Children's Home run by Reamcare Limited in Kingston upon Thames

Unique reference number SC423606 Inspector Sharron Escott Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Reamcare Limited Registered person address 361 Ewell Road SURBITON Surrey KT6 7BZ

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Responsible individual Younoos Jeetoo Registered manager Jennifer Michelle Frogley Date of last inspection 04/09/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 29/01/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection has identified a number of shortfalls within the home's documentation including documents relating to the recruitment and vetting of care staff. Monitoring of the home's records is not wholly effective. The independent visitor has failed to identify several recording shortfalls. These shortfalls have not adversely impacted on the welfare and safety of accommodated young people. Young people accessing this service are not at risk of harm or neglect. Young people are happy and relaxed living at this home and benefit from being looked after by committed and motivated staff, who provide warm, sensitive and considerate care.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered manager and deputy of this home have taken a planned leave of absence. As a result, an acting manager and deputy have been appointed. Since their appointment a full audit of the home's documents has been completed. Areas of improvement have been identified within a development plan.

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Overall effectiveness

The positive relationships that exist between them and the staff team provide young people with good support from adults that they trust. Young people have opportunities to be involved in decisions about their daily care, they say they like living in this home. However, areas within the home are looking tired and worn, a notice displayed at the entrance door undermines the warm, homely, and child centred atmosphere young people experience. 3 of 10 There are areas of good practice and strengths in the service and as a result, young people are safeguarded from harm and achieve positive outcomes from their starting points. Written feedback from an Independent Reviewing Officer states; ‘Since moving into new placement he is more settled, he is able to talk without shouting. He is more sociable and eats his evening meal with other young people in the dining room. His personal hygiene has improved this is because of the support he receives

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Overall effectiveness

from a care team who are child focused and who care'. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have a learning disability. It is operated by a private organisation and provides short breaks in addition to longer periods of care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2014 Full good 18/02/2014 Interim good progress 05/06/2013 Full good 21/01/2013 Interim good 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 a record in permanent form is maintained in respect of each child who is accommodated in a children's home, which includes the information, documents and records specified in Schedule 3 relating to that child, is kept up to date, and is signed by the author of each written entry (Regulation 28 1(a)(b)(c)) 17/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in the children's home the records specified in Schedule 4 and ensure they are kept up to date (Regulation 29 (1)) 17/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to each employee in respect of the 17/04/2015 5 of 10 matters specified in Schedule 2 (Regulation 26(3)(d))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) enable staff from time to time to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform (Regulation 27(4)(b)) 17/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children’s home used by children are kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained. (Regulation 31(1)(e)) 17/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure those monitoring the quality of care are not directly concerned with the conduct of the home (Regulation 33 (2) (c ) ) 17/04/2015

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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 physical restrictions on normal movement within the home are not used unless this is necessary to safeguard children and promote their welfare and development. Such restrictions for one child do not impose similar restrictions on other children (NMS 10.4) 6 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Outcomes for young people are adequate; this is despite the nurturing care the home provides. Young people are provided with continuity of care by a staff team who ensure young people's daily living needs and well-being are promoted. Care staff understand, show tolerance and respond to individuals’ diverse and complex needs. Young people are encouraged to take some responsibility for their own welfare and to make safe choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people attend their routine medical checks and sustain good health. In addition, young people are supported to access specialist health services. They attend regular appointments with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). These sessions enable young people to explore and apply alternative strategies to manage their anxieties. Healthy, home-cooked and nutritious meals are provided. Staff support young people in making healthy lifestyle choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Some young people are developing skills for adult life, some have their own mobile devises which enables the care team to maintain contact with them when away from the home. This helps young people to develop their social and communication skills and has increased their self-confidence. Other young people are supported to maintain daily living routines and their hygiene by the use of the picture exchange communication systems. This means young people are developing important personal and life skills is helping them to become independent

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s achievements are recognised and celebrated which contributes to young people feeling valued and encourages a sense of belonging. Young people spoken to said they enjoy living at the home, they said they felt safe and enjoy spending time with staff members. Young people are encouraged to contribute their views in a variety of ways. They benefit from frequent key worker meetings, so that they can talk with staff about their wishes and feelings.

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Quality of care adequate

High staffing levels means the care team are enabled to focus on developing positive and respectful relationships with young people. These relationships underpin the culture and ethos of the home. Young people’s daily living routines are structured and well thought out which helps bring stability to their lives. Young people say they feel safe at this home and confidently express their feelings and emotions. This means young people are gradually developing better coping strategies to manage their anxieties, frustrations and at time's unpredictable behaviour. 7 of 10 All young people regularly attend their external specialist education provision. Effective communication and collaborative working arrangements are maintained by the home. Young people's attendance is good; their attainment is progressing from their starting points. However; the home has failed ensure they have up-to-date pupil education plans, this mean's staff are not fully informed on individuals education

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Quality of care adequate

targets in order to progress their attainment.

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Quality of care adequate

All young people have placement plans which are consistent with placing authority care plans. These plans are supported by individual behaviour management strategies and individual risk assessments. These documents guide staff in how best to meet young people’s identified and diverse needs. Reward systems are in place; however targets are generic and not individualised. This means targets are not specific to individualised known needs; as such they do not contribute to or promote young people's progress.

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Quality of care adequate

The home successfully helps young people with learning difficulties and disabilities to make progress at a manageable pace, taking into account their abilities and level of understanding. Staff want the best for each young person and take pride in providing warm, nurturing, individualised care which is clearly demonstrated in practice. Diversity is valued within this home. Staff work collaboratively and effectively with other agencies and services to provide packages of care that will be successful in supporting young people to achieve, learn and develop. Young people are well supported to manage major changes and loss in their lives which reduces their levels of anxiety during difficult times.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people are encouraged to take part in a range of community activities that they are likely to enjoy and will support their development. Some young people enjoy, walking and dancing. They have access to a wide range of in-house activities which provides opportunities for young people to play relax and explore new interests when the weather prevents young people enjoying activities within the community. Young people have fun in this home; the atmosphere within the home is vibrant.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff encourage young people to make the house ‘their home’ and they can personalise rooms to their preferred taste. The manager and team have identified areas within the garden that they wish to develop which includes growing vegetables. However, areas within the home are looking tired and worn, with food and hygiene posters on display at the front door, large metal window restrictors and televisions in locked cabinets reducing the homely appearance of the house.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The home undertakes recruitment and selection processes and checks prior to the employment of any new staff member. These processes help to prevent unsuitable people from having access to young people. However, the home’s recruitment records do not contain all required information. Three staff files reviewed identified 8 of 10 gaps in employment history. References undertaken are not verified and those obtained lacked quality and content. These shortfalls have the potential to adversely impact on the welfare and protection of young people. However, to date, there is no evidence of such negative impact. Visitors to the home are closely monitored.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Medication is stored safely and the administration of medication and medical recording is only undertaken by those who are trained in this task. The findings from this inspection identified that the management of the home’s medication, in particular the recording of stock levels is inadequate. Quantities of stock are not known to the management or staff.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The home works collaboratively and effectively with other agencies to ensure young people are protected. Staff demonstrate a sufficient understanding of safeguarding issues and work within local protocols to ensure young people’s safety is a priority. Staff complete mandatory safeguarding training and have benefited from completed a wide range of e-learning courses that include; Communicating effectively, bereavement, record keeping, first aid, nutrition and diet and epilepsy. However, the staff team have not been provided with specialist training in; autism, attachment disorders, separation and loss and sexually harmful behaviour. As such their professional development has been restricted.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The management of risk within the home is overzealous and restricts young people's liberty. Door locks are used to prevent young people exiting the home or accessing the garden independently. In addition, all bedrooms are fitted with heavy duty window restrictors. This place's unnecessary restrictions on others as a result of the presenting risks of one child.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people live in a safe environment. Regular fire and health and safety checks, tests and routine servicing arrangements are undertaken. These practices assist to safeguard both young people and staff in emergency situations.

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Leadership and management adequate

Since the home's last inspection in September 2014 a new, appropriately qualified interim manager and deputy has been appointed to manage this home. The Registered Manager and her deputy have taken a planned leave of absence. The interim manager and newly appointed deputy demonstrate a high level of commitment to providing a good standard of care to young people. Their vision and enthusiasm motivates the care team who say the support they receive is excellent.

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Leadership and management adequate

The opportunity for the managers to work alongside each other before the Registered Manager started her leave in January 2015 has contributed to the smooth transition of leadership in this home. Staff report positively on this arrangement and say she is approachable and always consults prior to introducing changes. 9 of 10 This inspection found several shortfalls in records. The inspection found that key documents did not evidence the actual good work being undertaken by the staff team. Monitoring processes have failed to check the accuracy and quality of records. As such, errors and omissions in records have not been promptly identified and rectified. In addition, the home's independent consultant undertakes line management of the manager of the home. He also undertakes regulation 33 monitoring visits. As a result, he is not independent of the home and is disqualified from appointment as an independent person. His monthly monitoring has failed to

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Leadership and management adequate

identify the regulatory shortfalls identified within this inspection.

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Leadership and management adequate

Regular team meetings are held which provides staff with additional support and provides opportunities for the team to openly discuss concerns, and consider how to manage young people's needs. The manager and staff team receive regular supervision.

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Leadership and management adequate

Feedback from social workers informs how pleased they are with the support young people receive, they appreciate the home contribution and attendance at Looked After Children's reviews. Collaborative working has been effective when there have been child protection concerns. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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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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