Esther House

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 1 SC474150 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation and provides care and accommodation for up to four children. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 23 May 2018.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, three requirements and two recommendations were raised. The first requirement related to the identification of specific risks to children, in particular to ensure that staff follow any plans put in place as a result of these risks. This requirement has been addressed. The manager ensures that comprehensive risk assessments are put in place for each child, identifying specific risks and detailing the strategies to be used by staff to prevent or reduce harm to children. The manager has successfully implemented a system to monitor children’s safety and well-being.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second requirement related to the relationships between the children, and ensuring that children are prevented from harming each other. The manager ensures that staff provide direct support to the children, individually and collectively, to ensure that Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 2 positive relationships between children are developed and maintained, and that where issues arise, staff are able to recognise these and employ strategies which reduce conflict. This requirement has been addressed

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The third requirement related to ensuring that the home is furnished and maintained in a way that protects children from hazards. The manager and staff have ensured that the home and the fixtures and fittings in it are appropriate and safe for children. Children have participated in choosing decorations and furnishings, and staff regularly monitor safety in the home, ensuring that any identified hazards are rectified in a timely way. This requirement has been addressed

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One recommendation related to the need for resources and facilities to support the training needs of staff, in particular in relation to child criminal exploitation. The manager has ensured that such training and resources have been made available to all staff and carefully monitors the impact of this. However, the manager has not undertaken this training, and this recommendation is therefore repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The final recommendation related to the way information about children is recorded. The manager has worked with staff to ensure that they understand the positive impact of recording information in a non-stigmatising way, and to ensure that staff distinguish between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about children is now recorded in a sensitive and respectful way which enhances children’s feelings of self- worth when accessing their records. One child said, ‘I like to read the information staff write about me because when it is positive, it makes me feel really good.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is managed by a suitably qualified registered manager, who has considerable experience of working with children. She engages well with the children, which gives her a good understanding of each child’s needs and strengths. The registered manager readily recognises when children are not progressing and proactively challenges other professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children live in a warm and homely environment. They are supported by a high ratio of consistent staff with whom they have developed meaningful relationships. One child said, ‘I really like the staff because they know me and look after me. I know that they understand me. Sometimes they don’t let me do what I want because they don’t think it is safe. That makes me angry sometimes, but I understand it’s to keep me safe.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not always identify risks and safeguarding concerns as such and there have been instances where staff have failed to escalate concerns to the relevant agencies. The manager has ensured that staff are provided with the necessary guidance and support which has resulted in an increased awareness of the risks to children and appropriate responses by staff to identified concerns. Staff support children, through group and key-work sessions, to understand their behaviour and the risks they face. Staff are now working well with key agencies to keep children safe, and have developed good relationships with the police and education staff. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 3 Staff recruitment practice includes all of the required checks and references, however, the absence of clear information about the applicants’ experience and knowledge inhibits effective planning for new staff members.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure that positive behaviour is acknowledged, celebrated and, therefore, more likely to increase. The registered manager evaluates the use of positive consequences and monitors the effectiveness of individual strategies. Staff ensure that they provide clear boundaries for each child that are reflective of each child’s unique needs. Staff ensure that they work in a consistent way to address children’s negative behaviour, through ongoing discussions in team meetings, supervision and meetings about the individual children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children develop an increasing social conscience through their involvement in a range of charitable activities. Staff have supported the children to bake cakes, which were taken to the local parish council.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2018 Full Good 15/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/12/2016 Full Good

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3) 25/02/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 4 (3) The requirements are that— (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work the individual is to perform; (d) full history and information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(3)(b)(d))

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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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(vi)) 25/02/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Specifically, ensure that the registered manager receives training in all forms of exploitation, including child criminal exploitation. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 5

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Church Farm House, Station Road, Aldbury, Tring HP23 5RS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

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Inspector

Jacqueline Georghiou, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC474150 6 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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