Children's Home run by Acorn Homes (UK) 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:

 The home provides a safe environment for young people to live and make progress emotionally, socially and educationally.  Young people are supported and guided to lead less risky life styles. The staff team have developed good relationships with external agencies, particularly in relation to missing young people, sexual exploitation and radicalisation.  Young people’s needs are met through individual support provided by the staff. The staff team work effectively and collaboratively with a range of external professionals, including local police, the immigration agency, child sexual exploitation team and local mental health agencies.  Managers and leaders are able to address weaknesses that arise. They respond well to outcomes of complaint investigations to improve practice.  Young people develop trusting relationships with the staff. They enjoy time spent with staff.  The staff team have a good awareness around ethnicity and cultural differences.

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The children's home provision is good because:

They support young people to go to places of worship, provide interpreters where English is not a first language and cook requested cultural meals.  The service’s statement of purpose needs updating and fire safety checks need to be consistently carried out and recorded.

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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 maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are up to date; with specific reference to the checking and recording of all fire safety checks. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b) Schedule 4 (6) 30/10/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1; in particular, reference to areas of child sexual exploitation, use of interpreters and to the correct legislation relating to children’s homes. (Regulation 16 (1)) 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

The registered person should continue liaising with the local authorities to ensure young people receive an independent return interview after being missing from care or away from the home without permission. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate four children age 11 to 17 years old, of mixed gender with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Placements are medium of long term for children who have suffered abuse or neglect and who may display challenging behaviour due to their emotional difficulties. The home is one of many managed by this independent provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people make good progress whilst living at the home. The staff work hard with local authorities and education departments to ensure they access appropriate educational establishments soon after admission. Young people, previously out of education are supported to re-engaged in education and overtime achieve good attendance levels.

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good

Staff support young people to address previous negative experiences so they can move forward with their lives. This includes making healthy attachments, processing feelings and relating to others. This can prove difficult when some young people’s first language is not English. However, the service works hard to establish trusting relationships including providing interpreters so they can communicate effectively with the young people. The staff work collaboratively with a range of professionals to support young peoples’ progress. . These include the local police, local religious leaders, immigration professionals and child sexual exploitation team.

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good

The staff team provide a wide range of activities that young people choose. Staff support young people to learn new skills. For example, staff taught one young person how to swim. Other activities include going to clubs such as martial arts, joining Army Cadets and walks on the beach.

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good

Young people are encouraged to have healthy life styles. They visit a local general practitioner; attend specialist appointments such as the local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) and dental services. Medication administration procedures are safe. Procedures are in place if an error occurred. Meal times are social occasions with young people being supported to shop and prepare meals. Cultural food preferences are catered for and this meets young people’s needs.

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good

The staff facilitate positive contact for the young people and their families. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place for any contacts that require it. Communication between the staff and placing social workers in regards to contact arrangements have recently been tested, with stricter and jointly agreed contact plans put in place as a result.

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good

Transition arrangements are in general well planned with some young people returning home, others going to a 16 plus provision and others having their placement ended due to extreme challenging behaviours having a negative impact on the other young people. Judgement grade

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good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are clear and robust. Staff members are aware of the procedures. Implementation of the procedures is sound. Young people are kept safe by a staff team who have a good understanding of safeguarding practices.

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good

Behaviour management systems ensure young people are cared for safely. The staff team apply a calm approach to any evolving or actual incident. Detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans ensure that staff respond consistently to risks of missing, sexual exploitation and challenging behaviour displayed by young people. Risk assessments are also completed around gang participation and trafficking. Risk assessments, are shared with social workers, reviewed regularly and closely monitored by the manager. The manager ensures that where necessary risk management strategies are subject to change to deal with the presenting risks.

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good

Since the last inspection, there has been an increase, followed by a significant decrease in the number of incidents of young people going missing and challenging behaviours. The decrease is as a result of some young people moving on and changes to the incentive system that young people are responding positively to. All incidents of young people missing are responded to quickly and effectively. In addition, the benefits of excellent working partnerships with the local missing police coordinator, means that young people are only missing for short periods before police intervention. Managers are liaising with local authorities about the arrangements for return interviews. Current practice is for staff or the local police to carry out these interviews.

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good

The staff have a good level of knowledge of e-safety. Systems in place to block inappropriate internet sites ensure young people are kept safe. The use of mobile phones is monitored as closely as they can be, and in accordance with the social worker’s guidance in relation to individual young person.

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good

There is a clear system for reporting, recording and responding to incidences of bullying. Young people say they would go directly to staff if they were being bullied. Actual incidences are low. Young people are confident in how the staff respond to any incident and say they are managed well.

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good

Young people live in a safe environment where health and safety checks are carried out although such checks are not undertaken consistently. Young people and staff know what action to take if there was a fire, however, gaps were found in the records of fire safety checks. For example, fire alarms and emergency lighting are not checked in line with the home’s fire procedures and risk assessment.

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good

The home has been subject to internal damage in recent months due to the behaviour of young people. The maintenance team are currently redecorating and refurbishing the home to a good standard.

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good

The service has been without a registered manager since the beginning of August 2015, the week prior to this inspection. The current deputy manager is taking on the role as manager. He is currently in the process of submitting an application to register with Ofsted. He has six years’ experience of working with children and young people and has a national vocational qualification (NVQ) Level 3 in working with children and young people.

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good

The deputy manager is currently undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. The previous Registered Manager with the responsible individual currently provide day-to-day support to the deputy manager. The deputy manager has taken over the role smoothly and effectively with no disruption to the lives of the young people or the running of the home.

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good

Staffing has seen some changes recently with a more stable staff team now in place. Staff form caring and professional relationships with the young people, who respond positively to their presence. The staff are suitably trained. They receive training that is specific to the needs of the young people; for example, child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, anxiety and social phobias and drug and alcohol awareness. In addition, they receive training about equality and diversity..

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good

Monitoring of the service is good. Auditing systems address any areas that require improvement. Senior managers across the company, including the responsible individual have clear oversight and input into the structured quality assurance processes. They know the strengths and weaknesses of the home and have a development plan in place. An independent visitor provides an objective view of the care practices.

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good

Although the home’s Statement of Purpose provides information about the home, it does not provide sufficient detail. For example, it refers to outdated legislation and does not provide detail of the work the home does around child sexual exploitation and the use of interpreters for young people whose first language is not English. The home is well equipped and going through a period of being redecorated and refurbished. The garden offers a large space to relax and play games.

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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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