Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC390167 Inspection date 26/07/2011 Inspector Sophie Wood Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 16/02/2011 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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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

This private children's home provides for two young people aged between 5 years and 17 years.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory .

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Overall effectiveness

This is a satisfactory home which is currently benefiting from the recent appointment of a new manager. The staff team is effectively led and supported and this impacts positively upon the quality of care being provided to the young people in placement.

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Overall effectiveness

Current care planning systems are being reviewed. These recognise the immediate presenting needs of young people but an overview of their holistic needs is unclear. Health plans contain gaps, risk assessments are variable in terms of their quality and purpose, and there is an absence of clarity with regards to the overall purpose of the placement.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are settled within the home. The staff team is consistent and this factor encourages feelings of safety. Young people benefit by being treated with dignity and respect. Equality and diversity is valued throughout the home and wider organisation.

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Overall effectiveness

Placing social workers provide complimentary feedback about the service and its ability to effectively support and safeguard young people. The level and detail of communication from the manager and staff team is particularly valued. This ensures effective partnership working in young people’s best interests.

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Overall effectiveness

The manager is aware of the current shortfalls with regards to clear care planning processes. Placement plan formats and systems are being reviewed. Young people receive good support in certain aspects but less in others. The historic lack of clear processes, systems and procedural guidance for the staff team is largely responsible. This is further exacerbated by quality assurance processes which lack rigour.

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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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person compiles in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as the Statement of Purpose) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 (Regulation 4.1, Schedule 1) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person promotes and protects the physical, emotional and mental health needs of the children accommodated in a children's home. This requirement is made within the context of ensuring that complete medical and health histories are obtained to assist with effective health care planning and that ongoing health records are clearly competed (Regulation 20 (1)) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that, in respect of each child, a record in permanent form includes the information, documents and records specified in Schedule 3 (Regulation 28(1), Schedule 3) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the records specified in Schedule 4 are maintained and kept up to date (Regulation 29(1), Schedule 4) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home takes adequate precautions against the risk of fire (Regulation 32(1)(a)) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the visits undertaken on behalf of the provider robustly include interviewing, with consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion on the standard of care provided in the home (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 14/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) implement a robust system to monitor the matters as set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals. (Regulation 34(1)(a)) 14/11/2011

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment (NMS 4.5)  ensure the home supports the young person's transition to adult services, when required by the care plan (NMS 12.4)  ensure there is a good quality learning and development programme which staff are supported to undertake (NMS 18.1)  ensure written policies are supported by clear procedural guidance for staff to follow (NMS 19)  implement a clear development plan to address the shortfalls raised through internal monitoring. (NMS 21.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are satisfactory .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from the quality of the relationships they enjoy with the staff team. They feel secure because they receive consistent messages, in line with good parenting. Comments include, 'you can have a laugh with the staff but they also tell you off if you need it'. Staff members use every possible appropriate opportunity to compliment young people; feelings of self-worth and confidence soar as a result.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Gaps and omissions with regards to medication recording and health histories present some risks to young people's well-being. They do receive sound advice about their current health needs and are registered with local core health services. Where necessary, the home seeks to make referrals to professional health services and supports young people to attend such appointments. However, written records of these visits are not always clear and this risks pertinent information being lost.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to explore a range of educational and work experience opportunities. The chances of success are increased because the home demonstrates a flexible approach which is chiefly concerned with meeting the needs of the individual. This is enabled by the service having its own separate school, work experience projects and access to mainstream schools and colleges.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to access their local and wider community from very early on. Staff members are creatively deployed to provide support and assistance where necessary, in order for young people to try new activities, make new friends and explore the local area. Confidence levels and appropriate interests grow and develop as a direct consequence.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy positive contact with their family members and friends in a variety of ways. Staff are particularly good at maintaining an appropriate and open dialogue with parents. Young people value this and realise that staff are keen for contact arrangements to be positive experiences for all concerned.

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Outcomes for children and young people

The home is friendly and inviting; its décor and furnishings are of good quality and routine maintenance systems are effective. Young people in this house enjoy freedom of movement with the adjoining home, next door. All of the young people are of a similar age group; they routinely visit each other and enjoy forming appropriate friendships and sharing communal facilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Bedrooms are spacious and decorated in accordance with the occupant's wishes; young people really own their bedrooms and value the privacy they are given. All rooms are suitably furnished and well-equipped; however, young people say they would like more pictures and a greater influence in the home's decoration to make it feel more homely.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Good aspects of support are provided by staff in terms of young people developing their independence skills, such as cookery, budgeting and learning specific tasks. However, this is impeded by a lack of clarity in terms of transitional planning. Limited written guidance for staff combined with a lack of information from placing authorities, impedes progress in this key area. This aspect is recognised by the manager and the home's entire care planning tool is currently under review in an effort to address this shortfall.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy positive and appropriate relationships with the staff team. They feel well cared for and understand that rules and boundaries are in place to effectively safeguard their welfare. Comments include, 'I feel at home here' and 'I know they genuinely care about me'.

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Quality of care

The manager is currently reviewing the home's placement plan format and is piloting a number of changes. The information currently held is confusing and in some cases, over duplicated or under represented. However, staff are aware of the immediate presenting needs of the young people and use key worker time to the best of their ability. Young people are confident that staff understand their immediate needs and positive, respectful relationships are formed as a result.

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Quality of care

Young people are assured that staff work very hard to foster appropriate and professional relationships with family members. Contact arrangements are carefully planned and agreed very early on; these can be complex but are viewed as highly important by the home. Staff are sensitive and empathic; they demonstrate a sound awareness of equality and diversity issues linked to this area.

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Quality of care

New progress monitoring systems are currently being trialled. These provide clear evidence for the young people in terms of areas which are going well and those where additional staff support is needed. Placement plans are evolving and becoming more meaningful. Care files are also being redesigned to ensure young people understand the content. One example focuses heavily upon pictorial aids because this works best for the individual.

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Quality of care

Planning with regards to approaching adulthood and independent living is less clear. Naturally occurring activities provide good opportunities to practise independence skills and young people do have aspirations about their futures. The absence of detailed planning and monitoring presents barriers to young people's development. The new manager is currently developing placement plans further so as to adequately capture this important aspect of care planning.

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Quality of care

Young people appreciate the good quality of their immediate physical environment. The home is well maintained; it is decorated and furnished to a good standard and young people enjoy their freedom of movement within the home and gardens.

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Quality of care

Bedrooms provide good levels of privacy, as does the young people’s bathroom. Young people have a sense of ownership with regards to their bedrooms and these are decorated and furnished in accordance with the individual’s own choice and taste.

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Quality of care

Staff training with regards to health topics includes medication, first aid and healthy eating. Its delivery is underpinned by basic policies which do not always include clear procedural guidance. This omission causes some confusion amongst the staff team and results in a variable quality of service being provided for the young people. Daily opportunities effectively encourage young people to assist with menu planning and the preparation of meals. Staff members give good advice and encouragement about healthy options, while respecting young people's choices.

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Quality of care

Staff demonstrate a renewed sense of motivation and purpose; they say the previous culture of chaos is being calmed. The organisation is aware of the shortfalls and understands that senior personnel need to develop improved administrative systems, such as sharper policies and clearer procedural guidance, to allow the manager to focus upon the day-to-day running of the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is satisfactory at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from living in a safe and secure physical environment. Basic procedural guidance tells staff what and how to report health and safety concerns; however, such guidance is not always being swiftly implemented and this presents potential risks. Furniture and fittings are of good quality and young people appreciate this.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive mandatory training with regards to safeguarding and are able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the home’s own procedures. These are congruent with local authority guidance. Written protocols in terms of being missing are equally clear and are in line with local police procedures. The safety and well- being of young people is being effectively promoted as a direct result.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people know what to do in the event of a fire and drills are regularly practised. Gaps within a number of fire records and documents are being reviewed and the home took immediate remedial action with regards to installing a smoke detector as soon as this omission was identified.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people make steady progress in terms of managing their own behaviour and making appropriate choices. Instances of behaving aggressively reduce because young people are effectively supported to develop positive coping strategies when they are in difficulty. They are safer as a result. One young person says, 'I don't take the kind of risks that I used to because the staff really help me to deal with my problems'.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The establishment of appropriate boundaries and behavioural expectations encourages young people to take responsibility for their own actions and is a strength of the service. Individual risk assessments outline a number of potential safety hazards for young people but some are incomplete.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff receive ongoing training in the use of approved behaviour management techniques, including physical restraint. Although policy and procedural guidance lacks some detail, its actual use is very rare; staff are pro-active and good at talking and negotiating with young people. Similarly, the use of sanctions are infrequent. In the main, these are meaningful, albeit one inappropriate example was discussed with the manager. The home’s own guidance on the use of physical interventions is being reviewed, as are individual risk assessments and recording formats, in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2011.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say that bullying is not an issue within the home. To the contrary, they talk of a relaxed and safe atmosphere and culture, within which they feel protected. A small number of incidents have occurred at school and young people can rely upon the home to instigate swift action and support in their best interests.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Formal house meetings are further complemented by key worker sessions and impromptu, naturally occurring discussions. Staff members are skilled at obtaining the views and opinions of young people and are equally clear as to why some requests cannot be met. Young people understand that certain rules are about safety. They also know how to complain and can readily describe how they would contact external agencies if they needed to.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Appropriate staffing levels ensure that young people are supervised in accordance with their presenting needs. Young people enjoy individual and group activities. Through ongoing internal reviewing mechanisms, they enjoy being given more freedom and the opportunity to take measured risks which encourages emotional growth and development.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Sound recruitment procedures provide effective safeguards for young people. New staff do not commence with their appointments until all of the required checks and references are satisfactorily returned. Visitors to the home are suitably monitored while on the premises but the visitors’ book is poorly maintained and monitored.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are satisfactory .

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Leadership and management

The new manager has relevant previous experience of holding a senior position and she is continuing to obtain further qualifications. Her drive and energy is having a very positive effect upon the staff team. Comments include, 'it feels like there is clearer direction' and 'we get great support and guidance from her.’ Young people are benefiting from her child-centred approach.

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Leadership and management

The manager remains acutely aware of the need to further improve upon numerous processes and systems in order to raise standards across all areas of the home. Monitoring systems, procedural guidance and various records have shortfalls. Regulation 33 and 34 monitoring processes are in place but these lack rigour and young people are not always encouraged to take an active role when such activity is conducted. This restricts their ability to effectively contribute to the continued development of the home. Such shortfalls also prevent the effective monitoring of the home's Statement of Purpose which lacks sufficient details in some areas.

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Leadership and management

Requirements from the last visit, made under previous inspection guidance have not all been fully implemented. However, the manager is able to demonstrate some progress. Upon taking up her post she has placed immediate focus upon improving childcare practices before prioritising administrative tasks. Limited progress has been made by senior management personnel with regards to the ongoing review of policy and procedural guidance for staff. The team is hindered by this and the absence of clear guidance risks young people being in receipt of inconsistent practices. There is no clear development plan and this leads to confusion about management roles and responsibilities.

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Leadership and management

A motivated, enthusiastic staff team is being provided with appropriate mandatory training. Core subjects are routinely updated and supervision meetings are now being used to plan for additional relevant courses. The organisation is currently focusing upon refreshing all mandatory training; however, there is a need to further develop individual training and development plans for each staff member. A recent recruitment drive has proved to be successful in appointing new staff who possess relevant previous experience, as well as the National Vocational Qualification. Young people are benefiting by receiving support from a staff team which is increasingly growing in skills and experience.

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Leadership and management

Care records contain some shortfalls and this factor presents obstacles for young people in terms of making sense of their past and planning for their future. Current guidance with regards to the key worker role lacks clarity, however young people clearly benefit from the individual time they spend with their key workers and the wider staff team.

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Leadership and management

The home makes appropriate and timely notifications to Ofsted and other relevant agencies when necessary. Such practice is demonstrative of its desire to work openly and transparently with relevant agencies in the best interests of young people.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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