Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 1 SC465579

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Benecare Limited

Monitoring visit 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. According to its statement of purpose, it accommodates ‘children who are displaying behaviours that are symptomatic of a range of emotional difficulties linked to challenging childhood experiences’. The home is operated by a private organisation. Its statement of purpose states that the age range of the children is between eight and 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since 12 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Due to Ofsted’s escalating concerns about this children’s home, arising from notifications and external complaints received, this monitoring visit was conducted. The inspection activities were completed off site, in accordance with current COVID- 19 (coronavirus) restrictions. Relevant documents and associated information were requested, and telephone interviews with leaders, staff and other parties were completed. In particular, the admissions practice of leaders and managers was scrutinised.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders and managers have not effectively reviewed or amended the risk management strategies that are required to keep children safe. This failure means that staff have not considered all the pertinent information about children, nor have they identified measures to reduce the risk of harm. Consequently, children’s safety has not been promoted.

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This monitoring visit

Key staff have not considered and shared significant background information prior to a child coming to live in the home. This means that staff are unaware of potentially high-risk behaviour. The location risk assessment fails to identify the strategies needed to keep children safe in the locality. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 2 The leadership and staff do not demonstrate that they have the core level of expertise and understanding to meet children’s needs, when the severity of risk is high. Senior leaders have not established whether original qualifications held by staff correspond to those required by regulation.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff work excessive hours to attempt to provide a consistency of care. Despite their attempts, this has been unsuccessful. Some professionals commented that the variety of staff used inhibits a meaningful knowledge of each child’s needs. This also compromises the ability of staff and children to develop stable relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Records of the staff roster are not accurate. This makes the monitoring of actual hours worked and the identity of staff on shift difficult to analyse.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not rectified the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. Analysis of the staff performance and monitoring of trends and incidents lacks effectiveness and insight. The manager and responsible individual do not use information to drive forward improvement. This inaction has placed children at risk.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding procedures lack clarity. This means that staff are unsure of who to inform if they have a concern about a child’s well-being.

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This monitoring visit

The significant safeguarding concerns identified from this monitoring visit have resulted in three compliance notices and a restriction of accommodation notice being served.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/01/2020 Full Good 11/03/2019 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)) 16/08/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(h)) 16/08/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 4 * The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to explore the concerns arising from notifications and external complaints, and 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

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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: Gillian Hilton-Amzaleg

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Inspector:

Keith Riley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC465579 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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