Children's home run by Benecare Limited in Sevenoaks

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 1

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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

This home is owned by a private company. The statement of purpose has recently been amended. It states that care and accommodation is provided for up to two children, aged from eight to 18, who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since 30 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 24 June 2020. This visit resulted from concerns about key staff not considering all the information in assessment reports to inform children’s placement planning. This serious shortfall had the potential to put children at risk of harm. Consequently, a compliance notice was issued on 2 July 2020 in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, with an end date of 2 August 2020. Four requirements were also issued from the previous monitoring visit in respect of working with external professionals, care planning, fire safety and delivering care in accordance with the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted remotely and used to assess the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notice and the requirements, as well as to seek assurance about the safety and welfare of the child currently living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leadership arrangements are not yet stable. Since the monitoring visit on 24 June 2020, the manager has withdrawn his application to register with Ofsted. A temporary arrangement for the day-to-day management of the home is currently in place. In addition, the responsible individual has resigned, and a temporary post- holder has been appointed. The provider is actively recruiting to these positions. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 2 Compliance Notice, step one

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This monitoring visit

The provider was required to review the strategies in place to ensure risk assessments consider all pertinent information about the child and identify measures to reduce the risk of harm to the child.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of risk management guidance in relation to the child currently living in the home has improved. A clinical psychologist has provided training in risk management. Staff now have all the necessary risk assessments in place and this helps to provide clearer care planning guidance.

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This monitoring visit

This step of the compliance notice is met, and the requirement made in respect of care planning is also met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider was required to complete a full and thorough review of all the staff’s skills and competencies, to identify any gaps or shortfalls, and arrange the requisite training to ensure staff are able to provide safe care for children with complex mental health needs.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have failed to undertake a thorough review of each staff member’s skills and competencies in relation to identifying and acting on signs that children are at risk of harm. Their approach of conducting a training audit does not explore each staff member’s individual skills, competencies and gaps. Therefore, no accurate understanding has been identified to reliably inform individually-led training and learning opportunities for each staff member.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have not been included in this audit and neither have their skills and competencies been assessed. The previously identified poor admission’s practice was further explored at this visit and was found to have been exacerbated by poor leadership oversight. Therefore, it is disappointing that leaders and managers have not considered that their own skills and competencies require review. This step of the compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have worked with some other professionals, such as a clinical psychologist, to get specialist advice. However, they have not sought advice in all cases. For example, it is unclear how staff would comply with one aspect of a court order, should the need for a particular intervention arise. Necessary and helpful consultation with relevant external professionals is not yet embedded practice. Consequently, the previous requirement made under regulation 5 is repeated.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken additional fire safety advice in response to the previous requirement, made under regulation 25. The fire system is deemed safe and fit for purpose under this latest assessment. This requirement is met. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 3 Leaders undertook a review of the statement of purpose in response to the previous requirement, made under regulation 13. Consequently, the previous references made about providing specialist services for children with mental health conditions have been removed. This requirement is met.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, the unmet step of the compliance notice under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, is reissued. The previous requirement, under regulation 5 is also repeated. Two new requirements have been identified. One relates to the appointment of a manager and the other reflects the shortfalls identified in the admissions process, where leaders did not provide the necessary oversight for the team.

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This monitoring visit

Although some progress is noted, the provider’s failure to meet the compliance notice in full, combined with a repeated requirement and two new requirements, escalates Ofsted’s concerns about the provider’s ability to make and sustain the necessary improvements. Following this visit, a restriction of accommodation notice was served to give the provider a period of stability to address these failings before any further children are accommodated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/01/2020 Interim Not judged 10/09/2019 Full Inadequate 21/05/2019 Full Inadequate 29/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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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

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)) 20/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 20/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 5 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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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

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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Inspector

Keith Riley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1225887 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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