Children's Home run by K & G Care Ltd in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 1 Registered provider: K&G Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home that provides short-, medium- and long-term care for up to five children and young people who have emotional needs and challenging behaviour.

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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

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 2

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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 opened in February this year. There is currently no manager in post. The registered manager left in July and the deputy manager left prior to this. The responsible individual and a director are managing the home, but mostly from a distance. Visits to the home are usually weekly. This does not provide staff with the direction and guidance that they require on a day-to-day basis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no systems in place to monitor and review the quality of care. This means that some of the shortfalls identified during this inspection have not been previously identified and acted upon.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The lack of any management support for staff on a day-to-day basis has left an inexperienced and unqualified team without any clear direction and guidance.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Agency workers are rostered without any core staff. This means that staff who do not know the children well are working with them without any familiar staff around to provide safe care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a high turnover of staff. A child said: ‗The home is not very well run, so staff leave.‘ Children and staff say that there is a lack of consistent practice between staff. A child also said that agency workers are too strict and are ‗boring because they do not do anything with them‘. The child went on to say: ‗Staff don‘t know the rules, it‘s confusing.‘

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk management plans are poor. Children‘s activities are not risk assessed. For example, consideration has not been given to the risks relating to children visiting theme parks and a music festival. This could put children at risk of harm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There was a delay in staff using whistleblowing procedures when they thought that the conduct of a member of staff was poor and put children at risk of harm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Directors failed to report an allegation against a member of staff to the appropriate agencies. They conducted an internal investigation before making external safeguarding agencies aware of the allegation. Failing to follow child protection procedures could undermine any investigation that the police may wish to undertake.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home lacks warmth and does not present as homely. For example, photo frames in the lounge are empty and some lampshades are missing. There is an absence of pictures and ornaments. Privacy is not respected, as blinds have not been put up in the kitchen or an upstairs window which overlooks a main road. Hazards within the environment and Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 3 general maintenance are not identified and resolved quickly.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Financial sanctions are used incorrectly on a regular basis, because they are not used for reparation only. For example, children have money deducted for going missing or assaulting others. Sanctions should relate to behaviour to enable children to understand and learn from them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A child said that she has friends whom she wants to bring back to the house. She said that this is not allowed. A director said that the child was not allowed to at the moment, as the staff were unsure what the impact of this would be on the other child in the home. Not being able to bring friends home could make the child stand out from her friends and make her feel uncomfortable.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Physical intervention records are not recorded well and have the potential to lead the reader to believe that a restraint has not been carried out appropriately. This has not been identified by the manager responsible for reviewing the incidents and, therefore, this recording practice goes unchecked.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff follow good procedures when children go missing from the home. However, return home interviews have not been undertaken by an independent person organised by the placing authority. These interviews are important, as they can help to establish why the child ran away and therefore help to prevent future risk-taking behaviour. No one has followed this up with the placing authorities to ensure that the interviews are carried out.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children appear generally happy and are making some progress, particularly with regard to their risk-taking behaviour.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 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 provider must appoint a person to manage the children‘s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of–

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii), (2)(a)(b)) 16/10/2018

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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.

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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–

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for 16/10/2018 Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 5 children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (―the quality of care review report‖).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3), (4)(a)(b), (5)) * The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‘s home that–

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to–

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home‘s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(c)(e)) 16/10/2018

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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

that staff– 16/10/2018 Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 6 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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‘s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‘s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‘s health. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(d)) 16/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child–

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19(1), (2)(f)) 16/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected; (Regulation 21(a)) 16/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 7

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Recommendations

 For children‘s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children should be supported to understand how to build friendships with other children. They should be able to have friends visit them at the home, in line with the child‘s plans, age and understanding. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 38, paragraph 8.7)  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards‘, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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. 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: 1270767 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 202, West Retford Hall, Rectory Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 7AY

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Inspector(s)

Joanne Vyas, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children‘s home: 1270767 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 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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