Children's Home run by Kent County Council 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 manager leads a committed, well qualified and experienced staff team who are able to meet the needs of the young people. They are motivated to help young people to meet their individual targets by supporting them to compete personal care tasks and learn new life skills.  Stakeholders value the service; a Team Manager reported that ‘staff show good multi agency working, we have a good working relationship’. A parent described the home as ‘a five star experience all the way, a centre of excellence’.  Staff support young people to make choices using a range of communication methods, for example young people chose the wallpaper to decorate a communal area using a range of communication methods, including eye pointing and gestures.  Supervision is of a high standard, demonstrating good evaluation, analysis and focus on young people. However, the frequency of supervision is not in line with that set out in the statement of purpose.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are experienced in de-escalation and distraction techniques to manage challenging behaviours. When physical interventions are recorded the records show good descriptions of de-escalation measures used, however, the duration of the incident and young people’s views are not recorded consistently, which means that the manager or authorised person cannot evaluate the impact of the intervention on the young person.  Care plans, reviewed and updated with parents at the beginning of each stay, are in place to ensure consistent care. Staff have not always followed care plans. The Registered Manager investigated this short fall and lessons learnt were shared with all staff.

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that-

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose, particularly in relation to frequency of supervision 15/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

(a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes-

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Requirement Due date

(iv) a description of the measure, specifically the duration

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Requirement Due date

(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) (a) (iv) and (c)) 15/01/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the homes procedures for the benefit of the children in the home's care, especially in relation to checking changes to care plans (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54 paragraph 10.20)

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority and provides short break care for children and young people aged between 5 and 17 years who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities and other associated complex needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Committed staff help young people to make progress by devising targets that are specific and include incremental steps adjusted to ensure that their goals remain achievable. For example, staff supported one young person to learn to sit at the table during the whole mealtime something he found difficult previously. Another young person has learnt to respect the personal space of others without prompts.

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Good

Young people’s care plans are very thorough covering all aspects of their care. The plans are reviewed with parents or carers before each stay ensuring that they remain up to date. This information is shared with staff at handover meetings ensuring they are familiar with any changes. However, there has been an occasion when staff did not adhere to these plans. The manager has addressed this shortfall in team meetings and supervisions. Communication with young people is a strength of this children’s home. Staff have developed a range of methods to gather young person’s views, for example eye pointing, questionnaires and picture exchange. This means young people play an active role in decision-making. Young people influence the running of the home by selecting the decoration in communal areas and new purchases for the unit. This increases their self-esteem and sense of belonging. Communication aids are readily available in communal areas, enabling young people to make

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Good

immediate choices, for example, about activities in the home. A nurturing and friendly environment enables young people to thrive and develop good relationships. Staff interact warmly with young people, which is reciprocated. One young person signed that he was happy and another young person was observed laughing with staff. A parent said ‘my child is happy to go to the home, she can’t tell me verbally but I know she is happy’. A Social Worker reported that her young person ‘looks forward to going to stay’. Young people’s emotional and physical health needs are paramount. Staff work closely with therapists. A qualified nurse supports staff to meet young people’s complex health needs. Staff work closely with child and adolescent mental health workers to understand and manage young peoples’ challenging behaviour; staff feel more confident as a result. All young people are attending education full time. Staff forge good links with

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Good

school staff and ensure that communication between school and home is effective. The manager attends multi agency meetings with key staff to share knowledge and ensure consistent care across all settings. One parent commented ‘there is continuity of care between home, school and the unit’. Young people enjoy a range of stimulating activities in the home and community, which increase their social opportunities. They have a soft play area, sensory room and spa bath as well as a range of arts and crafts and stimulating toys within the home. Recent trips include visits to places of interest, the seaside and picnics in the woods. This enhances the young people’s experiences. The home is welcoming and inviting. Young people are able to bring items from their own homes to personalise their bedroom during their stays, which fosters a sense of belonging. Judgement grade

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Good

The manager prioritises safeguarding, a biannual training week ensures that all staff are able to build on their knowledge. Recent training in safeguarding, including child sexual exploitation, was delivered by the local safeguarding children’s board (LSCB). Staff are able to demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding including their roles and responsibilities. The manager investigated a failure to adhere to a care plan; lessons learnt were shared with all staff at team meetings to ensure the safety of all young people.

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Good

Individual risk assessments are reviewed regularly and updated as required. The manager ensures that risk assessments are in place and shared with staff, parents, and young people when appropriate. The fire alarm system is currently being updated. Regular fire assessments, personal evacuation plans and fire drills ensure that staff are confident to assist young people keep safe in the event of a fire.

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Good

A trained nurse undertook a recent medication audit; the systems in place were commended’, evidencing safe medication storage and use. The redesign of the medication room has reduced interruptions for staff administering medication. This has also reduced the potential risk of medication errors.

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Good

Staff discuss young people in depth at team meetings. Strategies agreed inform behaviour plans and risk assessments. Staff intervene effectively helping young people to manage their behaviour appropriately. The manager closely monitors incidents. Physical intervention logs demonstrate evaluation, however, the duration is not always clear which limits the effectiveness of external audit analysis. Young people’s views are not clearly recorded, staff attempts to gain their views is not evidenced. Consequently, managers cannot gain insight from the young person’s experience to inform future interventions.

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Good

Safety measures are in place to ensure that young people do not gain access to unsuitable internet sites. The manager advises parents on internet safety and young people’s mobiles are checked prior to admission. Staff received e-safety training, one member of staff spoken to was able to demonstrate an increased knowledge improving safe practice.

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Good

Recruitment files demonstrate that care staff and volunteers are suitably vetted prior to appointment. This ensure that safe and appropriately trained staff care for young people. The home provides an extensive induction period monitored by the manager. Through this effective system, staff are confident in their role prior to working directly with young people. There is a thorough location risk assessment in place. External agencies are consulted including the LSCB. The manager built a good relationship with the local police community support officer, who visited the home regularly and engaged well with young people.

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Inadequate

Leadership and management is inadequate as the home has not had a Registered Manager since April 2015. The current manager was appointed in August 2015, having previously been a senior in the home. She has a Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People and is studying for her level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management for Residential Child Care. The manager is a strong, supportive leader who motivates the team. Staff report that she is approachable and responsive; one staff member said ‘the manager will listen to any concerns we have about young people’s behaviour and suggests ideas’. Supervision is evaluative, informative and focused on young people. The manager is able to challenge staff constructively and create a safe place for reflection and evaluation. Supervision frequency, however, has not consistently been in line with the statement of purpose. Good professional relationships between the home and partner agencies results

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Inadequate

in highly effective multidisciplinary working to ensure the best possible care and experiences for the young people. A Social Worker reported ‘my young person has challenging behaviour but this is managed well by staff’. Weekly staff team meetings focus on the young people to ensure staff consistency and good practice. Staff discuss young people’s needs, challenging behaviour and interventions in depth. Staff are able to meet young people’s individual needs. Staff have high morale and enjoy working at the home, one member of staff said ‘I really love working here. It is rewarding to see young people achieving their aims’. Another staff member said ‘I love it here; I have been here ten years and really enjoy working with the young people’. The manager forges excellent relationships with parents. A Social Worker reported that ‘the manager provides new parents with all the information they need and puts them at ease from the start’. A parent said ‘the staff are ‘top class’

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Inadequate

they let me know everything all the staff are brilliant, I am very happy with them’. External independent monitoring visits take place monthly and are challenging and informative. The manager uses these reports and her own internal auditing to monitor and improve the quality of care. She has a good knowledge of the homes strengths and weaknesses and strives to develop the service.

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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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