Children's Home run by The Drive Care Homes Ltd in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 1 SC063689 Registered provider: The Drive Care Homes Ltd

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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 privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to six children who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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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

Date of last inspection: 16 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people benefit from nurturing relationships with dedicated staff in a homely environment.  Young people learn independence skills within their daily lives.  The effective and established routines have enabled some of the young people to increase their school attendance.  The young people benefit from enjoying varied social experiences, including Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 2 holidays.  Good succession planning enables promotion within the staff team.  A new manager is in post who brings a fresh and inclusive approach to the leadership of the home.

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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

 Risk assessments are generic without reference to the specific needs of the young people and the home.  Communication with the young people’s families is not meeting their expectations.  The expectations of young people’s behaviour is not made explicit enough to them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/11/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 3

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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

12 The Protection of Children Standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must 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. (Regulation 12(2)(1)(a)(i)) 30/10/17

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Requirement Due date

11 The positive relationships standard In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure that they— communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11(2)(a)(v)) 30/10/17

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Recommendations

The children’s guide should help children to understand:

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Recommendations

 what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’);  the statement of purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there);  how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure;  how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Recommendations

Registered persons have a key role in seeking to develop the home’s effective working relationships with each child’s placing authority and with other relevant persons, which may include services, individuals (including parents), agencies, organisations and establishments that work with children in the local community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3) Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people enjoy stability in their placements, and many have lived at the home for several years. Staff have also been in post for many years. This stability has enabled close relationships to be formed. The motivated and committed staff team goes the extra mile to meet the needs of the young people. Staff are skilled at interpreting the needs of the young people. They pick up on subtle signs that they can use effectively to determine the needs of the young people. A social worker said, ‘His [child’s] anxiety has greatly reduced. The staff help him, talk to him and give him clear messages, engage him and listen to him. This has helped reduce his anxiety. He know what is happening and when.’ Staff actively encourage the young people to increase their independence skills. An example for one young person was implementing and embedding daily routines that, in turn, increased school attendance. The young person’s parent said, ‘At home, he always

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

struggled to get up and was missing school because he refused to get out of bed.’ Staff seek young people’s views in the weekly young people’s meetings. For some young people, effective use of the pictorial exchange communication system ensures that their views are included. Staff assist some of the young people to attend their chosen place of worship and provide clothing and meals which represent their cultures and religions. One family member said, ‘I am very happy with the care he receives. The staff brought [young person] to our home last week to celebrate Eid with the family.’ Staff monitor the young people’s health carefully. Staff seek additional services when required, and have influenced improvements in some of the young people’s health by following advice and guidance regarding adaptions to their diet. This caring approach is indicative of the staff’s focus on the needs of the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff seek to engage the young people in activities that promote their individual interests. One young person enjoys playing with jigsaw pieces. Others enjoy music, dancing and football. Staff implement precise planning to ensure that the young people are fulfilled, which has reduced their negative behaviour effectively. A parent said, ‘Their planning is very good, which keeps him behaving. If he isn’t occupied he will do random things.’ Effective placement matching considers the compatibility of young people already in the home with those who are being considered for a placement. This has been effective and staff carefully support the young people to manage change. The staff have high aspirations for the young people. Staff take the time to celebrate small achievements and ensure that they capture these moments in the many photographs displayed around the home and in the young people’s records. Staff’s

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

enthusiastic approach to encouraging the young people to learn and grow is well documented. Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 5 All of the young people regularly spend time with those important to them. Staff ensure that the young people are ready and prepared for visits home. A parent commented, ‘I think the staff are generally very good, well organised. [Name of young person] is always ready and appropriately dressed when I come to collect him, wearing the right clothes for the day.’

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

Safeguarding is a priority for staff. They know what to report, to whom and when. Effective joint working with the designated officer further ensures that safeguarding issues are addressed. In response to safeguarding investigations, practice has changed to further reduce risks to the young people and staff. The young people in this home are safeguarded by vigilant and attentive staff. Young people’s individual care plans and risk assessments do not identify all the behaviours which staff must manage. They do not give staff the guidance needed, for example if young people are uncooperative when out in the community. Risk assessments for the home and holidays are generic. They fail to adequately identify the specific risks. For example, the sleeping arrangements, location and staffing for the recent holiday were not detailed in the risk assessment. The generic approach to risk assessments does not reliably inform staff of the specific risks or provide strategies to

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

manage or reduce them. The home is well maintained, and all domestic appliances and safety equipment are regularly checked. Fire safety is regularly monitored and practice evacuations take place that involve all of the young people. Consequently, the staff and young people are aware of emergency procedures and are well practiced in following them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has effective succession planning. Supervision is regular and supportive. The manager commented, ‘I learn from supervising the staff. They respond well to an open meeting, where they can speak their mind. Together, we find ways to support each other and how we can best support the young people.’ Where talent is spotted, staff are given clear goals to enable them to progress to senior roles. Examples seen of appraisal targets being met are the current manager and shift leader, who have progressed to these roles in the last year. Effective succession planning has raised staff morale and supports staff retention. As a result, the young people are provided with consistent care by familiar and dedicated staff. The manager has a proven track record with the organisation. Staff are positive about her recent appointment. The manager’s broad range of experience has led her to use a coaching and mentoring approach to managing her team. The manager gives clear

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

directions and staff are clear about her expectations. Attendance at staff meetings is good. Records and staff confirm that participation in team meetings is welcomed and plans are made collaboratively. As a result of this, the team is highly motivated and keen to meet the targets set. A senior staff member said, ‘The team is really co-operative. We work as a team to make sure that things go well for the young people.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 6 Training begins with a thorough induction. A staff member said, ‘During my induction, the expectations were clear about the skills I needed to learn through the training.’ Safeguarding training is comprehensive and draws staff attention to the home’s policies and procedures. A workforce development plan is in place which clearly identifies areas for further training. Well-qualified staff are able to utilise the training to enhance their direct work with the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems that give her a good overview of the day- to-day running of the home. However, monitoring of the young people’s progress is less rigorous and targets are not always linked to progression. Some monthly key-working targets are one-off tasks, such as making a phone call, rather than opportunities to extend the young person’s life skills. This ineffective approach to care planning risks drift in the development of new skills that extend the young person’s learning. One parent commented, ‘I find it difficult when I visit. The TV is always on and there is nothing sensory in place.’ Varying reports regarding communication from the staff highlight some inconsistencies in how and when information is shared with families. Comments made to the inspector included, ‘The communication could be improved as we are not always told things up front’ and ‘My conclusion is that communication could be better’. However, a social

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

worker commented, ‘Communication is generally good.’ It is, however, an area for the manager to review and improve. The statement of purpose provides stakeholders with information about the services the home provides. It provides the reader with a good overview of the home, services, and routines. The children’s guide contains some useful information about the home. However, it does not provide an example of the home’s routines or the care that the young people can expect to receive. On the whole, the manager and staff are providing a safe environment for the young people who have complex needs. However, the shortfalls highlighted in this report have the potential to impact negatively on the day-to-day experiences of the young people unless they are addressed.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 7 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: SC063689 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Drive Care Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Drive Care Homes Ltd, 18 Hatherley Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 4BG

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC063689 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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