Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Milton Keynes

Unique reference number SC414738 Inspection date 21/02/2012 Inspector Joanne Vyas Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/08/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This is a privately-owned home which is part of an organisation that has other children's homes. It accommodates up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties between the age of 12 and 17 years of age. The home provides a therapeutic approach to care.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making inadequate progress.

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Progress

At the previous inspection in August 2011, the overall quality rating for this home was judged as outstanding with two requirements made which had no impact on the outcomes for young people. The previous requirements referred to the recording of restraints and sending notifications of incidents into Ofsted as required in Schedule 5. Both requirements have been fully addressed.

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Progress

Young people like living in this home. They say they get on well with each other and the staff. A young person said, ‘It feels like a safe home.’ Another young person said that staff are able to ‘calm us down’ and ‘make you happy’. They all agreed that they wouldn’t change anything except the amount of food. Despite staff shopping twice a week, a young person said the food still runs out. A member of staff clarified that it is the ‘junk food’ that runs out not food per se. The young person agreed.

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Progress

Young people know and understand the rules of the home. They know the consequences of breaking the rules. However, sanctions have been given to protect young people from bullying rather than as a response to poor behaviour. This is not an acceptable use of sanctions. Furthermore, the use of sanctions for behaviours such as, the use of illegal drugs and alcohol has not been effective. This practice has not been reviewed to ensure behaviour management strategies are effective and sensitive to the needs of the young people.

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Progress

A high proportion of the staff team are new. This appears to have been unsettling for the young people who had made close attachments to staff who have now left. However, young people say they like the new staff. Staff believe that the staff team has been made stronger since the arrival of the new staff. The new staff have brought a variety of new skills to the team. However, the supervision of staff including the Registered Manager is not regular. This means staff may not be receiving the advice and guidance they require to effectively carry out their duties in looking after the young people.

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Progress

The quality of the care provided is not robustly monitored by the Registered Manager or senior members of the organisation. The Registered Manager completes Regulation 34 quality assurance checks but does not send these into Ofsted as required. Furthermore, the Regulation 33 visitor does not visit the home monthly. He has completed two or three reports for separate months on one day. This is not acceptable as the Registered Manager is unable to respond effectively and quickly to issues that are highlighted. Additionally, young people are not given the opportunity to speak to the Regulation 33 visitor on a monthly basis.

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Progress

The environment is spacious and homely. Young people like their bedrooms and have personalised them according to their own tastes. However, communal areas are not clean or tidy. The bathroom floor has paint splashed over it. Areas requiring maintenance such as a number of holes in walls, a broken window and stained walls are slow to be addressed. The exterior of the home is poorly maintained as paint on the windowsills is flaking exposing the wood beneath. Cigarette butts have not been cleared away and so are in abundance at the rear of the house on the lawn. Additionally, some hazards to the health and safety of young people were noted; a razor blade on the bathroom floor; a loose light fitting in the bathroom and a light fitting in the bathroom which was missing leaving exposed live electrics. The Registered Manager ensured this was made safe prior to the end of the inspection. Young people do not live in a home that provides them with a healthy or safe

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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 visits under Regulation 33, paragraph (2) take place at least once a month (Regulation 33 (3)) 31/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) supply to the HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1) of Regulation 34 (Regulation 34 (2)) 31/03/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the children’s home used by children are: of sound construction and kept in good structural repair externally and internally; and kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31 (2)(d) & (e)) 29/02/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their health or safety. (Regulation 23 (a)) 29/02/2012

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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

 review behaviour and respond promptly where any worrying issues or trends emerge to enable amendments to behaviour management practice to be made so that this continues to be effective and sensitive to the needs of the young people in the home’s care (Volume 5: Children’s Homes 2.92)  ensure sanctions for behaviour are clear, reasonable and fair. This specifically is with regards to children who are sanctioned for their protection rather than in response to poor behaviour (NMS 3.8)  ensure staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular supervision. (NMS 19.4)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011).

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