Children's Home run by Moonreach LTD in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 1 Registered provider: Moonreach Ltd

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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 caters for the single placement of a child who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home shares a manager with a nearby two-placement sister home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2017.

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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: 1258463 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20 March 2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should ensure that children understand what local leisure and other cultural or religious services are on offer for them, support them to access any relevant leisure passes and encourage them to participate in activities in the community and wider if appropriate (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, para 6.6). In particular, children’s cultural needs should documented and understood by all staff to provide a more focused approach to the work in this area.  Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, para 9.14). This is in relation to supervision sessions ensuring that current safeguarding matters are reflected on.  Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to

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Recommendations

help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, para 9.38). Staff should use restorative sanctions.  Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the children’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, para 4.11). In particular, children’s views should be incorporated into the home’s development plans.  The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement

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Recommendations

in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate and provided in an accessible format. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, para 4.21) Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have successfully created a warm and predictable haven for the child who has lived in this home for the last 12 months. Staff effectively use skilful communication and have a healthy approach to fun and enjoyment in the home. The manager and staff demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring the continuation of a positive stay for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide an environment that is highly nurturing and allows plentiful opportunity for reflection on previous trauma and difficulties the child has faced. Records reflect well the volume and quality of work done. This work is well thought through and meets the individual needs of the child. This helps them to make significant progress, as noted by one specialist who states that the child has ‘warm and affectionate bonds with [their] carers’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good health and well-being are promoted. The staff promote healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage the child to participate in cultural events such as a popular monthly theme night. However, they do not use wider opportunities to explore community and individual diversity and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are extremely adept at working with schools to facilitate improved attendance. Staff create an environment which highlights the value of education, by keeping good daily routines and supporting the child both at school and during the transitions to and from the school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The service makes sure that the child has plenty of play equipment and makes good use of the local area and facilities. Staff ensure that a lot of fun is had and plan many trips out and tailored activities. This enriches the child’s experience and enables them to build a positive view of themselves and of the world around them.

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

Staff know and understand the child’s vulnerabilities and work in partnership with other agencies to reduce these risks. Staff have been tenacious in their efforts to keep the child safe. Staff assess and take effective action to reduce any potential harm.

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

Staff skilfully defuse most behavioural challenges. Staff clearly understand the triggers and signs of, and agreed strategies for, challenging behaviour. Staff enable exploration of the environment and allow developmentally suitable risks to be taken. This includes some special achievements and activities such as bike riding and drone flying. The child develops their abilities; their independence grows, and they become better equipped to keep themselves safe.

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

Promoting good behaviour is at the heart of staff’s practice. Restraint is only used to Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 5 keep the child safe. Since October, there has been no physical restraint used. On some occasions, staff have used non-restorative sanctions, and there are some inconsistences in staff practice, which require greater review and challenge. Sanctions overall are reducing.

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

The organisation takes stringent measures to make sure that only the right people are employed to work with children. The environment and location are safe and suitable. These well-thought-out arrangements help maintain well-being and security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong and creative management delivers the organisation’s aims of keeping children safe and giving them positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about the support and the ongoing training they receive, which are tailored to the child’s needs. Staff are positive about the teamwork with colleagues and support from managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff are appropriately qualified. Professional supervision is inconsistent between supervisors. Some records do not demonstrate a strong focus on safeguarding or staff development needs. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on staff’s skills and areas for development and on the quality of the care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recent review of the quality of care by the manager contains plenty of detail, which gives a clear picture of the progress of the child and any lessons learned after significant incidents. However, although staff frequently ask the child’s views about daily activities and their plans, this consultation is not used to improve the overall quality of the service through inclusion in the home’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are some areas for improvement, recognised by the registered manager. These include the accessibility of the new children’s guide. Although this has been explained to the child, they do not have the guide in an accessible format to refer to when they want to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has challenged the local authority, when necessary, with significant impact. She is a highly effective, down-to-earth person, who has an eye for detail and keeps sight of the overall development of the home. She stands up for the child. Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 6

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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: 1258463 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Dane John Works, Gordon Road, Canterbury CT1 3PP

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Gillian Hilton-Amzaleg

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Inspector

Helen Lee, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1258463 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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