Children's home run by Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 1

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Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children. Its statement of purpose says that the home provides high-quality care for children who, due to the circumstances of their young lives, require residential accommodation and the support of a trained staff team that can support them through any damage that has been caused by abuse.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager at this home. The post has been vacant since 9 June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection of the home was undertaken on 5 and 6 September 2018. The home was judged to be inadequate because of serious concerns regarding the standard of safeguarding practice, the recording and administration of prescribed medication and the effectiveness of the responsible individual. A restriction of accommodation notice was issued on 14 September 2018 and three compliance notices were issued on 17 September 2018. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to judge whether the restriction of accommodation notice is being adhered to and whether the steps outlined in the compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

A notice was issued on 14 September 2018 to restrict accommodation at the home under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000. The requirement was that no children should be admitted to the home, and the notice is in effect from 14 September 2018 until 6 December inclusive. No children have been admitted to the home since the restriction notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 17 September 2018 under regulation 12(2) (a)(i)(vi), requiring action to be taken to ensure that children are protected from Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 2 harm and are enabled to keep themselves safe. The steps in the compliance notice specified that action should be taken to improve the standard of risk assessment and risk management; ensure that child protection practice is effective and monitored by a competent person until there is a registered manager at the home; assess the safeguarding competency of all staff and ensure that staff’s personal development plans address any weaknesses; and review how two child protection concerns were managed and disseminate the learning from the review. The timescale for meeting these steps was 15 October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The headteacher from the organisation’s school delivered a training workshop on the assessment and management of risk for staff working at the home. More advanced training on the assessment and management of risk will be provided to managers in early December 2018.

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This monitoring visit

A thorough review of all known risks associated with the young person living at the home has been undertaken. The young person’s risk assessments have been updated and are of a good standard. The young person has participated in developing a crisis plan, which identifies how staff will support them during periods of anxiety.

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This monitoring visit

The first two steps in the compliance notice have been met. However, insufficient progress has been made on the three remaining steps in this compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation’s area manager was responsible for overseeing child protection practice in the absence of a registered manager. The plan for monitoring child protection practice focuses on child protection procedures to be followed, rather than how practice will be monitored. The area manager described monitoring activities that she intends putting in place, but these are not yet well developed. For example, a monitoring checklist will be produced, with the assistance of the recently appointed regulation 44 visitor. Effective practice monitoring strategies had not been implemented when this monitoring visit took place.

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This monitoring visit

Some work has been undertaken to assess the safeguarding practice competencies of the staff. Staff completed self-assessment questionnaires and discussed their responses with the new responsible individual. The records of these discussions do not demonstrate that issues were fully explored. One member of staff spoken to described areas where her safeguarding knowledge needed development. These had not been highlighted in her self-assessment or in discussion with the responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

The process for assessing safeguarding competencies did not result in strong personal development plans being developed for members of staff. The plans do not consistently specify areas of development that staff have identified for themselves, and they do not provide clear strategies for ensuring that the professional development of the individual is prioritised. Some members of staff still do not have personal development plans. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 3 The area manager delegated the task of reviewing the response to two recent child protection incidents to the home’s acting manager. The acting manager did not understand the task and conducted a review of other aspects of practice. The area manager did not monitor the acting manager’s work. Consequently, the area manager only became aware that the step in the compliance notice had not been met during the course of this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Two steps in this compliance notice have been met and three have not. Overall, the compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 17 September 2018 under regulation 23(1) (2)(b)(c), requiring action to be taken to ensure the safe recording and administration of medicines. The steps in the compliance notice required a suitably qualified person to identify weaknesses in the system for recording and administering medicines and develop a plan for improving practice; assess the competency of all staff to administer medication and update their personal development plans to reflect their learning needs; and take steps to improve record- keeping in relation to the administration of medication. The timescale for meeting these steps was 15 October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to leaving the organisation on 30 September 2018, the previous responsible individual undertook an audit of the medication records. The standard of the audit was poor and did not identify a medication error that had recently occurred. A second audit of the medication records was undertaken by the new responsible individual and the area manager on 16 October 2018. These audits did not amount to a review of the system for recording and administering medication, as specified in step one of the compliance notice. No report relating to weaknesses in the system was produced. The new responsible individual and the area manager have not updated their training on the recording and administration of medication since 2005. This step has not been met.

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This monitoring visit

Only one member of staff from a team of five has had a competency assessment relating to the recording and administration of medication. This member of staff has also had her personal development plan updated in relation to medication practice. No other personal development plans have been updated to reflect the member of staff’s learning needs regarding medication. This step in the compliance notice has not been met.

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This monitoring visit

No effective work has been undertaken to ensure that records pertaining to the administration of medicines improves. Two audits of the administration records have been undertaken by managers, but these have failed to identify inconsistencies. The records reviewed at this monitoring visit show that there were two occasions when staff failed to accurately record whether or not the young person had taken medication as prescribed.

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This monitoring visit

Continued poor record-keeping means that managers and staff still cannot demonstrate that practice relating to the administration of medication is safe. The Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 4 area manager said she only became fully aware of the contents of the notices on 9 October 2018, despite the fact that the notices were issued to the company secretary. None of the steps in this compliance notice have been completed. Therefore, this compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 17 September 2018 under regulation 26(7)(b), requiring the director to review the fitness, performance and capacity of the responsible individual to fully meet the responsibilities of the role. The steps in the compliance notice required the director to identify the responsible individual’s learning needs and specify how they would be met; review the responsible individual’s workload and assess whether the responsible individual had the time and resources needed to fulfil the role effectively. The timescale for meeting these steps was 15 October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The director explained that the first step in the compliance notice had not been met because the responsible individual left the organisation unexpectedly, before a planned performance review meeting took place.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to the responsible individual leaving the organisation, the director asked him to keep a daily record of the work he had undertaken. The purpose was to review whether the responsible individual had the capacity and resources to meet the responsibilities of the role. The log was kept for one week before the responsible individual left the organisation. No further work was done in order to assess whether the organisation was providing sufficient support and resources to the responsible individual role.

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This monitoring visit

The steps in this compliance notice have not been met. Ofsted takes the view that although the responsible individual has left the organisation, the steps in the compliance notice are applicable to the role not the individual. The steps are relevant to the new responsible individual, and identifying his learning needs and what resources are needed to support the role will minimise the potential for ineffective leadership.

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This monitoring visit

The three compliance notices are not met. Ofsted acknowledges that the former responsible individual did not immediately share the notices with his managerial colleagues and delegate tasks appropriately. However, the notices were available and a more coordinated approach by leaders and managers would have addressed this shortfall. The compliance notices will be amended to reflect the change of responsible individual, and the steps that have been met, and reissued with a new date for completion.

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This monitoring visit

The response to the requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection in September 2018 were not examined at this monitoring visit and are therefore repeated in this report with an extended date for completion where appropriate. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2018 Full Inadequate 13/06/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 6

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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 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— that staff 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; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(vi))*

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered provider must ensure that all children’s known vulnerabilities are risk assessed, that risk assessments are kept updated and that action is taken when a child is known to be at risk of harm. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to their full potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff employed at the home before two children are accommodated and that the monitoring and review systems identify any weaknesses in the provision of service in a timely way. 15/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 7 The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that children’s placement plans identify how each child’s needs will be met, and provide staff with clear guidance and strategies for caring for the child. 15/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, before accommodating two children, the registered provider must ensure that children cannot be overheard in their bedrooms and staff cannot be overheard when working in the office. 06/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider— is an organisation or a partnership. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)) 15/10/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23(1)(2)(b)(c))*

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children are administered medication as prescribed and that accurate records are kept of when a child takes medication, declines medication and when medication is received onto the premises. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

A responsible individual must— have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26(7)(b))* 30/11/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 8 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32(1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, keep detailed notes of recruitment interviews. 15/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 15/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36) Specifically, ensure that all sanctions imposed on children are evaluated for their effectiveness.

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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) Specifically, ensure that a written record is kept of all significant events and of consultations that take place with other professionals involved in the care of children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 9

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Parkview Care (Broadstairs) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 56 The Brentano Suite, Solar House, 915 High Road, London N12 8QJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Holland

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Inspector

Stephen Collett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1256913 10 to 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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