SC 040491

Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 1 SC040132 Registered provider: Cornwall Council

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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 registered children’s home operates as a short-break service and is run by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have learning difficulties. In total there are 18 children on its register.

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Information about this children’s home

A suitably qualified registered manager is in place.

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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: 18 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 2 11/08/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 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, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(d)) 25/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff undertake specialist training where required and that mandatory training is kept up to date. 25/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance; so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review risk assessments at regular intervals to consider necessity of continuing observation. 25/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from spending time in this short-breaks home. The care and support provided for each child are carefully planned following consultation with professional stakeholders, parents and children where possible. The experienced and qualified staff ensure an enjoyable and constructive stay for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into the home are carefully organised so that children settle well. For most, this is their first overnight stay away from parents. Staff take advice from parents about the child’s needs for introductions and will provide as much support as is needed. Each support package is bespoke. One parent was pleased to be provided with photos of the staff who will be working in the home when his son next visits. This allows the parent to prepare his son and to reduce any anxiety that he may have about who will be looking after him. Parents report that their children look forward to spending time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good use is made of community facilities so that children can get out and about to enjoy new and interesting activities. Children also benefit from spending time with peers outside of a school environment. Staff consider which children stay in the home together, often matching children who have similar interests and abilities. This maximises opportunities for sharing and making friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Specific targets help children to develop their independence skills. Several improvements are noted and include children taking responsibility for personal hygiene, dressing themselves and eating without help. Staff are also helping children to extend the range of foods that they eat, in attempts to encourage a better-balanced diet. Support and guidance for parents are readily available.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As children reach adulthood, the staff help with plans for them to access and move to adult services. Staff work in partnership with adult service providers and adult disability teams within the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment has improved over/in recent years as a result of the significant investment that has been made in providing additional resources and making the home cosy and more homely.

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

Children are safe in this home. Risks are carefully considered and documented. Risks are discussed as part of the daily planning meetings that staff have when they arrive for work each day. The staff reflect on what worked well and what could be improved for the child. This process promotes both the safety and progress of children.

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

Behaviour management focuses on understanding the children and being clear about their needs, particularly communication and sensory needs. There is very little use of physical Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 5 intervention, with just one incident recorded in the last 15 months. Sufficient staffing contributes to the safety of children and staffing numbers can be increased depending on the needs of the children.

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

Children have not gone missing from this home. To protect the safety of these particular children, the main doors out into the community are kept locked. Children can access an enclosed garden area, and frequently spend time with staff out in the community.

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

The audio and visual monitoring of children during the night is subject to parental permission and risk assessment. Not all assessments have been reviewed recently to ensure that the monitoring continues to be needed and is no more intrusive than necessary.

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

Arrangements for protecting children are well established in safeguarding practice. Any concerns or complaints are passed to suitable authorities and dealt with appropriately. Staff are clear about safeguarding practice and understand the vulnerabilities of children who have learning disabilities.

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

Not all children have had the opportunity to practise fire drills so that staff understand fully how they may need to provide support in emergency circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The team is led by an experienced and qualified manager who has the confidence and the respect of the team. He has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and is dedicated to continual practice improvement. A development plan is in place. During this inspection he took immediate action to address the small number of shortfalls that were identified by the inspector.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work as a team. They reported feeling valued and listened to. Each has dedicated roles and responsibilities for specific areas of practice development, dependent on their skills and interests. Working together they have been able to respond effectively, sometimes in emergency situations, to the needs of the children, and have supported families in crisis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Working in partnership with other professionals, agencies and parents contributes significantly to the progress made by children in developing their confidence and independence skills. Sharing of what works in different environments and effective communication between all parties help with this progress. A parent commented that she couldn’t believe quite how much her son could do for himself as he was very dependent on them at home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of the staff have a childcare qualification. Regular team meetings, structured discussions between staff when they come into work and regular supervision support staff in fulfilling their responsibilities to children. A beneficial variety of mandatory and specialist training courses are provided. Not all staff have completed specific training related to Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 6 autistic spectrum disorder and a number of first aid qualifications are not up to date. These training events were booked for staff during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from the staff’s attention to equality and inclusion. Staff are ambitious for the children, all of whom have additional needs. The environment and atmosphere are warm, friendly and inclusive. Children are offered and encouraged to make choices.

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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: SC040132 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cornwall Council, Truro TR1 9GP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Tony Phillips-Jones

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Inspector

Janice Hawtin: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040132 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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