Inspection on 10/06/05 for Ashridge

This inspection was carried out on 10th June 2005.

CSCI has not published a star rating for this report, though using similar criteria we estimate that the report is (sorry - unknown). The way we rate inspection reports is consistent for all houses, though please be aware that this may be different from an official CSCI judgement.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

Other inspections for this house

Ashridge 04/09/07

Ashridge 09/05/06

Ashridge 24/10/05

Ashridge 11/11/04

Ashridge 06/04/04

Similar services:

Hillside

Applegarth

122 Scorer Street

Jubilee Villa Care Home

Thornham Grove

Beech Lodge

8 Thorndale Road (Homefield College)

Hunter`s Lodge

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 08/07/2008.

CHILDREN’S HOME Kisimul School The Old Vicarage, High Street Swinderby Lincoln, Lincs LN6 9LU Lead Inspector Mick Walklin Unannounced 30 June 2005 10:30 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to: • • • • Put the people who use social care first Improve services and stamp out bad practice Be an expert voice on social care Practise what we preach in our own organisation Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection Report CSCI General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI www.csci.org.uk Internet address This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Children’s Homes. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop Every Child Matters, outlined the government’s vision for children’s services and formed the basis of the Children Act 2004. It provides a framework for inspection so that children’s services should be judged on their contribution to the outcomes considered essential to wellbeing in childhood and later life. Those outcomes are: • Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and achieving • Making a contribution; and • Achieving economic wellbeing. In response, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has re-ordered the national minimum standards for children’s services under the five outcomes, for reporting purposes. A further section has been created under ‘Management’ to cover those issues that will potentially impact on all the outcomes above. Copies of Every Child Matters and The Children Act 2004 are available from The Stationary Office as above. This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 3 SERVICE INFORMATION Name of service Kisimul School Address Telephone number Fax number Email address Name of registered provider(s)/company (if applicable) Name of registered manager (if applicable) Type of registration No. of places registered (if applicable) The Old Vicarage High Street Swinderby Lincoln Lincs LN6 9LU 01522 868279 Kisimul Group Ltd Mr Tjerk De Haan Childrens home 28 Category(ies) of LD Children with learning disabilities (28) registration, with number of places Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 4 SERVICE INFORMATION Conditions of registration: 1) Ages of children (males and females) are between 10-19 years old. 2) Maximum numbers 22 in the Main House and 6 in Aislinn. Date of last inspection 20 March 2005 Brief Description of the Service: Kisimul School was founded in 1977, and offers 50 weeks a year placements to children with severe learning disabilities, autism and challenging behaviour. The residential accommodation is mainly in a 2 storey Georgian house, which is set within 4 acres of grounds. 22 places are provided in the main building and a further 6 places in Aislinn House which is on the opposite side of the road to the main buildings. School facilities are situated on site, and new buildings are currently under construction. The facilities on-site include a heated swimming pool, a large adventure playground, a soft play area and a multi-sensory room. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 5 SUMMARY This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. The inspection took place over a period of 8 hours. The main method of inspection used was called case tracking which involved tracking the care that the three young people receive through the checking of their records, interaction with the young people and care staff, and observation of care practices. A tour of the premises was conducted and documents were inspected. A pre-inspection questionnaire and self-assessment were completed by the manager. Seven staff questionnaires and one young persons questionnaire were returned, together with four parents questionnaires, and five placing officers questionnaires. What the service does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The full report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 6 DETAILS OF INSPECTOR FINDINGS CONTENTS Being Healthy Staying Safe Enjoying and Achieving Making a Positive Contribution Achieving Economic Wellbeing Management Scoring of Standards Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 7 Being Healthy The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • • • Children enjoy healthy, nutritious meals that meet their dietary needs. They have opportunities to plan, shop for and prepare meals. (NMS 10) Children live in a healthy environment and their health needs are identified and services are provided to meet them, and their good health is promoted. (NMS 12) Children’s health needs are met and their welfare is safeguarded by the home’s policies and procedures for administering medicines and providing treatment. (NMS 13) The Commission considers Standards 12 and 13 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 10, 12 & 13. There are good arrangements for the promotion of health, and the health needs of young people are met. Catering arrangements are of a high standard, and promote a healthy diet. EVIDENCE: All young people are registered with a local GP surgery, and their records clearly describe how health needs are to be met, with regular health checks carried out at appropriate intervals. A Speech and Language Therapy assistant, and Psychology assistant are employed, with qualified input from Speech and Language Therapists and Psychologists working on a sessional basis. Specialist dental services are available when required. Storage and stocktaking arrangements for all medications are now satisfactory, and a pull-down work surface has been installed to aid administration. Medication is administered by senior staff that have undertaken the necessary training, and all staff are trained in First Aid procedures. The kitchen is well run and organised. Three kitchen staff are employed, and the head cook said that all food is homemade, which ensures that the use of food additives and colourings are monitored. The presentation of meals is excellent, and young people appeared to be enjoying the food, with second helpings requested. Menus are changed regularly to ensure variety, and the head cook demonstrated a good knowledge of specials diets that are catered for. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 8 Staying Safe The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • • • • • • • • • • Children’s privacy is respected and information is confidentially handled (NMS 9) Any complaint will be addressed without delay and the complainant is kept informed of progress (NMS 16) The welfare of children is promoted, children are protected from abuse, and an appropriate response is made to any allegation or suspicion of abuse (NMS 17) Children are protected from bullying (NMS 18) Children who are absent without authority are protected in accordance with written guidance and responded to positively on return (NMS 19) All significant events relating to the protection of children accommodated in the home are notified by the registered person of the home to the appropriate authorities (NMS 20) Children assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour through encouragement of acceptable behaviour and constructive staff response to inappropriate behaviour (NMS 22) Children’s privacy is respected when washing (NMS 25) Children live in homes that provide physical safety and security (NMS 26) There is careful selection and vetting of all staff and volunteers working with children in the home and there is monitoring of visitors to prevent children being exposed to potential abusers (NMS 27) The Commission considers Standards 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 26 and 27 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 26 & 27. There are good arrangements in place to protect young people and keep them safe, but the system for obtaining written references for staff requires review. EVIDENCE: Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of their responsibilities in maintaining confidentiality when dealing with information relating to young people. There Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 9 are robust complaints procedures, which staff understand. It was not possible to inspect the complaints log, as the Registered Manager was not present during the inspection, but 8 minor concerns were recorded, which had all been resolved, demonstrating that the management had taken these concerns seriously. The Child Protection procedures have been updated to reflect changes in the responsible person. The two Kisimul School sites now have a responsible person based at the other site to aid impartiality. There are three other delegated persons on-site for child protection concerns. Two new staff had a clear understanding on their reporting responsibilities, and training is covered during induction, and through training sessions provided by the Registered Manager. Concise guidelines for staff, which provide an excellent aide-memoir, are displayed on notice boards. Due to the high staffing levels, staff are able to monitor the behaviour of young people closely to prevent bullying, and they are always escorted when out of the building. Three staff are trained as trainers for physical interventions, and the training used is accredited as best practice. There were 74 instances of restraint between 18th May and 26th June. Of these, 40 were supine restraints. However, the Individual Reactive Strategies for the young people concerned did not outline the type of restraint to be used in sufficient detail. The restraint log was bound and numbered, but it would be possible for pages to be replaced, and it is recommended that this be addressed. Maintenance records were concise and up to date. Action points from the Environmental Health Officer report in November 2004 have been addressed. The fridge temperature in the Cottage had been measured at over 10 degrees for some time, with staff apparently unaware of a problem. This was adjusted during the inspection. Staff recruitment and selection procedures are generally satisfactory, but two of the files inspected contained records of telephone references, rather than written references. It is required that telephone references are backed up by written references. Young people are involved in the recruitment and selection procedure. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 10 Enjoying and Achieving The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • • • Children receive individual support when they need it (NMS 7) The education of children is actively promoted as valuable in itself and as part of their preparation for adulthood (NMS 14) Children are able to pursue their particular interests, develop confidence in their skills and are supported and encouraged by staff to engage in leisure activities (NMS 15) The Commission considers Standards 7 and 14 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 14 & 15. There is excellent communication between the school and the home, providing young people with a 24-hour curriculum. A wide range of activities are available to ensure that young people have a stimulating and enjoyable timetable. EVIDENCE: The school is situated on the site of the home. A new school building is under construction, and is due for completion in November this year. There is an excellent working relationship between the school and the residential home. Care staff work in the school, and some of the teaching assistants work as bank staff in the home. There are good verbal and written communication systems in place, with thorough handovers. All young people have Individual Education Plans. The school is an accredited centre for the provision of the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) Towards Independence, which enables young people to work towards specific goals and awards. A wide range of activities and outings are available, and details of those undertaken are recorded on daily reports. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 11 Making a Positive Contribution The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • Children have their needs assessed effectively and comprehensively, and written placement plans outline how these needs will be met and are implemented. Children in the home are appropriately placed there (NMS 2) Children’s needs and development are reviewed regularly in the light of their care and progress at the home (NMS 3) Children are able to maintain constructive contact with their families, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives (NMS 4) Children are able to move into and leave the home in a planned and sensitive manner (NMS 5) Children are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run. No child is assumed to be unable to communicate their views (NMS 8) Children enjoy sound relationships with staff based on honesty and mutual respect (NMS 21) • • • • • The Commission considers Standards 3, 4 and 8 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 2, 3, 5 & 8. Young people have excellent placement plans clearly describing their care needs, ensuring that these needs are met. There are good procedures for introducing young people to the home. EVIDENCE: Each young person has an Individual Pupil Care Plan (IPCP), which contains detailed information relating to the care needs of the young person. These are agreed by parents and reviewed at appropriate intervals. The necessary placement plans and supporting documentation are in place. One young person was admitted two weeks ago, and staff from the school had conducted the preadmission assessment. He had visited the home prior to admission, and staff confirmed that they had sufficient information on admission to meet his needs. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 12 Achieving Economic Wellbeing The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • • • • Children receive care which helps to prepare them for and support them into adulthood (NMS 6) Children are encouraged and enabled to choose their own clothes and personal requisites and have these needs fully met (NMS 11) Children live in well designed and pleasant homes providing sufficient space to meet their needs (NMS 23) Children enjoy homely accommodation, decorated, furnished and maintained to a high standard, providing adequate facilities for their use (NMS 24) JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 23 & 24. The home provides a homely and comfortable environment for young people, but some areas are beginning to show signs of wear and tear. EVIDENCE: All areas of the home were clean and tidy. Young people have benefited from improvements to some areas, including new flooring and furniture. Many areas are brightly decorated. A maintenance team are responsible for attending to issues, and these are prioritised on a health and safety basis. A monthly check is conducted to identify defects, and this was being conducted at the time of the inspection, with some minor issues identified. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 13 Management The intended outcomes for these Standards are: • Children and young people are guided through and know what services they can expect from the home, how they will be cared for and who they are likely to share with, and a clear statement on how the home operates is available for parents and others needing this information (NMS 1) Children are looked after by staff who are themselves supported and guided in safeguarding and promoting the children’s welfare (NMS 28) Children receive the care and services they need from competent staff (NMS 29) Staff are sufficient in number, experience and qualification to meet the needs of the children (NMS 30) Children are looked after by staff who are trained and competent to meet their needs (NMS 31) The person carrying on the home monitors the welfare of the children in the home (NMS 32) The care of children accommodated in the home is monitored and continually adapted in the light of information about how it is operating (NMS 33) Children enjoy the stability of efficiently run homes (NMS 34) Children’s needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality (NMS 35) Children living in secure units or refuges receive the same measures to safeguard and promote their welfare, as they should in other children’s homes (NMS 36) • • • • • • • • • The Commission considers Standards 29 and 35 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 28, 30 & 31. The home is well managed, with well trained staff, employed in sufficient numbers to provide a safe and stable environment for young people. EVIDENCE: Staff confirmed that they are well supported, with regular supervision. Newly recruited staff confirmed that they were teamed up with a mentor to shadow Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 14 during their initial induction. There are 5 full and part time trainers, one of whom covers training for the night staff. Staffing is arranged in three teams, and each team has a dedicated training day every three weeks. There is a programme for mandatory training, and the Registered Manager delivers specialist training, on subjects such as child protection, epilepsy, autism and downs syndrome. Staff described training opportunities as “great”. Staffing levels are good, and reflect the needs of the young people. There are no vacancies at present. Questionnaires returned by staff showed a good awareness of their roles and responsibilities. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 15 SCORING OF OUTCOMES This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes have been met and uses the following scale. Where there is no score against a standard it has not been looked at during this inspection. 4 Standard Exceeded 2 Standard Almost Met (Commendable) (Minor Shortfalls) 3 Standard Met 1 Standard Not Met (No Shortfalls) (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable BEING HEALTHY Standard No 10 12 13 Score MAKING A POSITIVE 3 3 3 STAYING SAFE Standard No 9 16 17 18 19 20 22 26 27 Score 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 2 Score CONTRIBUTION Standard No Score 2 3 3 3 4 x 5 3 8 3 21 x ACHIEVING ECONOMIC WELLBEING Standard No 6 11 23 24 Score x x 3 3 Score ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING MANAGEMENT Standard No 14 15 7 4 3 x Standard No 1 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 x 3 x 3 4 x x x x x Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 16 NO Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales. No. 1. Standard 22 Regulation 11(1) Requirement The registered person must ensure that indivdual plans of care contain sufficient details about the type of restraint used, if applicable. The registered person must ensure that two written references are obtained for staff employed in the home. Timescale for action 31/8/05 2. 27 26 Schedule 2 31/8/05 RECOMMENDATIONS These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out. No. 1. Refer to Standard 22 Good Practice Recommendations It is recommended that a system is devised for ensuring that pages in the restraint log cannot be replaced. Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 17 Commission for Social Care Inspection Unity House, The Point Weaver Road off Whisby Road Lincoln, LN6 3QN National Enquiry Line: 0845 015 0120 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Kisimul School C53-C04 S34241 KisimulSchool V231636 150605 Stage 4.doc Version 1.20 Page 18 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. 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