Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home received a full inspection on 18 October 2016. It has continued to operate well and provide good stability and care for children. The home comprises four distinct units. There are two for long-term care, one for independence training and one for short-term care. Children and young people across the units are well looked after and kept safe. They receive appropriate education; for example, one young person is supported to attend a local college. One young person, who was recently admitted, is not able to access education due to her complex level of disability. She has a full activity programme to support her to reach her potential. Relationships between staff and the children and young people are professional, skilful and warm. All the staff spoken to or observed demonstrated a good

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

understanding of the children and young people’s needs. One parent confirmed that the staff’s support has resulted in her being able to manage her son’s behaviour successfully. This has resulted in a reduction in the number of short breaks required and has enabled the child to remain with his family members at home. The manager and staff work hard to provide a high standard of interior decoration and have created a very attractive environment for the children and young people. Each child or young person is able to create and personalise his or her own room, choosing wallpaper and decorations. Some children and young people are able to help decorate their rooms. The bathrooms, kitchens and garden space are all clean and maintained to a high standard. The staff take great care to ensure the personal safety of the children and young people, while maintaining dignity and privacy. One young person has been admitted to the home since the full inspection. Her

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

needs are highly complex, but great care was taken in her admission and to ensure that all her needs can be met. The staff caring for this young person have access to a clear, concise care plan which shows them how to manage all aspects of her care. This appropriate admission has been carefully managed with insight and planning for the young person’s future needs. The registered manager is working with the specialist hospital overseeing her care. This means that the well-trained staff are supporting this young person effectively. There have been no physical interventions during this inspection period. The only sanction raised was agreed with the young person involved and she signed the sanction log to confirm that it was acceptable. This was good practice because it engaged the young person in a meaningful way. One young person has been admitted and discharged since the last inspection. He was supported through the short-breaks service, but moved on from the home

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

because he needed a long-term solution which catered for his care and education. The staff supported this young person skilfully through this move to the new school. This resulted in him and his family being able to make a successful adjustment to this change. The staff group are well motivated and enthusiastic, with over 50% of them being bank staff, which helps them to provide flexibility. A small number of agency personnel are used, but overall this is a stable and consistent staff group. One agency staff member spoke of the positive level of training and support she is given at all times. The registered manager leads by example and is held in high regard by her staff team. She ensures that a positive emphasis is given to working alongside and supporting parents, taking into account the needs of all family members. The home is colourful and fun. Personalised but unobtrusive health and safety equipment has been put in place to support the children and young people’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

individual complex needs. The registered manager sets high standards, and policy documents support staff to understand and implement their roles and functions in this home. Many of the children and young people have rapidly changing health needs, which require flexible and responsive actions. For example, managers ensure that medication is managed safely and dynamically, as required by the children and young people in response to their changing medical needs. The registered manager has ensured that all staff are able to protect children and young people and keep them safe. Approximately half of the staff have received safeguarding training since the last inspection and an ongoing programme is in place for the whole team. In addition, child protection issues, including child sexual exploitation, are agenda items for team meetings. Staff confirm that they are well equipped to do this job and those interviewed are highly inspired, professional,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

thoughtful and caring towards the young people. The staff have not all received regular monthly supervision, and notes of sessions that have taken place have not been recorded to a good standard; for example, some records lack sufficient detail. The registered manager recognises that urgent action is required to remedy the situation. At the last full inspection, three requirements were made. The requirements were: for staff to have adequate child protection training; to ensure safe transporting and handling of hot food; and that the home’s statement of purpose was updated. The registered manager has actioned all three requirements. Two recommendations were made at the full inspection. The first recommendation concerned the need to ensure that the independent person makes rigorous and impartial assessments of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the children and young people’s welfare. The local authority has now put out a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

tender for a different provider to carry out the independent person visits and has given notice to the previous independent visitor. This is in recognition that the current visitor was not able to provide the level of scrutiny that is required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second recommendation was to ensure that the statement of purpose details how emergency admissions are managed. This has been completed. The new statement of purpose has been sent to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

This service is owned and run by the local authority, providing care and accommodation for up to four young people and short breaks for up to 16 young people who have learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

01/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

19/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

(a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff receive regular, well-recorded supervision. 31/03/2017

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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’.

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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 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 who 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.

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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 0300 123 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 children looked after 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 at: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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