Children's home run by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Dartford

Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 1 SC036911 Registered provider: Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A National Health Service foundation trust runs this home. The home provides short breaks for up to four young people with learning and/or physical disabilities, complex medical needs and who may have life-limiting conditions. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 21 to 22 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 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2017 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/11/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 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 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 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

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)(5)) 31/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in this home. While medical care is always prioritised, staff work in partnership with parents to set age- and ability-based skills targets for young people. Young people’s progress includes successes in developing their independence skills alongside improved practical and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the young people very well and work skilfully and compassionately to ensure that young people enjoy their time in the home. Young people’s short breaks are arranged in advance and arrangements include allocations based on their needs and abilities, sufficient staffing ratios and peer relationships. This helps to ensure that young people have a safe and enjoyable stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Comprehensive shift planning enables young people to participate safely in a wealth of exciting activities, both inside and outside the home. During the summer, young people enjoyed a sunflower-growing competition and celebrated the World Cup football tournament and the royal wedding alongside shopping trips and museum visits, which enhanced young people’s overall experiences. With staff support and supervision a young person has recently experienced their first train journey.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The purpose-built 4-bed home provides comfortable accommodation equipped to meet young people’s social, medical and mobility needs. New large-screen televisions enable young people with sensory impairments to join in with the movie nights. Specialist dining tables help wheelchair users to access group mealtimes. The sensory room, lounge and garden add to the pleasant environment, which a parent described as ‘a home from home’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff’s use of alternative communication styles is effective and helps to ensure that young people who are non-verbal have a voice in the home. Young people can choose the games they want to play and where they would like to sit and are encouraged to provide feedback to staff about their activities and meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff’s comprehensive knowledge and vigilance helps to ensure that young people enjoy healthy meals that take account of their specific dietary requirements. Staff receive specialist training in food storage and preparation and regular National Health Service audits ensure that the home’s food management systems are good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent wrote on behalf of a young person who has left the service, ‘I would like to thank you all for supporting me and my family over the years, and for giving me very good childhood memories. You are the best extended family I could ever have.’

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

The home provides a safe physical environment for young people. Young people do not go missing from the home. Staff complete thorough community activity risk Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 5 assessments. They provide young people with high levels of supervision in the community to help ensure that they are kept safe without limiting their experiences.

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

Young people’s risk assessments incorporate a National Health Service ‘dependency score’ system. Scores are based on young people’s needs, including mobility, medication, nutrition and any challenging behaviours. These then inform safe staffing levels and any specialist staff skills needed for young people during their short breaks. This helps to minimise any risks.

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

Young people’s care plans are reviewed prior to every stay in the home. Young people’s parents meet with the admissions nurse at the start of each short break and provide necessary updates, consents and information about any other relevant care arrangements. This helps to ensure that young people’s care is safe, consistent and meets their needs.

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

The manager ensures that all statutory certificates for fire checks and health and safety checks are both current and reviewed in line with regulations. Regular fire drills are conducted when young people stay, and each young person has a personal emergency evacuation plan.

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

When possible, the staff team provides help and support to young people’s parents in their homes. Examples include the registered manager conducting a formal needs assessment for a family, which ensured that further support was provided for them at home and staff providing care for a young person in their home while the parent attended an appointment.

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

All staff are subject to robust recruitment procedures. All staff are suitably qualified and trained. Staff receive specialist skills training to meet the complex needs of all the young people who stay in the home. Safeguarding practices help to protect young people and promote their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the newly registered manager has updated and embedded improved working practices in the home. While some staff have left the service since the last inspection, the registered manager has worked tirelessly to recruit and rebuild a fully staffed and appropriately skilled staff team. All the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has over 34 year of nursing experience. Her many skills include community practice teacher for children with complex medical needs and she is the patient safety representative for the local specialist children’s service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A member of staff praised the registered manager for ‘turning the home around’. Staff meetings now incorporate ‘team days’ where safeguarding themes are regularly discussed alongside professional bespoke training. Staff say that they are very well supported with regular supervision and annual personal development reviews. Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 6 The staff noticeboard highlights a young person’s wish, ‘Don’t talk about me, without me.’ Staff’s dedication, encouragement and support given to the young people during their short breaks captures this statement, alongside a culture where young people are at the centre of decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff make good use of the community resources to benefit young people during their short breaks. A local charity provides the home with additional funds to purchase extra activities for the young people alongside toys and games. An anonymous benefactor makes a significant annual donation, which funds young people’s trip to a Christmas pantomime.

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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: SC036911 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bexley Hospital, Pinewood Place, Dartford DA2 7WG

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036911 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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