Children's Home run by The Drive Care Homes Ltd in Kent

Assurance visit report: SC063689 1 SC063689

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a private company. Its statement of purpose specifies that it will provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people, aged between eight and 18 years, who have mild to severe learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

This home has not had a registered manager since 10 March 2020

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Information about this children's home

Previous inspection date: 12 February 2020

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Information about this children's home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in effectiveness

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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. 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.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC063689 2

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The care of children

The staff have prioritised the welfare and well-being of the children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children who have needed to self-isolate have been supported to do so by a small number of consistent staff to reduce the risk to themselves and others.

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The care of children

The children have continued to keep in contact with their families and professionals involved in their care through the use of technology. Some children who were initially reluctant to use this method are now able to talk to people who are important to them.

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The care of children

Staff used online resources to educate children and retain their routines. They worked with education providers to offer individual programmes adapted to the children’s abilities. This helped them to make the transition back to school more easily.

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The care of children

The staff engage the children in meaningful meetings to gain their views and give them opportunities to make choices. They use the children’s communication methods, such as picture exchange boards, to help them communicate. One child had pictures of his favourite music artists added to his picture exchange board so he could choose the songs he wanted to listen to.

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The care of children

The manager and staff worked closely with the professionals involved in a child’s care to provide a multi-disciplinary approach. This was effective in helping her to eat a more healthy and varied diet. She now chooses the same food as her peers, something she did not previously do.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers train staff in safeguarding policies and procedures. Managers discuss safeguarding in team meetings and supervisions to evaluate staff’s knowledge and identify any gaps. An internal safeguarding investigation was thorough and recommended actions were followed up by leaders and managers.

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The safety of children

The staff have supported children to protect themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have taught children to wash their hands regularly, tolerate masks and isolate when needed. One child was very worried about the situation. The staff helped him to keep himself safe and adapt to the reduction in restrictions.

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The safety of children

There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. Any behavioural incidents that do occur are recorded and care plans and behaviour plans are updated. However, children’s views are not routinely sought or recorded following incidents. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to evaluate the child’s experience. Assurance visit report: SC063689 3 A child who moved in during the inspection visited the home and met with staff and other children prior to the move. He was met by familiar staff on the day he moved in and has settled in well. The manager shared essential information about his needs in a team meeting prior to the move. In addition, the deputy manager shared information with night staff prior to them working directly with the child.

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The safety of children

The manager did not include all known risks in the child’s risk assessments. In addition, the child’s emergency medication was not included in his personal emergency evacuation plan. This plan informs the staff of how to respond in the event of a fire. These failings were corrected during the inspection.

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The safety of children

The majority of staff are competent in managing complex healthcare. They have been trained to support a child with his feeding regime and identify and respond to any seizure activity. The staff had generalised training in these areas. However, they have not been trained in responding to the specific health needs of another child who has similar needs. In response to concerns raised by the inspector, the manager arranged for a health professional to train the staff to meet this child’s specific health needs. Only experienced staff cared for him prior to this.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager is an experienced leader who is child-focused and skilled at managing the staff group. He is appreciated by staff. He works closely with the deputy manager to care for the children and has supported them and the staff during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Leaders and managers

The majority of staff have regular supervisions, including agency staff. The agency staff are offered training and attend team meetings alongside the permanent staff. However, there have been occasions when there have been more agency staff working with children than the core staff. This has occurred due to a reduction in availability of the organisation’s own casual staff.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager has had regular supervision meetings and discussions with the responsible individual; however, there are no records. This does not evidence the quality of these discussions or give opportunities to refer to them in the future. The manager checks all staff’s competency when administering medication in staff’s records and identifies any further actions needed. He also verifies staff’s competency in staff’s induction records. However, the records do not clarify whether actions identified have been taken.

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Leaders and managers

The manager uses monitoring systems to audit the children’s records. He and the deputy manager undertake observations of staff. However, the above concerns were not identified during monitoring processes. Furthermore, the concerns identified during the previous inspection with regard to external monitoring have not been addressed. Assurance visit report: SC063689 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

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

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 30/12/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 30/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC063689 5

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Recommendations

 No more than half the staff on duty at any one time, by day or night at the home should be from an external agency. ('Guide to the children's homes regulation including the quality standards' page 54, paragraph 10.17)

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for all staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33 (4) (b). ('Guide to the children's homes regulation including the quality standards' page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Children's home details

Registered provider: The Drive Care Homes Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: The Drive Care Homes Ltd, 18 Hatherley Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 4BG

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC063689 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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