Northfield Young Peoples Centre Care Home Service 34 Northfield Drive Edinburgh EH8 7RP Telephone: 0131 661 3076 Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 22 November 2016 Service provided by: City of Edinburgh Council Service provider number: SP2003002576 Care service number: CS2003010923
About the service Northfield Young People's Centre is operated by City of Edinburgh Council as part of its overall residential provision for Looked After and Accommodated Children (LAAC) and young people. The service provides support and accommodation to seven young people aged between 12 and 18 years who, for a variety of reasons, required to spend time looked after away from their home. Admission to the service can be on a planned or on an emergency basis. The service is located within a housing estate in the north east of Edinburgh and is close to local amenities and transport links. The building is similar in design to neighbouring properties and blends in well. One of the aims of the service is "by working in partnership with children and their families we strive to enable young people to maximise their potential." What people told us We spoke with two young people at inspection and received three completed Satisfaction Questionnaires. Views of the service were predominately positive, with relationships with staff cited as a major strength. In response to the statement "Overall, I am happy with the quality of care I get here", all five young people "agreed". In response to the statement "Staff treat me fairly and with respect", four respondents "agreed" and one "strongly agreed". In response to the statements "I feel protected from bullying" and "I feel protected from Abuse", three young people "agreed" and two "strongly agreed". In response to the statement "This is a nice place to stay", three young people "agreed" and two "strongly agreed". Two young people "disagreed" and "strongly disagreed" with the statement "I can keep my own things safe". Two young people "disagreed" and "strongly disagreed" with the statement "People do not take my things without permission". Comments included: "(keyworker) is my favourite because she has time for me". "Some staff are great, some staff moan". "(family member) has good relationship with (keyworker)". "People don't clean the bath after they have used it". page 2 of 9
"Things are damaged so there is no money left for outings". "I like it here - I am treated well". "Staff are good - it is a shame that they have to take abuse". "I feel safe although I don't like the shouting and violence". "I get on OK with the staff". We spoke by telephone with three parents/carers. Views of the service were positive, with staff and communication being cited as major strengths. Comments included: "The keyworker is very good". "(young person) has changed since being there - very positive". "Communication has been good". "The staff are good - communication has been fine". "Communication has been not too bad". "Staff are very helpful and supportive". "There is always someone I can speak to". We received e-mail responses from two placing social workers. Their views on the service were very positive, with staffing and communication cited as major strengths. Comments included: "Northfield YPC has been a great placement for my service user. He is well cared for and has his needs met". "They (staff) have a good understanding of my service user and know how best to respond to him". "My service user receives guidance and support from staff that is crucial for his age and stage, and aids him in his transition as he considers options for more independent living". "Northfield YPC offers a high quality of care with individualised support packages tailored to (young person's) needs - staff have worked extremely hard to support and manage difficult behaviours in relation to (young person's) experience of past trauma". "Staff worked collaboratively with partner agencies in supporting a robust safety plan. Due to patience, persistence and understanding of the principles of Getting It Right For Every Child, my young person has more recently come on leaps and bounds in their own personal development". page 3 of 9
Self assessment The Care Inspectorate received a completed self assessment document from the service. The self assessment identified the strengths of the service and also identified areas for improvement. From this inspection we graded this service as: Quality of care and support Quality of environment Quality of staffing Quality of management and leadership not assessed 5 - Very Good not assessed What the service does well At this inspection we looked at the Quality Themes of 'Care and Support' and ''. We found that Northfield Young People's Centre provided good quality residential care and support to young people who needed to be looked after away from home. We found that managers and staff worked very hard to provide a homely, stable and safe environment for the young people living there. Relationships between young people and staff were very good. We found that young people had good opportunities to be involved in evaluating and developing the quality of the care and support provided to them. Good key working arrangements ensured effective case overview and meant that young people had regular formal opportunities to raise issues. We saw that good quality 'Weekly Planners', 'Night Weekly Planners' and 'Monthly Summaries' were in place. This helped young people plan and review their progress. We found evidence that the service was working very hard in encouraging and facilitating greater parent/carer involvement, where appropriate. We saw that staff spoke with some parents/carers on a regular basis. Health and wellbeing promotion within the service was very good, with tier 2 Health Promotion Unit status achieved and tier 3 being worked toward. The service worked with the Looked After and Accommodated (LAAC) Nurse and the Who Cares, Scotland worker was a regular visitor to the house. Most of the young people were being supported in attending school or college. We found staff to be knowledgeable, motivated and skilled. Staff were trained to a level that allowed for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). page 4 of 9
Staff had access to a range of training and development opportunities including First Aid, CALM (Crisis and Aggression Limitation and Management), Child Protection and Activity Leadership. This meant that staff were well equipped to support young people. A 'Staff Development Day' had been held recently and had been experienced as very positive. Two of the Assistant Team Leaders were qualified Practice Teachers. A social work student was on placement at inspection. A good supervision model was in place that ensured effective overview of practice. This was complemented by management, staff, night staff and change over meetings. Staff told us that they felt supported by colleagues, managers and the immediate external manager. Significant changes to staffing had taken place. A new Assistant Team Leader and two new staff members had been assimilated in to the team. The Team Leader now held responsibility for another Young People's Centre. She and her staff were adjusting to this new role. We saw good evidence of staffing forward planning. This meant that young people's projected needs would be met. Since the last inspection all public areas and the young people's bedrooms had been redecorated by staff. Young people were involved in choosing the design, wallpaper and paint colour for their bedrooms. they we involved in choosing décor for living room also. Young people had requested new beds and all now had king size beds. The unit is in line for a refurbishment which will conclude outstanding decoration and also new flooring in all living areas and bedrooms. The unit is being fitted with a CCTV system to enhance external security in line with other units. Unfortunately one young person has damaged some of the furniture in their bedroom and living room. This has been renewed in his bedroom and new furniture is being purchased for the living room. In the 2016/17 inspecting year the Care Inspectorate is scoping child sexual exploitation (CSE) practice in children and young people's services. This is part of our contribution to 'Scotland's National Action Plan to tackle Child Sexual Exploitation' and focusses on frameworks of CSE practice, staff understanding and care planning outcomes. We found that the service operated to City of Edinburgh CSE policy. This policy had been drawn up in conjunction with Barnardo's Scotland in November 2015. Some staff had received training and further training was planned for the near future. Staff were clear as to their responsibilities in all areas of child protection. Some staff had received training in 'trafficking'. What the service could do better We found a significant number of serious incidents had not been reported to us as required. The management team must notify the Care Inspectorate of incidents. (See requirement 1) We found that some incidents had not been fully written up as required by the provider's own policy and procedure. All incidents must be written up on the required pro forma and be fully completed, including being signed off by the manager, case number and details of debriefing. (See recommendation 1) page 5 of 9
We found that the 'Synopsis' document, prepared for meetings concerning young people, did not include positives but was a list of incidents. The document should be re-named to better reflect its purpose. (See recommendation 2) We discussed with the Team Leader how care plans should be based around the SHANARRI (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, responsible, respected and included) wellbeing indicators from Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC). This is in line with current best practice. Whilst staff felt supported and remained motivated and dedicated to the young people in their care, the effects of the behaviours of one young person had left staff feeling "tired, frustrated and stretched to the limit". Whilst we acknowledged that a recent 'Professionals Meeting' had identified further supports to the young person and staff team, we were concerned at the number and level of physical assaults on staff perpetuated by this one young person. These behaviours also impacted upon other young people in as much as they chose to stay away from the house as much as possible to avoid the disruption. We felt that, as an interim measure, additional staff should be routinely in place to maximise young people and staff safety. (See recommendation 3) The monitoring of the suitability of this placement should continue. Requirements Number of requirements: 1 1. The management team must notify the Care Inspectorate of incidents as detailed within the "Guidance on notification reporting - All registered care services". Publication Code: OPS-0212-119. SSI 2011/210-4, "Welfare of Users". National Care Standards Care Homes for Children and Young People - Standard 6: Feeling Safe and Secure. Timescale: You must notify us of all incidents immediately and arrange for the "back log" of incidents to be notified to us within 2 weeks. Recommendations Number of recommendations: 3 1. All incidents must be written up on the required pro forma and be fully completed. National Care Standards Care Homes for Children and Young People - Standard 7: Management and. 2. The 'Synopsis' document should be re-named to better reflect its purpose. National Care Standards Care Homes for Children and Young People - Standard 6: Feeling Safe and Secure. page 6 of 9
3. Additional staff should be routinely in place to maximise young people and staff safety. National Care Standards Care Homes for Children and Young People - Standard 6: Feeling Safe and Secure. Complaints There have been no complaints upheld since the last inspection. Details of any older upheld complaints are published at www.careinspectorate.com. Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 29 Jul 2015 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 15 Jul 2014 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 17 Jul 2013 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 25 Mar 2013 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 25 Aug 2011 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership page 7 of 9
Date Type Gradings 26 Nov 2010 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 3 Jun 2010 Announced Care and support Management and leadership 17 Mar 2010 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 27 Aug 2009 Announced Care and support Management and leadership 24 Mar 2009 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 17 Nov 2008 Announced Care and support Management and leadership page 8 of 9
To find out more This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can download this report and others from our website. Care services in Scotland cannot operate unless they are registered with the Care Inspectorate. We inspect, award grades and help services to improve. We also investigate complaints about care services and can take action when things aren't good enough. Please get in touch with us if you would like more information or have any concerns about a care service. You can also read more about our work online at www.careinspectorate.com Contact us Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY enquiries@careinspectorate.com 0345 600 9527 Find us on Facebook Twitter: @careinspect Other languages and formats This report is available in other languages and formats on request. Tha am foillseachadh seo ri fhaighinn ann an cruthannan is cànain eile ma nithear iarrtas. page 9 of 9