Children's Home run by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 1 SC465287 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation 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 service provides short breaks for up to six children who have learning disabilities and associated healthcare needs. It is operated by a healthcare foundation trust. The manager has been registered for two months.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 February 2019

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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: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Good 26/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/08/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 3

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Recommendations

 ensure that the recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) This is in relation to the audit trail of collecting references for staff.  ensure that children are given the choice about how their bedroom space is decorated in accordance with regulation 7(2)(a)(i). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19) This is in relation to young people’s choice about how their bedroom is personalised during their short break.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a happy place where young people feel settled and comfortable. Young people enjoy very positive relationships with staff. One parent said: ‘They completely get him, he has a lovely time.’ Young people enjoy their short break. They know what to expect because they know the staff so well. Staff cherish young people. Young people’s personalities are celebrated. Young people know that staff enjoy their company and they learn to be themselves. Young people make good progress in developing greater confidence and self-esteem because of this approach. A qualified nurse works with the manager to make sure that all staff fully understand each young person’s healthcare needs. This ensures that all health needs are well met. Emotional well-being has a high profile. Staff are good at knowing when young people have presenting mental health needs. Specialist help is readily available and has made a positive difference to young people’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy going out in the community and trying new activities. Staff are committed to making sure that young people’s life chances are not affected by their disability. For example, young people went to the zoo on the day of the inspection. The environment is generally well presented, pleasant and safe. Although some furniture is not homely in style, it is functional. More work could be done to make the bedrooms look more homely and appealing to the children.

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

The home is settled and there is a very low level of significant incidents. Staff understand the home’s policies for protecting young people. They are very clear about Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 4 their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know that young people are exceptionally vulnerable because of their disability and communication style. Staff take this into consideration in their practice. Staff monitor young people’s moods and their physical health. They are careful to note any marks or bruises and find out the reasons for these. Behaviour management is good. Staff are well trained and use a range of techniques, such as humour and distraction, to decrease behaviours. Because of this, there are very few physical interventions. There is very good management oversight of physical intervention. Staff make efforts to learn from each incident so that behaviour management strategies are improved.

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

Young people are also protected through a high-quality risk assessment process. Risk assessment documents are detailed and practical. Staff adhere to these risk assessments and they know what action should be taken to keep young people safe. Managers support families with any safeguarding issues that arise outside of their young person’s short break. One parent was particularly complimentary about the support provided to them to manage a difficult situation. This flexible, supportive approach gives great reassurance to parents. Safeguarding records are not as strong as the safeguarding practice. They do not always clearly tell the story. This has not impacted on young people up to now and the manager already has plans in place to make sure that record-keeping is improved. The staff recruitment process ensures that no unsuitable adults work in the home. However, one record was found to be confusing in relation to references that had been

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

collected prior to employment. It is difficult for managers to ascertain the staff member’s suitability from these records. There is a potential risk to young people in the future if this is not put right.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and skilled. She is currently undertaking a management qualification to comply with the regulations. She has a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager and the staff team have had a very difficult year. Due to uncertainty about the long-term future of the service, they have been unsure about their own job security. Despite this, they have remained focused on the care of young people. Low staff morale has not impacted on the quality of care provided. Parents praise the commitment of the staff. One said, ‘With all that’s been going on, they have been marvellous.’ Staff work at this home because they genuinely enjoy being with and supporting young people. High-quality staff have been instrumental in helping young people to make progress that impacts on their wider life. For example, staff have supported a young person to get their hair cut when they had refused to do this before. They have also

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

helped a young person to sit at the dinner table, improve their table manners and to socialise more with others. Newly acquired skills have the potential to be long lasting. The staff team is going from strength to strength. Staff are complimentary about support from the registered manager. Each staff member Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 5 has regular one-to-one meetings to discuss their practice. Continued high-quality support, direction and training helps them to make a difference to young people’s lives. The manager has high expectations of staff. She monitors the quality of care carefully. As a result, she quickly addresses any shortfalls or issues. The manager’s approach to quality assurance means that the quality of care is continually improving.

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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: SC465287 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sudborough House, St. Marys Hospital, 77 London Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN15 7PW

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC465287 7 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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