Children's Home run by Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd in Kent

Unique reference number SC416915 Inspector Anna Williams Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd Registered person address Acorn Homes, Northdown House Northdown Park MARGATE Kent CT9 3TP Responsible individual David Laurie Knowles Registered manager Tania Smith Date of last inspection 22/05/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 24/03/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection None

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

Children and young people spoken to were very positive about the care they receive. They all feel safe. Comments from children and young people included ‘I have close bonds with every single member of staff’, ‘I am happy here’, and ‘we have good staff here’. Children and young people have been on a house holiday to Blackpool. This gives children and young people opportunity to visit a different area of the country, make friends and try new experiences.

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This inspection

A previous requirement to ensure that the Statement of Purpose is shared with Ofsted has been met. This ensures the regulator is kept up-to-date with any revisions to how the service is run. The conditions of registration state that up to 7 children can be accommodated within this home. However, the Registered Manager confirmed that only a maximum of 6 children would ever live in the home. The current staff team in place and the accommodation on offer does not support up to 7 children living in the home safely and comfortably. A requirement is set in order for the organisation to review and revise the Statement of Purpose to reflect the registered conditions.

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This inspection

Since placed at the home, some children and young people have not put themselves at risk by going missing, when this was a concern previously. Other children and young people have gone missing from the home and this behaviour has not reduced. Staff actively search for children and young people. When some children and young people have persistently been absent, the Registered Manager has convened professionals meetings to discuss the pattern of behaviour. However, the Registered Manager has not requested a review of children's local authority care plans. Independent reviewing officers are not routinely informed when a child is absent and when they return. This means there is no formal review of a child or young person’s care plan to consider if the placement remains appropriate and to consider the risks involved in repeated episodes of absence. 3 of 7 Previously, following a change in the overnight staffing arrangements, staff were

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This inspection

undertaking overnight sleep-in shifts by sleeping on the communal sofa within the open plan lounge. Staff now have a sofa bed within the downstairs staff office. This offers staff improved sleeping facilities and more privacy.

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This inspection

The home has benefited from refurbishment since the previous inspection. Children and young people have been actively involved in choosing colours and items for the redecoration of the main lounge area. New carpets have been fitted throughout the home. This enhances the physical environment. One child commented ‘it’s really homely here’. Children and young people speak positively about their bedrooms. All bedrooms have a high standard of furnishings and clearly demonstrate children and young people’s personal identities and interests.

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This inspection

Children and young people continue to have mixed educational outcomes. Some young people attend school every day and are making academic progress. Other young people have been excluded from their educational provision and are being home tutored. Engagement with home tutoring is not consistent. Since the previous inspection, the organisation has taken steps to support educational outcomes through the employment of a Learning Support Assistant. This member of staff supplements the structured learning of any child or young person who is not in full time education. This ensures children and young people have prompt and on-going support to meet educational goals.

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This inspection

Training records are now improved. They clearly identify when staff members time limited qualification is due for renewal and action is taken. This ensures that staff keep up-to-date with safe caring skills. The Registered Manager continues to study towards her level 5 diploma in leadership for health and social care and children and young people’s services. She recognises that the completion of the award is a requirement of her registration.

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This inspection

Children and young people have now experienced a fire drill which took place while they were sleeping. This ensures that children, young people and staff know what to do in case of an emergency overnight. Since the previous inspection, a small accidental fire occurred in a young person’s bedroom. The young person was not present in the bedroom at the time. The house fire alarm system alerted staff, who quickly responded with minimal damage sustained. The fire risk assessment has been reviewed since this event. However, it does not reflect learning and consideration of how to avoid this specific situation from happening again.

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This inspection

At the previous inspection a requirement was set in relation to the use of surveillance within the home. Children and young people are now all aware of, and consent to, the use of the auditory alarms. Children and young people’s placement plans now clearly identify the reasons electronic monitoring is in use. While the home has informed all the placing authorities of the surveillance measures, not all authorities have given explicit consent to their use. The Registered Manager took 4 of 7 immediate action to address this shortfall; however copies of placing authority consent were not on all children’s case files. 5 of 7

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned by a private company and is registered to provide care for up to seven young people. The home offers care for young people with behavioural and emotional difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2014 Full adequate 08/01/2014 Interim inadequate progress 13/08/2013 Full good 27/02/2013 Interim satisfactory 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

5 (2001) review, and where appropriate, revise the Statement of Purpose to ensure it accurately reflects the conditions of registration (Regulation 5 (a)) 11/05/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure where the registered person considers that a child who is accommodated in the children's home and for whom a care plan has been prepared (a) is, or has been, persistently absent without permission from the children's home, the registered person shall ask the local authority that looks after that child to review that child's care plan (Regulation 16 (6)) 11/05/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that electronic or mechanical monitoring devices for the surveillance of children are not used in a children's home except for the purposes of 11/05/2015 6 of 7 safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned or other children accommodated, and where the following conditions are met (a) the child's placing authority consents to the use of the measure in question. (Regulation 22 (1) (a))

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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 Independent Reviewing Officers are informed about missing and away from placement without authorisation episodes; and ensure that the Independent Reviewing Officer is informed that the child has returned (Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care (2014) (Paras 56 and 67))  ensure risk assessments identify any potential sources of harm to the children, are recorded and regularly reviewed, in particular review the fire risk assessment to ensure it accurately reflects and evaluates the history of fire within the home. (NMS 10.8) 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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