Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Kent Limited in Kent

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home environment is of a high quality providing well equipped inside and outside space where children and young people can spend time alone or enjoy themselves together.  Staff provides clear consistent boundaries alongside nurturing care, as a result children and young people make positive progress.  All young people are engaged in full time education with most achieving 100% attendance. School reports demonstrate that all children and young people have improved their educational levels.  Staff take pride in children and young peoples’ achievements, as a result they are aware of their progress and take pride in themselves.  Children and young people receive the services they require to make progress. In house therapeutic support is available to all children and young people; the home provides additional therapeutic services as required  Staff listens to children and young people and values their views. They make

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The children's home provision is good because:

decisions about their day to day care and the activities they undertake.  There are shortfalls; these include the lack of a registered manager, ineffective management monitoring and the absence of a development plan

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home. If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of the name of the person appointed and the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27(1)(2)(a)(b)) 30/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to the written development plan, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(f) understand the impact the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress of and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child, kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(b)(c)) 30/10/2015

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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 staff members take reasonable precautions based on the individual child’s needs and developmental stage to allow them to take age appropriate risks. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

Ensure the registered person builds a strong safeguarding culture in the home including the consistent use of the visitor’s book. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 43, paragraph 9.8)

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Recommendations

Ensure children are encouraged by staff to view and contribute to records. Children’s case records should be recorded in such a way that enables them to access their records easily should they wish to. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.6)

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Education is available on site. Therapy is available to children and young people if required.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21/01/2015 CH - Interim declined in effectiveness

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good

The home provides a high quality physical environment for children and young people. Bedrooms are personalised to children and young people’s tastes and generous communal areas allow for time together. A maintenance worker completes repairs and maintenance without delay. A large well-kept garden augments the environment of the home; children and young people say that they regularly enjoy playing outside.

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good

Weekly children and young peoples’ meetings offer a forum for decision-making. Children and young people set themselves weekly goals and make decisions, including meal and activity planning. The acting manager takes complaints made by children and young people seriously, any complaints receive investigation and a personalised letter explains the complaint outcome. Children and young people who have complained feel listened to.

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good

All children and young people attend full-time education and make progress. School reports describe most children and young people having 100%attendance and all of their educational levels increasing. Children and young people are proud of their educational achievement. A young person says ‘before I didn’t go to school at all now I’ve got 100% attendance’.

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good

Children and young people are in good health and their health is improving. They eat healthy meals and lead a healthy lifestyle. Where there are concerns about weight children and young people improve their fitness. Those lacking access to health services receive the provision that they require, including in-house therapeutic support.

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good

Children and young people access a range of social and recreational opportunities according to their interests. They enjoy bike rides, swimming, fishing, cooking and all are going on a summer holiday to Butlins. They join in with household tasks and cook for each other as part of the daily life of the home; there is a sense of family. A model of structured family life enables children and young people to make progress. A professional comment ‘they have done well with him. Staff members have patience, boundaries and relate to children in a way that is human, so that they don’t feel like they are in care. People sit and eat together; it’s like coming into someone’s home’.

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good

Staff work well in partnership with children and young people’s families and demonstrate a commitment to contact. Where contact is difficult staff work with the team of professions around the child or young person to support contact most appropriately. Accompanying this, emotional support for children and young people before, during and after contact helps them to manage their anxiety and make sense of their situation.

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good

Staff members describe caring relationships with children and young people. A staff member says ‘I think relationships are really good, for example when we finish a shift, all the kids ran to us to say goodbye and have a hug and it works the other way and we say we want to hear good reports about you this week and give them a hug’.

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good

Staff feel proud of children and young peoples’ achievements and help them to feel proud of themselves. They take part in community fundraising activities including cake sales and Race For Life. Positive achievements receive praise and special events celebration. Children and young people are able to acknowledge the progress they make. One young person says ‘I’ve changed massively since I’ve been here, I used to run out of the house, and I am much better behaved now. I am learning from other young people and want to be good. I’m keeping myself clean now and brushing my hair. I’m proud of myself’.

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good

Required health and safety checks are complete and ongoing maintenance and refurbishment ensure that children and young people live in a safe environment.

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good

Safe staff recruitment practices mean that required checks are complete and help keep children and young people safe from potentially harmful adults. Thorough staff induction and ongoing training ensures staff members have a good understanding of children and young people’s needs and potential risk areas. All children and young people have individual risk assessments however, there is insufficient evidence that risk assessments are up to date and support children and young people to take age appropriate risks.

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good

Children and young people identify trusted adults to talk to and share their concerns. A young person says ‘I like speaking to my keyworker; I know the staff are keeping me safe’. Children and young people settle in this home and their risk taking behaviour reduces.

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good

Staff members have a good understanding of children and young people’s needs and the risks associated. All children and young people have risk assessments that guide safe care and inform levels of staff supervision. There is insufficient evidence, however, that risk assessments support children and young people to learn how to keep themselves safe and take age appropriate risks.

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good

Children and young people go missing rarely, with only one incident since the previous inspection. Staff members follow local authority missing from home protocols; missing children and young people receive well-coordinated responses. Clear action plans minimise repeat missing behaviour. The manager requests local authority return home visits; the home provides these where the local authority is unable.

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good

Children and young people feel safe in this home. An anti-bullying policy is in place but there is not a culture of bullying. Children and young people discuss day-to-day issues in a weekly meeting; a focus on relationship building and restorative justice supports the development of harmonious peer relationships.

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good

of the staff All members team have up to date training in physical intervention; there is a focus upon de-escalation prior to any restraint. Physical intervention use is always in line with regulation. There is management review and records kept of a good standard.

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good

Sanction use is appropriate with accompanying recording. This does not always receive review for effectiveness, missing an opportunity to monitor behaviour modification strategies. Children and young people understand why sanctions are in place and feel that sanctions are fair.

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good

A new safeguarding policy provides clear guidance in the follow up of any safeguarding concerns; online hyperlinks also provide up to date research and training for staff. Consultation with the Local Safeguarding Children Board prior to the implementation of this document provides increased quality assurance.

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good

Safeguarding concerns receive follow up without delay and new systems improve recording. Notification to relevant authorities includes action planning to keep children and young people safe. Discussion with the Local Authority Designated Officer provides guidance for safeguarding concerns where appropriate.

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good

Recent child sexual exploitation training equips staff with knowledge and awareness. This goes alongside police training for children and young people in online safety. Certificates of achievement sit proudly on the wall. Staff promote online safety through the supervision of internet use and ongoing discussion with children and young people.

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good

Therapeutic support helps children and young people to manage their feelings and behaviour. Therapists support staff to think about behaviour and input into behaviour management planning. A social worker says ‘I’m very happy with day to day care from staff and very impressed with the therapeutic approach, he is thriving’. Children and young people make behavioural progress when stable in placement, their negative behaviour declines and positive behaviour increases.

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requires improvement

There has been no registered manager in this home since January 2015. The process to recruit a permanent manager is underway and the organisation’s quality assurance manager is providing day-to-day management cover in the interim. Despite the lack of a consistent manager children and young people continue to make good progress.

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requires improvement

A full permanent staff team is not in place. The home maintains high staffing levels using consistent bank staff, with occasional regular agency staffing. The use of regular bank staff enabled children and young people to develop relationships with dependable staff they get to know and trust. Positive interactions between staff and young people provide a balance of clear boundaries alongside nurturing care. The staff team work collaboratively ensuring a consistent environment where children and young people feel safe and thrive.

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requires improvement

The lack of a registered manager means that monitoring within the home is not at full potential. All permanent staff receives regular supervision with written records. Monitoring does not indicate whether bank staff receives supervision, this risks drift and oversight in the supervision and support of non-permanent staff. Monthly external monitoring acts as a quality assurance check, however actioning recommendations made in response to external monitoring is not consistent. Irregular use of the visitor’s book was highlighted through the external monitoring system. This issue lacks improvement and results in an inaccurate record of who has entered the home.

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requires improvement

A lack of monitoring of children and young peoples’ records mean that recording standards are variable. All children and young people have care plans however not all receive review and updating to specified timescales. The format of case files is cumbersome making it difficult for children and young people to access their files should they request to.

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requires improvement

The manager makes child centred decisions about young people coming to live at the home. A robust matching pro-forma underpins well-matched new placements. A social worker says ‘the transition was excellent; the home worked very well and went above and beyond expectations’.

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requires improvement

The manager takes action to achieve best outcomes for children and young people. Persistent communication with local authorities means that children and young people who go missing receive return home interviews. Children and young people are aware of advocacy provision and receive the support of an advocate where appropriate. Young people receive the services they require to stay safe and make progress.

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requires improvement

Improvement in partnership working means that professional network meetings now take place. Although in its infancy, this provides a forum to review the progress of children and young people at regular intervals. A professional comments ‘The school and home is well integrated, there is good communication and the school head comes to meetings. Staff are responsive to working together, in the past this wasn’t the case. I’ve seen a lot of progress in good partnership working’.

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requires improvement

Proactive work with external agencies ensures that children and young people receive services to meet their needs. Managers commission private services, for example an occupational therapy assessment for a young person, where this prevents delay.

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requires improvement

A comprehensive staff-training programme equips staff to meet the specific needs of the children and young people in their care. Key training is up to date and staff knowledge is current. Bank staff undertake the same training as permanent staff ensuring that all staff members have the skills to carry out their roles effectively.

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requires improvement

The statement of purpose clearly sets out the ethos and objectives of the home and the care, education and therapy services on offer. There is no current development plan meaning that he home lacks written coherent future planning.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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