Children's Home run by Fairport Care Services Ltd 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:

 Young people enjoy warm, nurturing relationships with the staff. Staff develop young people’s interests and promote good social skills. House meetings are used to resolve any conflicts and encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions. The home has a family atmosphere. One young person said ‘I like it here, the staff support me’.  The Registered Manager leads a staff team who demonstrate a commitment to good practice. This results in the competent care of young people. Well organised planning effectively supports young people during the admission process. Regular reviews ensure that young people’s needs are met.  Young people are supported to attend school and to make academic progress. One young person achieved four GCSE qualifications. Another young person is starting school in September and said ‘I am looking forward to going to school; the staff will take me at first until I settle in’.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Other stakeholders highly value the quality of the service. A Safeguarding Lead Commissioner reports ‘I am 110 per cent impressed with the work the children’s home does’.  Young peoples’ views on the use of restraint are not sought. Internal monitoring and analysis of restraints requires some improvement including the need to evaluate their effectiveness.  The use of bedroom door alarms is not reviewed at the frequency stated in the statement of purpose. There are no individualised risk assessments in place to consider the use of such surveillance measures.

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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 person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of a measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person") - (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure (Regulation 35(3)(b)(c)) 30/11/2015

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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

Any decisions to modify the environment in the home must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child's welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child's needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.10)

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Information about this children's home

This service is a privately run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

25/03/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Good

Young people enjoy nurturing relationships with staff who are committed to meeting their emotional needs. House meetings address any issues between the young people promptly to ensure that young people learn to form positive relationships. The inspector observed young people being able to effectively resolve conflict during a house meeting. Structured bedtime ‘settling’ ensures that the young people have individual time with staff to talk about their day and share any worries. This increases their self-esteem and sense of self-worth.

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Good

Staff adhere to comprehensive care plans to ensure that young people make measurable progress. Care plans are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain effective. One young person is now able to make better decisions; express his views and listen to staff. Staff support young people to contribute to their reviews. Young people are involved in decision making and can influence any plans agreed. Transition planning is effective. Young people visit the home prior to admission and choose the furnishings for their bedrooms before moving in. Current young people welcome newcomers because they have been well-prepared for changes in the home. This helps them to settle in quickly. Individualised transition planning allows staff to have a good understanding of the young people’s needs prior to admission. Staffing levels reflect identified needs: for example, one young person has been assessed to require two staff to keep him safe and this is in place.

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Good

Staff promote a sense of community by encouraging young people to participate in a range of activities. These include swimming, guides, trampolining and visits to the park. Staff encourage young people to be active. One young person is able to pursue his interest in fishing. Another young person said ‘I am happy here, we do lots of activities’.

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Good

The deputy manager works closely with schools to forge good relationships and support young people’s attendance. All young people are attending education full time and are making progress, for example, one young person gained four GCSE qualifications and has a place at college. Attendance at summer school helped one young person to prepare for school. Following a successful transition programme supported by staff, one young person is looking forward to attending their new school.

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Good

Young people receive the health services that they require. This includes access to individual therapy and family therapy as needed. One young person is working towards their goal of rehabilitation with their family. The organisation supports the young person’s parent to stay nearby which means regular contact takes place, supporting family reintegration. The parent reports that ‘all the staff have been very good and I feel we have great communication’.

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Good

Staff equip young people to be practically and emotionally ready for independence. For example, they all take part in household chores and as they get older they do their own laundry, ironing, budgeting and travel independently. One young person proudly spoke about gaining a place at a college, some distance away, which they will travel to on their own.

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Good

Staff facilitate family contact and make it a positive experience for all. Young people are able to see all those who are important to them. A Social Worker reports that ‘staff work therapeutically with the young person and family’. Judgement grade

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Good

Individualised risk assessments identify young people who are vulnerable to child sexual exploitation (CSE) and the preventative steps and actions necessary to reduce risks. Staff use their training to recognise the indicators that identify young people as being at risk of CSE. In practice, they closely supervise young people and follow or search for them if they abscond. Staff educate young people about the risks without raising their anxiety. This has been effective; one young person who previously absconded regularly no longer absconds.

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Good

The Registered Manager identified when they could no longer keep another young person safe and worked with the social worker to identify a safe placement. A Safeguarding Lead Commissioner reported that the home ‘did all they could to protect the young person from the risk of CSE, it was agreed at a multi-agency meeting that the home could not have done anymore to protect the child.’

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Good

Risk assessments, completed with young people, inform staff of potential risks and preventative measures needed. Young people are able to take greater responsibility for their own safety when they can demonstrate their ability to make safe decisions. For example, one young person worked with staff to agree safety measures so that they are able to have free time; previously they were closely supervised.

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Good

Effective sanctions are recorded, evaluated and analysed. This enables the Registered Manager to monitor their use and ensure that they are proportionate. This protects young people from unfair measures. Staff were observed to use a positive praise approach and nurturing relationships to reduce difficult behaviour.

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Good

Staff reinforce boundaries and young people generally adhere to them. Staff discuss young peoples’ behaviour at team meetings and the strategies agreed inform behaviour plans and risk assessments. Restraint log entries are not signed by the Registered Manager or authorised person. Consequently, there is no regular analysis and evaluation of such incidents by the Registered Manager in order to reduce its use. Young people do not have opportunity to discuss restraints with someone who is impartial. Consequently, staff cannot gain insight from the young person’s experience to inform future intervention.

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Good

Recruitment files demonstrate that care staff are suitably vetted and checked prior to appointment. This ensures that safe and appropriately trained staff care for young people. The home provides a thorough and extensive induction period which is monitored and evaluated by the Registered Manager. Through this effective system, staff are confident in their role prior to working directly with young people.

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Good

Young people sign agreements in relation to the use of alarms fitted to their bedroom doors. However, the use of these has not been individually risk assessed or reviewed in line with the statement of purpose. Consequently, the use of this measure cannot be justified.

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Good

The Registered Manager has been in post for seven years and is well qualified and experienced to run the home. She holds the Level 4 Manager’s award in Residential Child Care.

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Good

New staff are currently being recruited. Permanent staff and regular bank staff cover vacant shifts. This provides a high level of consistency because the staff are familiar with the young people’s needs.

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Good

Good professional relationships between the home and partner agencies result in highly effective multi-disciplinary working to ensure the best possible care and experiences for young people. A Social Worker said, ‘staff write good reports, which I receive every week, they review the care plan regularly.’

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Good

Supervision is regular, evaluative and challenging. This supports staff to reflect on their practice. A staff member said, ‘the home is run in an open way; it is easy to constructively challenge colleagues and managers’. Suitably trained staff meet the needs of the young people. Staff undertake training in safeguarding, behaviour management and medication. This gives them up to date knowledge and confidence in their practice.

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Good

The Registered Manager and staff work positively with parents who receive regular updates about their child. A parent says, ‘I am really pleased with how my child is doing, they are managing exceptionally well at the moment, I’m very happy’. Another parent says ‘all members of staff have always given me time when I’ve needed to speak, I always feel listened to.’

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Good

The Registered Manager works hard to maintain a strong well–functioning staff team. Staff are observed to enjoy their work and to work closely as a team. They are able to share their expertise with young people, for example, one member of staff spent time with a young person doing ‘bush craft’, other members of staff share a keen interest in fishing with young people.

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Good

The Registered Manager evaluates the home effectively so as to make improvements. She has a good understanding of the young people’s needs and staff performance. She recognises areas of weakness and is committed to driving forward improvements.

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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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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