Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 Moving in procedures are not sufficiently robust and fail to properly identify young people’s specialist needs.  The home offers care to young people with specialist needs, which are not specified in the home’s statement of purpose, and staff are not adequately trained to meet these needs.  Care plans and risk assessments lack specificity and do not adequately focus on the reduction of crucial areas of risk and vulnerability.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Young people benefit from committed and caring staff, the homely atmosphere and likeness to a normal family home.

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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: In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to moving in procedures, the registered person is required to: (2)(a) ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to competence of staff, the registered person must: (2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. 31/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

12: In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to protecting children from harm, the registered person must: (2)(a)(i) ensure that staff 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. 30/04/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 When conducting the regulation 45 review, the registered manager must ensure that there is clear analysis of the information considered, that conclusions are drawn from this analysis and that this is used as a tool to plan for continuous improvement in the quality of care during the next review period. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered for two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and is one of four within the organisation. The company also owns a school, which some of the young people may access.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/11/2015 Full Good 04/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Young people move into the home without the full range of their needs being adequately understood, in particular their specialist needs, such as those relating to their mental health. This means that staff are not fully prepared to address difficulties that may arise, nor are they able to consistently respond in the most beneficial way for the young people.

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Requires improvement

During this inspection period the young people have been unable to settle and engage meaningfully in routine educational activities and planned programmes of progress and development. There have been concerning patterns of young people going missing, often with displays of irrational and risky behaviour. Some young people have also required enforced admission to psychiatric facilities. This is directly related to the staff’s inability to meet these young people’s more complex needs and their failure to manage their challenging behaviours.

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Requires improvement

Young people do benefit from the structure and the predictable and consistent care provided by the home. They benefit from a committed staff team which takes a strong interest in their progress and well-being. Young people are supported and encouraged to engage in a wide range of positive recreational activities in the local area. These include walking and other seaside activities, such as crabbing.

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Requires improvement

Young people build positive relationships with the staff. They are able to develop trust and self-disclose about past difficulties and current concerns. Strong efforts are made to help the young people to acquire the skills and knowledge required for successful adulthood, such as effective budgeting and healthy cooking.

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Requires improvement

During this inspection period, one young person was successfully accommodated for a planned short stay when their foster carers became unavailable for a limited period. The records reveal good liaison with the placing authority and a well- managed move in and out of the home. This resulted in a positive experience for the young person, who has maintained contact with the staff since returning to foster care.

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Requires improvement

Staff are organised, skilled and attentive in managing young people’s contact with their families. The potential risks of disruption are reduced and young people are able to benefit from this contact. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The vulnerabilities and risks associated with some young people’s mental health difficulties are not adequately understood by the staff. Key areas of risk are not properly identified or addressed through risk assessments and care plans. These key areas include the symptoms of diagnosed mental health problems, early indicators of relapse and supporting young people to take their prescribed medication.

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Requires improvement

One young person did not have a risk assessment in place to address her need to comply with her medication, in order to prevent a likely relapse that would place her at significant risk and likely readmission to hospital. Neither was there a plan aimed at helping her to understand her mental health needs and to increase her understanding of her medication, as well as improving her motivation to take this as prescribed. Following a prolonged period of non-compliance with her medication, this young person became unstable, placed herself at significant risk and was readmitted to hospital.

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Requires improvement

During this inspection period, another young person’s placement was ended by the home, following a series of missing episodes together with risky, violent and irrational behaviour. This young person was unable to meaningfully access learning or settle into a helpful routine. Moving in procedures did not adequately identify the specialist needs of this young person and staff were not sufficiently equipped to meet the needs that emerged.

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Requires improvement

Other aspects of safeguarding are better understood by the staff. For example, their responses to young people going missing are immediate and proportionate to the assessed levels of risk. Notification procedures are followed, and independent return home interviews are offered and encouraged. Liaison with the police is effective. The home maintains good communication and cooperation with the missing persons’ coordinator.

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Requires improvement

The home is well maintained and the young people are protected from identified hazards by completion of routine health and safety checks. A suitability assessment of the locality identifies potential risks and hazards, as well as key resources and recreational facilities. This informs and prepares staff to keep the young people safe outside of the home during activities and when they go missing.

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Requires improvement

Appropriately trained staff only use physical restraint techniques as a last resort when all reasonable de-escalation efforts have been exhausted. This helps to keep young people safe and reduces risk of harm. The recording of such incidents meets requirements and includes the post-restraint reflection by the young people as well as the staff. This practice helps to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents being repeated.

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Requires improvement

New policies and procedures provide staff with clear guidance in supporting young people to make safe and responsible use of the internet, including social media. This has made staff more alert to how young people use social media and they are motivated to keep abreast of developments in this field. Relevant training has informed and equipped staff to recognise young people’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation as well as radicalisation. They are vigilant in supporting young people to resist and avoid these forms of abuse.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is experienced and still within the required timeframe to complete the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. He also manages a similar size home, which is a five-minute drive away. The deputising arrangements at this home are strong and ensure that there is sufficient and continuous managerial focus.

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Requires improvement

Staffing levels are consistently maintained to provide continuity of care and sufficient levels of supervision for the young people. Recruitment practice is sound and follows the guidelines for safer recruitment, with all necessary checks being carried out. The registered manager is trained in safer recruitment and displays a determination to only appoint staff who display sound motivation for the role, and who have a genuine interest in the care and safety of vulnerable children and young people.

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Requires improvement

Young people have moved into the home with diagnosed mental health conditions, despite the home’s statement of purpose not indicating its capacity to meet such needs. The staff team is not adequately equipped to deal with young people with these difficulties. Staff are motivated to learn how to best offer the required support and have requested training for this purpose. Leaders and managers have failed to respond to this request.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager’s most recent regulation 45 review process lacks meaningful analysis and demonstrates poor oversight. It has failed to identify significant trends in the quality of the care provided and it does not explore the capacity of the home to meet the complex needs of the young people who have moved in. The failure to recognise these shortfalls has resulted in no meaningful action being planned or taken as a result of the review. Leaders and managers are not clear about the categories of the young people for whom the home is able to realistically offer services. They have also failed to take the necessary training and developmental actions to ensure that staff can meet the specific needs of the young people who currently live in the home.

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Requires improvement

Communication with external partners is effective, and good links are established with the parents and carers of the young people, where possible. Staff receive regular supervision. They are encouraged to reflect on their practice; in particular, about how they may be affected by the challenging behaviours of the young people. Mandatory training in safeguarding and health and safety practices is completed by the staff and regularly monitored to ensure that it is kept up to date.

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Requires improvement

The shortfalls identified at this inspection were positively received by the registered manager and deputy with an undertaking to take immediate action to make improvements.

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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 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 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 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 .

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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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