Children's home run by Compass Children’s Homes Kent Limited in Dover

Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 1 SC023637 Registered provider: Ferndearle Child Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children or young people who may have emotional amd/or behavioural difficulties. Therapy is available to all children and young people if required. There is a registered school on site.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

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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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff do not always implement the home’s own safeguarding policies and guidance.  Risk assessments do not always consider all of the relevant issues.  Monitoring processes have not identified that important telephone calls to professionals are not properly recorded, or that essential records, such as agreements made with the local authority, have not been updated.  Complaints from young people have not been used to learn lessons, improve practice and reduce the likelihood of future similar occurrences.  A review of the use of door alarms on bedroom doors at night is not individualised or reviewed regularly to ensure that this practice is necessary.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children’s meetings are used to share important messages with young people.  Staff work closely with therapists and school staff.  Staff have good relationships with young people and interact positively with them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Good 23/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 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

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must

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Requirement Due date

13(1)(a) inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

(1)(b) promote their welfare, in particular regarding recognising allegations as such and reporting in line with the organisation’s policy and ensuring risk assessments include all known risks.

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided. 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure

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Requirement Due date

14(2)(f) that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child in particular by keeping records of telephone calls to professionals and parents/carers. 30/03/2018

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Recommendations

 Any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  Decisions about overnight stays with friends should be delegated to children’s homes by the placing authority for looked after children. The level of delegated authority should be recorded in the placement plan (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.9). In particular, this should include delegation of responsibilities agreed with the social Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 4 worker and parents.

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improvement to be good

The variable quality of initial assessment practice results in relevant information being missed. In one example, a young person’s impact risk assessment included information pertaining to another young person. Such shortfalls compromise the quality of the information gathered.

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improvement to be good

There have been two occasions when young people have made allegations and these have not been responded to or taken seriously immediately. In addition, despite a young person making a complaint about a lack of food for lunch and these concerns being upheld, leaders and managers found that the situation had reoccurred. This was a missed opportunity to demonstrate to the young person, and to other young people, that their views and feedback are taken seriously.

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improvement to be good

Children’s meetings educate young people about important messages in a child-friendly way. For example, a video showing the risk of smoking and how quickly a fire can start teaches the young people about these dangers. Actions agreed at previous meetings are discussed with the young people. Young people also chair part of the meetings and contribute to the agenda.

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improvement to be good

Staff form appropriately positive relationships with young people. They enjoy spending time together. One young person said, ‘I love it here.’ Team games, observed during the evening, help young people to develop their social skills and bond with the staff and each other.

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improvement to be good

All the young people have 100% attendance at school. They are encouraged to work towards reintegration into mainstream school where possible. The home has an attached school; staff liaise closely with the school staff. They ensure that learning is extended to the home environment, and that homework is completed before activities begin. This reinforces the importance of academic achievement.

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improvement to be good

Young people receive the mental health services that they require. Young people have direct support from psychologists who are based in the home. Therapists meet with leaders and managers to share information and to devise holistic healthcare plans. The staff have access to the organisation’s psychologist and this enables them to develop a greater understanding of the young people’s emotional needs and associated behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff facilitate family contact and encourage positive relationships. One parent said, ‘Staff are fantastic, one hundred per cent.’ Parents and friends are welcomed into the home. One young person’s friend regularly stays overnight. Staff ensure that young Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 5 people see those who are important to them and teach young people to value their friendships.

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improvement to be good

Different cultures are celebrated through creative theme nights, which include tasting different foods, listening to music and learning about different customs and beliefs. Young people contribute to and integrate into the community. One young person visits a church regularly and sings in a choir; other young people have joined local youth clubs and football teams. Staff and young people host coffee mornings for charity.

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improvement to be good

Staff equip young people to be practically and emotionally ready for independence. For example, they all take part in household chores and help to prepare and cook meals. When they are older, young people learn to travel independently. One young person is able to use public transport successfully to travel a distance to visit his family.

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improvement to be good

In many aspects of their lives young people are doing well and are making good progress. One young person has learned to self-regulate and manage his behaviour. Another young person is more aware of his emotions, and is able to communicate how he feels. As a result of the interventions of staff and therapy services, including family therapy, two young people have been able to reintegrate successfully with their families.

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improvement to be good

Staff are inconsistent in their understanding and use of the home’s safeguarding procedures. One example of this is when staff failed to alert the on-call manager for advice following an allegation of physical harm that was made by a young person. On another occasion, the manager did not read an incident report and consequently an allegation was not acted upon immediately. There was, therefore, a considerable delay in the matter being reported to the designated officer. This potentially left the young person in an unsafe situation.

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improvement to be good

Individualised risk assessments identify specific risks for each young person, as well as generic ones. Preventative steps are identified to reduce these risks. In practice, staff closely supervise young people to ensure their safety, inside and outside of the home. However, managers and senior staff failed to identify all the risks relating to a young person’s friend staying in the home. The risk that the visiting young person may pose to the other young people living in the home was not considered as part of the risk assessment.

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improvement to be good

Sanctions are properly recorded, evaluated and analysed. Managers monitor their use and ensure that they are proportionate. Staff were observed to negotiate and agree sanctions with young people to enable them to take responsibility for their actions.

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improvement to be good

Staff reinforce young people’s positive behaviour through praise and rewards. Young people learn about consequences by taking responsibility for damage caused to the home or to their belongings. Staff reinforce boundaries and, overall, young people Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 6 adhere to them. Incidences of behaviour necessitating physical interventions have reduced. Staff discuss young people’s behaviour in team meetings and the strategies that are agreed inform behaviour plans and risk assessments.

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improvement to be good

Staff challenge young people who use discriminatory language. Any bullying behaviour is recognised and recorded as such. Young people are helped to make amends by writing letters of apology and offering to do something for their peers. They are taught to treat others with respect. Key workers address any issues and allow young people time to reflect. When a young person’s behaviour has involved physical aggression towards others, effective liaison with the police helps the young person to understand the potential criminal consequences.

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

The registered manager is an experienced manager who has oversight of this home and the sister home. A manager is employed to undertake the day-to-day running of the home. He is applying to be registered with Ofsted and has increased his responsibilities within the home.

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

Staff do not consistently follow safeguarding practice and procedures. Leaders and managers have identified this and they have undertaken internal investigations. However, they failed to recognise that staff had not contacted an on-call manager when a young person alleged that he was harmed during a restraint. The managers and staff did not respond immediately to another allegation, and this led to a delay in the designated officer being informed. Once the registered manager became aware of this failing, decisive action was taken to ensure that the matter was reported to the local authority and that lessons were learned.

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

Complaints are rare. When they do occur, they are generally dealt with appropriately and young people are informed of the outcome. However, there was one occasion when a matter was highlighted by a young person and, despite the complaint being dealt with, the situation reoccurred. This was the subject of an internal investigation and leaders and managers took action to ensure that lessons were learned.

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

Staff have good relationships with professionals, and with young people’s families and friends. Staff attend all care planning meetings, and liaise with social workers about key decisions. However, the recording of correspondence and communication with professionals does not always take place. This could mean that young people and professionals will not be able to read about these discussions in the future. Evidence of the discussions and actions that are agreed is also not available for auditing purposes.

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

In most cases, care plans are updated and reflect any changes in circumstances. An agreement made with a local authority about who can make day-to-day decisions for a young person was not reviewed to reflect any changes. One young person’s care plan had not been updated since August 2017. Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 7 Policies are in place in relation to the use of door alarms that are fitted to the young people’s bedroom doors. However, the use of these has not been individually risk assessed or reviewed. Staff do not analyse whether these modifications are necessary.

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

Young people learn and make progress through the support they receive to take measured and appropriate risks. For example, one young person has undertaken intensive key-work sessions in regard to internet safety work. He has demonstrated that he can manage access to the internet responsibly. As a reward, he is trusted to have access to the internet on his mobile phone.

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

The registered manager is committed to developing the service. Internal investigations have been undertaken and action has been taken to address shortfalls. Internal monitoring processes, however, have not been effective enough in identifying weaknesses, such as the areas highlighted in this report.

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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: SC023637 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ferndearle Child Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 77 Biggin Street, Dover, Kent CT16 1BB

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 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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