Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Milton Keynes

Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 1 SC414738 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since July 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 September 2019

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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: 19 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 16/07/2018 Full Good 29/08/2017 Full Good 02/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, a significant number of children have moved into and out of the home. Some children have experienced timely and appropriate moves, in line with their plans for permanence. Other children have been supported to move to homes within the wider organisation or to other providers, at shorter notice. On occasion, this has been in response to sudden or unplanned events. Staff have supported each child sensitively and appropriately on each occasion, while senior leaders have closely investigated why and how each unplanned move occurred. This self-critique has resulted in improved practice. The decisions that are made about introducing a child to the current group now include wider consultation, increasing the likelihood of success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers work closely with external professionals to ensure that children move into the home in a planned way. They are also good role models and support the staff to care for the children through this difficult period. This includes ensuring that the children experience consistent rules and boundaries and that behavioural expectations are clear. As a result, children settle quickly and say it feels like home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are extremely caring and continually support the children, using the strong relationships they have with them. Structured days mean that the children are kept busy, either spending one-to-one time with the staff, taking part in their favourite activities or learning to enjoy each other’s company. They particularly enjoy feeding the neighbouring horses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a high regard of children’s learning. They are working hard to help the children overcome barriers to learning and to attend school. Leaders and managers are very good advocates for the children. They actively communicate with professionals to ensure that thoughtful plans are in place to ease each child’s return to education. As a result, the children are very enthusiastic and keen to get back on track and participate in the school day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the children who have moved on have done so in a planned way. For some children, their time at this home has been the longest period of stability they have experienced in their lives. One parent spoken to describes the staff as ‘brilliant’, as they have helped her child to feel settled after a high number of placements and moves over the past few years.

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

The staff work hard to keep children safe. They have a good understanding of risks and have clear plans in place to address these risks. Children routinely spend time with staff, talking things through. They are encouraged to explore their emotions and to find different and safer ways to manage negative feelings. For some children, this has meant that the frequency of serious incidents has decreased. Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 4 Supportive staff understand the emotional impact that keeping in touch with family members can sometimes have on the children. Focused time, discussing and exploring these emotions and feelings, helps children to work out why and how their own situation has come about. Through their equally keen approach with parents and carers, the staff are successful in helping the families to improve their relationships. One parent said that the staff were ‘absolutely brilliant’ and had helped her child though some ‘difficult times’.

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

Senior leaders and managers have improved safeguarding systems across the organisation. The new approach, including the staff’s access to senior managers out of office hours, enables staff to share concerns quickly. Consequently, managers can offer instant advice, and are also able to monitor and review incidents more closely.

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

Senior managers have invested in the home to make it safer and to minimise immediate environmental risks to the children. This includes addressing the easy access to a flat roof from a fire escape, as well as introducing methods to deter children from climbing onto the garden shed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although there has not been a registered manager in post for over a year, senior leaders and managers have kept Ofsted up to date regarding the interim arrangements. They have also worked hard to fill the role permanently. During this time, the home has been through a lot of change, both in the staff team and the group of children. Overall, this has been managed well and the home is now settled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current staff team is committed to looking after the children in a way that is consistent with the approach set out in the statement of purpose. The staff benefit from internal training that is tailored to meet the children’s individual needs. Extra sessions, delivered by the therapy team, build on staff’s existing skills and knowledge, and helps them to understand the children’s developmental stages and behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a clear development plan in place that focuses on improving children’s experiences. Independent visits to the home are also used to good effect. Monthly reports from these visits form part of the monitoring system, and managers are continually working to reduce the number of recommendations made. The internal development plans are more aspirational and aim to raise the already good standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Improvements within the wider organisation have included giving staff the opportunity to move into more senior roles. Senior leaders and managers recognise individual staff’s strengths and use these effectively to share good practice. Managers are also quick to address poor performance and take appropriate action to minimise the potential negative impact on the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 5

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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: SC414738 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Church Farm House, Station Road, Aldbury, Tring HP23 5RS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Deysel

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Inspector

Amanda Harvey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC414738 7 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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