Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC438648 Inspection date 28/05/2012 Inspector Mark Blesky Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 14/12/2011 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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Brief description of the service

The private company which owns this children's home also has a fostering agency and two further children's homes. This is a small home for two children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be inadequate .

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Overall effectiveness

Care practice and outcomes for young people are inadequate. Systems and procedures are failing and inconsistent practices result in poor outcomes for young people. Young people’s welfare is not adequately safeguarded.

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Overall effectiveness

It is acknowledged that staff shortages and the high number of agency and temporary staff have further compounded these difficulties. Boundaries and expectations of the young people have been fragmented, unclear and in many cases, difficult to identify.

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Overall effectiveness

In addition, the manager has worked grossly excessive hours providing day-to-day care and her role of managing has therefore not been fulfilled. There are shortfalls in health, education and care planning. There is poor behaviour control and the resulting incidents have further challenged the weaknesses in staffing and management. Young people missing from care; absence has been of great concern and has been largely unchallenged.

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Overall effectiveness

Quality assurance systems have failed to alert the Responsible Individual. The Responsible Individual and Registered Manager met just prior to this inspection to plan to address some of the areas of most concern.

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Overall effectiveness

It was noted in discussions and through observations, that staff and the manager care about the young people and relationships are warm and respectful. Staff are aware of many of the shortfalls and express some frustration that they are not providing the care that they should. There are also signs that staff are attempting to improve education and healthcare. However, this support is unplanned, inconsistent and sporadic.

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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) establish a written procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children accommodated in the home. The procedure shall, in particular, ensure that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration other than, if the registered person considers it appropriate, at the informal resolution stage only (Regulation 24 (2)(b)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the copy of the complaints procedure supplied under paragraph (3) shall include the name, address and telephone number of the HMCI (Regulation 24 (4)(a)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary (Regulation 12.2) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children accommodated in a children's home are provided with food which is properly prepared, wholesome and nutritious and is sufficiently varied (Regulations 13.1 (a)(ii) and (iv)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and protect the physical, emotional and mental health of the children accommodated in a children's home (Regulation 20 (1)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated there; and make proper provision for the care, education, supervision and where appropriate, treatment, of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1)(b)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) make suitable arrangements to ensure that the home is conducted with due regard to the sex, religious persuasion, racial origin, and cultural and linguistic background and any disability of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (2) (b)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that 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)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that after consultation with the fire and rescue authority, adequate precautions are taken against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment (Regulation 32 (1)(a)) 31/08/2012 (2001) ensure that there is at all times, a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home (Regulations 25 (1)(a) and (b)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the employment of any persons on a temporary basis at the children's home will not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs (Regulation 25 (2)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home (Regulation 34 (1)(a) and (b)) 31/08/2012

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 27.4 (a)) 31/08/2012

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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

 ensure that there is an environment and culture to promote, model and support positive behaviour that all staff understand and implement (NMS 3.2)  ensure that the home regularly reviews incidents of challenging behaviour and examines trends or issues emerging from this, to enable staff to reflect and learn to inform future practice (NMS 3.21)  ensure that the children's guide includes a summary of what the home sets out to do for children, how they can find out their rights, how a child can contact their independent reviewing officer, the Children’s Rights Director or Ofsted and how to secure access to an independent advocate (NMS 13.5)  ensure that the home takes action to chase up outstanding reviews or visits from the responsible authority, contributes to those reviews and assists the child to contribute to their reviews (NMS 25)  ensure that children receive personalised care that promotes all aspects of their

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Recommendations

individual identity and are each treated as an individual rather than a member of a group (NMS 2.1)  ensure that the home’s location and design promotes children’s health, safety and wellbeing and avoids factors such as excessive isolation and areas that present significant risks to children (NMS 10.2)  ensure that risk assessments of the whole children’s home environment are carried out, to identify any potential sources of harm to the children are recorded in writing and regularly reviewed (NMS 10.8)  ensure that children are supported to develop practical skills to prepare for and support them into adulthood, in accordance with national minimum standards. (NMS 12.1 (a-g))

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are inadequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are inadequate. Shortfalls in practice, procedures and day-to-day support have resulted in young people not having their needs met.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are not currently supported to establish and sustain attachments. They do not benefit from a consistent or supportive staff group, due to exceptionally high deployment of temporary and agency staff in the home. There are also exceptionally high levels of young people going missing, with no evidence of this being effectively managed. There is also no evidence that young people are being helped to understand their background or past in any meaningful way.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are not receiving healthy diets and health promotion is not evident. Lack of effective healthcare planning means that young people's health is not being adequately supported. Young people are not benefitting from consistently healthy, balanced and nutritious diets.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people do not benefit from independence and life-skills support. There is inadequate independence planning, with no skills assessments, plans to develop skills, or progress reviews. Young people are not supported to learn and develop the necessary skills to support their independence.

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Quality of care

Staff attempt to engage with the young people, but there is limited evidence that this is successful. It was noted that although staff are beginning work more closely with one young person, another young person is not engaged with the staff, the care plan or the rules of the home. Effective support and management of this young person cannot be evidenced.

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Quality of care

Young people are provided with opportunities to express their individual views and feelings within key-working sessions. However, formal young people's meetings do not record evidence of engagement. There is no evidence that young people influence the running of the home.

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Quality of care

Young people are made aware of how to make complaints and representations. However, the young people's guide does not contain the details of external contacts in accordance with regulation and the national minimum standards. In addition, the home’s guidance procedures do not contain all the required information in accordance with the amended Children's Homes Regulations 2001.

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Quality of care

One young person is being supported by their placement plan, which is reviewed and updated. Another young person is not being supported by their placement plan because it is out of date. So many changes have taken place that this plan is therefore inadequate in meeting the young person’s needs. Notes from a previous review were not available and there is no evidence that staff are actively pursuing these. One young person’s absences are so frequent that it is not possible to establish what this placement is achieving. There is also a lack of clarity about some young people’s legal status. This is because records are confused.

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Quality of care

Young people do not benefit from healthy or balanced diets, or a healthy environment. Although menus are presented that reflect healthy diets, staff are regularly not preparing or serving the meals identified on the menu. Instead, there are many examples of poor diets consisting of pot noodles, fast food hamburgers, chocolate and crisps replacing the published menu.

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Quality of care

It was noted that a young person who is smoking is several years below the age when young people may legally smoke. Although staff do not condone this behaviour, there is little evidence that this is being consistently challenged. It is known that cigarettes are being given to the young person by a relative during contact, but there is no evidence of any initiatives or arrangements to challenge this.

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Quality of care

Staff were informed that following a young person’s initial medical several months ago, a condition was identified that needed further investigations. However, there is no evidence that any effort had been made to chase the results of medical tests to clarify the young person’s current condition.

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Quality of care

Medication is well-managed within the home. It is kept and administered securely. This ensures that young people receive the correct dosages to maintain or improve their health.

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Quality of care

Education is not being effectively provided or promoted for young people. Some young people await school placements and do not have an effective support plan in place from the local education department. It is acknowledged that this young person has only been in the placement for a short time. However, no plan has been put into place to prepare them for education or determine areas where they may need support. Staff attempt to offer some support and appear to be engaging with the young person, but there is no consistent approach. For example, academic work is in the form of a multitude of repeated word-search exercises. There is some artwork taking place, but no evidence of numeracy exercises. No records of progress or development are being made. This means that young people’s educational needs are not being met.

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Quality of care

Young people are not attending school consistently. Staff are unclear as to attendance and achievements of the young people. Where young people are awaiting or refusing school and formal education, education plans are not in place. Staff are unclear what support to provide. Insufficient records are kept in the home, frustrating any sense of progress or achievement.

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Quality of care

Although one young person had previously attended a school, there is no evidence that the home had chased previous reports or educational records to support current education. Other young people attend part time education sporadically. For example, reported attendance is currently at 14%. There is no evidence that the staff are consistently monitoring, evaluating or devising methods to improve school attendance.

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Quality of care

There is no evidence that the home engages with the young people in any meaningful manner to promote their cultural background, sense of personal identity or religious knowledge. Recent formal physiological assessment and behaviours clearly identify the need for some young people to explore issues of culture and identity, to help them to gain a positive view of themselves and their culture.

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Quality of care

The inside of the home is well maintained. It is bright and well decorated. The home provides a very comfortable environment, resembling a large family home. The young people's bedrooms are well furnished and personalised, providing pleasant personal spaces.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are aware of safeguarding procedures. Their training ensures that they are aware of their duties and responsibilities in the event of any allegations. Anti-bullying procedures keep young people safe from being bullied and intimidated. To further protect young people, the manager ensures that any incidents are referred to her in order that she can oversee actions taken. There is no evidence that young people are currently being bullied.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Some young people are regularly absent without authority, several times a week, often overnight. One young person has had over 45 episodes absence since December 2011. There is no evidence that this behaviour is being challenged in any tangible or consistent manner. Indeed, many occasions of absence commence after staff have transported the young person to locations at the young person’s request. It was clear from discussions and observations during the inspection, that there is no control over this situation.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The staff have made some attempts to introduce safety measures by obtaining addresses and contacts where young people stay. However, these measures are ineffective and young people may come and go from the home of their own free will. It is unclear what function this placement is performing for young people with such complex needs. Young people who constantly go missing also have a de-stabilising effect on other people, so outcomes for all are diminished.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is no effective and consistent behaviour control. There are some incidences where the use of sanctions has reduced inappropriate behaviour within the home. However, some other behaviours have not been addressed; for example, absence from the home. There are no recorded restraints in the home’s records. Discussion with the manager and an incident during the inspection confirmed that de-escalation methods are effective. Staff members receive in-house training in physical intervention and de- escalation techniques.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recruitment and employment is managed by experienced staff at the company’s head office. However, staff records in the home are not managed in a robust manner. For example, the home’s procedures dictate that each file must contain a front sheet listing all statutory checks. These are not always in place and staff are not following the companies own guidance. In the absence of effective recording and administration records a robust system cannot be evidenced.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no allegations or suspicions of harm in the home. However, there are clear and comprehensive procedures in place for staff to follow in the event of an incident arising.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Risk assessments are undertaken for the young people in many key areas. However, risk assessments are not integrated into placement planning and do not inform day- to-day care practices effectively. In addition, where placing authorities identified concerns in their care plans, these have not been risk-assessed.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The fire risk assessment is ineffective and in most areas it merely identifies electrical items within the home. The fire building plan is extremely basic and fails to identify fire equipment, emergency lighting, fire escapes and call points. Advice from the local fire and rescue service relating to fire risk assessment has not been followed. There is, however, evidence of regular and appropriate fire evacuation drills, equipment checks and fire instruction.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Suspension wires from a power line pole trail across the front path and drive into the home. These cables stretch from the pole to the ground and although this poses no risk of electrocution, it posses a physical hazard to young people, staff and visitors. One young person walked into the cables during the inspection, catching their head. In addition, the cable connections contain sharp barbs which could cause injury. This does not promote effective health and safety for young people staff and visitors entering and leaving his home.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

This is the first inspection of this home following registration in December 2011. There is a Registered Manager in post. However, the manager confirmed that due to staff shortages and her excessive hours working care shifts, she is not managing the home effectively. For example, the manager has recently worked 292 hours in one month, averaging 72 hours per week. The manager stated that she is struggling to manage the home and function effectively.

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Leadership and management

Inconsistent staffing has also compounded the difficulties managing the home with agency staff and staff from other homes covering shifts. It was confirmed that although there are generally two staff on shift during the day, 33 different staff have worked in this home since January 2012.

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Leadership and management

There is no evidence that there are any deficits in financial support. Training, team working and supervision have been ineffective due to inconsistent staffing and excessive hours being worked. Unfamiliar shift teams have resulted in fragmented approaches and poor maintenance of boundaries around behaviour. The manager confirmed that the management of casual staff has been extremely difficult. She also confirmed that the supervision of agency and temporary staff only takes place after 12 shifts. As a result, the majority of the staff in the home receive no supervision from the manager. There is no evidence that formal team meetings have taken place since December 2011.

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Leadership and management

The process of the management monitoring of the home under Schedule 6 has begun, but a report in accordance with this monitoring has not yet been submitted to Ofsted. The current shortfalls in the home’s services, staffing and care are inconsistent with the home’s statement of purpose. The manager confirmed that the home does not have a development plan. Regulation 33 inspections are taking place, but these do not appear to have identified the obvious shortfalls in the home.

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Leadership and management

To ensure that young people's confidentiality and privacy is protected, all young people's records are stored securely within the office and the staff ensure that confidential matters are sensitively managed. Notifications are made by the registered person to the appropriate authorities, and action is taken following any incident.

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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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