Children's Home run by Moonreach LTD in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 1 Registered provider: Moonreach 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

The children’s home may accommodate up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company which has other similar homes in the area. This children’s home was registered in July 2019 and there are currently two children living in the home. The home is currently without a registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 February 2020

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

Date of last inspection: First Inspection

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

N/a Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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; 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; (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii) In particular, ensure safe recruitment of staff.

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Recommendations

 Please see regulation 23. Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. Where the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a General Medical Practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 4 for looked-after children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) This is specifically with reference to staff using a full signature when administering medication. Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 5

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Inspection judgements

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

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Inspection judgements

Children live in a warm, homely environment. They are cared for by a new staff team that is committed to providing a home where children can thrive and have positive experiences. Children can personalise their rooms and are involved in making the communal areas a place where they wish to spend time. Children are clearly invested in this home. Children build trusted relationships with the staff who look after them. Intensive and dedicated support for one child has enabled them to settle quickly into the home and to confide in staff. This is helping them to start to make sense of their negative early life experiences. Children know how to make a complaint. If children do make a complaint, it is treated seriously, children are responded to immediately and they are kept informed of any developments. Children say that they are happy with the way that their complaints have been managed. Staff understand the importance of education. Children are engaged with education

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Inspection judgements

whether it is at college or facilitated by staff at the home. One child had not been in education for many years and is now enthusiastic about the learning experiences available at the home. When asked about college, a child said, ‘I need to do my GCSEs first!’ This shows that they now have a positive outlook on their future and have an understanding of what they need to do to succeed. Staff are effective in their liaison with education establishments and they confidently support children to express their wishes. Children access the local community and they have been successful in finding part-time work. They have built positive relationships with work colleagues with whom they also socialise. Children attend the local youth club where they have started to develop a positive network of friends. Staff have enrolled children in swimming lessons, and children have access to dance and singing sessions which they say that they love.

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Inspection judgements

All staff understand and actively promote the children’s health needs. When a child asks to take responsibility for their own medication this happens only after a detailed risk assessment has been completed. This helps children to become more independent. All children have comprehensive healthcare plans which are regularly reviewed and updated. There is a clear process in place for managing medication; however, this could be strengthened by staff signing where medication has been administered rather than initialling. Children are helped to develop their independence. They are supported to cook meals for themselves, manage their money, travel independently, and make their own social arrangements. Staff are available to provide them with advice and support. Children feel that they are listened to and, when a request to have their own refrigerator was made, it was considered and granted. Children are greeted sensitively when they move into the home. Children who already

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Inspection judgements

live in the home are consulted about new admissions, and they are kept informed of the Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 6 progress of any plans. A placing social worker reported positively about how she was consulted on the impact of a new child coming to live at the home.

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Inspection judgements

How well children and young people are helped and protected: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection judgements

There has been a clear focus on keeping children safe and staff receive safeguarding training and regular updates. As a result, staff respond promptly to any concerns and feel confident to raise them with their managers. Children feel able to approach staff if they feel unsafe. However, one safeguarding concern arose when a member of staff with limited experience was left to work alone with a child. The child reported that they felt unsafe in this situation. The home has a clear recruitment process which sets out how checks on new staff are to be carried out. However, the correct process was not followed to complete a DBS check on a new member of staff. This was resolved during this inspection visit and the member of staff in question was considered of suitable character to work with vulnerable children. However, proper weight was not given to safeguarding children in the home during the recruitment process.

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Inspection judgements

Staff understand most risks. Children have risk assessments that are detailed and clear. These are reviewed regularly and updated after an incident. Children are involved in the risk assessment process and they are encouraged to give their views. They receive regular structured, and ad hoc, key-work sessions where they can discuss a range of issues including potential dangers and how to keep themselves safe. This provides children with a space to reflect and helps them to learn to make safer choices. Children who are vulnerable to exploitation must give their phones to staff at the end of each day. Staff check the phones to ensure that children have used them appropriately. Staff help children to understand online dangers including the use of certain sites and apps. Children cooperate with signed agreements about the use of their phones and they understand that staff are working to keep them safe from harm.

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Inspection judgements

There is a clear process for using sanctions and, since the home was registered, they have been used on two occasions. Staff discuss with the child why a sanction is to be imposed. Children are given clear information about how long the sanction will be in place, and there is further discussion in key-work sessions to review the effectiveness of the sanction. There have been no incidents of children going missing. However, there is a process in place for managing this should a child go missing.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

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Inspection judgements

The current manager, who has been in post since January 2020, is applying to Ofsted to become the registered manager. Staff are learning how to work with his style of management and have indicated that it has, at times, been a challenge for them. They have, however, said that his style is inclusive and encourages them to think and then make decisions. Staff report that the manager is accessible and supportive. Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 7 The newly appointed manager is learning about the home. He has already developed a good understanding of the children here, and advocates strongly for children within the professional network. The manager recognises the importance of understanding a child’s culture and identity ensures that this is carefully considered when providing care for children. Children’s views and ideas are regularly sought, and the manager shows a commitment to ensure that children’s wishes and feelings drive change in the home. One child asked

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Inspection judgements

that their room is decorated and there are now plans for this to happen. When a child suggested that they are ready to be more independent, this was carefully assessed, and the appropriate steps were taken to bring this about. Leaders and managers have ensured that an effective supervision process is in place. Staff receive monthly supervision, and when they are in their probation period supervision takes place fortnightly. Staff value supervision sessions and feel that this helps them to develop their practice. Detailed induction and training programmes are in place. Staff report that they receive relevant training on a monthly basis. They feel that the organisation has invested in them and that extensive training is provided. This includes behaviour management training and how to use therapeutic approaches to provide care and support to children. The new manager actively encourages staff to work in a strengths-based manner. He

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Inspection judgements

achieves this through discussions, workshops during team meetings, and by modelling best practice.

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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: 2523034 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Dane John Works, Gordon Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3PP

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2523034 9 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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