Children's home run by Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited in Epping Forest

Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 1 SC457639 Registered provider: Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people benefit from living in a home where the staff provide individualised support and establish warm, trusting relationships with them. Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 2  The young people develop a sense of stability and safety. They know they can talk to the staff and that the staff will listen, respond and meet their needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff provide effective support for the young people’s education. They work in partnership with education staff to promote the young people’s learning.

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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

 Not all young people’s known vulnerabilities are addressed in risk assessments. Risk assessments do not include long-term strategies to help the young people keep themselves safer.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff adopt a punitive rather than a restorative approach to sanctions for unacceptable behaviour.

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Key findings from this inspection

 In relation to the young people’s use of the internet, they are not provided with opportunities to take age-appropriate risks, with ongoing e-safety education and monitoring to ensure that they keep themselves safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff have not individually assessed the necessity for alarms on the young people’s bedroom doors.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The arrangements for the recording and safe administration of medication do not allow for a simple audit trail.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The managers’ monitoring of the quality of care provided by the staff is not robust.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care plans do not clearly identify the long-term plan for the young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The statement of purpose requires amendment to reflect accurately the care provided by the staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all the staff are receiving supervision in line with their supervision contracts. New staff are not receiving an appropriate level of support to monitor their practice.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are not receiving an annual appraisal to assess their performance and identify their training and development needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 3 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/08/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure-

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Requirement Due date

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 and help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i) and (2)(a)(ii)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if- the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children, and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a) and (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

With particular reference to children’s bedroom door alarms. 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees- have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(c)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that- helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to- use monitoring and review systems to make continuous 13/10/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 5 improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1) and (2)(h)) The care planning standard is that children- receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, their plans should identify long-term goals. 13/10/2017

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, communal areas will be warm, inviting and relaxing with damage promptly rectified.

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Recommendations

 The information set out in the Statement of Purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6) In particular, the Statement of Purpose should not refer to the staff taking a therapeutic approach informed and underpinned by cognitive behavioural therapy.

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Recommendations

 Any sanction used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff receive supervision to review their practice in line with their supervision contracts and that new staff who have not previously worked in children’s homes receive the level of support required to ensure they are performing their role effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has recently been a significant change in the group of young people living at the home, with three new young people joining one young person already living at the home. The staff are positive about the compatibility of this new group, and are confident Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 6 that they can meet the young people’s individual needs. The young people are settling into the home, with the staff focusing on developing positive, trusting relationships with them. The young people are responding to individualised care in an environment where they have opportunities to manage their emotions more appropriately and keep themselves safe. The staff are resilient and consistent in their approach, even during periods when the young people are displaying extremely challenging behaviour. The staff closely supervise the young people, engaging them in meaningful dialogue and activities, protecting them and promoting their welfare. The staff place their well-being

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have a strong voice in the home. They confidently express their views, appreciating that the staff will listen to them and value their opinions. Individual key-work sessions help the young people to acquire alternative ways of thinking about difficult issues and give them opportunities to raise any matter concerning them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are plans for the new young people to attend school at the start of the academic year. The staff work in partnership with education staff to promote the young people’s learning. The headteacher of a young person’s school commented that the staff, ‘Know the young person really well. They anticipate and prepare for problems. Their communication with us is clear, detailed and candid and they give the young person strong support.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Close monitoring of the young people’s physical and emotional health ensures that their specific needs are identified and met. The staff offer advice and guidance on a healthy lifestyle. The young people receive support from external health professionals when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff recognise the importance of positive leisure activities to the young people’s development. The young people have access to a range of recreational activities, and the staff encourage them to pursue their individual interests and extend their social experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the young people to acquire independence and daily living skills as they prepare for their move to adult life. The young people receive valuable support to remain in contact with their families. The staff work proactively with the young people’s families to promote and maintain positive relationships.

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

The staff provide a safe environment for young people who have experienced unpredictable and unsafe situations in their past. Through close supervision from responsive and consistent staff who implement clear boundaries and structures, the young people develop a sense of safety, protection and trust in the adults who care for them. Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 7 Detailed care plans provide a comprehensive assessment of the young people’s needs, with clear guidance for the staff to implement support strategies to assist their development. Risks associated with the young people’s behaviour are distinctly outlined with appropriate measures to reduce the potential of harm. However, the staff have not addressed some known vulnerabilities in the young people’s risk assessments which could lead to the young people and the staff being exposed to a risk of serious harm. Some of the young people’s records contain two versions of risk assessments. This could

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

lead to confusion for the staff in applying protective measures. Risk assessments do not include long-term strategies to guide the staff in assisting the young people to keep themselves safer.

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

Detailed procedures inform the staff of the action to be taken if a young person leaves the home without permission. There is a clear expectation that the staff will search for the young person, and report to the police promptly to safeguard them and ensure their safe return. One young person’s risk assessment in relation to being missing stated that the young person should be reported as missing to the police 45 minutes after the staff have become unaware of their whereabouts. This is an unacceptable delay in taking such action, given the young age of the child.

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

The staff take a positive approach to behaviour management using rewards, praise and recognition of appropriate behaviour. However, when they impose sanctions for unacceptable behaviour, the staff adopt a punitive rather than a restorative approach that would help the young people recognise the impact of their behaviour.

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

The managers closely monitor incidents of inappropriate behaviour. The analysis of the young people’s behaviour leads to planned and specific key working to support the young people’s particular needs. The staff receive training in using physical intervention appropriately and safely to manage difficult behaviour.

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

The staff undertake training in relation to safeguarding matters such as child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. The staff’s appreciation of the dangers that the young people face increases their vigilance in identifying potential risks and protecting young people. The staff are acutely aware of the risks relating to the use of the internet and social media. However, the young people are not given opportunities to take age- appropriate risks, with ongoing e-safety education and monitoring to ensure that they keep themselves safe.

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

The young people’s bedroom doors have alarms to alert the staff during the night if a young person leaves their room. The staff have not individually assessed the necessity for this surveillance in relation to safeguarding, promoting the welfare of the young people and their need for privacy.

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

The arrangements for the recording and safe administration of medication do not allow for a simple audit trail. The staff record the administration of medication in four different places. There is no record of the amount of non-prescribed medication brought into the home, and thus the staff are unable to check that the correct amount is in stock. Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 8

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is currently absent, and the experienced deputy manager is acting manager. She is receiving appropriate management support to maintain stable leadership and management. However, managers’ monitoring of the quality of care provided by the staff is not robust. Shortfalls have not been identified and addressed in order to sustain good practice and ensure continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although the young people’s individual care plans identify their needs, some contain contradictory and confusing information. They do not clearly indicate the long-term plan for the young people, with clear goals, targets and support strategies to assist their development and help them achieve their objective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The physical environment does not feel warm, welcoming or homely. Managers have not promptly addressed some damage or given appropriate attention to making the home relaxing and inviting for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose refers to using a therapeutic approach, informed and underpinned by cognitive behavioural therapy. The staff are not currently using this approach. The statement of purpose requires amendment to reflect accurately the care provided by staff so that placing authorities are clear that the home is the right one, and staff can respond effectively to a young person’s assessed needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff receive a wide range of training to support the young people competently. Not all the staff are receiving supervision to review their practice in line with their supervision contracts. New staff, who have not previously worked in children’s homes, are not receiving the level of support required to ensure that they are performing their role effectively. The staff are not having an annual appraisal to assess their performance, their fitness to carry out their role and their training and development requirements to meet the needs of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The managers and the staff work proactively with external professionals and the young people’s families to enhance the support the staff offer the young people. Parents comment positively on how well the staff keep them informed. One parent commented that, ‘All staff are helpful and put my mind at ease.’ A headteacher commented that partnership working between the staff and the school staff, ‘is a huge strength’.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 9 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: SC457639 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 56, The Brentano Suite, Solar House, 915 High Road, London N12 8QJ

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Inspectors

Jan Hunnam, social care inspector Teri Peck, regional inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: SC457639 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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