Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC438648 Inspection date 11/04/2013 Inspector Mark Blesky Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/07/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The private company who own this children's home also has a fostering agency and two further children's homes. This is a home for two children with 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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

This home is providing an overall good standard of care. The manager is providing strong leadership and the systems and practices have been reviewed and improved. Young people's education is valued and staff and the manager have worked successfully in achieving significant improvements to young people's attendance and achievements.

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Overall effectiveness

Healthcare and lifestyles is another area where the home has made progress. The staff have installed values within young people where they consider the importance of maintaining their general health. Positive lifestyle choices have also resulted and young people are involved in appropriate exercise and good diets.

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Overall effectiveness

Behaviour management has been effective and has resulted in both improvements in day-to-day behaviour, and also reduced young people going missing from the home. Positive and effective relationships have been the underpinning principles and resulted in staff and young people equally respecting one another.

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Overall effectiveness

Placement planning is highly individualised and diverse providing a clear and accurate profile of the young person. This has supported well managed interventions in behaviour management and provided effective services for the young people. While young people express themselves and are confident to make their views known, some systems have not provided the best opportunities to facilitate this.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are not always provided with systems to effectively communicate their views. Young people's individual contributions in children’s meetings and their review reports are not consistently gathered.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff members are supported in a number of ways and staff feel that they understand and meet the needs of the young people well. However, while this is evident, it is less evident that the supervision process provides the best opportunities for staff to develop their professional roles.

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Overall effectiveness

The home continues to develop working practices and many new systems are in place. The homes development plan awaits completion, although previous development planning goals have been met. Systems that provide oversight and quality assurance are generally well managed, although extra vigilance is needed to ensure recruitment processes are undertaken in accordance with the regulations.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people benefit from good outcomes and are kept safe by staff that are caring, respectful and aware of their individual and more diverse needs.

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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 that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to staff in respect of each of the matters specified. (Regulation 26, Schedule 2(6)) 30/06/2013

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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 that the views, wishes and feelings of children and those significant to them are taken into account in monitoring staff and in developing the home (NMS 1.7)  regularly review incidents of challenging behaviour, examines trends or issues emerging from this, to enable staff to reflect and learn to inform future practice. This relates to staff meetings (NMS 3.21)  ensure that the registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either 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 staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff (NMS 19.4)  ensure that the home assists the child to put forward their views, wishes and feelings in each review process, and helps to ensure that these are fully taken

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are good and children make good progress in both their education and behaviour. Young people, that previously refused or failed to engage in education, now engage and attend school regularly. The home’s staff have set up effective and sustained links with schools and educational support and this has resulted in young people achieving beyond previous expectations.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people's behaviour is generally more settled and predictable. This is largely attributable to close and effective relationships between staff and young people. Detailed and comprehensive placement planning has been well managed and this has resulted in staff and young people agreeing strategies in positive behaviour management. Young people have benefitted by developing skills in developing positive relationships and applying them to their schooling, their contact and friendships with their peers.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have an awareness of general health and healthy living. The manager and staff have helped young people understand and value their own health and welfare. This has been fundamental to young people's understanding of themselves and has positively influenced their diet and lifestyle choices. Young people are healthy and regularly attend routine healthcare appointments.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have joined clubs and community projects that provide and promote opportunities for learning and recreational activities. One young person is undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award and young people are engaged in activities that promote socialisation and team membership. In this way young people have gained an understanding of making commitments to others in teams and the responsibilities this carries. Young people have gained positive experiences in peer memberships and forming relationships.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have benefitted from support with their preparation for independence. Staff engage and support them to understand and recognise the skills that they will need for adult life. Tasks are broken down and young people are supported with achievable tasks and goals. Young people have enhanced their existing skills and abilities and gained a greater insight into areas for development. This has resulted in young people being better prepared for the challenges of adult living.

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Quality of care

Young people are supported by staff to form and sustain beneficial relationships with one another. Effective relationships have enabled young people to understand their responsibilities and behave appropriately. Staff and young people are respectful of one another and relationships are strong and constructive.

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Quality of care

Comprehensive and detailed placement planning has also enhanced these relationships and staff are aware of young people's more diverse wishes and feelings. As a result, staff understand the young people and are therefore better prepared and equipped to meet their more individual needs. Young people's day-to-day health needs and diets are well managed and all young people benefit from routine appointments with the core services.

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Quality of care

Staff meet regularly with young people and canvass their views and feelings about the running of the home. Young people are provided with this opportunity to have their say and discuss with staff how their views may influence to home. Prior to meeting young people present an agenda detailing their topics and issues.

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Quality of care

Young people express their views and these have, on occasions, influenced both the running of the home and how they are supported by staff. There are however some examples where meeting minutes do not evidence as clearly, young people's views and where these had been taken into account.

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Quality of care

More individual views and opinions are expressed through regular key working with young people. Young people bring important and salient views to these sessions and detailed recording of their comments is captured. The views of the young people are then used in placement planning and more specific day-to-day planning enhancing their care and the support they receive.

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Quality of care

Placement planning and individual care plans capture the more diverse elements of the young people. Plans provide a detailed and comprehensive picture of the young people and this results in individual needs being better understood, valued and met. Plans are regularly updated and reflect an active and dynamic approach to care planning.

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Quality of care

Staff meetings are in the main well presented, however the intended focus on young people and their behaviour is not always evident. The manager confirmed that young people will be profiled in future meetings with greater detail. This is intended to allow more in-depth evaluation for the management and care planning for the young people.

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Quality of care

All young people have the confidence to make complaints and representations and all staff understand their roles to advocate in such matters. Young people are well supported by complaint procedures and practices that make raising issues simple and child friendly. Few complaints are received and young people say they understand how to complain and that they trust the staff to support them. Young people are also supported with their education and substantial progress has resulted in both attendance and achievement. Anticipated targets for attendance and achievement have been exceeded. The staff have provided support to the schools by attending and supervising within the school classroom. This has been very effective support and young people have benefitted from greater education opportunities, attendance and achievements.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are kept safe and their welfare is safeguarded by experienced and knowledgeable staff members. A young person commented that the staff are always around and there for you if you need them.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff are insightful in matters of abuse and exploitation and receive mandatory training in this important area. Staff spoken to were knowledgeable and aware of safeguarding practices and how their training and vigilance maintains welfare and reduces bullying. Staff members ensure that any signs or symptoms of abuse are promptly brought to the attention of the manager. Young people are protected and feel safe and any matters of child protection are promptly and effectively addressed.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people rarely go missing and this is an area where the home has made significant progress in reducing incidents. Staff have clear procedures to counter behaviour likely to result in young people going missing, and this has resulted in the reduction in occurrences. Young people benefit from well managed behaviour control and less positive behaviour is addressed promptly and effectively.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Behaviour management is insightful and staff devise innovative and effective strategies to improve behaviour. Rewards and key working are used, along with sanctions to promote more positive behaviour. Young people have benefitted from these strategies that embrace their individuality and diversity and have resulted in improved behaviour and harmony. Few physical interventions have been used as a result of effective behaviour management strategies.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home is well maintained and robust fire prevention and health and safety procedures are in place. Young people's welfare is well supported by good practice and avoidable hazards are removed or minimized. The home is maintained and decorated well and provides young people with a pleasant environment. Young people respect and value this home and the sustained efforts staff undertake to maintain it.

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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 manager has been post since December 2012 and she has brought consistent management and staff support. Staff feel that the manager has provided effective leadership and management of the home. Many systems have been reviewed and updated. Revised systems and practices have resulted in staff being clearer about their roles and the expectations placed upon them.

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Leadership and management

Recommendations and requirements from previous inspections have been addressed and the manager has used the inspection process to further review and improve the quality of care for young people. Key working and placement planning are two areas that have enhanced young people's care and support.

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Leadership and management

The home’s Statement of Purpose has been reviewed and is more aligned to the specific care and services that are provided for the young people. Changes to the Statement of Purpose more clearly reflect what the home provides and how services will be provided to children. This has resulted in placements being made that are more sustainable and realistic in meeting young people's needs.

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Leadership and management

Young people benefit from the regular monitoring of the home’s performance and the quality of care. Detailed and insightful assessment is made by an external visitor to look at the services and care that is provided. Action plans and recommendations are made and action is promptly taken to improve any shortfalls or areas that require development. This results in regular and effective monitoring of the quality of young people’s care and ensures they are provided with the support that meets their needs and promotes their development.

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Leadership and management

The monitoring of the home under regulation 34 is also regularly undertaken by the manager. In the case of the recruitment of one staff member, explanation of gaps in previous employment has not been ascertained in accordance with Schedule 2 of the regulations. Unexplained gaps in a staff member’s previous employment introduces the possibility of inappropriate staff appointments.

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Leadership and management

Although development planning and implementation of plans has resulted, a current development plan is not completed and remains in draft. It is acknowledged that improvements have nonetheless taken place under the previous development plan.

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Leadership and management

The staff and manager understand how the care provided in the home has had a positive impact on young people's lives and staff ensure that services are adapted, to continue to meet their needs.

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Leadership and management

There are sufficient numbers of appropriately trained and experienced staff in the home and if shortages occur, through illness, other staff are drafted in from the sister homes. This ensures that young people are always adequately supported by experienced staff members from within the company.

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Leadership and management

Supervision is in place and conducted regularly for all staff. Supervision provides an opportunity for the staff members and the manager to discuss young people and the care provided within the home. Supervision does not however consistently focus on the staff member’s professional development. Staff are better supported and motivated within their professional development when their practices in supporting young people are evaluated.

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Leadership and management

Reviews are conducted in a timely fashion and the home’s staff work with the young person to implement review decisions. Reviews are used to update placement planning and young people are supported by review reports that precede their review. However, young people's opportunities to contribute, prior to their reviews are limited. The review report does not include a section for young people's views to be expressed individually. This limits young people’s inclusion and influence in the reviewing process.

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Leadership and management

Records and personal files are well maintained, comprehensive and provide an accurate and detailed account for the young people. Young people are encouraged to read their files and contribute to their personal records. This helps young people understand how they are looked after, why decisions have been made for them, along with the information to question or challenge decisions.

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Leadership and management

All young people have independency and preparation for adulthood guidance. Current plans enable young people to demonstrate their existing skills and develop new skills to assist them as they move towards adulthood. Young people benefit from this support from staff and a record is kept of achievements and progress. Practical skills help young people plan and prepare, while knowledge and experience support developing self-confidence and life skills. This support helps young people to be better prepared to look after themselves, make choices and take control over their lives.

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Leadership and management

Young people are protected when major events take place that impact on their lives. All significant events relating to the protection of children accommodated in the home are notified by the registered person to the appropriate authorities. Appropriate action is taken by the home following the incident. Reports are submitted that detail the nature of the event and updates are provided when a matter is on-going. This provides effective oversight and engagement with these authorities.

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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 the inspection of children's homes.

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