Children's home run by White Lodge Centre in Runnymede

Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 1 SC013828 Registered provider: White Lodge Centre Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides short-break care for up to six children and young people, who primarily have physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities. Additional children and young people will stay for tea visits only. The home is located on a multi-purpose site and is operated by a large charitable organisation managed by a board of trustees.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although a judgement of declined in effectiveness has been made, it was evident that young people are cared for in an individualised way and that staff have a good knowledge and understanding of each young person. Staff are receptive to the young people’s needs in relation to their health and general well-being and positive interactions were observed between staff and young people. Young people were seen to be happy at this children’s home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This children’s home has been without a registered manager for 36 weeks. A senior manager is in the process of applying to Ofsted for this position. During the absence of a registered manager, shortfalls have not been identified. A coordinator was appointed in Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 2 July and has begun to monitor areas of practice; however, weaknesses found during this inspection had not been recognised and indicate that this monitoring is effective. The statement of purpose in place requires review as this has not taken place since the registered manager left the service. The children’s home has not been operating in line with its statement of purpose. When there have been emergency placements, this has led to more children accessing the service for tea visits than stated in the statement of purpose.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have received safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities if they have a concern about a child. However, the wider concerns and vulnerabilities of young people are not fully explored or reported on. When young people have made allegations or concerning behaviours have been seen, staff are recording this information in a book. However, there is no evidence that this information is then referred on to the necessary external professionals. Even when children are subject to child protection plans, some vital information has not been communicated to professionals. Key workers stated that some conversations take place with the child’s social worker, but this is not documented to demonstrate that information has been shared and acted on. The designated safeguarding leads for the children’s home were not aware of safeguarding information found during the inspection. Safeguarding policies and processes have not been followed

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

and practice is weak in this important area. In addition, when young people do not attend the service, this is not shared with social workers and there is no exploration of why young people are not attending with parents. Policies and procedures need to state the responsibility of staff in this area.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people’s needs and the impact on their well-being are considered when admitting new young people to the home. Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals to assess young people’s needs prior to visiting the home. Transitions have been managed well by staff and this is clearly a strength of the service. There isn’t currently a register of admissions and discharges in place within the home; this means that information cannot be easily retrieved and some required information may be unrecorded.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Care planning documentation is inconsistent in relation to young people’s individual vulnerabilities and does not give clear direction to staff on how to support young people. The plans are generic and relevant information is absent in the ‘all about me’ documentation sampled. Staff may not be informed of all relevant safeguarding information required to keep young people safe. There are no individual risk assessments in place for young people in relation to their particular behaviours or individual support needs. Again, this means that staff may not be aware of what the risks are or know the strategies to minimise them. Care planning documentation still does not provide sufficient information to enable staff to care for the young people safely. Key workers and the coordinator are given responsibility for attending child protection conferences and core group meetings. However, they have not been given

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the necessary training and therefore are not aware of their responsibilities in contributing to these.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are able to give examples of how young people make progress, for example in their Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 3 ability to now stay away from home and also in their social interaction and enjoying each other’s company. It was evident that they have lots of fun during their stays. Independence is encouraged and targets are in place; these are in the process of being reviewed to ensure that they are tracked and that they are both appropriate and achievable. Therefore, this recommendation has yet to be met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the children’s home has received two complaints. In the documentation available, it is evident that some action has been taken. However, not all information is documented so it is difficult to establish whether an outcome was achieved. Some of the information available is not accurate. The complaints process requires strengthening.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Observations during the inspection demonstrated that there is now more social interaction during meal times. Staff role model and promote acceptable behaviour to the young people. This has created a happier atmosphere with the young people enjoying and learning during this time. There is more use by staff of young people’s individual communication systems. This now provides young people with the necessary tools to be able to fully communicate and express their choices.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The training matrix has been updated and this now enables senior staff to determine whether refresher training for staff is due. A number of staff have been enrolled to complete the necessary level 3 qualification. All the permanent staff are now completing or have completed this level of training. There are also staff members who completed a level 3 qualification before working in this organisation. However, the management team has yet to fully evidence whether the units completed correspond with the necessary childcare qualification.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the inspection, the senior managers in the organisation began to address the shortfalls immediately. There is a commitment from this management team to further raise the standard of care provided to the young people who access the service.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/06/2016 Full Good 09/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 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, the 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that care plans and risk assessments are detailed to enable staff to support children. 15/01/2018

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vii)(e)) 15/01/2018

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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. 15/01/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(g)) The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(5)) 15/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 15/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

Ensure the registered person keeps the necessary information in relation to a children’s home in Schedule 4. In particular, a record in the form of a register detailing all the required information. (Regulation 37(2)(a)) 15/01/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child’s care on an ongoing basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3) This specifically relates to demonstrating progress in targets in operation and that these are recorded consistently and regularly reviewed.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to meet their training. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Specifically, cultivate the skills to contribute to child protection conferences.  The registered person should… establish whether the units completed in the candidate’s original qualification have content which corresponds with the units of the level 3 diploma for residential childcare. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, Annex A, page 68, paragraph 1.2)

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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: SC013828 6 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

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: White Lodge, Holloway Hill, Lyne, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 0AE

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Inspector

Emeline Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC013828 7 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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