Children's home run by Smartcare Services

Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 1 Registered provider: Smartcare Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides residential care for up to three children and young people from the age of 11 years old who may have complex social, emotional and behavioural needs. Placements are offered on a planned or emergency basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since the home was registered with Ofsted in May 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 18 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) 01/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 01/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year 01/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 4 taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (2))

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Recommendations

 Regulation 45 sets out requirements for the registered person to have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have positive experiences. Both young people who currently live in the home said that this is a good home. One young person who had 10 placements previously said that this was one of the best places that she has lived in. The other young person said that he was very happy living in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people develop positive relationships with staff members. One young person said: ‘Staff are always nice to me. Since coming here, only positive things have happened.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff inspire young people to make positive choices. One young person talked about his key worker helping him to find a direction in his life. After a significant period of not being in education, this young person is now attending a college and displays excitement, pride and a determination to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to gain a sense of control in their lives. Young people said that they feel heard, understood and respected. This has a positive impact on their self-esteem, confidence and engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that young people enjoy good health and access the health services that they need. The positive and supportive relationships within the home support young people’s emotional welfare effectively. An example of a good outcome is that young people with a history of self-harming behaviours have made no attempts to self- Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 5 harm while living at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a comfortable environment and have pleasant lives. With staff’s help, they cook for each other and say that the food at the home is delicious. Young people said that they like their bedrooms and take care of them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live active lives and have fun. They go out with staff and enjoy exploring different places of interest. The recent holiday abroad was a great success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good-quality support in all areas of their lives and make good progress. Staff gently support them to gain more independence and prepare for their future lives. Young people have made good progress in developing their life-skills.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The close relationships between staff and young people underpin the effectiveness of safeguarding practices. The positive environment and clear routines enable young people to develop a sense of safety and security. Both young people said that they felt safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour management practices are effective in promoting young people’s constructive behaviours. Staff use sanctions sparingly and to good effect and there has been no need for staff to use physical interventions. One social worker commented that at her last visit, the young person was incredibly calm and positive, and that this was a sign of great progress.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The collaborative approach to the management of risks enhances young people’s safety. Staff make sure that the risk management plans are kept up to date. They engage other professionals and young people in this aspect of safeguarding.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff help young people whose actions put them at risk of harm to understand the real and potential impact of such behaviours on their lives. Staff use key-working sessions and ordinary daily interactions to teach young people how to be safer. Young people’s understanding of risks and the willingness to take more responsibility for their own safety are improving.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager has developed good links with the local police. Staff follow clear reporting protocols when young people do not return home at the agreed time. Staff share appropriately any relevant information that they gain from their in-depth, return-home interviews with young people, with the police and the placing authorities.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Regular health and safety checks ensure that the building is safe. Staff are appropriately vetted for their roles. Staff have a good understanding of a wide range of the risks to young people, including child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, radicalisation and female genital mutilation.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager contributes to keeping the local area safe through her active Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 6 membership of the local neighbourhood association. The home’s locality-risk assessment was reviewed in May 2018. However, the review does not evidence consultation with the relevant parties about the up-to-date risks in the locality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders and managers run the home effectively and efficiently. Their high level of commitment to enabling young people to have positive experiences is demonstrated in their practice and in the positive outcomes for young people. The team is cohesive and has a shared vision of helping young people to lead safer and happier lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The stable staff team provides continuity of relationships within the home. This is despite all staff working through an agency. The leaders and managers ensure that all staff are supported in their roles and that their performance continues to satisfy the home’s ethos and high professional standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are skilled workers and the training opportunities for them are good. However, five staff members who should have been qualified by now are still working towards gaining the relevant qualification. The registered manager is monitoring their progress in achieving their personal development objectives, including obtaining the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders, managers and staff are committed to developing practices that are reflective and young-person centred. The minutes of team meetings and staff’s one-to- one meetings with their line manager evidence this. The responsible individual supervises the registered manager, although the minutes of those meetings were not available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has developed comprehensive quality-assurance processes. Records are of high quality and are organised in ways that enhance monitoring. However, the last quality-of-care review report looked at the period of seven months, rather than six, as required by the relevant regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have developed good professional links with placing authorities. A placement officer and social workers talked positively about the quality of the placements and the effectiveness of partnership working. The registered manager has gained a good reputation for being a strong advocate for young people within the professional network.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works in a transparent way with other professionals and always seeks to improve the service. She engages positively with the independent visitor and acts on their feedback. The home has an effective procedure for dealing with complaints and any forms of dissatisfaction, however minor they might appear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager acknowledged that not notifying Ofsted of a significant event that involved the police was an oversight. Otherwise, the incident was managed well and the information was shared appropriately with other authorities. None of the Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 7 weaknesses identified at this inspection have had a negative impact on young people.

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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: 1254701 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Smartcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Wellesley Parade, Godstone Road, Whyteleafe, Surrey CR3 0BL

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Inspector

Seka Graovac, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1254701 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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