Children's home run by Surrey County Council

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Since the last inspection, the management team has focused on meeting the previous requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. It has also worked hard on developing the staff morale in the team and embedding practice. The whole team is child centred in its approach. Staff report some improvement in the morale, with group ‘away days’ being organised to develop the team further. Staff have been more involved in decision–making, which is starting to have an impact on their drive towards improvement.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals to assess young people’s needs prior to their coming to the home. Young people are welcomed into the home through an induction process that involves initial visits, longer stays and then overnight stays, if and when young people and their families are ready. The management team takes advice of when this time will be from the wishes of parents and their understanding of their children. Thought is given to which young people might be best suited to being together, to ensure that young people are both comfortable in the home and can develop and maintain peer relationships. A recent transition into the home has been managed remarkably well by staff. There has been close partnership working with the community nursing team to ensure that staff are equipped with the skills to support the complex health needs of a particular child. This practice of working with the necessary professionals prior and

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

during transitions enables staff to be clearly informed of the support that each young person requires and to be confident to deliver these care packages safety.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff aim to ensure that short breaks are enjoyable. The staff team is enthusiastic about its work and fully supports young people to have fun, with purposeful activities to enable them to reach their full potential. Observations were indicative of some trusting relationships established between the young people and staff. Comments from parents include, ‘She does all sorts here and loves it’, and ‘I am really happy something like this exists and I know he is safe and he is always happy.’ There is, however, less emphasis on promoting young people’s progress. Although, through discussion, staff are able to describe progress that young people have made in settling into the routines of the home and in the development of some independence skills, the targets in operation are not specific. No thought has been given to breaking some tasks down into smaller steps. It is not clear what is being expected, for example by ‘to get dressed independently’. In some cases,

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

there are nine different aims: all are generic and none specific. A considerable amount remains to be done in this area to ensure that targets are appropriate and achievable. The short-breaks service has some young people who are classified as ‘children looked after’, due to the number of days that the young people access the service. The management team is not knowledgeable about what the term ‘short-breaks arrangements’ refers to in the home’s registration certificate or in the statement of purpose. In addition, the team demonstrated a lack of knowledge with regard to the legal status of young people. This may hinder the level of advocacy provided for young people. This weakness is intensified by the fact that these young people’s files do not currently contain a copy of the plan for the care prepared by the young person’s placing authority or the placement plan. Although there is no evidence that particular young people are more vulnerable as a result of the

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

absence of this information, it means that staff do not have an indication of the outcomes to be achieved and that managers and staff are unable to have a clear understanding of the progress that young people are making in respect of the wider plans for them.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, safeguarding policies and procedures have been discussed with the staff team and these have been followed. Body maps are now comprehensive, and there is an audit trail of who has been informed. The maps now demonstrate an exploration and explanation for bruising that has occurred. This process is also now carried out after a physical intervention as necessary. Although some staff have completed safeguarding training specific to children with disabilities, a number still have yet to complete this. The assistant manager and registered manager take the joint responsibility of the designated safeguarding lead. The assistant manager and registered manager have not completed the safeguarding training specific to children with disabilities in recent years and, although the assistant manager has completed refresher training in safeguarding, he last completed level 2 safeguarding training 10 years ago. In addition, no

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

evidence was provided during the inspection that the registered manager has completed a sufficient level of training to undertake this responsibility. Thus, managers are not enabled to keep up to date with legislation or to have the expertise to respond to concerns. Other training records are now more accessible to the managers, to enable them to be aware of the training needs of staff.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In discussion with staff, it was evident that they are confident in their roles and that key workers are well informed about the needs of their key child. The internal monitoring systems in place review the quality of care that young people receive and identify areas in which outcomes for young people may be improved. The monitoring taking place by the manager now reflects an awareness of key issues and clearly identifies patterns and trends. Although the organisation has facilitated training for the independent visitor to identify expectations of how these visits are to be undertaken and reported, this has yet to be seen in practice. The reports continue to fail to evaluate or set out the visitor’s opinion on whether young people are effectively safeguarded or on how the conduct of the home promotes well- being. Furthermore, the last report covered two months; the reason for this was not evident. These visits are not thorough and still do not meet the regulations.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have continued to work with parents and all the necessary professionals to ensure that a holistic approach is achieved. This includes close working relationships with the schools. The team has developed the relationships with parents further, by organising meetings and taking on board parent feedback. For instance, following feedback, there is now a notice board in operation and regular email communication. Parents spoke very positively about the service being offered here. The staff are skilled at promoting a nurturing environment where young people are, and feel, safe and well cared for. The staff team is consistent in its approach and effectively engages with young people to promote positive behaviour. Since the last inspection, much work has been done to evaluate the current level of service. The further three recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. Staff are genuinely enthusiastic about the care of young people and there is a

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

demonstrable commitment to providing a valuable service.

p.4

Information about this children's home

This children's home is run by a local authority and provides a short-break service for children and young people who have learning and/or complex disabilities. The home offers overnight care for a maximum of six children and young people. The home also offers day-care packages.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

02/09/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

12 The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(a)(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. In particular, they should complete training in safeguarding children with disabilities and ensure that the designated leads have completed the necessary training to undertake this responsibility. 06/09/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. Specifically, they should have an understanding of the looked- after status of children and the registration of the home, to maximise the home’s awareness in safeguarding young people. (Regulation 29(4)) 06/09/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child that include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3. This specifically relates to ensuring that a copy of any plan for the care of the child prepared by the child's placing authority is obtained. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 06/09/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The independent person who visits the home must produce a report about a visit, which sets out their opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. This should include consultation with children and parents as far as is practicable. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 06/09/2016

p.6

Recommendations

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

p.7

Recommendations

 Ensure that staff engage proactively to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child's care on an ongoing basis. This specifically relates to demonstrating that targets in operation are specific and achievable. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)

p.7

What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

p.8

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 that 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.8

Information about this inspection

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 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 .

p.8

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,

p.9

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

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

p.9