Children's home run by St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 1 Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A charity owns and runs the home and other services, including the school that is located on the same site. The home is registered to care for up to 40 children. The home’s statement of purpose states that it aims to provide a total learning environment where every aspect of the children and young people’s experience helps them in the development of new skills and understanding, which they can use now and will continue to be of value in the future. Ofsted registered the manager on 30 October 2018.

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Inspection date: 23 January 2020

Date of last inspection: 10 September 2019

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Inspection date: 23 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 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. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers produced a thorough plan to address the requirements and recommendations arising from the last inspection and have successfully implemented the great majority of the identified actions. They have ensured that improvements are comprehensive and a ‘good fit’ with the school’s ethos and practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders have taken appropriate and efficient action to rectify all the shortfalls that were raised by the local fire office report, and which they had previously failed to identify themselves.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new facilities manager demonstrates a thorough approach, and his proactive stance has led to the anticipation of maintenance work and the planning of improvements before they become a problem. The maintenance team has successfully remedied all the previous health and safety concerns. However, the appearance of one of the houses remains poor, reducing the homely environment for the children there.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have done a considerable amount of work to support staff to achieve their level 3 qualifications. Weekly workshops take place to assist staff, including those whose first language is not English. Action plans are in place for staff who have not completed the course or who are not on track to complete it inside statutory timescales. This has helped more staff to make satisfactory progress and, as a result, has helped to establish a better qualified workforce.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have improved markedly the processes for and quality of their monitoring of the quality of care. This includes working with professionals and family members to review the quality of placements. In one example, they were able to tailor a bespoke model of transition for a young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager monitors measures of control and discipline with the explicit intention of learning lessons and avoiding having to implement the measures again. This contributes to the development of strategies that enable children to manage situations better. The independent visitor recommended that a deputy be identified to undertake the monitoring when the registered manager is away, but this has not been followed through. This means there is the potential for tasks such as discussing a measure with the member of staff and talking to the child involved being undertaken outside regulatory timescales. Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 3 The independent visitor’s regulation 44 reports challenge leaders and managers but the visitor rarely triangulates evidence by obtaining the views of professionals or family members. An opportunity to gain valuable information is therefore missed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers’ thoughtful approach to referral information results in good decisions about children moving in. Leaders carefully consider known and anticipated risks, resulting in clear strategies for staff to follow to mitigate them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are skilled at working quickly to identify concerns in order to manage children’s behaviours. They are good at using children’s preferred methods of communication, preventing misunderstandings or situations escalating.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff regularly and creatively help children to make decisions that are important to them. They respond diligently to children’s requests, for example about having their favourite meals, choosing activities over the holidays and, for one child, having a beautiful picture of her choice in her bedroom.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff gather information about children’s views and opinions, including in an ‘all about me’ form that is useful for new staff to read alongside placement plans. This enables a child’s voice to be part of case file documentation. These files are in good order, with the inclusion of up-to-date information. The one exception was an old healthcare plan with details of the administration of ‘as needed’ medication that was no longer needed. This could have led to someone unfamiliar with the child administering such medication in error.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the inspection, a member of staff working in education sought first aid for a scratch caused by a child. He did not complete an accident form to record the injury. This means that managers are not able to form a complete picture of accidents, which could help them to minimise future occurrence. In the unlikely event that either the adult or the child contracted a blood-borne disease, the source of infection may not be traceable.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children make progress across all developmental areas, particularly in gaining skills for independence. The principal has developed a bespoke spreadsheet record which allows a detailed analysis of what children have achieved and guides future work.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Support for children who have had restricted diets has not only extended their palates but, in one instance, has kept a child alive and has supported him to shop, prepare and enjoy his meals. Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 5

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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

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person is required to:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the standard of decor, fixtures and fittings is maintained to present a homely environment. 30/03/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children, administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment, help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12) In particular, ensure that all staff follow procedures and record injuries in an accident book, even if minor.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) which should be produced in a timely manner, to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, the

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Recommendations

registered person should authorise a suitable person to monitor the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, in accordance with regulation 35, for times when the registered person is away from the home.  Case records must be kept up to date, signed, and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, the independent person should seek the views Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 6 of professionals involved in the care of children placed at the home, and of family

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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: 2502382 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Amlets Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7DH

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Inspectors

Chris Peel, Social Care Inspector Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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