Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 1 SC040628 Registered provider: Surrey County Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children. The statement of purpose states that the home supports children who are experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There has not been a registered manager in post since 17 May 2019.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

Good

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

p.1

Good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

p.1

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

Good

Date of last inspection: 27 November 2018

p.1

Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/05/2018 Full Good 21/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/03/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 3

p.2

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.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/08/2019

p.3

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.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 27/09/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home— the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b))

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that fire safety checks are completed regularly at the required intervals. 30/08/2019

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In a very large and spacious home, staff try their best to create a homely and welcoming environment where children feel safe and secure. Currently, redecoration and refurbishment is taking place, with some rooms being redesignated to suit the needs of the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 4 Managers and staff focus on establishing trusting relationships with children. From this foundation, children grow, develop and benefit from the individual support that the staff provide. Some children make good progress in acquiring independence skills and resilience. They show a marked improvement in managing their emotions. With increased self-confidence and self-esteem, they are comfortable talking to staff about their feelings and accessing therapeutic support. Staff recognise when children are struggling to attend school, and provide appropriate support to help them re-engage with their education. Sensitive but strong guidance

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

helps children believe that they can achieve and pursue a career of their choice. Thoughtful planning by managers and staff helps children move successfully from the home. Planned outreach work, and continued contact with children who have left, helps children settle in their new home and demonstrates to them that staff continue to value them.

p.4

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

Staff have a clear understanding of the children’s specific needs. They are aware of the risks associated with each child’s behaviour and they implement supportive and protective measures. Staff help children to understand risk and how to stay safe as they become more independent. Some children respond well to the staff’s continuous ‘drip- feed’ messages about keeping themselves safe, demonstrating an increased awareness of the dangers that they may face and an ability to make safe choices. There have been incidents when children have been reported missing, and staff have serious concerns about children’s high-risk behaviour, particularly in relation to sexual exploitation. Staff implement agreed protocols and collaborate closely and effectively with external safeguarding agencies to ensure that a robust safety plan is in place to protect children. Through knowing the children so well, managers and staff are skilled at identifying

p.4

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

potential risks and triggers. Plans to reduce risks are detailed, regularly updated and involve a wide range of external, specialist professionals when a child’s behaviour is a serious cause for concern. Managers and staff are pivotal in challenging decision-makers to ensure that the safety and protection of the child has the highest priority when a child is moving from the home. Consequences in response to poor behaviour are not used frequently. When a consequence is imposed, there is no clear restorative approach to help children appreciate and understand the impact that their behaviour has on themselves and others. Safety checks on the premises are carried out, but some fire safety checks have not been regularly undertaken at the required times. Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager has been appointed and is shortly to commence her role following the retirement of the previous registered manager. The home is receiving effective management support during the interim period from a skilled and experienced manager within the organisation and from the responsible individual. With this support, the strong staff team has maintained a stable environment for children. The staff team knows the children very well. Staff understand children’s complex needs and respond appropriately so that children develop meaningful and positive relationships with them. The staff are resilient and supportive of each other during periods when children demonstrate worrying, high-risk behaviour. They continuously support children to help keep them safe. Staff are proactive in challenging other professionals when decisions are not perceived to be in the child’s best interests. The staff share the common goal of working together to

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

support children’s development and enhance their future life chances. Managers are aware of the challenges facing staff when children display escalating high- risk behaviour. Despite there being vacancies for new children to live in the home, managers have correctly decided not to admit new children while there could be a negative impact resulting from children’s current behaviour. Staff undertake a range of appropriate training. However, it is not clear from the training records that all staff have received up-to-date training relevant to the children’s needs. Children’s views are important to staff. Most concerns raised by children are resolved without resorting to the formal complaint procedure. However, when a child has made a formal complaint, there is no clear recording of the initial complaint or evidence that the complaint has been responded to in accordance with the policy, though it is clear that

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

the child has received a response to their concerns. Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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: SC040628 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ

p.7

Inspector

Jan Hunnam, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 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.

p.7

Inspector

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8