Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No young people have moved in or out of the home since the last inspection. Young people are making progress across all areas of their lives. This includes full engagement in education and meaningful involvement in therapeutic services. Young people are acquiring life skills. They are actively involved in the preparation of meals and one young person is enthusiastic about starting regular gym sessions to improve his health.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are being kept safe and there have been no incidents of young people going missing during this inspection period. Unwanted behaviours are being positively managed by the staff and there have been no incidents requiring physical intervention. The home’s assessment of hazards and amenities in the local area has been updated and the recommendation set at the last inspection in this regard has been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been some improvement in creating a more homely and young person- focused atmosphere in the home that will increase a sense of belonging. Further plans in this regard are in place and the previous recommendation made about this is therefore not repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s policy for supporting young people’s safe and age-appropriate use of electronic media has been further developed. It provides staff with clear guidelines but is lacking in specific detail with regards to the safe use of various devices and does not address available, and developing, wi-fi technologies. Individual e-safety risk assessments are similarly lacking in detail. This makes young people potentially vulnerable to exploitation and increases their risk of being exposed to information that is inappropriate for their stage of development. The requirement set at the last inspection regarding e-safety has not been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are required to request use of the home’s computer, kept in the staff office, on an ad hoc basis. This inhibits their routine access to online information for educational purposes and is a function of the home’s insufficient development and understanding about how to support and develop the young people’s safe use of the internet. The gender balance of staff has been improved by the recruitment of a further female member of staff. The young people benefit from the positive, motivated and cohesive staff team that displays confidence in the leadership of the registered manager. All staff have achieved, or are now on track to achieve, the required level 3 diploma qualification. The requirement in this regard has been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work effectively with external agencies and are successful in maintaining a culture of joint working, with young people’s needs and well-being being held at the core. During this inspection period there has been particular success achieved through partnership working to better meet the mental health needs of one young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirement set at the last inspection for the registered manager to make full use of the review process, in order to organise and understand information about the home to effectively inform planning for continuous improvement, has been met. This is reflected in the meaningful action plan set at the conclusion of the most recent Regulation 45 report.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The very loud intruder alarm, activated by a motion sensor and located on the landing outside the young people’s bedrooms, was removed at the last inspection. At this inspection, the alarm was in place and no documentation was provided to explain or justify this. The likely effects of this device on the young people leaving their rooms at night for legitimate reasons are ill-considered, and its use does not fit with modern, sensitive and proportionate safeguarding practice. The requirement set at the last inspection in this regard is therefore repeated.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is managed and run by a private organisation. It is one of four children’s homes and provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have emotional and/or behavioural needs. The registered manager manages a second home, with the same provider, which is within walking distance.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 01/11/2016 Full Good 30/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/12/2015 Full Requires improvement 05/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 the ‘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

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring and surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 15/04/17

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse and neglect, with particular reference to e-safety. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)) 30/04/17

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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

 That the registered manager ensures that young people have ready access to a computer and the internet to support their education and independent study. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.19’)

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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 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.

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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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