Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 1 SC438648 Registered provider: Benecare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who are displaying behaviours that are symptomatic of a range of emotional difficulties and challenging childhood experiences. The home is operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since October 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 18 February 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A notice to suspend the registration of this home was first issued on 20 June 2019. Two compliance notices were also issued in respect of regulations 12 and 13 with a completion date of 11 August 2019.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

These compliance notices were monitored on 14 October 2019: both notices were not met. Following that monitoring inspection, senior leaders introduced new Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 2 management arrangements that demonstrated the capacity to improve. Consequently, the compliance notices were not reissued. Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2019 Monitoring Not judged 09/09/2019 Monitoring Not judged 18/02/2019 Full Good 13/02/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 4

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improvement to be good

During this inspection period, children have had variable experiences. Serious safeguarding concerns resulted in the home’s registration being suspended. Consequently, all the children had to move out at short notice, resulting in unplanned endings. Subsequent monitoring visits revealed that inconsistent progress had occurred for those children and the compliance notices were not met.

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improvement to be good

Senior leadership used the following period to review care practices and introduce new management arrangements. More recently, a child has moved into the home in a planned way.

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improvement to be good

Some aspects of the planning, however, have not been focused enough, resulting in drift and delay. For example, a school place has not been secured and the specialist communication help identified as needed for this child has not yet been provided. Staff are providing educational activities that include sports, budgeting, cooking and visits to local places of interest. A private tutor is also visiting; however, the child is not fully engaging with these sessions.

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improvement to be good

Some staff are not confident in the use of the support guidance for this child. For example, when more challenging behaviours occur, some staff avoid being involved. Such practice is unsettling for children and gives them mixed messages.

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improvement to be good

Other aspects of this child’s experience are positive. Staff encourage healthy eating and ensure that routine health appointments are attended. Some staff are successfully providing a warm and nurturing experience. Comments from the child include, ‘The staff here really care, like really. I have not felt that before in other homes and it makes a difference to me.’

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improvement to be good

Not all staff demonstrate a good enough awareness of their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children. The home’s safeguarding guidance and procedures are inconsistently applied. In one example, a staff member’s use of physical restraint was viewed very differently by two other staff members. One staff member reported their concerns to the manager, the other did not.

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improvement to be good

Although staff receive training in the use of approved physical intervention techniques, one example of an unapproved hold has been used in response to a child not following a staff member’s instruction. This incident was appropriately referred to the designated officer (DO) and notified to Ofsted. It is currently being investigated. This was a timely referral; however, a previous concern about a staff member was significantly delayed in being reported to the DO. This compromises the ability of external safeguarding agencies to take swift and appropriate action. Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 5 These examples of variable practices and value bases are confusing for children and show that a consistent team safeguarding culture is not yet embedded.

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improvement to be good

Frequent incidents of causing damage in the home are occurring. Staff are working hard to dissuade and discourage this behaviour, and repairs are swiftly undertaken. Sometimes, methods are used by the staff, such as reducing a child’s pocket money for damage caused, without reparation taking place. This is a missed opportunity for children to learn valuable lessons about consequences for their actions.

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improvement to be good

Guidance in respect of staff conduct/disciplinary matters now links more directly with safeguarding policies and procedures. The manager uses such measures appropriately.

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good

Senior leaders have achieved variable results from the changes they made during the period that the home’s registration was suspended. A new staff team has been recruited, along with a new manager; however, safer recruitment practice has not been consistently applied.

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good

There are examples of references not received or verified. In one example, a staff member is in post without the necessary checks, exacerbated by the absence of a risk assessment. Consequently, leaders are unable to demonstrate that sufficient management strategies are in place to reduce the potential risks.

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good

Senior leaders have updated some policies and procedures in response to the previous shortfalls that resulted in Ofsted’s previous enforcement action. Staff practice, however, is variable in the use of safeguarding procedures. The recent review undertaken by the manager does not reflect on the journey of the home since the last full inspection. This is a missed opportunity for learning.

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good

Management monitoring systems lack scrutiny and rigour. For example, the shortfalls found at this inspection were not already identified. Staff team meeting records do not demonstrate the necessary focus on developing the team culture or embedding consistent working practices, in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Consequently, issues of inconsistent practice and concerns around communication have arisen for this new team.

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good

Staff speak positively about their induction. They enjoyed the opportunity to work at other homes in the organisation as part of this process. They are complimentary about the training attended so far, and say it prepared them for working with the children. The manager is motivated to bring about improvement and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 6

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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— 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)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 30/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 30/05/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 7

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Requirement Due date

child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1)(5)) 30/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 30/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that— The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 30/05/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 8

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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: SC438648 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 113a St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 3PE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Richmond

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC438648 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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