Children's Home run by Kent County Council in Kent

Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 1 SC403850 Registered provider: Kent County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority-managed, short-beak service for children and young people. The home caters for up to six children and young people who have complex needs and/or learning disabilities and/or associated difficulties.

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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: 6 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.

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and young people since the most recent 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

The home has not had a registered manager for over two years, and has had a number of temporary post-holders in that time. Ofsted‟s evaluation criteria state that when a home has been without a registered manager for more than 26 weeks, this will usually lead to a judgement that the children‟s home has declined in its effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The current acting manager is also the senior team leader, which limits the time that she is able to give to the role. Nevertheless, there have been improvements since she started, most notably in the frequency of supervision provided for staff. This is now occurring in line with the home‟s statement of purpose, and the records show that the issues covered are helpful in promoting reflective practice and professional development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose has not been reviewed for more than a year, and information about the management and staffing of the home is out of date. A review of the quality of care has not been submitted for well over the six months required under regulation 45. Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 2 A review of premises meets the requirements of regulation 46, quoting from crime statistics and ambulance response times as part of the evidence to show that the home is well situated. However, the document is not dated and does not identify the author. This is true of a number of documents on case files, leading to a lack of accountability for records and the decisions contained in them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a young person alleged that a member of staff had hurt him. Staff believed this to be false at the time, and it was subsequently found to be so on investigation. However, the concern was not expedited in line with the provider‟s child protection policy, being left until the then acting manager returned from leave before being dealt with. Managers subsequently reminded staff that they must deal with all safeguarding matters urgently, and those spoken to during the inspection stated that they would refer to the appropriate professionals within 24 hours, or earlier if necessary, to make sure a child was safe. As many of the children are unable to explain easily any marks or bruises seen on them, this includes body maps that can evidence injuries that might require investigation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service has received three complaints since the last inspection. The manager was advised to treat one from the relatives of a child as a „representation‟, although the provider‟s complaints policy does not use this term to describe an appropriate response. Consequently, the record neither comments on whether the concerns raised were upheld or not, nor whether those raising them were satisfied with the replies given.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The records of the other complaints consist mainly of a trail of emails, one of which contains comments that should not form part of the official documentation. The record of a conversation with one complainant states that he was satisfied with the response, but it does not comment on the specific issues that he had raised. In neither case did managers complete the complaints log or the worksheet intended to provide an overview.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff welcome children to the service sensitively. New placements are reviewed soon after admission so that plans can be adjusted, if required. When necessary, managers arrange further meetings to ensure that the changes are having the desired effect.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff seek children‟s wishes and feelings on a regular basis, and record those obtained in children‟s meetings particularly well. Symbols and other means of helping children to make choices are presented to small groups, and their responses are written up as social stories. Decisions about activities and duvet covers have been made in this way, leading to children understanding that their opinions are valued and acted on.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff make records, including photographs, of the activities that the children engage in. They comment on what worked well or not, so that the team can learn lessons from the experience. This means that the children benefit from doing more of what they enjoy or otherwise benefited from. Parents and carers spoken to confirmed that children enjoy their stays. One commented that the service was „excellent‟ because of the „staff interaction with children – they are continually playing with my child.‟

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Key workers set targets for children based on the wishes of children and their parents, Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 3 and in conjunction with education, health and care plans. Staff describe these as „SMART‟, yet the targets do not identify how success would be measured. Records are kept on how children progress, and reviewing these shows that the staff have been successful in helping children to improve over time. One example is a child who had to eat separately from others and frequently refused food. Two years later, she sits at a table with her peers and enjoys her meals. However, it is not easy to see an overall picture of progress, because there is no mechanism for measuring how far a child has come since admission.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent person makes helpful observations and recommendations in reports made under regulation 44, including identifying that staff had not recorded the risk of one child self-injuring or of the strategies used to reduce it. The manager said that she had drawn up a risk assessment, yet could not find it. Staff were able to state the steps that they took to distract the child or to reduce the potential harm, but the lack of documentation could lead to an inconsistent approach or new staff not being aware of the issue.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In his reports, the independent person does not give his unequivocal opinion on whether children are safeguarded effectively or whether the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. In addition, he views case files during visits, yet the service has not sought permission from the local authority or the children to do so (or, where the latter are unable to give informed consent, from someone with parental responsibility).

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have not asked parents or others who have parental responsibility to consent to first aid being administered, should it be required for their child. Fire equipment, exits, lighting and alarms are checked in accordance with regulations, and evacuation drills are held frequently so that all children who use the service have the opportunity to participate. Staff do not undertake drills at a time children would be in bed, yet the managers have not assessed the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service has a wide range of facilities and play equipment for children, leading one professional to comment, „It is a great unit and a valuable resource for families. Children get to do things they might not otherwise have the opportunity to.‟

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2017 Full Requires improvement 20/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 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, 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 registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16(3)(a)) 30/04/2018

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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 so that the process followed and how it has led to the outcome is clear. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person carrying out visits to the home only inspects a child‟s case records if the child and the child‟s placing authority consent.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44(2)(b) and Regulation 44(3)(a)(b)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months and supply to HMCI a copy of the review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(1), (4)(a)) 30/04/2018

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Recommendations

 Each child should have permission for staff to administer first aid and non- prescription medication from a person with parental responsibility for them recorded in their relevant plan. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 35 paragraph 7.14)

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Recommendations

 Homes should ensure that outcomes identified and progress made by children in building relationships and achieving socially acceptable behaviours can be recorded and measured. („Guide to children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 38 paragraph 8.4).

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that the setting of targets and the recording of progress Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 5 towards them is clear.

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date, signed, and dated by the author of each entry. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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 difference made to the lives of children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children‟s and young people‟s 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: SC403850 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fairlawn, Kingsnorth Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 6LY

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Inspector(s)

Chris Peel, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC403850 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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