Children's Home run by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in Barnsley

Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 1 SC422464 Registered provider: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough 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

The home forms one part of the overall service provision for children and families in need in Barnsley and the surrounding area. The purpose of the home, which has adapted facilities and disabled access, is to provide short-break services for children and young people of either gender, aged five to 17 years old, who may have learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, challenging behaviour or complex health needs. The home aims to provide a ‘needs-led’ approach to short-break care for children and young people, and this requires a social work assessment of each child prior to them using the facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified and has many years’ experience of managing the home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/04/2018 Full Good 13/06/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 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, the 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

With reference to the duty to take general fire precautions:

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Requirement Due date

take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees; and

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Requirement Due date

in relation to relevant persons who are not his employees, take such general fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances of the case to ensure that the premises are safe. (Part 2 (8)(1)(a) and (b)) 31/01/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people enjoy their experiences at this home during their short breaks, and many have attended for a number of years. Their complex health needs and vulnerabilities are clearly understood by the staff team and are considered when planning their breaks and during their stays. This enables children and young people with limited mobility and complex behaviours to have the opportunity to explore and enjoy their environment safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Admissions are planned giving consideration to the group dynamics. Decisions around stays consider the children and young people’s friendships alongside their risks and vulnerabilities. This planning enables children and young people to experience a safe and enjoyable stay. Children and young people and their parents or carers have a Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 4 personalised introduction to the home that involves home visits, school visits and tea visits. This helps them to become familiar with the staff and the environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In addition, the staff work with the children and young people around areas of development. This encourages and helps the children and young people to build on their independence. Examples include support to manage self-care needs such as dressing, washing and bathing, and to prepare simple meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people enjoy access to a range of social and recreational opportunities. These include activities in the local community during school holidays and after school. Staff source new experiences that enhance social inclusion. For example, children and young people have enjoyed growing vegetables and fruit at a community allotment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are helped to express their choices and have a voice in what they want to do. Staff talk to and engage with the children and young people to ascertain their wishes and feelings. The children and young people have chosen to go to the cinema, go bowling, visit places of interest and sometimes just go out on the Galaxy bus or out for a walk to the park.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The range of communication needs and techniques are very much understood by the staff, and this enables children and young people to have a voice in all aspects of their care. One member of staff has developed a whole range of new communication symbols and these are displayed throughout the home. In addition, a British Sign Language dictionary is being developed and staff are attending Makaton refresher training.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are creative in their practice to get the best outcomes for children and young people. They learn and reflect, and adapt their practice when they are not seeing improvements or progress. Staff work together to implement new strategies. They are very attentive and engage with the children and young people. For example, when a child was being gastrostomy fed, the staff spoke to the child throughout and were attentive to their needs.

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

Children and young people are helped to remain safe, as they are appropriately supervised with staffing levels commensurate with their assessed needs and behaviours. The staff understand the children and young people’s risks and the impact of their behaviours on others. This understanding ensures that potential risks are reduced, and the children and young people have a safe and fulfilled stay.

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

Risk assessments provide a clear overview of all the identified needs, behaviours and disabilities of the children and young people. As a result, staff are able to implement methods to prevent or manage risks when they occur. Staff quickly respond to the risk the children and young people may pose to themselves and others, and the environment. This has minimised potential and actual harm. Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 5 Physical restraints are proportionate and ensure the safety of the children and young people, staff and others. After an incident, staff have clear discussions with the children and young people about their behaviours, and work with them to help them to learn from the incident.

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

Since the last inspection, medication errors have significantly reduced. More vigilance and adherence to revised procedures and guidance are taking place. Any errors that have taken place have been appropriately investigated, and learning has been shared.

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

When there are changes in the children and young people’s behaviours, this is reflected in their records. A behaviour management plan that identifies different strategies to manage presenting behaviours is in place for staff to refer to.

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

The home operates safe recruitment practice in line with the local authority’s policies and procedures. This ensures that the staff are suitably skilled and experienced to work in this specialised environment. The safety and well-being of the children and young people is a priority.

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

Not all fire evacuation routes are hazard free, and this could potentially prevent the children and young people safely leaving the home in the event of a fire. This was rectified during the inspection, however a requirement has been made to fully reflect the attention needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very experienced and suitably qualified. She is very supportive and hands on. She leads a committed and dedicated staff team, with the majority of staff having worked at the home since it opened. This has provided continuity of care, and staff have built close relationships with the children and young people who access the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Changes in staffing structures have provided more opportunities for career progression and development. This has resulted in senior staff undertaking a management diploma, and one member of staff is in the process of completing their social work degree. Other staff have been given additional responsibilities, such as health and safety and diversifying communication methods.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff continue to try and empower the children and young people and develop their skills. They endeavour to support the children and young people to do things for themselves, such as making simple meals, tidying their rooms, attending to self-care needs and brushing their teeth. All the children and young people are treated with dignity and respect.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a real strength, and this includes the communication and close working relationships with parents and carers, schools and professionals. This embeds a culture of multi-agency working and support to the most vulnerable children. It provides parents with a well-deserved break, knowing their children are being well looked after. Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 6 The manager acknowledges the change in the caring environment and ongoing challenges. She and her staff continue to look at how they can strengthen the well- needed and well-received service. Fundraising is a key component in ensuring that all children and young people, regardless of their disabilities, get an equal service. The staff team are strong advocates for purchasing a minibus with a tail lift. This will enable children and young people who are wheelchair-bound to go out and about with the other more mobile children and young people.

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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: SC422464 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Gateway Plaza, Sackville Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2RD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jonathan Banwell

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC422464 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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