Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Milton Keynes

Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 1 SC414738 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children. The home has been without a registered manager since July 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 declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, four children have moved into the home. Of these, three remain in placement at the time of inspection. A fourth child has been in placement for over a year. One child moved in the day before the inspection and was settling well into the routine. The other children were making him welcome and sharing with him their view of the home. This was mostly positive, if not a little lively! Staff managed well to contain the excitement and jostling for the attention of the new boy. All children were positive in their reports and in their actions and demeanour when asked about the home. They were seen to be approaching staff mostly appropriately and when they were loud or aggressive in their language, staff again calmed their anxiety well.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be run in a manner which promotes engagement in education. One child had the opportunity to start mainstream school as she had requested in Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 2 September, but it was deemed as too much of a challenge for her and she is engaging well in the organisation’s school again. Another child had a different half term to the others at the time of inspection and struggled with having to attend school. A member of staff engaged him effectively in some work in mathematics and English. The home’s manager is liaising with the school and placing authority about the suitability of his current placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four children have moved on since the last inspection. Two children moved as planned to stay with family, one child moved to another home within the organisation due to the dynamics in the home and one child moved on because the home could no longer meet his needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has informed Ofsted of any relevant safeguarding concerns. The issues have been managed appropriately. There is a concern about the number of times that the police have been called to the home to support staff to manage behaviour. It is apparent that children will call the police themselves if they feel that another child or member of staff has harmed them, which has led to the higher than expected number of call outs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Many areas of the home have been redecorated since the last inspection. However, the kitchen in particular needs repair and redecoration. Concerns include a defunct built-in bottle rack which is broken, damaged cupboards and a dented and leaning fridge freezer. It also looked in need of a deep clean as do the downstairs toilet and laundry area.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has worked to meet the requirements set at the last inspection. The home’s manager acknowledges the need for a consistent, experienced staff team to meet children’s needs. He is endeavouring to ensure that the current team remains in the home and is not moved to support other homes within the organisation. In addition, he has revised the rota to ensure that all staff experience working with each other and to increase consistency and security for children. Staff have had some training in understanding autism and associated conditions, which they feel has helped them to better understand the needs of some children placed in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is keen to continually improve the service and has noted areas of need, in particular supporting staff to enable them to meet the needs of children placed. He is reviewing records and plans and considering how best to streamline systems. Reports produced by the independent visitor in line with Regulation 44 are clear and highlight areas for improvement and evaluate progress. There has not been a report in line with Regulation 45 submitted to Ofsted since March 2018. Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2018 Full Good 29/08/2017 Full Good 02/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 31/08/2016 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 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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the home is cleaned thoroughly and that the kitchen in particular is maintained to an acceptable standard. 19/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must 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. (Regulation 45 (4)(a)) 19/04/2019

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Recommendations

 Homes should develop and maintain effective working relationships with local youth justice and police services where children in their care have targets to achieve in reducing offending or socially unacceptable behaviour. (‘Guide to the Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 4 children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.5)

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Recommendations

Specifically, review staff understanding of situations when the police should be called in response to a child’s behaviour.

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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: Benjamin UK Limited

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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 Deysel

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 5 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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