Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

Unique reference number SC040628 Inspector Paul Taylor Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Surrey County Council Registered person address Surrey County Council, Children's & Safeguarding Service Runnymede Centre, Chertsey Road ADDLESTONE Surrey KT15 2EP Responsible individual Louise Warren Registered manager Louise Phippen Date of last inspection 25/03/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 03/09/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home was judged good at the last full inspection in December 2013. In March 2014 an interim inspection found the home to have made satisfactory progress. At that inspection one recommendation was made relating to, repairing damage to a wall in one of the corridors. This has been addressed.

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This inspection

Young people continue to benefit from living at this home. In particular, they have received very good support while they have been taking their exams at school. As a result of the support they have received young people have gained places in colleges and the sixth form, in order to further their studies and to pursue their chosen careers. One young person 'said ’they really did help me and push me forward'.

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This inspection

Young people speak positively about their care and their relationships with members of staff. One young person said 'They do all they can'. 'It's safe here. I don't run away' is another comment. Members of staff provide clear and consistent boundaries and routines while being approachable and supportive. This enables young people to feel safe and to feel they can speak to members of staff about their care. Young people are seen to seek the company of members of staff and to enjoy friendly banter in a relaxed atmosphere.

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This inspection

The home has systems in place to ensure that all necessary checks are carried out on safety equipment such as fire alarms and fire extinguishers. Additionally, a fire drill was carried out recently which involved all the young people. This ensures that all young people are aware of what to do in the event of a fire. The vast majority of safety checks have been carried and recorded. However, weekly checks of closing devices on fire doors have not been evidenced. While the devices were seen to be working and young people's safety has not been compromised, the home has not followed the organisation's policy in this matter. This means that checks cannot be verified and potential malfunctions identified. 3 of 6 The interior of the home is adequately furnished and comfortable. Young people are able to decorate and personalise their own rooms and this encourages them to invest in their personal areas. The rear of the premises has overgrown brambles

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This inspection

across a pathway in the garden and there are cigarette ends and rubbish strewn around the edges of the lawn. This does not encourage a homely and comfortable external area for play and recreation.

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This inspection

The home maintains very good links with local police officers who visit the young people regularly on an informal basis. This means that the young people are able to gain trust in their local police and are able to talk to them about specific issues such as, going missing and offending behaviour, in a relaxed and familiar setting. 4 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by the local authority providing care and accommodation for up to seven children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 20/12/2013 Full good 19/02/2013 Interim good progress 20/09/2012 Full good

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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) the registered person shall ensure that all parts of the children's home are kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31 (2) (e) ) 31/10/2014

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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 manager regularly monitors, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ensure with compliance with the home's policies, to identify any trends about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring (NMS 21.2) (This is in relation to ensuring records of fire door closure tests are maintained as per the organisation's 5 of 6 policy) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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