Children's home run by The National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy in Tandridge

Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 1 SC394025 Registered provider: National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides education and residential care for up to 60 children across eight separate homes. Children attend the organisation‟s special school, which is approved by the Department for Education. Children who have a variety of disabilities, primarily learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, complex health needs and physical disabilities, are accommodated for 38 weeks or 52 weeks. Many, but not all, children who stay at the home have a diagnosis of epilepsy.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since 28 February 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

An adult college and some houses that are exclusively for 18- to 25-year-olds are on the same site. These are separately regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this children’s home

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.

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and young people since the most recent 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

Staff know the children well. They can articulate the progress that children are making. They celebrate children‟s achievements using a visual board, giving children a reminder of the progress that they are making. Children enjoy visiting their friends in other homes as they learn social integration skills. Other children make progress in their independent Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 2 skills, such as cooking and using a self-service till in a local supermarket.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior leaders have responded positively to the requirement made at the last inspection about safeguarding. Home managers are now part of the safeguarding team and have ready access to all the safeguarding information that they need about the children whom they are responsible for. Home managers have been successful in making sure that looked after child care plans are in place where necessary. They have also ensured that looked after child medicals take place and the action points followed up, for example making sure that children‟s immunisations are up to date.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior leaders have reviewed the recruitment plans to address the number of staff vacancies. Their focus has been on a speedy response, calling applicants back promptly so they can arrange interviews in a timelier fashion. The manager uses a high number of agency staff to cover the shortfalls. She does not ensure that agency staff are qualified to the required diploma level. The manager has ensured that existing staff have had training in key working and use of the sensory room, as required at the last inspection. She has ensured that there are a sufficient number of minibus drivers in each home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has provided good leadership, such as producing a staff handbook. This provides staff with clear guidelines, for example on the core responsibilities of the key worker and a guide to the looked after child process. She has produced a questionnaire for children in picture format, to obtain their views. She has clear plans to expand the range of therapy available by providing play therapy and story massage.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has delegated responsibilities to the individual home managers. This positive initiative is reflected in the individual development plans that managers have produced for each home. Each manager is committed to delivering the improvements that they have identified.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager reviews thoroughly any incidents and reflects on any lessons to be learned. She amends the children‟s assessments. This has led to a reduction in the number of behavioural and safeguarding incidents, for example running away.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All staff are aware of the formal safeguarding procedures, as well as the impact of their day-to-day care. There is peer support, for example the swift action taken by a manager to ensure that a child was kept safe when there was a concern that he had consumed the wrong food. Staff did not have a current plan for one child when they attended an unplanned hospital appointment, for example through providing a social story. Some risk assessments do not reflect the one-to-one support that is required. In one case, staff did not follow the established safeguarding procedures in a decisive and swift way, and managers are currently investigating the underlying reasons. The manager has provided additional resources to staff so that they know how to keep children as safe as possible in the cyber-world.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The accommodation is homely and personalised, and it provides a range of different, comfortable spaces in which the children can safely relax. The manager has reviewed Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 3 the doors that require guards on the hinge side, ensuring that these guards are fitted where necessary. Children can access the swimming pool in the school while the hydrotherapy pool is awaiting repair or replacement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Key staff have not always inform parents promptly of plans for medical procedures for their children. This has led to parental complaints. Information-sharing regarding clinical matters has also been inconsistent between residential and clinical staff. Senior leaders are developing clearer pathways for specialist information to be shared appropriately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Health professionals train staff in delegated healthcare tasks. They carefully follow the Care Quality Commission/Ofsted guidance, and the training is an exemplar of best practice. Staff report any medication errors. Health professionals investigate and recommend any changes to procedure or practice. The incident rate is very low compared to national averages.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A strength of the home is a monitoring by the independent visitor. He identifies the pertinent points and provides professional challenge and dialogue. The manager values his professional judgement and ensures that recommendations are disseminated to the home managers, who act upon them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no concerns about the admissions and discharges, which staff plan well.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 4

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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.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained– the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”). (Regulation 32(1)(4)(a)) 30/04/2019

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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– understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(v)) 30/04/2019

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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) Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 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 difference 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

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: St Piers Lane, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6PW

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Inspectors

Keith Riley, lead social care inspector Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Janet Fraser, senior Her Majesty‟s inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC394025 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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