Children's Home run by Moonreach LTD in Kent

home are

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 Strategies intended to reduce the risky and challenging behaviours of young people have limited impact. Some young people continue to run away from care and place themselves at risk as well as show aggressive and at times violent behaviour.  Some young people have increased their criminal activity and there has been a rise in police attending the home to support staff.  Admission to the home for some young people has had an unsettling impact on young people already living there.  Young peoples’ behaviour has at times impacted negatively upon neighbours.  Visits carried out by the independent person do not consistently contain the views of all stakeholders, such as parents.

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The children's home strengths

 The staff team are committed to their roles and care strongly about the young people.  The Registered Manager acknowledges the improvements to be made and has clear plans to ensure that the stability of the home is re-established.  The Registered Manager is working actively with the police and local authority to improve relationships with neighbours.  Young people speak positively about the staff who care for them and know that they care for them.  Some young people make good progress especially bearing in mind their starting points on admission.

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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

In order to meet the positive relationship standard, with regard to maintaining each young person to develop socially acceptable behaviour, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. 30/11/2015

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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 regard to ensuring that effectiveness of the home’s response to young people’s missing from care and effectiveness of behaviour management plans. The registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 30/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care panning standard, with regard to ensuring that the home can meet the needs of young people admitted:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home provide care and accommodation as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 30/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person to interview 31/10/2015 in private, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home. (This is with regards to interviewing parents to ascertain their views of their children’s care at the home.) (Regulation 44 (2) (a)).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (This is with regards to exploring references more thoroughly if an issue has been raised.) (Regulation 32 (1) ) 31/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where, appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (2)). 31/10/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): Ensure that the registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home. (This is with regards to ensuring that staff record clearly where they have checked and at what times when they search for a young person.) (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45 paragraph 9.28)

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children’s home which provides accommodation for two young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/09/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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people living in the home are

While some young people may struggle during their time at this home, they develop sound trusting relationships. ‘I do like the staff’ is a comment made by a young person. Staff are committed to supporting the young people and show concern and care for them, especially when they are displaying behaviours which may put themselves or others at risk.

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people living in the home are

Young people are fully aware of their right to complain and know who they can address these concerns. The young person’s guide provides clear information about external agencies and services they can speak to if they do not wish to complain directly to the home’s staff or the Registered Manager.

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people living in the home are

Education progress is good for some young people and inconsistent for others. The staff strive to engage young people in purposeful and educational activities if a young person is out of school. Despite staff attempts this is not consistently successful.

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people living in the home are

A good level of support is available to assist young people with their health care needs. Routine appointments are made with young people registered at the local GP surgery. Medicines are stored safely, and staff are trained in first aid and the administration of medication. Appointments with specialist health care professionals such as drugs misuse workers or smoking cessation programs are made for the young people if needed. The support ensures that young people are encouraged to lead healthy life styles and aware of the risks involved in smoking and substance misuse.

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people living in the home are

Young people are enabled to take part in activities in the local community. They are also able go out and meet their friends. This ensures that they are not isolated from their peers and are able to maintain important social links outside of the home.

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people living in the home are

Young people are supported by staff to maintain contact with families and others of importance to them. This approach ensures young people can continue to build and maintain positive contact with significant people in their lives. Young people are able to make and receive calls in private and do not raise any concerns about contact arrangements.

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people living in the home are

Staff work hard to support the young people to manage conflicts and resolve challenging situations positively. On occasions there has been conflict with neighbours as a result of young peoples’ behaviour outside the home. There has also been an increase in police intervention to address some behaviour. The Registered Manager is working closely with local police representatives to re- establish positive relationships. However, for the moment relationships with some neighbours remain strained.

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people living in the home are

Young people benefit from the conscientious support offered to them by the staff. Very good working relationships established with other professionals, such as social workers and police officers. This ensures joint collaborative working so that everyone can work together to improve young people’s outcomes.

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people are helped and protected

Appropriate systems are in place to help protect and promote young people’s welfare and safety. These are not always effective in practice for all the young people and this has led to increased incidents in one case of a young person becoming involved in risk taking behaviour such as criminal activity, running away and substance misuse.

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people are helped and protected

While staff work diligently and conscientiously to enable young people to make the right decisions, it is clear that not all young people are able to take advantage of this care. The Registered Manager is aware of this behaviour and is working closely with the young people, social workers and the police to improve their safety.

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people are helped and protected

There are protocols for the staff to follow in the event that a young person is missing from the home. These are followed but not have had an effective impact in every case. The missing person protocols are generic and do not list specific areas or ‘hot spots’ staff should check if a young person is absent. Staff recording of searches are not specific about where they searched and when. While staff are clear that they do this in practice, their efforts are not evidenced in their recordings.

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people are helped and protected

Good communication is maintained with local safeguarding agencies such as the police in the event that there are concerns for a young person’s safety. The home ensures that young people have meetings with independent persons when they return after periods of being missing. This ensures that there is someone outside the home that the young people can speak to. Staff are trained in recognising the signs to be aware of risk of child sexual exploitation. (CSE).

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people are helped and protected

Staff are trained in safeguarding and have an appropriate understanding about their roles and responsibilities to keep young people safe. For example, they know when to report issues if young people have disclosed concerning information.

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people are helped and protected

Behavioural boundaries and expectations are made clear to the young people. One young person said that the rules are fair but that ‘no one can control me.’ Staff are resilient and continue to revise care plans and engage with the young person in order to improve their behaviour.

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people are helped and protected

Incidents of restraint are recorded and there are good debriefs for everyone involved including the young person and the staff. This ensures that incidents are assessed and reflected upon and that young people have their views sought and valued.

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people are helped and protected

The staff work closely with the local Police Community Service Officer (PCSO). They ensure that young people have the opportunity to meet with the PCSO and take the opportunity to discuss issues such as criminal behaviour and the impact their behaviour can have on their neighbours. The Registered Manager works actively with the PCSO and other local authority representatives in order to encourage more positive relationships with neighbours. These relationships have been strained recently due to the behaviour of young people in incidents which have occurred outside of the home.

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people are helped and protected

There is a recruitment process in place for new members of staff. In all but one cases this has been robust and thorough. On one occasion an issue regarding comments made in a reference was not sufficiently explored. Although this has not impacted upon the safety of the young people it undermines the thoroughness of the organisation’s recruitment process.

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people are helped and protected

Young people live in a safe environment. This is because a range of health and safety procedures and routine checks of the home protect them. Young people and staff are regularly involved in fire drills to ensure they know how to safely evacuate the building in the event of a fire.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager is very experienced in working with young people and holds the Diploma in Social Work qualification. She is determined to improve the outcomes for young people in her care. She acknowledges that some recent admissions to the home have compromised good work achieved and have impacted negatively upon stability for the young people.

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leaders and managers

There is a committed team of staff who work very hard to keep the young people safe. They receive training which ensures they have the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles. An appropriate number of staff are available day and night to meet the needs of young people.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager and her staff team are mindful of the challenges presented by the young people and accept the home has experienced a number of challenges in recent weeks. This has resulted in an unsettled atmosphere in the home and on occasion behaviour from some individuals has impacted upon the neighbours. The Registered Manager is working with local police officers and representatives from the local council to address concerns and to establish better relationships.

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leaders and managers

While the care plans look to address young people’s needs, some of the extreme behaviours displayed by the young people has meant that implementation of the plans has not been effective. This has led to disruption, challenging incidents and an increase in criminal activity for one particular young person.

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leaders and managers

Despite current challenges, the Registered Manager and the staff work closely with relevant agencies, such as the police and social workers, to improve outcomes for the young people. The Registered Manager ensures that all placing authorities are kept up to date with any relevant information and calls for meetings if she feels that a young person is not making progress.

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leaders and managers

All members of staff receive regular supervision and appraisal of their performance. They unanimously report that they feel very well supported. As a result, they remain fully committed to their work despite the challenges they have faced.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager and her deputies monitor the quality of care delivered to the young people and develop plans to improve their outcomes. There are also visits carried out by an independent visitor which assesses the performance of the home and outline areas to be addressed. While the visitor has spoken with young people and members of staff as part of these visits, there is no record of parents being approached for their opinions on the standard of care. This means that these key stakeholders have not had a formal opportunity to provide feedback.

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leaders and managers

The assessment of recent admissions to the home has not been sufficiently detailed. The impact of potential behaviours has not been effectively considered. This has meant that some young people have had an unsettling impact upon other young people in the home.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager is acutely aware that the home is experiencing a challenging time and has reflected upon the reasons for this. She has clear plans to address shortfalls so that the home can become more settled and young people are enabled make better progress.

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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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