Children's Home run by Little Acorns London Beach Farm Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC023651 Inspection date 12/11/2012 Inspector Karen Malcolm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 05/03/2012 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

This children's home provides care for up to eight children, aged between four and under 15 years. The home only accepts admissions under the age of 10 years. The home caters for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties who have a wide range of needs which can be best met in a therapeutic style community.

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Brief description of the service

The home's independent school operates from two classrooms within the grounds. The provider of this service also operates another children's home and other provision for adults with mental health and learning 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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides all children and young people receiving care an adequate service with outcomes for the children and young people, and quality of care being good. This service provides a friendly and welcoming home from home. Children and young people benefit from personalised and planned care, based on their individual needs. They also have made good progress in relation to their starting points across all aspects of their welfare and development: such as their educational, physical, social and emotional needs. This is underpinned by the support from staff. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safe working practice. Children and young people confirm that they feel safe and there are clear boundaries and expectations.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager understands the homes strengths and weaknesses. Areas for improvement relate to the home having in place an environmental risk assessment, that the quality assurance monitoring is improved to reflect the outcomes for children along with the development plan. The monitoring of restraint and physical holds is to be effectively reviewed. Additional to this the Statement of Purpose is reviewed and all staff to attain a minimum level three qualification.

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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) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and include the age-range, sex and numbers of children for whom it is intended that accommodation (Regulation 5 (a)) 21/01/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that where a measure of restraint is used on a child a clear record must include the duration of the restraint; and details of any methods used to avoid the need to use that measure (Regulation 17B(40(a)) 21/01/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the person carrying out the visit shall interview, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working in the home as appears necessary in order to inform an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home (Regulation 33 (4) (a)). 21/01/2013

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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 all existing care staff has attained a minimum level 3 qualification. All new staff engaged from the commencement of the NMS (in April 2011) are to hold the level 3 Children & Young Peoples Workforce Diploma which must include mandatory social care units; or be working towards the Diploma within 6 months of confirmation of employment (NMS 18.5)  ensure that the Registered Persons have a written development plan, which is reviewed annually, for the future of the home, that identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home’s current operation and resource (NMS 15.2)  ensure that the manager is regularly monitoring in line with regulations, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. It is good practice that these reports are submitted to Ofsted at six monthly intervals, within 28 days of completion, especially where the number of physical

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Recommendations

interventions and sanctions have increased and improved (NMS 21.2 Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 5 3.14)  ensure that the home's procedure is in line with Government guidance includes what action is taken and requirements procedures to be taken if an allegation is made against a member of members of staff (NMS 20.2)  ensure the homes protection procedures and how staff will be supported should there be an allegation are made available to staff and volunteers. The provider takes any comments on these procedures into account (20.3)  ensure that the managing behaviour policy, which includes supporting positive behaviour, includes clear guidance on de-escalation of conflicts and how each individual is supported around this (NMS 3.3)  ensure that the risk assessments of the whole children’s home environment are carried out, to identify any potential sources of harm to the children are recorded

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Recommendations

in writing and regularly reviewed. This is to include all other hazards such as the portable swimming pool and garden pond (NMS 10.8).

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people make good progress in developing emotional resilience. Children and young people spoken to, reflected about what has improved for them, they liked living at the home and that they have a good relationship with the staff. Other professionals commented on how positive the children and young people had improved and gave praise to the leadership and guidance they have given to the children and young people they are caring for.

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Outcomes for children and young people

All the children and young people attend the on-site school and all staff work together to ensure a holistic approach to care and education. The home has child focus meetings which are attended by all those involved with the child's education, care and support needs. Staff are very positive in their approach to education and give good practical and emotional support to children and young people who have difficulties with learning. The success for some children is that they are being integrated into mainstream school education.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people have made good improvements in coping with uncertainty and changes in their lives. As a result children and young people are participating in a full range of opportunities and social experiences that is enabling them to achieve their full potential and make informed choices. Children and young people shared their current holiday experiences such as day trips to London and various trip out including going to Euro-Disney.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are encouraged to have healthy and enjoyable lifestyles. They have access to a wide range of health services and receive good support with any health problems. The majority of immunisation checks are up-to-date. Children and young people are supported in developing their self-esteem and establishing appropriate social relationships. Staff address individual issues sensitively and according to the background, gender, identity and ability of each child and young person. Having clear boundaries is important to each child and young person’s development and welfare. Children and young people living in close proximity to each other respect each other’s privacy and have various places where they can be alone if they so wish.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Staff promote contact in line with agreed care plans. Children and young people are able to meet with their family at the home and other visits are arranged at convenient locations so contact is actively supported. This enables children and young people to maintain links to with their family, friends, their heritage and culture.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Children and young people are actively encouraged and benefit from developing skills for daily living. As a result young people transition into other care services, adult provision or independent living is planned and appropriate to their needs and understanding. Clear guidance is in place to support each child and young person through this transition of moving on.

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Quality of care

Children and young people benefit from a staff team that is concerned about their welfare. They receive support, based on identified needs. In addition, the home has effective links with a variety of professional services to ensure that children, young people and staff, where appropriate, have full access to the right support to meet specific needs. The introduction of child focus meetings has also helped with this.

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Quality of care

Staff ensure that cultural and ethnic backgrounds are properly considered, when planning how best to meet individual needs. Children and young people are able to experience differences and how to be a part of a mixed age and gender group living together. Children and young people commented that some children are early risers and this has at times impinged on what they deem as their quality sleeping-in time, but understand that some children are younger than them and need less sleep.

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Quality of care

Staff contribute well to the statutory reviews by attending and presenting reports of the care, outcomes and other significant issues for young people. This enables a more rounded assessment of how beneficial the placement is for the child or young person and of the appropriateness of future plans. Children and young people are supported to attend reviews so that their views about their lives can be taken into account. Children and young people are undertaking various life-story work which is solely about their needs, wants and aspiration.

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Quality of care

The ethos of the home is to view complaints positively and as an opportunity, if possible, to resolve issues quickly, to the child or young person’s satisfaction. Children and young people are reassured that it is fine for them to grumble or complain if they wish. Children and young people are asked at meetings if they are happy with the home and where improvement can be made. This demonstrates how the home consults with children and young people and listens to the voice of the child.

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Quality of care

An important aspect of the quality of care provided is in respect of the health needs of the children and young people. Health and placement plans are in place and these give a good indication of the individual health care resources required. Children and young people do have access to other professional if required. The emphasis on a healthy living encourages children and young people to take an interest in their personal health care such as brushing their teeth or managing their personal hygiene.

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Quality of care

The home is located on a busy main road off a country lane, with adequate off road parking. The home does have transport to enable the children and young people to get around easily; the added bonus is that the majority of staff are able to drive. This enables children and young people to gain a wide range of enjoyable and meaningful activities that are not local such as going into London or other places of interest which are both educational and social. Children and young people spoken to said “there are plenty of activities, some are one-to-one and many are group activities which we enjoy".

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Quality of care

The staff enjoy their work with children and young people and have developed appropriate relationships with them. As a result young people have developed appropriate relationships with staff. The staff communicate well with the children and young people and there are clear boundaries for behaviour that is maintained. Where behaviour is more challenging, staff explore the problem and help and support the child or young person whenever they can. Behaviour management plans are devised for all of the young people. Incentives, praise and reward play an important part in managing behaviour and this enables the children and young people to progress and develop in this area.

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Quality of care

The home is comfortable and homely. Children and young people live in an environment that suits their needs and abilities. The home provides plenty of space both inside and out, meeting the energetic and physical needs of the children and young people placed. All bedrooms are single and are personalised to each child style and personal taste, such as being designed around a specific colour range throughout. The home has a number of communal areas which are welcoming and comfortable. The land surrounding the home is vast and houses the school huts and the manager’s office, and there is also a pond on site. During the summer months a large pool is assembled to add to the activities children and young people can access.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people benefit from living in a home which provides some aspect of physical safety and security. Fire safety checks are up-to-date, and regular fire drills and evacuations with the children are carried out There is a crisis plan in event of a major disaster which all staff are aware of. However, the home has not carried out a full environmental risk assessment which identifies all potential hazards within the home and on the site. This includes the newly built pond, the front doors and the portable swimming pool that is used occasionally in the summer months. The numbers of physical inventions used in the home is very high. The manager does not have a clear overview of the number of restraint or physical holds used in the home. Staff are trained in the use of physical restraint techniques and refresher training is regularly updated. Risk assessments are individualised to meet each child’s

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Safeguarding children and young people

needs, and outlines clear guidelines for staff on triggers and signals to help support the child and staff. Concerns are raised with regards to length of time a child or young person maybe held as part of managing a behaviour as this is not clearly recorded on the files examined. Therefore, it is unclear how this is managed by the home, to ensure that the restraint or hold being used remains effective and safe for that child or young person. However, positive behaviour is encouraged by staff this is measured through praise and rewards, which children and young people spoken to say was a good thing as the rewards given were monetary.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The number of sanctions imposed since the last inspection is also very high. Any measures taken to respond to unacceptable behaviour are appropriate to the age, understanding and individual needs of the child or young person. For example sanctions imposed mainly relate too early to bed or an activity withdrawn for a couple of hours. However, the manager does not have a robust overview of the types of sanctions and whether or not these have reduced as children settle into the home environment. Children spoken to commented that sanctions are fair.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people rarely go missing and the procedures and protocols contain the appropriate guidance. Staff spoken to are aware of the home’s procedures in the event that a child or young person goes missing. Maintaining the safety of vulnerable children and young people is a high priority. Staff are aware of the dangers children and young people may be exposed to if they are absent from the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people are safe and confirm that they feel safe in the home. Staff give children and young people’s safety high priority and they are trained in safeguarding. They are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, including issues in relation to young people’s personal circumstances. Staff are clear about safeguarding procedures and know what to do if they have concerns. Safeguarding concerns or incidents are dealt with adequately. However, the policy currently does not reflect what support or action is taken when an allegation relates to members of staff. This does not fully inform staff of the practice expected in this event.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

The home has a Statement of Purpose which is available to and understood by staff and children and reflects a number of the relevant policies and procedures. The document is available to each responsible authority, any parent or person with parental responsibility. However, the Statement of Purpose does not reflect the current age range of the children and young people accommodated Each child and young person's children’s guide is tailored to meet their specific individual needs, taking into account their age and understanding.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager does have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and where improvements are to be made. Quality assurance and monitoring reports are produced regularly. However, the internal quality assurance document is brief and is undertaken monthly by the manager. This report does not directly assist in improving the quality of care within the home, beyond the guidance. Also, the home does not systematically collect evidence of how it has improved specific outcomes and opportunities for children and young people. Therefore, areas such where there are high incidents of physical intervention and sanctions, are not reflected as to what, if any the patterns and trends are and where improvements can be made. Regular monthly external auditing of the service is conducted but the views of children, young people, staff and parents are not consistently sought and recorded as part of this process.

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Leadership and management

The current development plan dated 2012 mainly focuses on the financial viability of the service. Therefore, it is unclear what the plan of actions are in place to improve services to the children and young people.

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Leadership and management

Children and young people benefit from receiving care from a stable core staff group who are a caring and supportive team to each other and the children and young people placed. The home employs a sufficient number of staff to ensure the quality of care for the children is maintained.

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Leadership and management

Staff at the home receive lots of in-house training from psychologists and psychotherapist which helps give them the required skills, knowledge and competencies to meet individual needs of the children. Prior to working at the home a number of staff have gained degrees and other higher education qualifications. However, it is unclear if there has been any assessment of these qualifications to ensure these are appropriate for the role and responsibility. Therefore, the number of staff who hold a Diploma or Level 3 qualification or above is minimal but all newly appointed staff have completed the induction standards prior to working with the children and young people.

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Leadership and management

Staff commented that the induction training is reflective learning and they were very impressed with the information presented. Staff receive monthly supervision and weekly group supervisions. Staff are clear on additional roles and responsibilities to improve the home and the service provided. Overall, care records are comprehensive and well written, up-to-date and stored securely. All significant events are notified to relevant authorities and the numbers of significant events relating to the protection of children has been minimal.

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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 and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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