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 young people who are displaying behaviours who are displaying behaviours that are symptomatic of a range emotional difficulties and are linked to challenging childhood experiences. The home is operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

There has not been a registered manager at the home since 12 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was made to this home following the issue of a notice to suspend the registration of the home on 21 June 2019. This action was the result of inspectors finding serious and widespread failures to safeguard children and to meet regulations during a monitoring visit on 20 June 2019. The purpose of this visit was to check compliance with the notice of suspension.

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This monitoring visit

During the visit, the inspector found that all children had been moved out of the home, and found no evidence to show that any children are currently living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

A new, experienced manager has been appointed, and is currently familiarising herself with the circumstances of the home‘s suspension of registration, the staff team and the procedures and policies used by the home.

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This monitoring visit

An independent person has been appointed to investigate the identified failures and make recommendations. This process has started and is expected to continue for approximately four weeks.

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This monitoring visit

Two of the staff implicated in the failures have resigned, one has been suspended and the remaining four have commenced a process of reinduction and training, and will be receiving regular supervision. The focus of this current staff development is Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC465579 2 on safeguarding practice and procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Staff accountability and internal managerial oversight have been improved by changes to recording and monitoring processes; supervision practice has been reviewed and steps have been taken to ensure that all staff receive regular supervision, as set out in the home‘s statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers have acknowledged that there has been a failure to maintain effective oversight of the running of the home, and have introduced systems that will enable regular monitoring of staff practice, the progress of children and significant incidents in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider is currently complying with the suspension notice and Ofsted will review the progress made so far, and consider if further enforcement action is required.

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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 3

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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 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; and 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

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Requirement Due date

harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 11/08/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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 home‘s statement of purpose; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 11/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC465579 4 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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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)) 11/08/2019

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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.

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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; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‘s 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 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

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Requirement Due date

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 11/08/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC465579 5 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.

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) (xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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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)) 11/08/2019

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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 manner— children‘s case records (see regulation 36). (Regulation 38 (i)) 11/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 11/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC465579 6 The purpose of this visit was to investigate information received which suggests 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 7

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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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Inspector:

John Pledger, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC465579 8 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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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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

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