Children's Home run by We Are Beams 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 make significant progress in their independence and daily living skills. Staff provide them with experiences and opportunities that assist them in achieving their potential.   Staff understand young people’s individual needs, appreciate and value them as unique individuals. With warmth and friendliness, they provide a safe and secure environment where young people develop trusting relationships with staff.   Young people enjoy their short breaks at the home. They participate in a wide range of activities according to their personal preferences thus extending their social experiences and developing their social skills.   A new Registered Manger is driving forward improvement of the service. A new staffing structure strengthens leadership and management, providing focused support for staff so that they are confident and competent in their role.   Parents and carers comment positively on the service. They appreciate the

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The children's home provision is good because:

support from managers and staff for the family and the young people’s holistic needs. Parents’ comments include ‘they are doing a fantastic job’ and ‘I can’t praise it enough’.   Shortfalls identified relate to monitoring reports, risk assessments, the recruitment process and recording of physical intervention. 

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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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ('a quality of care review') at least once every six months. (Regulation 45(1)) 26/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(i) that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 26/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d)) 26/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ('the authorised person') has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate and 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)) 26/02/2016

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide short breaks for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, learning difficulties and physical disabilities. The home is operated by a charitable organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Good

Young people enjoy their experience at the home. Parents report that their child ‘loves going’ and ‘really does like it there and is very happy to go’. A theme running through parents’ comments is the friendliness of the staff, their enthusiasm and commitment to ensure young people have a positive experience during their stay.

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Good

Through individualised care and support, young people are making progress in their independence and daily living skills. A parent remarked that their child ‘is more independent and willing to try new things’. Another parent noted that their child is now doing tasks at home which they had an aversion to before attending the home. Close liaison between staff and parents and carers ensures that support for young people is specific to their needs and staff are working consistently with them in areas such as behaviour management.

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Good

The environment is homely and welcoming and staff foster this friendly atmosphere to help young people feel at ease. A staff member remarked that ‘young people come into a family environment with a home from home atmosphere’. A parent endorsed this view commenting that their child ‘loves the people there who make her feel at home. They cook her favourite dinner and have activities ready that they know she likes’.

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Good

Close attention to young people’s medical needs ensures they receive the support they require to meet their often complex health conditions. Staff receive training from a qualified nurse and specialist health professionals to ensure they are competent to provide routine and emergency health services to young people. A parent commented that their child is quite poorly but ‘staff manage her medical needs very well’.

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Good

Staff liaise positively with young people’s schools to support their education, ensure they have up-to-date information and are providing consistency in their care. The home provides transport to and from school for some young people with staff from the home escorting young people. This eases sometimes difficult transitions as staff understand their needs and reduces young people’s feelings of anxiety.

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Good

Staff actively seek young people’s views and opinions according to their particular communication methods. For some groups, meetings take place where they have opportunities to comment on their experience and make suggestions about what activities they would like staff to arrange. Staff ensure young people have opportunities to choose drinks, snacks and activities. Consequently, young people feel valued knowing their opinions matter.

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Good

A wide range of activities enhances young people’s experience during their stay. They make full use of the resources available such as the spacious rear garden, ball pool and well equipped play-room. In addition, they engage in community activities such as playing football in the park, watching football matches, bowling, and visiting a farm.

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Good

A particular strength of the service is the support provided for families, ensuring the young person’s holistic needs are recognised in the context of their family and not just whilst attending the home on a short break. Parents appreciate the flexibility of managers in scheduling young people’s time at the home which is often done at short notice to take account of particular family circumstances. A parent commented that managers have been ‘marvellous’ in their support and another remarked on how supportive managers are in relation to her own needs. Such family support has a positive and beneficial effect on young people’s welfare and well-being.

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Requires improvement

The home provides a safe environment for young people on short breaks. Through close supervision from committed and enthusiastic staff, they develop warm and friendly relationships and a sense of safety, protection and trust in the adults who care for them. Parents report that they have no concerns about young people’s safety when staying at the home. A young person commented that they could talk to any member of staff if they were worried about anything.

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Requires improvement

Staff have undertaken training in child protection and safeguarding and are aware of the risks facing young people including child sexual exploitation and on-line safety. The Responsible Individual provides training and is approved by the local safeguarding children’s board. Staff speak confidently and appropriately in relation to the home’s safeguarding procedures and reporting concerns which may affect a young person’s welfare. Detailed support plans and medical plans, compiled in consultation with parents, provide guidance and strategies for staff to meet young people’s specific, often complex, needs. Individual risk assessments have improved but there are still examples of specific risks identified in the support plan that are not considered in risk assessments. Consequently, there is no clear guidance for staff to follow in particular circumstances, which could compromise the safety and welfare of young

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Requires improvement

people. The requirement made at the previous inspection relating to risk assessments is therefore repeated.

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Requires improvement

Staff are skilled in managing young people’s behaviour. They know young people very well, understand their needs and are able to identify at an early stage when their behaviour is escalating. Through diversion and de-escalation, staff avoid potentially difficult situations. Staff receive training in the use of physical intervention but rarely use it as a form of behaviour management. Records demonstrate that when implemented, it is an appropriate intervention to safeguard the young person or staff. Records of physical intervention do not include details of the steps taken to avoid its use, that staff involved have discussed the incident with a manager and that a manager has spoken to the young person about the incident. Such information is required to allow managers to monitor safe practice effectively and ensure existing behaviour management strategies continue to be appropriate in supporting the young person.

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Requires improvement

Young people do not leave the home without permission. Procedures and protocols to protect young people are known to staff if such an event occurs. Parents are reassured that suitable measures are in place to protect them relating to their specific vulnerabilities. Staff use some restrictive measures, such safety gates, to keep young people safe and these are clearly outlined in the statement of purpose. Managers obtain consent from parents and carers if such measures are necessary.

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Requires improvement

Although recruitment processes are in place to protect young people from unsuitable adults working with them, records sampled showed that one member of staff had commenced work before managers had received a second reference.

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Requires improvement

Health and safety checks are up to date. Appropriate fire safety measures are routinely applied.

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Good

The manager has been employed by the organisation as a short break services manager since 1998 and has recently been registered by Ofsted to manage this service. She has the required skills and experience to manage the home. She engages in continual professional development to update her knowledge and understanding of the needs of young people accommodated for short breaks at the home. Safeguarding designated officer training is planned for her to ensure that she has the necessary level of knowledge to protect young people.

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Good

Staff undertake comprehensive training tailored to the needs of young people at the home ensuring they are competent and confident to perform their role. Staff appreciate this level of training and also the strong and committed leadership and management which is driving improvement. They report they are working more effectively with clear direction and full access to information to meet the needs of young people. Individual supervision for staff is regular with a structured format that evaluates their practice against targets so that they continue to develop their skills and understanding to benefit young people.

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Good

Managers actively review the quality of care on an on-going basis. Regular monthly monitoring reports by an independent visitor lead to actions to address shortfalls and advance improvement. Although managers have clearly identified areas for development, the Registered Manager has not yet completed a six-monthly review and evaluation of the quality of care provided for young people. Consequently, patterns and trends are not being identified which could impede the development of the service.

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Good

The recently updated statement of purpose is clear and informative. It sets out the ethos, aims and objectives of the home and the services it provides. The home meets the expressed aim of providing a positive environment that offers young people experiences and opportunities to assist them in achieving their individual potential, personal aspirations and goals in life.

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Good

Families report excellent relationships and communication with staff at the home. They comment positively on how managers are extremely flexible in supporting the whole family and working with them to promote young people’s independence and daily living skills. Staff attend external meetings with families and professionals, ensuring they have current information relating to a young person’s individual needs. The service has positive links with schools. This effective communication between all parties involved in a young person’s life ensures the care and support provided is consistent and effectively promotes their positive outcomes.

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Good

The Registered Manager has addressed the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection. Management has been strengthened by the appointment of a supervisor and team leaders. Consequently, there is a sharper focus on obtaining relevant information, recording and monitoring, thus improving the quality of care provided for young people.

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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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