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

Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 1 SC391379 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd Interim 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. The organisation also has a registered school, and the teachers provide education in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since December 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the inspection in May 2019, three requirements and one recommendation were made. Since then, the acting manager has made good progress in addressing the identified shortfalls. As a result, these have all been met. The acting manager is currently awaiting the outcome of her ‘fit person’ interview with Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this inspection, two new recommendations were made. The first recommendation relates to the workforce development plan. The acting manager has worked hard to create a learning culture and is constantly thinking about the staff’s professional development. Her focus has been on upskilling the current team by giving staff more responsibilities. New staff have benefited from a good induction and training programme that is helping them to understand their role. However, the current development plan does not reflect this or cover all the information in the guidance.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second recommendation relates to the review of the quality of care. The acting manager has good systems in place to monitor and improve policy and practice. This includes detailed feedback and recommendations from the independent visitor’s monthly monitoring visits. However, the acting manager’s review is very descriptive and lacks detailed analysis, evaluation and actions. This is a missed opportunity to develop the home in a planned and measurable way.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children moving in do so in a planned way. The acting manager has worked hard to ensure that new children moving in are compatible with the existing group. These changes have been very evident over the past several months, as the children are settled and making good progress. This includes the children engaging in the daily routines and participating in a diverse range of activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new initiative introduced by senior managers has recognised the efforts of the staff to improve outcomes for the children. At a recent in-house award ceremony, they received five awards. This included awards for the best educational outcomes and best application of the token and diversion programme. The acting manager was very proud of these achievements, which were marked with a hamper for the staff and gift vouchers for the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff, led by the acting manager, work hard to keep the children safe. This includes trying to prevent the children from going missing. The staff meet regularly with the children to discuss their concerns, as well as teaching them how to keep themselves safe. On occasions when the children do go missing, the staff act quickly and do everything that they can to ensure their safe return. They also show a genuine concern for the children’s safety and well-being while they are missing. Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 3 The acting manager has high standards and is working hard to ensure that the staff are working in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Recent therapeutic training, facilitated by the assistant psychologist, aims to ensure that all staff are looking after the children consistently. The acting manager is an excellent role model who gives the staff the guidance and support that they need to do this. She is quick

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to address poor performance, which minimises any negative impact on the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2019 Full Good 22/11/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 30/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The

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Recommendations

whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20) The plan should: – detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose; – detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); – detail the process for managing and improving poor performance;

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Recommendations

– detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33(4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 6

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC391379 7

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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 Rudman

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Inspectors:

Amanda Harvey, Social care inspector Kelly Monniot, Social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC391379 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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Inspectors:

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Inspectors:

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Inspectors:

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