Children's home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Colchester

Inspection report children's home: SC029560 1 SC029560

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of two operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide accommodation and specialist therapeutic care and treatment for up to four young people. The provider also operates a school and an independent fostering agency as part of a separate but linked company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people benefit from competent, caring and committed staff.  The young people are positive about their experiences of living at the home, Inspection report children's home: SC029560 2 even when they struggle with the level of supervision and boundaries. They always feel well supported and safeguarded.  Professionals and young people’s families have absolute confidence that their child’s individual needs are well met.  The staff provide individualised care with a therapeutic ethos. The young people are expected to engage in regular therapy as an essential component of their care support package.  The trusting relationships that the young people have with the staff allow them to explore their experiences and behaviour in a non-judgemental environment.  The young people make good progress in health, education, behaviour and social relationships.  Good transition planning helps the majority of young people to move on in an

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Key findings from this inspection

effective and planned way.  Extremely close working with other agencies promotes positive outcomes.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Missing-from-home records do not clearly detail the actions that the staff have taken in response to a situation. The manager has not contacted placing authorities to ensure that they visit and interview the young person after each missing-from-care incident.  The admission and matching processes are not documented effectively to demonstrate, for each and every admission, that the home can respond effectively to the young person’s assessed needs, and that the manager has fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people.  The manager has not conducted a quality of care review that ascertains the views of partner professionals, young people and their families effectively.  Recruitment of agency staff and induction processes for agency staff are not sufficiently robust.  The building requires some improvements in specific areas to meet the needs of the young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location does not include all of the relevant and pertinent information regarding risk.  Staff lack appropriate resources to undertake the e-learning packages provided.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report children's home: SC029560 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/10/2016 Full Good 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/06/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC029560 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform, and when full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(2)(b)(3)(c)(d)) 21/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33(1)(a)) 21/08/2017

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations. However, in doing so homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that the young people’s bedrooms are warm and welcoming environments. Furthermore, ensure window restrictors are in place which are tamper resistant.  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph

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Recommendations

9.30) In particular, establish a system to prompt the arrangement of a return interview after each missing-from-care event.  Ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. Inspection report children's home: SC029560 5 (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.31)  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, provide staff with suitable computer access to facilitate the

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Recommendations

completion of e-learning packages.  Only accept placements for children when satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and in full consideration of the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  Undertake a review under regulation 45 that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact

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Recommendations

that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The review should be underpinned by the quality standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2) In particular, ensure that the system ascertains and considers the opinions of young people, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home makes a real difference for the majority of the young people who live there. The therapeutic model of care is understood by all of the staff and informs the support that they provide, and the relationships that they develop with the young people. As a result, the young people experience a stable environment in which they are nurtured and thrive. The young people, over time, develop strong bonds with staff who always have time to listen and who provide sensitive non-judgemental support. The young people’s comments include:  ‘I love it.’  ‘It’s the best place ever.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The stable environment has helped most of the young people to improve their confidence, resilience, social skills and ability to reflect. Parents and placing authorities comment on how surprised they have been at the young people’s ability to settle and make progress. One parent said, ‘He [young person] is really settled and gets so much Inspection report children's home: SC029560 6 support. It’s a brilliant place for him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people receive highly individualised child-focused care and support. They feel consulted on all aspects of the home, and they are aware of their individual risk assessments and integrated treatment plans. Opportunities for discussion occur not only at the home but as part of the young people’s regular therapy sessions. All of the young people are healthy, and are helped to live a healthy lifestyle. Some of the young people enjoy the fitness boot camp and outward-bound activities that are on offer. Participation in weekly therapy is an essential component of the therapeutic model of care. This participation promotes the young people’s emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When young people live far away from their family home, plans for arranging contact are developed. Parents say that they continue to feel absolutely involved in their child’s life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of the young people have excellent attendance at school or college, and they have progressed well in their education. One young person who previously struggled in education is now enjoying receiving regular awards at school. The staff support the young people to access alternative or further education courses which meet their needs. The organisation is committed to extra-curricular learning opportunities. For example, all of the young people have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument or explore their particular talents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people feel that staff care about their well-being and future prospects. The young people are well prepared for living independently and gaining skills in personal care, and are assisted to seek and maintain further education and employment. They are helped to understand about age-appropriate and respectful personal relationships, as well as keeping safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions to independent living are well planned. The young people benefit from the option to move into the semi-independence flats that are located next to the children’s home, or to receive outreach support packages. This means that they continue to have support in maintaining their positive progress from the staff with whom they have an established relationship. One previous resident said, ‘The staff taught me what to do and I’m now helping my flatmate.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home, on the whole, is a warm and welcoming environment. The additional security measures in place are very discreetly managed. However, some of the young people’s bedrooms fall below the standard of the rest of the accommodation. For example, one of the bedrooms was painted some months ago with blotches of black paint. This has not been rectified. One young person’s bed is too short to accommodate their tall frame.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently gone through a significant period of change in the resident group. On occasion, key information has not been known prior to young people’s placement, and it is not evident that the manager has fully explored the potential impact of the placement on the existing group. This is particularly pertinent as two placement breakdowns have related to the impact of the behaviour of, or risks presented by, newly admitted young people. Inspection report children's home: SC029560 7

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Effective safeguarding is at the core of all of the work undertaken at the home. The staff have a good awareness of their duty to ensure the young people’s safety and wellbeing. The staff attend the monthly safeguarding meetings which inform and review each young person’s risk management plan. The young people are involved in the regular individual reviews of their risk management plans. They are encouraged to develop risk- management strategies in partnership with the staff, which help them to keep safe and allow them to move towards greater personal freedoms, such as unsupervised free time.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Incidents of missing from home have been historically extremely low, and effective guidance from the staff has helped the young people to make positive choices. However, changes to the resident group have presented new challenges. As a result, in the past two months the number of incidents of missing from home for particular young people has been high. This has resulted in two placements ending as these young people required greater security than the home is able to provide.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Professionals describe the staff as being deeply caring individuals who act appropriately and with due consideration to local protocols and the young person’s well-being when they go missing. The records of individual incidents, however, do not consistently demonstrate this. For example, the records do not always detail the actions that the staff take to prevent the young person from leaving, or to locate them. Staff ensure the young person’s welfare on their return from an incident of missing from home. However, there is no effective system to ensure that the young person is offered an independent return home interview after each missing-from-care incident. This limits the exploration of actions that can be taken to safeguard the young person more effectively in the future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Positive relationships with external professionals help to keep the young people and members of the community safe. Local partner professionals, such as social workers, police and youth offending staff, hold the service in high regard.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Physical intervention and sanctions are very rarely used, and none have taken place in the past year. The staff help the young people to reflect on and understand what drives their behaviour in an aim to break the cycle. Because of this effective staff support, the majority of the young people reduce their risky behaviour and anti-social behaviour. One young person said, ‘If you respect the staff, you can just sit down and relax. There’s a lot of forgiveness but with clear boundaries. They never ignore something, and they’re always there for you.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Although the group has recently been unsettled, and there have been times when young people have clearly struggled, staff and management responses to negative behaviour or attempts at intimidation have been decisive and effective. Some of the young people were taken on holiday, enabling appropriately targeted support to be provided to all of the young people and ensuring that they all felt safe and Inspection report children's home: SC029560 8 well supported. The young people reported that this gave them greater confidence in the staff to address any issues of concern.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The building is generally safe and well maintained. However, the bedroom window restrictors are easily tampered with and therefore do not protect young people effectively. During the inspection, the manager instructed a locksmith to replace the restrictors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The suitably qualified and experienced registered manager has been in post for many years, and provides consistent leadership to the staff. The manager has high expectations and aspirations for the young people. She shares these aspirations effectively with staff, ensuring that the home meets its aims and objectives. The home is very child focused and the majority of young people make strong progress. The young people comment on how they feel valued through the non-judgemental support that they receive. This has helped them to explore their personal identity in a safe environment. The staff consult and inform the young people about all aspects of their care. The comments from the young people include:  ‘They [the staff] all have a good heart.’  ‘The staff are fun and crazy.’  ‘It’s a nice place with nice people.’  ‘I love them [the staff] to bits.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Robust staff recruitment procedures are implemented for permanent staff. However, the same standard is not applied when vetting agency staff. Although the manager has sight of the Disclosure and Barring Service checks, she does not view identity documents, employment history or references for agency staff. This means that information which potentially has an impact on suitability may not be identified. Furthermore, there is no documented induction for agency staff. This means that agency staff may not receive essential information regarding important issues such as how to support the young people or how to act in an emergency. The impact of this is reduced as the regular agency staff are guided effectively by their colleagues, and they become valued members of the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff work well in partnership with parents, facilitating parents’ active involvement in their children’s lives. One parent said, ‘The place is marvellous. The staff are so wonderful. He [young person] would normally have run away; it’s amazing that he has stayed.’ The manager and staff work very closely with partner agencies to ensure that the young people receive the support they need. The manager has raised concerns with placing authorities who have failed to undertake statutory reviews and visits as frequently as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The induction and training programmes provided for the directly employed staff means that those staff feel well supported and are clear about their role and responsibilities. The staff benefit from professional challenge through the regular therapeutic and Inspection report children's home: SC029560 9 safeguarding case discussions. As a result, they operate at an enhanced level of awareness and incorporate reflective practice into their day-to-day work. This enables the therapeutic model of care to permeate through the support that the young people receive. However, staff find it difficult to access the online training regularly. This is because the manager, staff and young people share a computer. This restricts continued learning and could have an impact on staff members’ ability to complete particular training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The suitability of the location assessment does not cover all of the key areas of relevant risk, such as local amusement parks and the beach. This means that some of the staff may not give these issues full consideration. Since the last inspection, the manager has notified Ofsted of any significant events and changes to the resident group as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External quality assurance mechanisms are effective, and the manger has an overview of the strengths and areas for improvement at the home. The manager is reflecting on how to improve the quality of care review as the most recent review failed to include the views of young people, their families or partner agencies. Therefore, opportunities to recognise success and drive improvement were not fully explored. Although some requirements have been set at this inspection, the quality of care and support that the young people receive remains of a high standard. One young person summed up their thoughts; they said, ‘They’ve [the staff] helped me become the guy I feel I want to become. I’ve got a lot to thank them for.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children's home: SC029560 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Langham, Colchester CO4 5PX

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Inspector

Joanna Heller, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC029560 11 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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