Children's home run by Surrey County Council

Inspection report children’s home: 1230411 1 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home, registered for two young people, is part of a jointly commissioned and funded, multi-agency service that provides therapeutic support for young people who have complex mental health, education and social care needs that cannot be met by one agency alone. The residential element of this service offers support to young people in mental health crisis, but who do not require a psychiatric admission. The beds are available to young people for up to seven days at a time, and the service also aims to enable partner agencies to better respond to young people’s mental health needs out of hours.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. The home has been without a registered manager since April 2017. The home’s manager has been in post since before the full inspection in July 2017, and submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted in mid-January 2018. This delay in registering has led to the judgement of declined in effectiveness at this inspection. Due to the nature of the service, there have been over 40 admissions and discharges since the last inspection. A young person currently accessing the service commented that she felt she had been made welcome and that staff had helped her settle in. Staff were observed listening to her views and sharing these with her social worker and parents to facilitate her return home over the next few days. Records of those who have Inspection report children’s home: 1230411 2

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

been placed in the home are clear and contain all the information required, in response to the requirement made at the last inspection. Prior to placement, staff seek as much information as they can in order to meet young people’s needs during their stay. This includes plans of how to respond to self-injurious behaviours, the potential for, and planned responses to, being missing from care, and how to address unwanted and concerning behaviours. Plans are clear and staff utilise these to great effect. Young people are protected while staying in the home. If a young person goes missing from the home, staff follow them and seek to engage them at all times. When necessary, they contact the police to support them in locating and returning a young person to the home. Staff have clear plans of how to respond should young people self- harm, and there is always medical advice available, integral to the service. Any issues or

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

concerns are reported to partner agencies as necessary. However, agreements with the designated officers have not been confirmed in writing. The home’s manager and assistant team manager have carefully considered and reviewed the eight requirements and two recommendations set at the last inspection. All have been met, except the one regarding the lack of space in the home. The search for new premises is ongoing. The managers and staff are trying to make the best use of the facilities available, and visiting times are carefully considered in order to reduce the impact on other young people. This is helping to ensure that no one feels crowded or unwelcome in what is their temporary home. Further work towards meeting the requirements and recommendations also includes revising the records for significant incidents. These records have been separated into the type of concern, such as missing from care, self-injurious behaviour and physical

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

intervention. This ensures that the correct information is recorded, particularly for physical interventions. Incidents are reviewed monthly, and this allows for evaluation and changes to practice. All records are now clearly signed or initialled. One new member of staff has been employed since the last inspection. A full range of checks were undertaken prior to them working in the home. The shortfall noted at the last inspection has been rectified and a full employment history has been sought for that member of staff. Staff who do not already hold a suitable level three qualification have recently been enrolled to start this. In addition to meeting the requirements and recommendations, the managers within the home utilise monitoring in line with regulation 44 and their own evaluation of the service to consider how best to improve and move forwards. They have implemented a comprehensive development plan that has in part been completed retrospectively, to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

evaluate how far they have progressed since managing the service. Each area in the plan has been allocated to a named member of staff to help ensure that it is implemented. The plan is aspirational, but also ensures that all aspects of the running of the home and care meet regulations and guidance. Inspection report children’s home: 1230411 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/07/2017 Full Good 01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/09/2016 Full Requires improvement

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Recommendations

 Each local authority should have clear arrangements in place for the management and oversight of allegations against people that work with children. The relevant officer or teams within the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations that come to an employer’s attention or that are made directly to the police. For further information, including about the role of a local authority designated officer, see Working together to safeguard children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18) Specifically, ensure that any guidance or direction from the designated officer is confirmed in writing.

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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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1230411 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking GU22 7QQ

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1230411 5 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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