Children's Home run by Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd in Kent

Inadequate

There are serious, widespread failures that mean that children and young people are not protected, and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

 Leaders and managers have failed to provide effective management of the home. Shortfalls in practice have not been addressed. Managers and staff have not effectively challenged poor practice or weak standards of care.  Young people do not feel safe because one young person‟s violent behaviour, which includes threats towards staff and young people, has not been addressed.  Behaviour management is ineffective and young people are not prevented from acting in a manner that is detrimental to their health and welfare. In the absence of effective strategies, young people are unable to understand or meet expectations of reasonable behaviour.  Education is not promoted and young people regularly refuse to go to school. Staff do not consistently or effectively challenge this refusal. This is detrimental to young people‟s education and aspirations.  Young people are not provided with appropriate opportunities to express

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

their wishes and feelings constructively, either collectively or individually. This limits staff and young people‟s capacity to learn to cooperate and build sustainable relationships.  Young people, for whom English is not their first language, are not supported sufficiently as translated information is not available. This limits and restricts their ability to express themselves and to understand their rights.  Risk assessments are not thorough or effectively managed. High and low risk issues are linked together. Other obvious risks, such as young people having lighters and matches in their bedrooms, are not risk assessed.  Young people are not always supported to learn or develop their skills for independence. This leaves young people ill-prepared for the demands of adulthood or to support themselves in the future.  Poor assessment and evaluations of young people‟s needs prior to them moving into the home leads to inappropriate matching decisions and

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

disruption for young people living in the home.  The home‟s complaints systems are not thorough and records kept within the home are poorly presented. They fail to demonstrate that complaints are managed with the gravity and care that is warranted. This lack of attention is likely to leave complainants dissatisfied and reduces the home‟s opportunities to learn from complaints.  Young people repeatedly place themselves and staff at risk through their refusal to evacuate the building during fire evacuation drills.  The home‟s location risk assessment is poorly presented, it lacks information and does not sufficiently analyse how young people‟s behaviour may have an impact on the identified risks.  Staff training is not supported by a workforce development plan which provides a clear training profile for staff members. Refresher training in key areas of practice is not arranged, leaving staff members unaware of

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

changes and updates in training.  The home has not been maintained appropriately and despite some recent improvements some areas remain unclean and poorly presented. Overall, the manager and staff have neglected the day-to-day upkeep of the building.  Quality assurance visits and assessments by both the registered manager and independent visitor have failed to identify the significant shortfalls within the home. The deficits in standards of care are therefore not being addressed.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Relationships between staff and young people are warm and mostly respectful. Observations during the inspection demonstrated that staff care about the young people.  Young people‟s records are well presented, concise, detailed and up to date. In all but one case, where translation has not been undertaken, their files provide good opportunities for young people to learn and understand their time in care.  The registered manager undertakes thorough assessments of all physical interventions with young people. He evaluates the events and has challenged staff practice to establish whether interventions are being used appropriately.  When young people need more specialist interventions, the home promptly makes referrals to the relevant agency and provides timely support in partnership with that agency.  Supervision for staff is engaging, and structured. Staff feel supported by these sessions and use them to shape their practice and to build their self-

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The children’s home’s strengths

confidence.  The work being undertaken to repair damage caused by young people is of high quality. Staff have engaged with the young people to ensure that the home reflects the young people‟s wishes.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

7. The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who: 15 July 2016 1)(c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(ii) has access to the home‟s children‟s guide, and the home‟s complaints procedure, when the child‟s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child‟s stay in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(1) ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on (a) mutual trust and respect (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour, and (c) positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff: (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child‟s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding. 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must: 15 July 2016 (2)(a) ensure that staff (i) 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: (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

(2)(d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‟s health;

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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:

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Requirement Due date

(1) enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that: (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and (b) promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(2) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to:

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Requirement Due date

(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; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (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; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on - (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in 15 July 2016 which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

(ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received (h) monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) that arrangements are in place to (i) ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 15 July 2016

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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 the arrangements for supporting the cultural, linguistic and religious needs of children. (Regulation 16(1)) 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that person‟s working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(d)) 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) 15 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home‟s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 17, paragraph 3.27).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home‟s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child‟s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 22, paragraph 4.11).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff have the capacity and competence to build constructive, warm relationships with children that actively promote positive behaviour and provide the foundations for managing any negative behaviour. Staff should have the skills to respond to each child‟s individual behaviour. Where necessary, they should manage conflict, maintain constructive dialogue and react appropriately if challenged by a child in their care („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 39, paragraph 8.14).

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Recommendations

 Develop and maintain a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding and health and safety and mandatory qualifications). („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 53, paragraph 10.8).

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate four children aged 11 to 17 years old, of mixed gender with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Placements are medium- or 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

24 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inadequate

Planning for young people and behaviour management strategies do not adequately meet young people‟s needs. While key working sessions occur regularly they are often unstructured and appear unplanned. The absence of proactive and prepared sessions means care plans and young people‟s goals are not addressed. Records of sessions indicate they are used to remind young people to improve behaviour, rather than as an opportunity to meaningfully engage them in working towards their targets.

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Inadequate

Attendance at school or education is inconsistent and there are frequent absences, lateness and disruption for all young people. Poor behaviour management strategies mean young people are not appropriately prepared or ready to attend education. Staff are not proactive in supporting and promoting attendance and are not engaging with young people to understand the value and importance of education. At the time of this inspection, one young person was temporarily excluded from school, another regularly failed to attend their education and a third young person, who is being tutored within the home for only 10 hours per week, failed to attend on time for over half of the sessions.

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Inadequate

Discussions with the home tutor, staff and young people indicated the home is not providing any consistent planned or structured educational support. There is no evidence of appropriate help with revision or home study for any of the young people. This lack of support is reducing their chances of achieving good educational outcomes.

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Inadequate

One young person has been in the home for a significant amount of time, but there is no evidence of any planning or preparation for independence. A newly placed young person has an emerging plan which has been promptly organised. Young people do not have equal access to the support and guidance they need.

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Inadequate

Young people typically form close, trusting relationships with staff and value the informal support that the staff provide for them. They know that staff will always make time for them and help them with any worries or concerns.

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Inadequate

Staff understand the importance of integration into the wider community and encourage young people to identify individual activities and hobbies. Hobbies such as swimming and playing sport, and going into the town provide young people with opportunities to make appropriate friendships with their peers. Young people‟s meetings are held. However, the records of these meetings do not demonstrate any discussions with young people. The recording suggests they are used to pass on information. This limits opportunities for young people to influence decisions affecting them, to learn negotiation skills, or to gain confidence in expressing themselves.

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Inadequate

The home has a complaints procedure and guidance for young people. However, these documents have not been translated for one young person who does not speak English fluently and reads no English. This restricts this young person‟s ability to understand the rules of the home and the making of representations or complaints. The complaints records contain errors, such as dates and the outcomes of complaints. Comprehensive documents detailing how complaints have been resolved are not stored within the home, this limits management oversight and learning.

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Inadequate

All young people are promptly registered with core health services when they become resident in the home and they receive appropriate treatments and check- ups. The home employs a health promotion staff member, who meets with all the young people to plan and support their individual health needs. Through this young people gain insight, learn to take better care of themselves and to make more informed choices around health. Staff have been proactive and have identified and obtained more specialist interventions for some young people.

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Inadequate

The home‟s focus on promoting health has influenced young people in improving their diet, fitness and hygiene. They are more able to make informed decisions about lifestyle choices and to understand how their behaviour can affect their health.

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Inadequate

The house has suffered substantial damage from young people who have since left the home. Progress has recently been made in refurbishing and repairing the damage to some of the affected areas. Work already undertaken is of high quality and furnishings are of a good standard. However, day-to-day care and presentation of the home remains poor in some areas. Most of the downstairs front windows are heavily stained with what was said to be broken eggs. This gives an unkempt and unsightly view from both the inside and outside of the home.

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Inadequate

One young person‟s bedroom was poorly maintained, with stained bedding, and the floor was covered with animal food and animal bedding. The young person commented, „It‟s been like this for about a week.‟ In another bedroom the mattress was worn out and sagging, the springs could be felt through the bedding. Another young person complained about their mattress during the inspection. The mattress was examined and found to be in a similar condition. Replacement mattresses were supplied during the inspection. Judgement grade

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Inadequate

Young people say that they do not always feel safe. Two of the young people spoken to said that there are times when they are fearful of one of the other young people. A recent violent attack on a staff member in the home has led to these young people being fearful about the ability of staff to protect them. Young people believe that staff will support them, but that they may not be able to prevent them from being harmed.

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Inadequate

This matter, and the young people‟s comments, were brought to the attention of the registered manager and the director of the company during the inspection. Urgent plans are being made to increase staffing in order to address the young people‟s anxiety.

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Inadequate

A large number of risk assessments are undertaken for each young person. These documents do not distinguish between high and low risk matters. For example a risk assessment for using a shower mat is grouped with risk assessments addressing child sexual exploitation and self-harm. One young person has 28 separate risk assessments. This method of risk management practice is likely to dilute and distract attention from the more worrying and significant risks leaving young people at risk of harm.

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Inadequate

The home is in a very rural area and as such poses significant problems for the police and staff should they need to search for a missing young person. Young people with histories of going missing have been admitted to the home in the belief the location would discourage further episodes. One matching document states: „The environment that the home is situated in will discourage the young person from absconding from the placement.‟ The matching document contains limited information and the evidence to support this statement is not provided. This aspect of matching practice may, however, exacerbate difficulties and increase risks when young people go missing. The police have expressed concerns about this.

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Inadequate

The local area risk assessment published by the provider is very brief and contains very little information on factors that have been considered. There is no analysis of the impact or the needs of the young people in the home. The assessment has not been updated to reflect the significant vulnerabilities the location poses for two of the three young people in placement.

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Inadequate

Behaviour management strategies are inadequate, they do not provide staff with clear plans and approaches to address behaviour in a consistent manner are absent. Young people are rewarded for behaviour that should be expected from them, such as attending school, getting up in the morning and showering. Care planning has failed to ensure that young people are ready and able to attend school, clean their rooms and manage their personal hygiene. Young people carry cigarettes and lighters and are permitted to keep these in their rooms. All young people smoke and the youngest person in the home has just turned 13. Young people are also permitted to have electronic cigarettes in their bedrooms which they use, despite this being against the home‟s rules.

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Inadequate

Young people are not supervised effectively in their rooms, particularly at night, and there are many examples where children watch DVDs, use mobile phones and watch television throughout the night on school days. One young person said that they watch videos into the early hours of the morning and, „As long as we are quiet and don't make a noise, staff don't really mind what we‟re doing.‟ Another said, „I watch DVDs all night sometimes. The latest I have stayed up is until five o'clock in the morning.‟ Two young people had been watching age-inappropriate DVDs.

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Inadequate

The inability of staff to challenge and manage this behaviour has resulted in young people receiving very little sleep and being too tired to get up the next morning. Records confirm that there is a correlation between late nights and episodes of refusing to get out of bed. This has also had an impact on behaviour, where young people have got into conflicts due to tiredness and irritability. One young person said, „I get moody when I‟m tired, staff should leave me alone.‟

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Inadequate

Fire safety plans are in place and the home is fitted with suitable fire safety equipment to detect and control the spread of fire. Routine fire safety checks and maintenance by a contractor ensure that the equipment is serviced. Fire drills are conducted. However, records show that during six of the last seven fire evacuation drills, some or all the young people have refused to leave their beds. When young people were asked why they refuse to leave, one commented, „Staff use the fire bell to get us up in the morning, because we won‟t get up. That's why we ignore it.‟ Fire records confirmed that on five of the seven occasions the drills were conducted in the mornings. Any misuse of the fire warning system in this manner could place children and staff at serious risk of harm.

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Inadequate

Recruitment and employment checks are conducted by the company‟s head office. Three files were sampled and all were maintained with clear and concise information. Thorough checks are conducted with verification of previous employment for those that had worked with children or vulnerable adults. Application forms are completed, along with the disclosure and barring service check. All new applicants undertake a two-stage interview process where they are challenged with scenarios and tests. Staff are therefore able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of caring for young people. Effective recruitment ensures that only staff members that are seen as suitable and appropriate work with the young people. Judgement grade

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Inadequate

Leadership and management is inadequate because leaders and managers fail to provide the appropriate level of oversight of the young people's care and they do not provide effective leadership to staff.

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Inadequate

There are significant shortfalls in this home. Care practice which does not meet the required standard has not been identified through monitoring and the day-to-day management of the home.

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Inadequate

There is a suitably qualified registered manager, who has been in post since 2015. There are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff. However, staff have failed to manage day-to-day childcare challenges effectually. The management of young people‟s behaviour is not effective and the home has failed to develop alternative strategies to modify behaviour.

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Inadequate

Staff are not taking control of situations, and the home‟s records demonstrate a reluctance to intervene and take control when this has been necessary. The lack of supervision of young people, particularly at night-time, has been detrimental to their health and education. Young people have been allowed to stay up throughout the night, and they are then too tired to get up the next day for school. Young people need appropriate routines to maintain their good health and welfare.

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Inadequate

Young people who are being introduced to the home are given opportunities to visit, have a meal and get to know the staff and young people. This enables them to ask questions and to get a feel of the home which reduces anxiety.

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Inadequate

There is insufficient evidence that consideration is given to matching young people prior to placement. Documents fail to identify how young people‟s needs have been assessed or evaluated or how their needs are to be met by the home. This lack of matching and assessment has resulted in placements being made where there is no clear or consistent planning to show how needs will be met. This does not enable young people to identify targets or understand the support that they can expect to receive.

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Inadequate

The lack of information and plans to address young people‟s identified needs means staff are unable to plan proactively or to take measures to manage behaviour. This means that key elements of care, such as risk management, the triggers for challenging behaviour and successful strategies to manage them are not effectively considered.

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Inadequate

When young people behave negatively, staff responses are inconsistent and inadequate in addressing the behaviour. Staff fail to take control of situations. The home‟s records provide detailed information about repeated poor behaviour, but the staff and manager are not developing effective practices to challenge this. This results in young people consistently disregarding the rules in the home and behaving inappropriately. Young people are not properly supported to change negative behaviour, this limits their social and educational progress.

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Inadequate

Staff are provided with supervision. Although this has not been sufficiently frequent in some cases, it is of good quality, providing staff and their line manager with opportunities to discuss personal development, the home and the young people. Staff members value their supervision, and they say that this provides them with the time to consider and shape their practice. Staff have recently used sessions following training to discuss signs and symptoms of child sexual exploitation and online grooming. This has increased their awareness and insight. However, overall care practice has not improved as a result of these discussions.

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Inadequate

All staff undertake induction training when they begin to work at the home. Mandatory training provides staff with core skills in childcare and safeguarding. Additional training is available, which equips staff with additional skills to support young people with more complex or specific needs. Staff practice has not always improved as a result of this additional training. However, there are no plans to update or refresh training on matters such as e-safety, identifying and tackling child sexual exploitation and cyber bullying. This lack of refresher training will leave staff ill-equipped to adapt and shape their skills.

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Inadequate

The home has an independent person who regularly carries out quality assurance visits to the home and makes judgements about the quality of care and services in the home. The registered manager also carries out quality assessments. However, these quality assurance practices have failed to identify the significant shortfalls raised in the inspection, or to address them. These failings means poor care practice has continued and young people are not achieving the outcomes they should.

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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 children looked after 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 „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, work- based 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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