Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Bedford

Unique reference number SC412953 Inspector Mary Timms Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Benjamin UK Ltd Registered person address Ascott Lodge Lower Ascott, Wing Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire LU7 0PU Responsible individual Claudette Elizabeth Deysel Registered manager Daniel Curtis Campbell Date of last inspection 08/07/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 20/08/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care adequate Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

This full inspection has been undertaken six weeks after the previous inspection when the overall effectiveness of the home was judged to be inadequate. The Registered Manager has since that time carried out a broad review of practice and has taken actions to improve safeguarding arrangements and to develop staff practice where identified as necessary. Staff feel very supported in their role and have engaged fully in service development.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are cared for by committed staff who are well trained. Staff support the home's ethos and culture as set out in the home's Statement of Purpose. Young people grow in confidence, show improved emotional resilience and for some there is a marked reduction in risk taking behaviours.

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Overall effectiveness

A particular strength of the service is the commitment within the staff team to promoting a range of opportunities for engagement between staff and young people. As a result staff and young people have positive relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

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Overall effectiveness

As a result of this inspection three requirements and three recommendations are set in order to improve the quality of care provided. Shortfalls found are not linked directly to poor outcomes for young people. Areas for development relate to the 3 of 11 need to submit to Ofsted reports of management monitoring and the actions taken to improve the quality of care where necessary. Young people's placement plans should be developed to ensure that they reflect an appropriate level of detail in all areas. Plans should also be signed to show agreement with each placing authority. Recommendations are also made to improve the security of service keys and to ensure deep cleaning routines include bathroom facilities. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and accommodates up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2014 Full inadequate 25/03/2014 Interim good progress 09/08/2013 Full good 23/01/2013 Interim inadequate progress

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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 the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there. In particular this relates to the need to ensure that placement plans, including risk management strategies, are appropriately detailed to ensure that they reflect all areas of identified need (Regulation 11 (1b)) 26/09/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) ensure that individual placement plans prepared in accordance with the provisions in regulation 9 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England)Regulations 2010 are agreed and signed with the child's placing authority (Regulation 12A 26/09/2014 5 of 11 (1))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) supply to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months. (Regulation 34 (1) and (2)) 26/09/2014

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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 incidents of challenging behaviour are reviewed regularly, trends or issues emerging are examined to enable staff to reflect and learn to inform future practice. In particular this relates to taking action promptly to reduce the potential for a repeat possibility of young people taking keys from the office or directly from staff (NMS 3.21)  ensure that the home provides a homely environment and is well maintained. This particularly relates to the need to ensure a regular deep clean of toilets to reduce build-up of lime scale and associated staining (NMS 10.3)  ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. In particular this relates to the need to ensure a clear audit trail within records to evidence work set out as necessary in placement plans, or linked to identified needs following specific incidents is undertaken in

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people's emotional resilience improves during their placement at this home. This is evident within the individual progress made by young people. For example, young people presenting no further incidents of self-harm, progressing from previous persistent patterns of self-injurious behaviour over an extended period of time. This is because of the effective support provided and the quality of relationships between staff and young people. Professionals have a positive view of the outcomes for young people residing at this home. Comments from placing social workers include ‘'oh my goodness the changes are remarkable' in reference to the progress made by a particular young person.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are encouraged to develop social relationships and are able to maintain appropriate contact with friends and family members. Young people share their views and contribute to decisions about day-to-day living. For example menu planning and activities. Their comments about incidents and events are sought and captured within record keeping. As a result young people feel that their opinions and preferences are valued.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people develop the knowledge and skills that they will require to live independently in adulthood. All young people are supported to become more responsible with their behaviours, to make decisions about their care and to learn daily living skills. The level of responsibility expected is dictated by age and ability. Expectations and care are planned in a manner which allows young people to continue to receive nurturing care while becoming more independent within a supported environment.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people engage in a broad range of activities. Recent examples of trips and activities include day-trips to the beach, go-karting and a visit to a safari park. Within the home young people benefit from a weekly visit from an artist who introduces imaginative projects and ideas and works to engage young people in his work. As a result young people's self-confidence develops and skills are widened.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people's progress within education is good taking into account their starting points at the time of admission. Examples include young people looking forward to starting a further education college course of their choice. This is very positive when compared to the resistance to education and poor school attendance at the time of admission to the home. This is because of the individualised approach taken to meeting individual needs.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people's positive experiences while in the care of this home are captured within a file of photographs and summaries of progress. This record is made available for each young person to take away when they leave. As a result young people have 7 of 11 a permanent record of the most positive elements of their placements.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff set boundaries and encourage improved behaviour through a structured incentive system operated within the home. Expectations and possible rewards are explained to young people on admission and are clearly understood. The service maintains a dedication to this system, within which young people learn to improve their behaviours by gaining financial rewards. Young people say that staff talk to them about their behaviours and staff describe how they facilitate discussion in order that they can learn from reflection. However, the inspector found some difficulty tracking within records the detail of the work undertaken with young people following specific episodes of difficult or risky behaviours. As a result there is sometimes a lack of evidence to fully demonstrate the care provided. While there was no detrimental impact the inspection found that young people have obtained a set of service keys from the staff office on more than one occasion. This highlights that robust action

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Quality of care adequate

was not taken immediately to prevent the scope for a further incident to occur.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people enjoy spending time with staff who organise activities and a broad range of opportunities for engagement and the development of positive relationships. This is seen as key to the culture of the home and vital to promoting positive outcomes for young people. The taking part in new activities alongside positive adult role models promotes self-esteem and supports young people to begin to form attachments with those caring for them.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people's medication needs are well managed. A robust system is operated which ensures the safe storage and administration of prescribed medication. Staff practice is underpinned by training in relation to the safe management of medication.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people's good health is seen as important. Where young people continue with smoking habits that were present when they were admitted they are taken to smoking cessation appointments with health professionals. As a result they make more educated decisions about their health. Routine check-ups with a dentist and optician are attended. Emotional wellbeing is monitored and care arrangements are informed by a psychotherapist working within the organisation. This individual visits the home each week to facilitate both direct work with young people and to provide consultation with the staff team. This professional support has contributed to marked improvements in relation to emotional health and reductions to the level of self- injurious behaviours.

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Quality of care adequate

Individual placement plans set out areas of assessed needs, risk factors and generally clarify how the service will support the individual young person and are reviewed on 8 of 11 a regular basis. However, there are also areas which are less well informed. For example, contact plans are sometimes not updated when contact arrangements have changed. While no detrimental impact was identified as staff are aware of the current need of young people, this raises the potential for needs to go unmet. While placing social workers confirm their view that placement plans are clear. There is also a lack of evidence of placement plans being agreed and signed by placing authorities as required by regulation.

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Quality of care adequate

The home is generally maintained, decorated and furnished to a good standard. However, the inspector identified a failure to ensure a regular deep clean of bathroom areas. As a result some toilet bowls used by young people were found stained and unpleasant in appearance.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are safeguarded by the quality of care provided. A safe living environment is maintained where health and safety issues arising are addressed promptly and fire safety arrangements are prioritised. As a result young people's safety is enhanced and they understand the actions to take should a real fire occur.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected from unsuitable people gaining employment by the operation of robust recruitment process. Visitors to the home are required to show identification and a record of visits is maintained which further enhances the protection of young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

All staff have undertaken core training in relation to safeguarding young people. The majority of staff have attended additional training which further enhances the strength of safeguarding practice in the home. For example, training in relation to child sexual exploitation and bullying. Some staff have also undertaken training linked to the protection of young people in relation to internet safety and disseminated their learning within the team. Safeguarding training is an area which has been strengthened since the last inspection. As a result staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in the protection of young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are aware of the individual triggers for young people's behaviour and are proactive on occasions when young people leave the home without consent. They remain persistent when following young people who fail to respond to verbal guidance and are proactive in achieving their safe return as quickly as possible. Police officers from the local authority missing person's unit have a positive view of the manner in which the staff proactively respond to missing from care events and confirm that these are low in number.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour is managed consistently within the home's structured incentive scheme. There is a low use of physical intervention with only a one-second hold being necessary since the last inspection. While there is progress still to be made for some 9 of 11 young people there is a notable reduction in anti-social and risk taking behaviour. Staff are mindful of the need to manage internet and mobile phone safety and when necessary restrictions are imposed. As a result young people's ability to maintain inappropriate social links is restricted and their protection is enhanced.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has been in post since 2010 and is shortly to commence further development by undertaking a level 5 Diploma in leadership for Health and Social Care. This demonstrates a commitment by this individual to their personal development.

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Leadership and management good

The inspector notes that there has been much reflection across the whole staff team since the last inspection when specific weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements were found. The Registered Manager and staff readily demonstrate how the whole team have taken forward learning into practice. The Registered Manager demonstrates a commitment to on-going service development and plans are in place to support progress in this regard. The staff are committed to the promotion of positive outcomes for young people and speak with pride about the progress young people have made during their placement at this home. For example, they are able to talk with confidence about impact the service has made to young people leading to improved life chances and a vast reduction in risk taking behaviour linked directly to the quality of care provided.

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Leadership and management good

The requirements and recommendations set on the last inspection have each been acted upon. Behaviour management records now reflect young people's views and a new recording format has been implemented to capture the response made within the home to safeguarding concerns. Recruitment records are now held within the home to reflect that written references are verified by telephone. Records maintained when young people go missing from the home have also been improved. As a result there is improved clarity within records to show the care provided and actions taken to safeguard young people. Additional staff training has been provided and further guidance issued through supervision and team meetings which has strengthened the team's knowledge and practice in relation to the management of safeguarding concerns. The Registered Manager is making arrangements to underpin training about bullying by using an external agency to provide workshops on this subject for

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Leadership and management good

both staff and young people. Records have also been improved in relation to the duration of staff supervision meetings. The actions taken demonstrate a strong commitment to service improvement.

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Leadership and management good

Young people are cared for by appropriate numbers of suitably experienced and well trained staff. The team have a positive view about the quality of management support and training that they receive. The organisation ensures that new staff follow an appropriate induction and attend core training at an early stage of employment. As a result staff have a clear understanding of the home's ethos and are clear about 10 of 11 their role and responsibilities in the care and protection of young people.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager monitors the quality of service provided and records kept within the home to identify any concerns, patterns or trends. While reports are produced of these quality assurance checks, these reports are not submitted to Ofsted as required by regulation. As a result HMCI is unable to promptly assess the quality and effectiveness of management oversight against requirements of regulation. An independent person also undertakes visits to the home and reports on the quality of care provided. When necessary visits explore how weaknesses are being addressed. For example, the visitor recently reviewed the actions being taken by the service following the inadequate judgement. As a result of this external oversight service development is strengthened. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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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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