Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 1 SC067757

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Benjamin Uk Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children aged between 12 and 18 years.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 1 April 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to concerns arising from safeguarding notifications, placement matching and behaviour management. This inspection was undertaken by contacting the provider and completing inspection activity during video calls. This was due to the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual, the registered manager and the head of care were present during the inspection and were spoken to via video calls. A range of documents were requested by, and securely sent to, the inspector and reviewed as part of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager worked remotely for a period of approximately 10 weeks due to COVID-19. During this time, he remained in day-to-day charge of the home and was able to access the home’s systems remotely. However, he failed to take into consideration the impact that the lack of his physical presence had on the home, particularly in view of a child’s arrival that took place during this time.

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This monitoring visit

One child has been placed in the home as an emergency. The impact risk assessment provided strategies for the risks identified in the referral information. These risks included self-injurious behaviours and the propensity to seek to control situations by escalating risky behaviour. However, the local railway line was not considered in relation to this child. This was a missed opportunity to provide the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 2 staff with strategies to reduce this risk when the child subsequently trespassed on the train tracks.

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This monitoring visit

Adaptions have been made due to the restrictions required to reduce the risk associated with COVID-19. However, there was no mention of the impact of such restrictions on the matching report for the admission of a child. This was a missed opportunity to consider the way in which staff would build relationships with a new child in the absence of the usual community-based resources. There was also a lack of insight into the impact of the children spending more time together in the home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

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This monitoring visit

Generally, behaviour management and the rationale for decision-making are clear. However, on two occasions, a child’s behaviour escalated due to staff deferring a decision rather than taking effective action. This related to a child’s own electronic devices. Although there was a clear safeguarding rationale for the child not to access device cables, the staff did not provide clarity around this matter. As a result, the child was unable to manage the unknown timescales and presented increasingly risky behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation’s policy about ligatures provides clear guidance on what staff should do if a child ties a ligature. Despite this clear guidance, there has been an occasion when a child tied a ligature and staff did not immediately call for help. They failed to follow the policy to ensure that immediate medical attention was sought.

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This monitoring visit

Some of the children are making progress. They are achieving the goals set out in their care plans and working towards the next stage of their lives. The staff have also developed positive working relationships with the local police force. They share intelligence with the staff that contributes to the wider assessment of risk in the context of community-based safeguarding. As a result, strategies are developed that reduce the risk to the children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff reported that they feel well supported by the senior management team. They find them accessible and described situations in which senior staff have arrived at the home to offer practical support when challenges have arisen. One staff member described her induction as thorough. Furthermore, staff spoken to feel that training equipped them with the knowledge and skills required for their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Records in the home are written with the child in mind and provide clear, focused records that are mindful of the child as a future reader of these documents. This is a good example of the child-focused approach at this home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection in August 2019, two children have experienced short periods of time at the home with unplanned endings. Although placement planning took place, there were missed opportunities to consider whether their needs could be effectively met. The registered manager has begun a piece of work on ‘lessons learned’ from placements and incidents. Presently, it relates to incidents; however, there are plans to further develop this work to fully consider the wider picture. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/08/2019 Full Good 22/10/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 4

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(v)) 19/07/2020

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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— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)) 19/07/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)) 19/07/2020

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 5 measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC067757 6 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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