Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Assurance visit report: SC390167 1 SC390167

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since November 2019 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 14 January 2020

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC390167 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Staff and children enjoy strong and trusting relationships. Children speak positively about the care that they receive from staff. Staff know the children well and they are confident in their ability to meet children’s individual needs.

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The care of children

Staff support children to keep in touch with family and those who are important to them. They respond quickly to changes in circumstances to enable consistent contact. For example, when a child could no longer visit their family in a particular area, staff facilitated contact in the home and local area. This helped the child to feel that staff understood their emotional needs.

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The care of children

Staff understand and are responsive to children’s views. They take these views into account and use feedback from children to inform the way care is provided in the home. Children have opportunities to express their views through house meetings and informal one-to-one discussions with staff.

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The care of children

Staff understand and promote children’s social, physical, emotional and mental health needs effectively. Activities such as cycling and long walks happen regularly. During the COVID-19 restrictions, children continued to be involved in physical activities. Staff take the time to create a family feel to life at the home and regularly play cards and board games with children.

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The care of children

The staff are committed to supporting the children to succeed in education. They encourage children to attend education and help with coursework where needed. Staff also provide support to children to learn practical skills, such as cooking.

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The care of children

Staff work with partner agencies to ensure that children have access to specialist help where needed. For example, they work closely with the local specialist mental health service and substance misuse programme to ensure that children can access this support if needed.

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The care of children

Children experience a positive and well-planned introduction to the home. Staff visit them, and children have time to ask questions about the home based on what they learn from the children’s guide. This helps to prepare the child for their move and helps to reduce any anxieties that they may have.

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The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage risk and keep children safe. They understand the protocol used when a child goes missing from the home and respond as needed. This includes calling the child, looking in places where the child goes and making contact with friends of the child. When children go missing staff take all reasonable Assurance visit report: SC390167 3 steps to ensure their safe return. Children receive return home interviews from an independent person to explore why they went missing and how best to keep them safe.

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The safety of children

Staff are able to manage challenging situations and behaviour effectively. They receive training as part of their induction and further training as needed. Staff were able to give examples of how they managed difficult situations, for example, working with a child who was anxious and pushing boundaries. Staff were able to engage the child in a favourite activity; this meant that the child was relaxed and open to discussion about why they were upset.

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The safety of children

Clear boundaries are in place and children know what is expected of them. Children are involved in making behaviour management agreements that show expectations and outcomes. Staff understand the importance of consistency when promoting behaviour which contributes to a feeling of well-being and security for children.

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The safety of children

Staff show a good understanding of the potential impact of abuse and neglect. They know how this can manifest in children’s behaviours and staff recognise that they are there to help them through and to make progress.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. A skilled deputy and a new and enthusiastic staff team support him.

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Leaders and managers

Managers encourage relationships with partner agencies. Staff are, therefore, able to work in close partnership with the police, specialist mental health services and the local substance misuse service. Because of this they have used a drug user screening tool to assess a child and make the relevant referral.

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Leaders and managers

Staff work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. They attend well-structured team meetings which cover a range of subject matters relating to the care of the children.

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Leaders and managers

Staff receive training that meets their developmental needs. Subsequently, this contributes to an understanding of the individual needs of each child.

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Leaders and managers

There are gaps in staff supervision. Staff on induction have not received the level of supervision as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. However, when supervision does happen, it is of good quality and offers staff a space to reflect on their practice. Staff supervisions also include discussion about safeguarding, roles and responsibilities and professional development.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers actively use the findings from independent visitor reports to improve the experiences of children. However, the regulator has not received a copy of the manager’s review of the quality of care in the home within required timescales. The review that was examined during this inspection did not include outcomes of any consultations with children or partner agencies. The revised copy of Assurance visit report: SC390167 4 the home’s statement of purpose has not been supplied to the regulator. These shortfalls were subject to requirements at the last inspection and remain unmet.

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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 registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(4)(a)(5))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to consulting children and demonstrating how their feedback and opinions influence the quality of care that they receive. 28/02/2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. 31/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC390167 5 (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff receiving supervision with the regularity in accordance with the provider statement of purpose. 30/11/2020

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pilgrims Corner Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 185 Sea Street, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8JY

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC390167 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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