Children's home run by Medway Council in Medway

Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 1 SC066166 Registered provider: Medway Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short breaks for up to five children who have severe learning disabilities and who may have an associated physical disability and/or present challenging behaviour. Currently, there are 43 children registered with the service. The local authority, primary care trust and clinical commissioning group fund the home. At the start of this inspection period, the provision was under interim management arrangements. There is now a permanently appointed manager who has completed her application for registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 November 2018

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 29 November 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: SC066166 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2017 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Inadequate 20/12/2016 Full Good 01/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 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

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)) 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation. The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)) 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16(1)) In particular, that staff supervision arrangements are accurately described and that procedures for making complaints are fully detailed. 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the 14/02/19 Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 4 children‟s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy for the prevention of bullying in the home, which must in particular set out the procedure for dealing with an allegation of bullying. (Regulation 34(3)) 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out— the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34(4)(a)(b)) 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out— how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children‟s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35(1)(a)(b)(2)) 14/02/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 14/02/19

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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) In particular, ensure that plans are clear and accessible to all staff. Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 5  The registered person should ensure that they agree with the placing authority (usually the child‟s parents/carers), and if appropriate, the child‟s school, an approach to meeting any relevant education targets while the child is in the short-break setting. The registered person and staff are not expected to go beyond this remit, given that education remains principally the responsibility of

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Recommendations

the child‟s placing authority. However, short breaks can present an opportunity for the child to enjoy and achieve new things, and this may be a key part of their informal learning while away from their permanent educational setting. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 29, paragraph 5.22) In particular, that targets are meaningful, clearly described and that the steps necessary to reach targets are set out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children who come regularly for stays can relax, have fun and expand their experience of the world. Their parents are able to enjoy peace of mind and benefit from the support offered. This happens because the staff team knows the children well and is focused on the children‟s needs and can meet these needs with care and expertise. The individuality of children who have complex communication and care needs is celebrated and staff strive to provide them with the best possible personalised care. Good use is also made of opportunities for the children to enjoy social interaction and develop friendships. This is facilitated by careful planning of stays to maintain the best mix of children and the staff responsible for their care. The staff team works closely with parents and carers, social workers and school staff to provide continuity in the children‟s care and to maximise the benefits of their stays. The

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

setting of achievable targets to develop children‟s life skills during stays is, however, currently lacking in scope and ambition and can be significantly improved. Methods to understand children‟s views and wishes need to be improved so that they can be effectively used to further improve the service.

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

During this inspection period, the staff team has grown in competence and confidence in its ability to meet the complex care needs of the children, to keep them safe and protect them from hazards. This contributes to a relaxed atmosphere in which children can feel safe and secure. The plans, however, to keep staff alert to the identified risks for each child, and to provide guidance on how these can be best managed, lack clarity and focus. All areas of risk need to be consolidated into a single document and the risks prioritised. They need to be immediately accessible to staff and, where relevant, include targeted actions to reduce the level of risks. The staff team is not daunted by the high levels of vulnerability of the children when considering their need for fun and new experiences. Staff are adventurous and imaginative in the activities and experiences that they arrange and offer to the children,

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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 6 both inside and outside the home. This is done in a planned and measured way, considering the particular abilities and needs of each child. Al staff are up to date with safeguarding training, including the specialist knowledge needed to meet the children‟s specific needs in this setting. Staff understand how to report any safeguarding concerns that they may have. The standards of maintenance and health and safety checks in the home are good, including those around fire safety, and each child has a personalised plan for their evacuation from the building in cases of emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The momentum identified at the last inspection for the improvement and development of the service has not been fully maintained and, in some areas, has stalled. Regular team meetings, appropriately structured and well attended, have not yet become embedded. This is also the case for staff supervision practice, which does not yet comply with the home‟s agreed levels of frequency. Staff recruited since the last inspection have not undergone a satisfactory process of induction or probation. These shortfalls combine to: impede the development of a resilient and cohesive staff team; make any changes made to management arrangements more difficult; and increase the risk of the service breaking down. The review of relevant policies and procedures, to align them fully with the particular nature of the service, is not yet completed. The statement of purpose requires further revision to become fully compliant, and the complaints procedure requires an overhaul.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

These shortfalls undermine a unified approach to running, and the effective monitoring of, the service. Despite these shortfalls, the home is being led by a permanent and experienced manager who, together with a dedicated and motivated staff team, shows strong commitment to and ability in achieving the necessary further improvements to the service and to lift it to the highest possible standard.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 7 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: SC066166 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Medway ME4 4TR

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Inspector

John Pledger, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC066166 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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