Children's home run by Hollybank Trust in Kirklees

Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 1 SC034415 Registered provider: Hollybank Trust

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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 is owned and operated as a charitable trust. It provides long-term care for up to eight children or young people who have complex health needs and/or profound learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. There is separate accommodation for a further seven children or young people who use the short-break service.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff are aware of the children and young people’s preferred and varied communication methods. As a result, the children and young people are able to make choices and have their needs met by the staff.  The staff maintain regular communication with parents and professionals to plan effectively for the children and young people. The management team continues to explore ways to incorporate consultation to improve the care given to the children and young people.  The children and young people receive individualised care, which is planned in partnership with parents, carers and professionals. The staff quickly implement learning and take immediate action to ensure that the children and young people’s presenting needs are met.

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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

 There is no registered manager for the home, which could affect the stability of the leadership and management.  The interim manager needs to further develop her understanding about the regulations and quality standards for a children’s home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/11/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirements Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)) 19/01/2018

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must— supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(4)(a)) 19/01/2018

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Requirements Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 19/01/2018

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Recommendation

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make the best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) This is with particular reference to the manager developing her knowledge around the children’s home regulations. This is to ensure that HMCI receives all required information about the home. However, this is not having a direct impact on the children and young people within the home and the quality of care that they receive. Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people make varying levels of progress, and these achievements are celebrated and recorded. For one young person, her area for development was to build upon her motor skills and to pick up and manoeuvre a ball. Another girl was initially on a continuous gastrostomy feed, and the agreed progression was for her to start tasting blended foods. Through the staff’s child-focused practice and perseverance, the children and young people are fulfilling their aims and achievements that have a life- impacting effect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people continue to enjoy continuity of care from a dedicated and well-established staff team. The staff know the children and young people well, and this means that their experiences are positive as a result of the rapport and familiarity that the children and young people have established with the staff. The staff engage well with the children and young people using a range of individualised communication methods. This interaction was evident and the staff were highly attuned to the children and young people’s wishes, and their responses to choices. A professional said: ‘I cannot raise any concerns as the service is a very good one.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people receive highly individualised care. The range of disabilities and learning needs of the children and young people are clearly understood and thoroughly assessed through the pre-assessment information and post assessment criteria process. The care plans are regularly reviewed and updated, including changes in medication and daily feeding routines. When the children and young people are admitted into the long-term provision, this is planned effectively by the manager. As a result of this thorough understanding of pertinent needs and likes, it means that staff were able to provide a child with immediate comfort upon her admission. This was achieved by the staff singing to her, as this was a technique that was implemented in her initial care plan after discussions with her parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people who reside in the home full time are supported to attend the trust’s education provision. The staff have developed their practice and are accompanying the children and young people into school. The children and young people are embracing this and like the familiarity of voices moving across provisions with them. This process is providing the staff with a greater depth of understanding about how the children and young people behave and respond in different environments, thus creating more detailed plans for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people experience a range of activities and resources both in the home and community. They are exposed to sensory play, a hydrotherapy pool and extensive grounds, which are being further developed to include a wheelchair-accessible trampoline. The staff endeavour to take the children and young people out and about during their respite period. Photographic documents capture the children and young people’s happiness and excitement during these times. Through inclusive work, the staff are building relationships with the community. Better relationships are addressing any Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 5 negative connotations around disabilities. Children from a local school were observed performing Christmas songs to the children and young people, which was well received. A parent said: ‘We are particularly pleased that the staff support [child] to enjoy age- appropriate activities. He had recently been to an Olly Murs concert for his birthday and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

is planning to go to a Little Mix concert.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are treated with dignity, and the staff meet their individual needs with the respect that they deserve. Where the children and young people have the ability to use ‘switches’, the staff have created and implemented these within their environment, providing them a level of independence. Where the children and young people are able to meet their own needs, this is encouraged, and the staff are continually encouraging the concept of choice. In addition, the children and young people have been involved in the ‘quality network review’ that seeks to work with them and check what life is like living in the home and how it can be improved.

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

The children and young people are safeguarded effectively, their individual disabilities and complex needs are understood and the staff offer a high standard of care. The staff are trained in a range of disciplines and there is pictorial guidance to support the staff to place a particular child in to their sleep system effectively. Complaints are listened to, reviewed and responded to appropriately by the manager and senior leadership team. When it is identified that there are lessons to be learned, practice is changed and action taken to improve the service that is provided to the children and young people. A parent said: ‘I feel that the home is a safe place to be, with security measures ensuring that no- one enters or leaves the home without staff knowing about it.’

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

The children and young people have the required aids and adaptation to meet their individual needs. These needs are assessed by the physiotherapist prior to the children and young people’s admission. When it is identified that new aids are required, they are implemented with little delay. For example, a child received a new wheelchair. The physiotherapist completes and reviews this element of the care plans for the care team to use. The physiotherapist also helps the children and young people with their daily stretches, which are also being taught to the care team. The staff were also seen to support a young person to use their arm guards as an additional form of protection from harm to themselves.

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

Each child and young person has a completed risk assessment that covers all aspects of their care and experiences during their respite period or long-term placement. Health plans clearly record their assessed risks and vulnerabilities, and revised procedures have been put in place to monitor changes to medication and feeding regimes. The children and young people were seen to be fully supported during their meal times, and this was in line with the individual eating and drinking plans which are devised and reviewed by the speech and language therapist. For one young person, they received tactile care from staff, as this promotes them to eat.

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

To further support the children and young people’s health needs, the administration of Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 6 medication has been reviewed. This includes a detailed procedure for the administration of ‘required as needed’ medication. The staff use the medicine record to identify the child or young person’s presenting behaviours and appearance and how this, combined with other considerations, could identify whether they are in pain and require the administration of medication. This practice ensures that the children and young people receive the required pain relief. The issue regarding capacity is also recorded in this document to ensure that there is evident work about what the staff have done to support the children and young people to understand why they need to take their medication.

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

The manager ensures that the children and young people are safe by only appointing staff through a safe recruitment processes. In addition, when the staff members commence the role they undertake training to provide them with the skills to safeguard the children and young people. Through discussion, the staff, irrespective of their length of employment, confidently share their safeguarding knowledge, expressing confidence in how they meet the immediate needs of the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the time of this inspection, there was no registered manager in post. The trust has taken active steps to appoint an acting manager. The senior team is taking appropriate steps to recruit the right candidate to be the registered manager. A staff member said: ‘I think the new manager is good, we needed change. She has brought more autonomy to the staff and we are able to share our ideas. I was able to develop the children’s time with their families, and we have family fun days when children can interact together with all family members whilst doing activities. The families report that they are enjoying this time.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Through reflection, the leadership team has identified the need to build on the skills of the management team around the regulations and quality standards for children’s homes. The acting manager now has a clear action plan to strengthen her oversight and responsibilities. However, at this time the internal and independent auditing of the home does not meet regulation. In addition, there are delays in HMCI having oversight of notifications and the statement of purpose. However, these deficits are not having a direct impact on the children and young people within the home or the quality of care that they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and management team is proud that despite the complexities of the children and young people, the home still presents as a homely and a welcoming environment. The home is personalised with photos of the children and young people. A parent said: ‘The staff make great efforts to improve my son’s bedroom. This includes purchasing lighter-coloured furniture and new wardrobe doors, which are quieter than hinged doors, as sudden noises have been known to bring about seizures for [child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the strengths of the home and the areas that she wishes to develop. This oversight incorporates staff’s practice, which is regularly reviewed through practice-based supervision. The manager embraces the staff’s skills and encourages Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 7 them to undertake regular training to further develop their knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is effective and there is regular consultation with parents, carers and professionals. The trust has introduced online communication via an iPad. This system is also being used to measure the children and young people’s aims and objectives. This is a good tool to develop working together as parents can securely review and add to their child’s records. The staff have also developed a record, ‘My stay at Orchard Court’, to capture the children and young people’s time during their short break. A parent said: ‘I find the parents’ forum really helpful in communicating with the managers of the home and also sharing experiences and information with other parents.’

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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: SC034415 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Far Common Road, Mirfield, West Yorkshire WF14 0DQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kathleen Eastwood

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Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, social care inspector Cath Sikakana, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC034415 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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