Children's home run by Benecare Limited in Sevenoaks

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 1

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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

This home is owned by a private company. Its statement of purpose specifies that it will provide care and accommodation for up to two children aged from eight to 18 years old who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since 30 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out following the inadequate judgement made at the full inspection on 21 and 22 May 2019, at which a restriction of accommodation notice was served.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure that the provider remains compliant with the restriction of accommodation notice that was due to expire on 23 August 2019. The inspector also examined whether the provider had made further improvements to the safeguarding culture in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the notice restricting accommodation. A tour of the premises was conducted. No children were residing at the home, but the admissions and discharge log could not be located to verify when children had moved.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the acting manager has resigned. Furthermore, the deputy manager has moved to another home in the organisation. As a result, there is no one in charge of the day-to-day running of the home. A manager from another home, and the responsible individual, were present during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Staff meetings have occurred, but infrequently. The staff meeting minutes showed a lack of clear leadership, inconsistent supervision, and a frequently changing rota. This has resulted in low staff morale. Four permanent staff members have been Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 2 allocated to the home’s staff team. They are currently working in other children’s homes in the organisation.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements and recommendations from the inadequate judgement on 21 May 2019 remain untested due to the absence of a manager or staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection in May 2019, an independent consultant was commissioned to investigate safeguarding practice. The consultant had not been given a clear rationale or scope for the investigation. The investigation report failed to consider key points regarding the safeguarding culture at the home. It did not show a clear chronological investigation or include a fact-finding stage. Not all statements and records from the investigation were provided to the inspector. Furthermore, the report contained the opinion of the investigator, which led to weak conclusions. Outcomes put in place as a result of this investigation are not available under the disciplinary policy used by the provider.

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This monitoring visit

The disciplinary policy and procedures are generic. They fail to adequately outline specific child-centred guidance that would protect children and staff. There is no reference to working within the legal frameworks that are relevant to the protection of children.

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This monitoring visit

The designated officer had not been informed of the outcome of the internal investigation. This further demonstrates the failure to investigate effectively and resolve the concerns relating to the safeguarding culture. Staff about whom safeguarding practice concerns have been raised have not been subject to a thorough investigation and continue to work with children across the wider organisation.

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This monitoring visit

Health and safety checks are insufficient. They have failed to identify that the intumescent strips on numerous fire doors are paint spattered. This damage is likely to reduce their efficiency in the event of a fire.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/05/2019 Full Inadequate 29/08/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets the children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare; treat each child with dignity and respect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 13/10/2019

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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; 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; 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 13/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 4 positive relationships with children; are provided with supervision and support to enable them to

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Requirement Due date

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; and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix)(viii)(x)(xi)(b))

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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; 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) *[sections (1)(2)(a)(v)(vi) are subject to a compliance notice] 13/10/2019

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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 13/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (30) and any regulations made under it are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 13/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(b)) 13/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular— provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; and provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(2)(a)(b)) *[sections (2)(a)(b) are subject to a compliance notice]

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, new staff should receive a thorough induction, focusing on their role and responsibilities. In addition, all existing staff who are promoted or acting in another role should receive a full induction to their new role. 13/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 6 Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) 13/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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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: 1225887 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

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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