Children's Home run by The Drive Care Homes Ltd in Kent

Unique reference number SC063689 Inspector Lucy Chapman Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person The Drive Care Homes Limited Registered person address Cyrinus House 18 Hatherley Road Sidcup Kent DA14 4BG Responsible individual Emmanuel Okon Akpan Registered manager Zeshan Shahzad Khan Date of last inspection 05/03/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 17/03/2015

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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

Young people in this home receive good quality care and make good progress. An experienced and committed Registered Manager ensures good management oversight of the activities within this home. A stable staff team is in place with a good knowledge and understanding of the young people in their care and regular experienced bank staff cover any staff absence. Young people are able to build relationships with consistent staff and receive care from staff that know them and understand their individual needs and preferences. All staff, including bank staff, receive regular supervision as well as going training. Staff report feeling well supported in their roles and enjoying their work. One staff member said ‘managers are there to help you and support your personal development; I am contented working here’. Young people benefit from being cared for by staff that take pleasure in their roles and enjoy being with the young people that they work with.

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This inspection

All recommendations from the previous inspection are complete or progressing. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures are in place and full checks and references in respect of the Regulation 33 visitor are on file. Young peoples’ safety is enhanced by the efficient in depth recruitment checks in place.

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This inspection

A thorough staff learning and development programme has been implemented. All staff are subject to annual review and evaluation and action taken to address any gaps in practice and performance. This includes regular up to date safeguarding training, and specific training to assist staff in their work with disabled young people such as ‘Makaton’. Improved systems to monitor the home’s practice have been introduced. This enhances critical analysis of activities within the home, meaning that issues are more effectively identified and acted upon. File recording has also undergone review and new guidelines are in place for staff in respect of file recording. This has improved staff recording with less use of medical terminology in young people’s case files, with files now more accessible to young people and their 3 of 6 families. A new format for young peoples’ care plan is also being introduced which will clearly record young people’s individual needs, development goals and the

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This inspection

support required to meet identified goals. When fully established, the plans will facilitate the improved tracking of young peoples' progress allowing young people to maximise their development.

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This inspection

All young people engage positively with education. Staff at the home liaise closely with young people’s schools and colleges working in partnership with strategies to enable young people to progress in their target areas. Young people’s health needs are also well supported and good links are in place with specific health services required to meet young people’s individual needs. Staff ensure that young people receive the specialist services that they require and forge good links with these services working in partnership to meet young people’s needs.

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This inspection

Young people are supported by staff to make significant progress in their life skills. One staff member said ‘I have seen young people progress; staff spend time with young people and give them the good care they deserve’. Young people are cared for by staff that are committed to their progress and recognise and value the achievements young people make.

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This inspection

Young people in this home express their views and preferences. work with speech and language therapists to support young people in their individual means of communication. A weekly young peoples’ meeting allows young people to choose the weekly meal plan as well as the activities they wish to undertake. Activities enjoyed by young people include football, swimming, bowling, music, dancing and bus trips around London.

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This inspection

Good safeguarding systems for young people are in place. Since the previous inspection there have been no restraints, sanctions, complaints or young people going missing. Individual up to date risk assessments and behaviour management plans ensures appropriate monitoring of young people to minimise risks. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation oversees behaviour plans; this ensures that high quality behaviour management plans suitable to each young person’s needs are in place. Significant events are well recorded and link with risk assessment and behaviour management planning review and update. Young people’s challenging behaviour is managed positively in this home, giving young people space and time and one to one attention to support positive behaviour change.

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This inspection

There has been some upgrading of the home since the previous inspection, including new sofas and new flooring in the lobby. Further improvements including improved lounge lighting and a refitted kitchen are scheduled. Repair of the conservatory is awaited and young people remain unable to access this area. The building provides a homely environment where young people have space for communal activities as well as time alone in suitably furnished, personalised bedrooms.

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This inspection

One recommendation from the previous inspection is repeated. This relates to the 4 of 6 location assessment which requires completion. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is privately owned and registered to provide care for up to six children who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 17/04/2013 Full good 30/01/2013 Interim good progress 30/05/2012 Full good

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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 the home's location and design promotes children's health, safety and well-being and avoids factors such as excessive isolation and areas that present significant risks to children - including a location assessment being fully completed and conservatory made safe (NMS 10.2) 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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