Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC059037 Inspection date 14/05/2013 Inspector Helen Lee Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 21/11/2012 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 is a privately owned children's home offering care and accommodation to four young people experiencing severe 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 adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

The outcomes for young people are satisfactory with some progress being made in relation to all aspects of their welfare and development. The young people's ties to the home are not as strong as they are to their outside communities, interests and friendships. This is reflected by the high incidences of the young people leaving the home and their low levels of engagement with staff. Although young people continue to present the high risk anti-social behaviour on admission; there are some indications that these are beginning to reduce as a result of the perseverance of staff and the continuation of the placement. There are placement plans in place to address any identified needs.

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Overall effectiveness

A strength of the home is the persistence of staff in challenging anti-social behaviour and supporting young people who are disengaging with society. Along with re- establishing relationships with family and friends through building on positive visits, which are proactively encouraged, assisted and appropriately monitored to ensure good outcomes.

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Overall effectiveness

Shortfalls highlighted include: staff training; record keeping and not evidencing the progress made by the young people within the quality assurance process. The home is also failing to significantly reduce the impact of anti-social behaviour outside of the home. This is partly attributed to the short period of time that young people have been in placement.

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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 all persons employed by the registered person shall receive appropriate supervision, in particular the registered manager (Regulation 27 (4)(a)) 21/06/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for improving the quality of care provided in the children's home (Regulation 34 (1)(b)) 26/07/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) obtain consent from the child's placing authority to the use of monitoring devices fitted to bedroom doors (Regulation 22 (a)) 21/06/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose of which shall include confirmation that the child concerned and the person using the measure have been spoken to and the details of any methods used to avoid the need to use that measure (Regulation 17B (3)(h) and (4)(b)) 21/06/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) interview, with their 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 of the standard of care provided in the home. (Regulation 33 (4)) 28/06/2013

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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 staff appraisals take into account any views of children the service is providing for (NMS 19.6)  ensure the child’s placement plan sets out any specific agreed strategies to reduce the incidences of any negative behaviour exhibited by the child (Volume 5, statutory guidance, paragraph 2.88)  ensure that children have access to a range of resources to support their learning and have opportunities beyond the school day to engage in activities which promote learning, in particular access to the internet (NMS 8.2)  ensure that the home only provides admission to children whose assessed needs they can reasonably expect to meet and in particular demonstrate and evaluate matching and compatibility of the placements of young people. NMS 11.2)  ensure that the home's procedures are compatible with and have regard to Runaway and Missing from Home and Care protocols and procedures maintained and managed by the police (NMS 5.6)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of the children, including taining in health and hygiene, smoking cessation and complex health needs (NMS 18.1)  evaluate at least annually the effectiveness of the home's training and development programme. (NMS 18.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make adequate progress in relation to their starting points. Seven young people have left and arrived at the home since the last inspection, consequently, most young people have only lived in the home for a short period of time.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Although registered with appropriate health care services, young people often choose not to attend their routine appointments. Young people are offered the support they need to educate them about their use of substances and other risky behaviours which may be damaging to their health. Longer term health risks are not recognised by young people who often ignore the advice offered. Despite this, the staff persevere in their attempts to promote good health. Some good outcomes have been achieved regarding healthy lifestyle choices particularly around food and nutrition as well as sexual health. With regard to self-care skills an educational worker stated 'His appearance has improved tremendously.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people access the education provision provided, although for some attendance is poor. However, staff continue to look for ways to support and encourage their attendance. One home tutor stated, 'Although he isn't making any educational progress apart from tiny little steps, I can see that the young person is more settled here and the incredible relationship he has with the staff.’ One young person said, 'I would like to stay here and attend school to achieve my GCSEs, I've worked really hard on them so far.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

A particular strength, is that young people benefit from staff actively facilitating contact with families and friends. Good progress for a number of young people has been made in this area. Young people can meet with others at the home, in a mutual setting or spend time at their own family home. Family members have visited the home while staff have made cakes to make them feel welcome and to just come and 'hang out'. As one social worker stated, 'The visit with mum… was wonderful.’ Young people benefit from both developing and continuing significant relationships with other young people outside of the home. Staff have facilitated discussions, meetings and days out with the other young person’s family in order to aid communication and appropriate contact.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Difficulties occur in how young people choose to spend their time outside of the home. Staff are concerned about the criminal activities and behaviours in which young people engage and which places them at risk. However, current interventions by the staff and external agencies have had little impact on reducing the levels of going missing and criminal activity, this is partly attributed to the short period of time young people have been resident at the home. There are signs that progress is being made to engage them in leisure and school activities as a means of diverting their attention away from criminal activity and preparing them for independence. This also includes work in positively engaging with a neighbour and satisfactorily resolving two complaints. Young people are supported by staff to practice independence skills, including domestic tasks and cooking with some young people engaging in these

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Quality of care

Young people confirm that staff assist them to keep in touch with friends and family to support them in maintaining their own particular cultural needs. Staff provide young people constant reassurance about their safety in the community and encourage them to engage in activities designed to increase their confidence. Young people confirm that there are lots of activities on offer and they do enjoy these with support from staff.

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Quality of care

The home provides an encouraging environment for young people. The young people are starting to form trusting relationships with key staff and listen to some of their advice. The manager, deputy manager and experienced staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people's individual personalities, needs, interests and strengths. The management team work directly with the new staff to role model and pass on their experience and promote a positive ethos. A young person described the home as, 'Alright, they treat us all the same, it's fair. They ask us how we are and help us.'

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Quality of care

Young people influence decision making through a wide range of avenues such as daily discussions, house meetings, key work sessions and statutory reviews. Young people feel listened to and know how to complain, although they prefer to discuss and resolve grievances informally with staff. The home also provides young people with a list of external organisations who they can contact to share their concerns. Young people choose the menu and eat a range of international dishes. Meals are nutritious and balanced. Young people are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle as the home provides a broad selection of fresh fruit, healthy snacks and meals.

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Quality of care

Some young people are making satisfactory progress in education and are working or planning towards achieving educational qualifications according to their ability. The home uses alternative educational provision, such as home tutors, to ensure all the young people are accessing education in a way that is appropriate and individual to them. However, young people do not have access to the internet and feel that this should be provided. Young people live in a well maintained property, close to the town centre. The home provides a modern comfortable environment. The use of door alarms and closed circuit television although included in the Statement of Purpose, is not recorded in their placement plans and therefore young people are unable to discuss and record their views about this provision with their social worker. Young people have their own bedroom, which they personalise to reflect their individuality. They are

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Quality of care

encouraged to use travel links and local facilities which are situated nearby. This helps them to become self-sufficient in preparation for independence.

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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

Young people are protected by safeguarding procedures that are effectively implemented in the event of a child protection issue occurring. The manager and senior staff speak knowledgeably with regards to the home's own processes and they work effectively in partnership with the local authorities, police, schools and youth offending workers. Child protection training is regularly updated and the staff know how and when to report concerns. Social workers confirm they are regularly updated, this means that the home does not operate in isolation to other agencies. Young people confirm they feel safe in the home.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people continue to be unsafe by placing themselves and others in their local community at risk of harm due to criminal behaviour and going missing. Although, current interventions are not consistently working, external professionals comment that staff are doing everything that can to keep young people safe, given their history and the length of time they have been in placement. It is acknowledged that the home is trying to provide stability by maintaining the placement rather than moving young people on. Staff work closely with the police to ensure effective action is taken to reduce safeguarding concerns. The home appropriately challenges the conduct of the police regarding the status of the young people during and after an arrest which has led to a complaint being upheld.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are aware of the triggers for individual children and the necessary action required, however the recorded risk assessments are mainly generic. Attempts are made to remain in contact with young people during their absence and they are welcomed back by the staff when they do return. Young people have clear strategies in place, which are used to help to ensure that, if they go missing, they are found and kept safe. Young people report that staff always call them and want them to come back. There are signs that progress is being made with one young person, who is beginning to form relationships with key staff members and starting to return every evening. However, staff are working to policies developed in 2006 and arrangements with the local police are outdated.

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Safeguarding children and young people

All staff receive behaviour management training, including the use of physical restraint. Actual use of restraint is rare and clear records are maintained when such interventions are used. However, the log does not evidence confirmation that the young person and the staff member are spoken with following a restraint. On the rare occasion when restraint is used, young people are well supported by a good debrief, where they can express any views or concerns that they may have. Staff members are skilled at finding the most effective methods of working with the young people when they are in the home and successfully manage their behaviour with de- escalation techniques. The manager has completed a new policy regarding minimising criminal activity within the behaviour management policy, risk assessments and staff guidance but some areas are yet to be fully completed or embedded in practice.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Sound recruitment processes provide appropriate safeguards for young people, who are looked after by safe and trustworthy adults. New staff members do not commence their employment until all checks and references are satisfactorily returned. Senior staff are trained in safer recruitment and follow good recruitment practices. These robust practices prevent unsuitable candidates from working in the home. Any visitors to the home are supervised by the staff team to ensure young people are kept safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home provides appropriate safety and security. Relevant health and safety checks are up to date and suitable fire safety arrangements serve to protect everyone within the home.

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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 established internal monitoring systems. The manager has a clear understanding of the conduct of the home, events leading to incidents within the home and actions taken to improve outcomes for young people. However, there is limited evidence of the evaluation of this information in identifying how the quality of care will be improved. The required areas are reviewed; but the focus is on counting incidents and occurrences without any real depth of analysis. Incidents such as absences and behavioural issues are not fully explored in any qualitative way. Hence, the manager is unable to demonstrate the impact and value living at the home has had or how life chances for young people have improved. Therefore, the requirement made at the last inspection has not been met. External monitoring does not include interviews with the parents of young people and their relatives to form an opinion of the standard of care at the home.

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Leadership and management

The home has met the three other requirements at the last inspection regarding the opportunity for young people to be examined medically after a physical restraint, updating the behaviour management policy to include permissible controls and ensuring that health files are clearly recorded. However, a requirement made at an additional visit regarding supervision for the manager has not been met.

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Leadership and management

The Statement of Purpose contains the required information about the services provided. Young people also receive their own guide, which includes information about the home and who they can speak to if they need advice from an outside agency. The recently appointed responsible individual is active in helping to provide clear accountability and a strong management structure.

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Leadership and management

Current staffing levels meet the needs of the young people and suitable arrangements are in place for emergency situations. A motivated staff team is interested in further professional development and this is being explored through supervision. Staff undertake regular mandatory training. However, more specific training courses to meet the emerging needs of the young people has not been provided, such as complex health needs, health and hygiene and smoking cessation. Management and staff have used other resources, such as information from books to provide knowledge in these areas which they have then cascaded to staff. However, the learning and development programme has not been evaluated to ensure it is effective. Recent staff appraisals have not taken into account the views of the young people.

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Leadership and management

Young people's case files generally contain all the required information, and are held securely and confidentially. Information is available for staff to refer to help them and young people understand their background. However, there is no written information regarding matching considerations and how the placement can meet both the needs of the referred young person as well as the current group of young people. Therefore, any evaluation or learning from this is limited. 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 and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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