Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 1 SC438648

p.1

Benecare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have a range of emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private organisation.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2018. He is also the registered manager of a second home nearby.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was completed because of concerns about the safety and welfare of the children living in the home. These concerns arose from regulation 40 notifications relating to four incidents in a two-week period between 31 May and 13 June 2019. Three of the four notifications involved children from this home as well as children from the adjacent home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

These notifications were late, some being received by Ofsted up to five days after the incident; they were missing necessary information and were confusing. The information provided in the notification suggested that there were significant failures to adequately safeguard children in response to the incidents and an apparent failure to adequately understand the implications of these events for the children. There were apparent failures by staff to seek relevant information to safeguard the children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At the time of this monitoring visit, the deputy manager was responsible for the running of the home, as well as that of the adjacent home, with the support of the organisation‟s service manager.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During the visit, the inspectors found serious and widespread failures to safeguard children and to meet regulations. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 2 Staff failed to respond appropriately to a significant safeguarding incident involving two children living at the home. Steps taken to safeguard one of the children, by moving them to the adjacent home, as well as the decision to reverse this a few days later, were not taken in conjunction with the child‟s placing authority. The inspectors were not provided with, clear records to show the rationale for these decisions. Staff failed to adequately consider the various ongoing risks to the children; did not adequately test or question how the initial event may have occurred; and failed to put in place clear plans to maintain the children‟s day-to-day safety and well-being.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff failed to protect a child following an incident on 31 May 2019.The immediate steps taken by staff were ineffectual, disjointed and lacking in expertise. Staffing was not increased, and no clear plans were put in place to keep the children safe. The placing authorities were given misleading information and were not appropriately involved in decisions. Records of this event and the ongoing circumstances of the children are unclear, inaccurate and, in places, misleading.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Window restrictors were broken or ineffective and had not been replaced or repaired. Staff informed inspectors that this decision was based on the cost of replacing them. There was a known concern that children may have been able to use windows without restrictors to access another child‟s bedroom but staff failed to put in place measures to prevent this.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were not aware of serious breaches to the security of the home and a child from the adjacent home was able to gain entry to the kitchen during the night without staff being aware.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The plans for the daily care of the children lack the necessary detail for staff to offer consistent and appropriate care. Known risks are not covered; this leaves the child vulnerable. During the visit, staff struggled to find documents and key information and, in some instances, were unable to provide these.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In both incidents and in the events that followed, leaders and managers failed to demonstrate a focus on the progress and well-being of the children and failed to ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge. Staff were not working as a team and there were shortfalls in staffing levels at times.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In their response to these incidents, leaders and managers comprehensively failed to exercise their duty to ensure that the home is run in accordance with the approach and ethos as set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. Senior managers did not have in place sufficient measure to monitor practice in the home and the practice of the manager. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/02/2019 Full Good 13/02/2018 Full Outstanding 01/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies; that the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 11/08/19

p.4

Requirement Due date

* The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 5 registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 11/08/19

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child‟s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child‟s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.5

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding; 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 6 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; communicate to each child expectations about the child‟s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding; help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; strive to gain each child‟s respect and trust; understand how children‟s previous experiences and present

p.5

Requirement Due date

emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 11/08/19

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner— children‟s case records (see regulation 36). (Regulation 38 (i)) 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 7 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 11/08/19

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 8

p.7

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to investigate information received which suggests there may be a breach of regulations.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 113a St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 3PE

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Richmond

p.8

Inspectors:

John Pledger, social care inspector Helen Lee, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC438648 9 to 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.

p.8

Inspectors:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9