Children's home run by Moonreach LTD in Dover

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness . Safeguarding is not well understood by all staff. This means staff do not consistently take appropriate action and properly record information about safeguarding concerns. An allegation against a member of staff was not referred to the appropriate local authority safeguarding team immediately. Actions taken in respect of investigations into complaints are not easily accessible, which prohibit a full understanding of how well complaints are managed and what actions have been taken. For example, chronologies regarding complaints are not clearly recorded or cross-referenced. In one example, a detail of when a concern was raised with the police could not be found. Risk assessments do not always adequately cover all of the issues in relation to a young person, nor are they kept up to date if a change is made. The section on

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

self-harm for one young person relates to drug and alcohol misuse, with no mention of a risk of physical self-harm, yet this is a known concern. Records, therefore, provide confusing guidance to staff on how to prevent risks and keep young people safe and do not evidence changes to risk effectively. Interactions with staff were warm and caring. One young person gave the home 10 out of 10 when asked how well he thought the staff cared for him. Young people’s needs are not consistently identified and met. For example, one young person’s diet was a concern for several months before the young person’s dietary intake was monitored. Suitable achievable targets for young people to improve their behaviours and manage difficult feelings are not set by staff. Rewards for young people’s good behaviour mainly relate to how well they have completed chores. These do not correlate to what young people need to do to help themselves in order to develop

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

more positive behaviours and manage difficult feelings better. Young people are helped to move on well. Their time living at this home is celebrated, and the member of staff, who the young person chooses, helps them move to their future home. Supervisions are not always undertaken at the frequency outlined in the home’s supervision contracts with staff. Records of supervisions held do not show how concerns about staff practice are dealt with and improvements made. One complaint regarding staff practice was logged in a complaint record, but no discussions were recorded in the staff’s supervision sessions. This shows there is no evidence of helping staff to reflect on their practice. In addition, not all staff who supervise others have had supervision training. Partnerships with agencies that support individual young people are not as effective as they could be. Meetings to improve relationships when there are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

disagreements with other agencies about how to support young people are not held. Therefore, the relationships may not protect and promote young people’s welfare as well as they possibly could. Independent visitor reports lack detail and analysis. The reports failed to recognise some of the issues outlined in this report. The reports do not, therefore, assist the registered persons to identify and improve their practice effectively. The previous registered manager left her post at the beginning of January 2017 and had completed actions regarding both recommendations from the last inspection. The provider has already recruited a new manager, who commenced before the current registered manager left her position. This meant there was no time at which the home did not have a manager in post and, therefore, allowed time for handover. The new manager has commenced her application for registration with Ofsted, identified areas for immediate improvement development

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and has implemented an action plan. This plan reflects the shortfalls outlined in this report.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of several owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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

14. The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff: 14(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 31 March 2017

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered provider must: 13(1) enable, inspire and lead a culture in the children’s home that— (h) uses monitoring and review systems which make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided at the home. 31 March 2017

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Requirement Due date

39. In order to meet the complaints and representations standard, the registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39(5)) In particular, the registered person must supply HMCI with a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the period 1 February 2016 to 31 January 2017 and details of all actions taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. 31 March 2017

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Requirement Due date

38. In order to meet the storage of records standard, the registered person must ensure that the following item, which may be kept in an electronic form, is kept in an accessible manner: (l) records of complaints (see regulation 39). In particular, if records about varying aspects of the complaint are kept in different documents, that these are cross-referenced appropriately. 31 March 2017

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Requirement Due date

32. In order to meet the fitness of workers standard, the 31 March 2017 registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home: (3)(b) if that individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that individual is to perform. In particular, any member of staff who has a supervisory role is appropriately trained and staff have an appropriate level of knowledge of safeguarding; in particular, when to report safeguarding concerns to local authority safeguarding services.

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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

 The registered person should ensure that everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) In particular, the manager should ensure that staff have adequate understanding of all aspects of their roles and responsibilities.  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive regular supervision, which allows them to reflect on their practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should review the home’s safeguarding policy to ensure that this fully reflects the principles set out in the Francis review, ‘Freedom to speak up’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15) In particular, the safeguarding policy should include details of what action staff

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Recommendations

should take if they are concerned about the actions of managers, senior staff, or registered persons.  The registered person should ensure that they maintain strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority which support successful placements. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8) In particular, that these relationships support professional challenge when necessary.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, the registered person should ensure that regulation 44 visits and reports from such visits are sufficiently rigorous and effectively identify areas

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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: 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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