de-escalation, distraction and breakaway techniques. Due to the complex needs of some children, environmental restraints, such as lap and leg straps, are regularly used and there are written agreements around the use of these measures. This means that parents and professionals have all agreed that the use is in the child’s best interests and their freedom of movement is not being inappropriately curtailed. Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 6 Some young adults continue to enjoy short breaks past their 18th birthdays and the

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

manager is sensitive to appropriately matching the groups of young people according to their needs and personalities, to ensure that risk is appropriately managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is an effectively managed home which is well led by a suitably qualified, motivated and experienced registered manager. Equality, diversity and inclusion are threaded through the service and the children receive high-quality, individualised care and support. This well-resourced home delivers a high-quality, individualised caring experience to children in accordance with the statement of purpose. The children really look forward to and enjoy their short breaks, as they have fun. One young person said, ‘My favourite staff are [X] and [X]; they’re crazy and nutty, they make me laugh!’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are well supported by a manager who role models child-focused practice effectively. They enjoy working at the home and the children benefit from the staff’s enthusiasm. Most, but not all, staff who have been working with children in this or another children’s home for over two years have completed their level 3 diploma in residential childcare. There is no demonstrable negative outcome for the children from these remaining staff having yet to complete their diploma. This is because effective staff induction, supervision and training programmes ensure that the staff are competent and well supported. Different types of relevant training, such as deprivation of liberty and mental capacity, are provided to the staff in order to enhance their professional development and ensure that they competently meet the needs of disabled children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff constantly seek children’s thoughts, wishes and feelings, and feedback from parents. Key policies, surveys and information for the children are provided in the formats which are most accessible to them. The manager deals with any issues raised sensitively and effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager communicates closely with parents and partner agencies to build strong partnership working and thus ensure that the children receive the best possible all-round support. As a result of these close relationships, families and partner agencies consistently rate the home as ‘good’ to ‘brilliant’. They are particularly complimentary about the dedication of the staff. Parents said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

 ‘The staff are fantastic, I can’t find any faults.’  ‘They are genuinely dedicated and caring staff.’  ‘All of them are absolutely brilliant caring staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Quality-monitoring systems are effective. The manager has clear aspirations for further development of the service to enhance children’s experiences during their short breaks. The manager keeps a keen eye on areas for development. For example, they are reviewing the current system for monitoring children’s individual progress, as it does not fit with the very particular characteristics of a short-break service for disabled children. Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 7 The manager is consistently successful in addressing any requirements or recommendations set at inspection. The manager retains good oversight and demonstrates continued commitment to driving improvement. One requirement has been made at this inspection; however, this does not impact on the consistently positive experiences of the children. One young person summed up their thoughts about the home as, ‘It’s brilliant; 10 out of 10.’

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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 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: SC018039 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 19, Radford Crescent, Billericay, Essex CM12 0DU

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Frances-Anne Callaghan

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Inspector

Joanna Heller: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC018039 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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