Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: SC401927 1 SC401927 Registered provider: Benecare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by an organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 19 September 2017

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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 sustained effectiveness. Since the last inspection, there has been one admission to the home. Leaders and managers made effective use of their matching and impact assessment tools. As a result of this, the young people living at the home have been well matched. One young person is preparing to move on. Careful consideration is being given to planning this move. Young people benefit from well-planned admissions and departures from this home. Young people living at this home are making progress. One young person benefited from work experience at a local hobby shop. Another is now eating independently. Other young people are being encouraged to self-manage more elements of their personal care. Consequently, the young people are learning new skills that enhance their independence.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the previous inspection, four requirements and one recommendation were made. The recommendation regarding the protection of children has been met. The risk assessments that are in place now reliably inform staff of the risks, and contain clear strategies for reducing them. Risk assessments are also in place for specialist equipment, such as the swings in two of the young people’s bedrooms. They guide the staff in Inspection report children’s home: SC401927 2 making sure that the equipment is used safely, and this ensures that steps are taken to reduce risks. The second requirement was regarding health and well-being. Specialist equipment had been recommended for one young person, to monitor his health needs. This is now in place and has improved his health monitoring. This requirement has been met. The third requirement was to maintain children’s records. There has been progress in this area, with records now being completed in a timely manner. This requirement has

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

been met. However, the quality of records remains variable. Some examples of key-work records provide useful, factual accounts. Others only record the staff’s direction, not the response and reaction of the young people. Samples of the young people’s feedback forms are also variable. Some evidence the staff revisiting important questions, such as whether the young people feel safe living at the home. Others have been left blank. The fourth requirement, regarding managerial monitoring, has not yet been met. The registered manager is currently on leave. In her absence, the deputy managers are responsible for monitoring the service. The current systems for monitoring do not highlight shortfalls effectively. An example of this is a series of errors in the recording of medication. On occasions, medication has not been signed back into the home following off-site activities. Medication has not been ordered correctly and at times administrative

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

documents have not been signed. The area manager has arranged for a pharmacy visit to support improvements in this area, and has delivered a workshop during a team meeting regarding administering medication. At the previous inspection, one recommendation was made regarding the children’s guide. The children’s guide should provide information about the day-to-day routines of the home and what children can expect in terms of the care they will receive here. This has not been met, and is repeated. There has been one significant incident since the last inspection. A staff member and a young person were involved in a car accident. Protocols were followed and the young person and the staff member received medical attention and, for the young person, follow-up doctor’s appointments. This was reported within the expected timeframe. Leaders and managers have reviewed the company’s vehicles policy, and will offer staff

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

motorway driving skills lessons, should they require them in order to increase their confidence. The managers and staff have positive partnership-working arrangements with parents, placing authorities, police and education professionals. For example, the manager has recently liaised with the police community support officer to good effect. Additionally, some of the young people have emerging identity needs and the staff arranged for the looked after children’s nurse to come and speak to the staff and the young people to support these needs. These are good examples of the staff utilising community resources. Overall this home is providing a stable environment for extremely vulnerable young people who have complex needs. On the whole, they are making progress. However, the shortfalls identified during this inspection have the potential to impact negatively on the Inspection report children’s home: SC401927 3

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people’s day-to-day experiences of being cared for in this home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 17/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— Ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(i)) 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c)) 30/03/2018

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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)) 30/03/2018

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Recommendations

 The children’s guide should help children to understand: – 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC401927 4 while living there). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 113a St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 3PE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Richmond

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC401927 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 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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