Children's home run by Benecare Limited in Sevenoaks

Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 1 Registered provider: Benecare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. Its statement of purpose specifies that it will provide care and accommodation for two children aged eight to 18 years of age who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has had no registered manager since 26 June 2018. There is now a manager in post who is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good 18/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/04/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 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

Details of any immunisations, allergy or medical examination of the child and of any medical or dental need of the child. (Regulation 10 (Schedule 3)(23))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that immunisations are up to date. 12/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12 (2)(1)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk assessments provide clear information about the relevant risks and strategies to reduce them. 12/10/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34) Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 4  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair

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Recommendations

and the above principles set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have developed a safe and comfortable environment. They have worked with the children to incorporate their wishes into the redecorating of their bedrooms. The children have chosen colour schemes, new carpets and helped build new furniture with the staff. Both children are proud of their bedrooms, which reflect their individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The managers and staff provide an environment where the children can grow and learn. They take time to explore with the children what happened when things have gone wrong. Through this reflection on events, children are learning to make informed choices and take responsibility for their decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to be healthy. Staff help them to understand the importance of a balanced diet, through exploring recipes and cooking nutritious, balanced meals. Routine health checks are regular. However, one child’s health check raised a query regarding immunisations that has yet to be addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The positive relationships between the children and the staff have been built on trust. The staff’s open and honest communication has enabled the children to develop trusting relationships with them. Consistent care delivered by the staff provides the children with stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education needs have been met creatively. Both children have waited for formal education placements, which will begin in September. In the interim, a combination of tutoring and online education has been complemented with their active learning of life skills such as budgeting, cooking and engaging in practical decision making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities to socialise. They regularly meet family and friends and have fun. Staff understand their individual needs, likes and dislikes. Together they develop plans for structured social time and activities. Through these positive experiences, the children are developing greater levels of self-esteem and resilience.

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

Children are learning to keep themselves safe. Staff use key-working effectively to help the children learn skills to keep themselves safe when they are not with adults. This has helped one child reduce her risk-taking behaviours. Staff understand the need for Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 5 children to take risks. They are familiar with the strategies that reduce risks. However, they are not always clearly recorded in the children’s risk assessments.

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

The safeguarding culture at the home is well embedded. The staff know what to report, to whom and when. Allegations are reported in a timely manner. Concerns are shared effectively to enable wider agency working. Consequently, the children live in a safe environment.

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

Managers and staff understand the children’s individual needs. They work collaboratively with social workers and therapists to create well-informed care plans that incorporate expert advice. Children are learning to work through difficult emotions and manage their anxieties. Structured and individualised plans and strategies are contributing to a reduction in challenging behaviours.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this does occur, staff respond proactively. Clear missing protocols are followed, with effective wider agency work that ensures that information is shared promptly. Children have responded to the staff’s well- organised responses and have worked with the staff to agree safety plans. Consequently, risk-taking behaviour has reduced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Changes in management have been implemented effectively. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. She has a proven track record with the organisation, having previously been the deputy manager. An independent mentor is supporting her with her induction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff share high aspirations for the children. They are passionate about the care they provide and go the extra mile to deliver good-quality support to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are keen to engage in the day-to-day running of the home. They take pride in helping to keep the home clean and tidy and prepare meals. They can influence the home’s development. A good example of this is the addition of a trampoline and paddling pool to the garden this summer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managerial monitoring systems are in place. However, they have failed to reveal that not all significant incidents have been notified to Ofsted. One incident requiring police attendance and another detailing the outcome of a child protection enquiry have been missed. Additionally, behaviour management records have not been scrutinised effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is continuing her professional development. She is enrolled on the level 5 leadership and management course. Her workforce development plan ensures that she and her team keep up to date with research and practice through training. Inspection report children’s home: 1225887 6 Staff training is regular and relevant to the needs of the staff team. The organisation uses independent specialists as needs arise. Annual appraisals are used effectively to further develop staff members’ skills and review their practice.

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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: 1225887 7

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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: 1225887 8 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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Inspector

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