Children's home run by Compass Children’s Homes Kent Limited in Dover

Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 1 SC023637 Registered provider: Ferndearle Child Care Services Limited

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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 privately run children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children. The home’s statement of purpose states that it operates as a therapeutic community for children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Education is available on site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/10/2018 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 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 registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the supervision of bank members of staff takes place on a regular basis, in line with the organisation’s policy. 06/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(2)) 06/11/2019

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 06/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 4

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should take every step to make sure that individual children and young people are not subject to discrimination, marginalisation or bullying from their peers by virtue of their gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, disability or for any other reason. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.12) In particular, ensure that staff working at the home have undertaken equality and diversity training so that they are equipped with the skills to challenge discrimination and increase their understanding of racism.  The Statement of Purpose is of particular importance to this Standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a ‘Statement of Purpose’ (regulation 16 and schedule 1). The home’s Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised

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Recommendations

care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.5) In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose details the staff who work at the home, and is revised as appropriate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a child-centred and spacious home environment in which to play and to have quiet time and fun with each other. This includes a therapeutic sensory room, a large garden with a swimming pool, and a good range of outdoor and indoor play equipment. Thoughtful touches around the environment, such as a gardening area for the children to grow plants and vegetables in, enhances their day-to-day living experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and help the children to take part in a variety of recreational pursuits. Alongside individual clubs and hobbies, the children enjoy shared activities. This often involves the children going out on their bikes, spending time at the nearby park and in the local community. The stimulating environment created by the staff, supports the children to develop their social, creative and physical skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Adults ensure that good routines are in place to support school readiness each day. Staff work closely with the schools to ensure that the children receive consistent messages, and that education is tailored to their individual needs. Consequently, the children are learning and making good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience care that is sensitive and responsive to their identity and family history. Staff support the children to keep in contact and spend time with their family Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 5 and other people who are important to them, such as previous carers. Staff work proactively and ensure that the children have meaningful and safe visits.

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

Staff respond to the children’s needs and wishes with understanding and empathy. The culture in the home means that the children feel comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings with adults. This helps the children to develop a positive sense of their identity, and increases their ability to form and sustain attachments.

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

Staff balance the children’s desire for independence with their need for care, support and protection. They recognise the importance of responding to the children’s developmental and emotional stage rather than chronological age. Consequently, the children are helped to develop at the right pace for them.

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

Adults help the children to behave well. The routines and structure in the home help the children to know what is expected of them. While emphasis is placed on praise and encouragement, poor behaviour is addressed. This helps the children to learn about the impact that their behaviours may have on themselves, and others.

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

Care plans and risk assessments are detailed and of good quality. Staff undertake planned creative direct work with the children to help create a positive learning environment. This results in the staff having an excellent understanding of the children’s vulnerabilities, risks and abilities.

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

Staff sensitively welcome children who are new to the home with careful planning, taking into account the needs and feelings of the other children living in the home. When children leave, positive endings are given a high priority. For example, staff ensure that children leave with a memory box and photograph album, which form an important part of their life story.

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

The home’s location assessment sets out local opportunities and potential hazards. However, this could be strengthened by including information from relevant agencies, such as police and the Local Safeguarding Children Board. Lack of knowledge of current trends in relation to gangs, radicalisation and exploitation means that the registered manager and the staff are not able to adequality evaluate risks beyond the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Following a complaint across the organisation, leaders did not ensure that the important decisions they made to safeguard children were properly underpinned by written information from other safeguarding agencies or that these decisions were clearly recorded alongside a rationale. This reduced Ofsted’s ability to understand and scrutinise the actions taken by leaders to safeguard children. Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 6 Bank staff members have not received regular supervision. This has resulted in a lack of oversight of their performance and development. This shortfall has an impact on the registered manager’s ability to appraise practice and to ensure consistent quality of care and safe practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff welcome and value the uniqueness of each child. Specific cultural needs of the children are celebrated and well catered for. However, not all staff have undertaken equality and diversity training. The registered manager recognises that this training will help equip the staff with the skills to ensure that the children are not disadvantaged due to their background, culture or community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home’s statement of purpose is due for a review, including an update on the current staffing for the home. The culture and ethos of the home as described in the statement of purpose are borne out in staff practice and in the positive engagement with the children.

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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: SC023637 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ferndearle Child Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mountfields House, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC023637 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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