Children's Home run by The Drive Care Homes Ltd in Kent

Unique reference number SC063689 Inspection date 09/02/2010 Inspector Caroline Wilson Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 24/08/2009 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Services 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

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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About this inspection

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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Brief description of the service

The home is situated in a suburban area. It is a large detached property offering good-sized rooms throughout and a garden area to the rear. The children have access to local buses, a mainline train station and a company car by arrangement to enable them to use the local leisure facilities. The home is registered to provide care for up to six children, aged between 10 and 18, who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

This was an announced, random inspection that assessed whether the key standards under the outcome group, Staying Safe, were met in addition to the actions set at the previous inspection.

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Summary

This was a particularly difficult inspection, where staff faced a number of challenges during its course. This impacted on the inspection process.

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Summary

I communicated with one young person and spoke with staff to get their views in order that I could form an assessment of the service that was being provided. What was clear is that care staff have a good knowledge of how to manage safeguarding concerns, however, corporate understanding of these processes are remiss and have meant that issues were not dealt with in accordance with legislation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Six actions were set at the last inspection, of these five were met and one has been restated as it was not fully implemented. Improvements have been made in areas including the satisfactory recording of medication and ensuring that records of all key work sessions being documented.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people's health needs are safeguarded by the home's procedures for the administration of medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Support staff are aware of their responsibility to protect young people and are knowledgeable of how to respond appropriately to any allegations or suspicions of abuse. However, clear processes are not in place for safeguarding concerns that come from external sources and how these should be dealt with. These are dealt with as complaints, and not subject to the appropriate legislative framework. Subsequently, this leads to delays in the reporting and investigating of safeguarding matters and have a detrimental effect on the welfare of young people placed. Young people are knowledgeable and comfortable in making a complaint if they are unhappy with the service that is being provided.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Records of restraints do not fully provide sufficient information to enable a full assessment of the reasonableness and appropriateness of restraints used. For instance, whilst information regarding antecedents are available, important information such the name of the restraint used is not available. This information is required so that an accurate assessment can be made of whether the restraint used was proportionate to the incident that occurred. Restraints are not always fully utilized in instances where they are needed to prevent likely injury to the young person, others, or serious damage to property.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The ratio of staff to young people means that staff are immediately aware of any incidences of bullying. This is used as a preventative measure so that young people are occupied to avoid such incidences occurring.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in homes which provide physical safety and security.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people who are absent without authority are protected in accordance with written guidance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's privacy is respected and staff are sensitive to gender issues. Care is taken to ensure that personal care is only undertaken by staff as the same sex as the young person.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Satisfactory checks are undertaken to ensure that staff are carefully vetted to ensure that they are safe to work with young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people receive individual support when they need it. Support is offered where young people use alternative methods of communication. The home advocates on young people's behalf where their communication needs are not met by placing authorities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Prompt action is not always taken to safeguard and promote the welfare of young people and others, where it is found that young people's needs cannot be satisfactorily met at the placement. This is especially relevant in instances where young people's presenting placement objectives differ from those set out in care plans by placing authorities.

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Organisation

Staff receive training in specific areas that would enable them to promote and safeguard the welfare of young people. Whereas the majority of staff are knowledgeable in methods of working with young people, there have been instances where staff have not fully understood this and this has affected the overall care of young people. The weaknesses in the implementation of the safeguarding procedures impacts upon this judgement as action has not been taken to ensure the correct legislative framework is being adhered to.

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Organisation

The manager is in the process of submitting an application to Ofsted to become the registered manager for this service.

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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.

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which shall include the points specified (Regulation 17(4)(a-g)) 31/03/2010

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Std. Action Due date

17 ensure persons working at the home report any concerns about 31/03/2010 the welfare of a young person promptly to the appropriate agency (Regulation 16 (2) (f) ) 18 ensures that procedures are set out in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect by a member of the public (Regulation 16 (10 (2) (3) ) 31/03/2010

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure that action is taken where necessary to prevent injury to any person or serious damage to property (Regulation 17 (6) (b) ) 31/03/2010

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Std. Action Due date

18 ensure that proper provision is made to promote the welfare of young people living there, in particular, ensuring that risk assessments are available in relation to bullying (Regulation 11 (1) (a) ) 30/04/2010

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Std. Action Due date

2 ensure that proper provision is made for the care and supervision of young people (Regulation 11 (1) (b) ) 30/04/2010

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Std. Action Due date

2 ensure that young people are appropriately placed and that unnecessary risks to the health and safety of young people are identified and eliminated (Regulation 23 (c ) ) 31/03/2010

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Std. Action Due date

29 ensure that all staff receive appropriate training (Regulation 27 (4) (b) ). 31/08/2010

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