Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 1 SC465579

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Benecare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place because of concerns raised by notifications sent to Ofsted. These notifications were not timely, were missing necessary information and were factually confusing. At the time of this monitoring visit, the deputy manager from the adjacent home was in day-to-day charge of this home, supported by the service manager. During the monitoring visit, inspectors identified widespread and serious shortfalls in measures taken to safeguard children. Staff failed to respond appropriately to a serious incident in which a child was harmed. The staff did not assess the ongoing risks for all of the children involved and they failed to take adequate measures to protect the children from further harm. Records of this event were unclear, inaccurate and, in places, misleading. It was also found that the social workers for the children involved in this serious incident were not given full details about what had taken place.

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This monitoring visit

Staff had failed to report other serious incidents to social workers. Professionals involved in protecting the welfare of children did not have the information necessary to ensure that the children‟s needs were being met and that they were being kept safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff could not evidence what, if any, action was taken to protect a child when they Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 2 became aware that she was at an address known to be of concern to the local authority. Leaders and managers had not identified or addressed this failure to protect the child. Records relating to a child missing from the home were confusing. Documents shown to inspectors held differing information and, despite one record indicating that the child was missing, staff did not report this to the police. Staff placed children at risk by providing transport to, and leaving them late at night at, an area known for anti-social behaviour. No records could be found that showed that there had been any discussion about this arrangement, or that staff had challenged the decision which had been made by one member of staff. Leaders and managers had not reviewed the circumstances relating to this incident or addressed

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This monitoring visit

this with staff. A child was returned to the home in the early hours of the morning by police following a period of being missing. Despite the records indicating that the child had been found with drug paraphernalia and that they appeared to be under the influence of substances, no medical advice or attention was sought. The plans for the daily care of one child were significantly lacking in structure and purpose and overlooked some of the child‟s key needs and associated risks. Staff could not find requested documents and key information. Following the incidents outlined above, leaders and managers failed to review staff‟s practice to identify the source of the problem and then how the issues would be addressed. Staff did not have the necessary skills and knowledge to keep the children safe and support their progress. At times, staffing levels fell below those required to support and safeguard the children. Leaders and managers had failed to

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This monitoring visit

ensure that staff worked together as a team to provide the children with a sense of security and continuity in their care. There were no meaningful procedures in place for the wider leadership of the organisation to monitor significant events in the home, or to monitor the practice of the manager. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/03/2019 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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

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Requirement Due date

to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 11/08/19

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 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 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 5 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

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Requirement Due date

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— 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)(h)) 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

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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. 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; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 6 behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding; 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

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Requirement Due date

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 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

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Requirement Due date

unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; 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)) 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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible 11/08/19 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 7 manner— children‟s case records (see regulation 36). (Regulation 38(i)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Richmond

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Inspectors:

John Pledger, social care inspector Helen Lee, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors:

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Inspectors:

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Inspectors:

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