Children's home run by The St Christopher School in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 1 SC052398 Registered provider: The St Christopher School

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a charitable organisation, provides care under short-break arrangements for up to six children who have learning disabilities. Th e home‟s overall aim is to make a positive difference to the personal, social and learning lives of children who come to stay.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 25 September 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2018 Full Good 07/06/2017 Full Good 15/09/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/04/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 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

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children‟s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(1)(2)(a)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain a register of children using the service. 31/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home‟s records (except for a child‟s case records, unless the child and the child‟s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit („the independent person‟s report‟) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. 31/08/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 4 The independent person‟s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.2) In particular, provide the registered manager and deputy manager with effective supervision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Over time, and relative to their complex needs and starting points, children make good progress in most aspects of their lives. Parents and professionals spoke positively of the progress that children make and the good work that is done to help children to achieve their goals, develop positive behaviours and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a child-centred, caring ethos at the home. The staff are well equipped and committed to meeting children‟s needs. The manager and the staff team consistently focus on the emotions behind the children‟s behaviours and not on the specific behaviours themselves. This reflective and successful approach enables staff to meet children‟s needs. A parent said, „I was really worried about “residential” for my child. However, that was over two years ago now. The staff team is fantastic. I have completely changed my opinion.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work very hard to establish trusting relationships with children. This is achieved through patience, consistent responses and a genuine warmth. As a result, children experience fewer incidents of distress and they learn to manage their emotions in more positive ways. This enables access to community-based activities that previously would not have been considered possible for some children. During the summer holidays, the home undertakes a „92 days of summer challenge‟ offering a wealth of different daily activities that include trips to the Sea Life Centre and nature centres, open top bus rides, building a den in the woods and running through the sprinklers on the sea front. Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 5 Care plans and risk assessments are carefully considered and are of a very high standard. As a result, most children make good progress relative to their individual circumstances and their cognitive skills. The children who come to stay at the home

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

were observed to be excited about what the day had to bring. One child said that, although she misses her mum when she stays over, she really enjoys her stays. An external professional said, „This home provides an excellent service for children and gives families a well-deserved rest. I wish that we could have more stays for the children.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm, welcoming and immaculately clean and well organised. Children personalise their bedrooms when they come to stay. They enjoy a wealth of play resources in the home and outside in the gardens. Photos of the children having fun adorn the walls throughout, giving a homely touch and family feel.

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

The staff are acutely aware of the children‟s individual vulnerabilities and the potential risks to their health, well-being and safety. The manager implements safety measures to keep children safe. High staffing levels provide the children with constant supervision, care and support, which protect them and keep them safe.

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

Staff de-escalate challenging behaviour successfully. Physical restraint and sanctions are only used when necessary to protect the children or staff from harm. All the staff are trained in the use of restraint and behaviour management, including de-escalation strategies. Incidents of restraint and sanctions are recorded well and include, dependent on the children‟s ability and understanding, children‟s views. The manager reviews and considers each incident and raises any learning points during team meetings and staff supervisions. This means that strategies and behaviour management plans can be adapted to enable the staff to support the children effectively.

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

The manager ensures that all staff receive up-to-date fire safety training to enable them to minimise the risks to the children in the event of a fire at the home. Regular health and safety checks help to ensure that the children‟s physical safety at the home is well protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager lead a staff team that is dedicated to and very experienced in caring for children who have complex needs. The managers are accessible and approachable and, when necessary, offer the staff practical support in the care of the children. The staff discuss the children in detail at the regular team meetings to ensure that they remain the focus of practice at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff reported good levels of training and management support. The registered Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 6 manager has a good relationship with the staff team and the children. Case files are now ordered and more accessible to the staff. Files show good levels of management oversight and a drive to ensure consistency across all aspects of the management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular supervision sessions for staff cover a wide range of topics appropriate to individual staff members‟ needs. Appraisals occur annually, and training is of a good standard. However, leaders have not ensured that the manager and deputy manager have received regular supervision. The managers have only received two supervisions in the last eight months. This does not provide the managers with a suitable level of support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers were unable to provide a clear log of admissions to and discharges from the short-break service. Information is currently being gathered to ensure that the home has a central log. However, without the central admission log in place, it is unclear which children have stayed at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent visitor‟s monthly reports lack information and are incomplete. The reports do not give the visitor‟s opinion on whether the children are safeguarded effectively and their well-being is promoted. There is no clear overview of the home or the views of the the children, the staff, parents, carers or professionals. The visitor does not make any recommendations in the reports to drive improvement. The monitoring is therefore not effective and does not meet the regulatory requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met five of the six requirements and the one recommendation raised at the last inspection to good effect. One requirement in relation to the independent visitor‟s monitoring and reports is restated.

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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

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: SC052398 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The St Christopher School

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jacqueline Mullan

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC052398 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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