Children's home run by St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 1 Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a residential special school which is registered as a children’s home to care for up to 40 children. It is owned by a charity, which also has other services within the grounds. The home’s statement of purpose states that it aims to provide a total learning environment where every aspect of the children and young people’s experience helps them to develop new skills and understanding which they can use now and which will continue to be of value in the future. Accommodation is provided in seven individual house areas over the site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since November 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last inspected this setting on 2 February 2021 to carry out a virtual monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living at this home benefit from trusting relationships with adults who are alert and sensitive to their needs. The adults use a wide range of communication methods to ensure that all children have opportunities to share their opinions and communicate their needs to adults who are skilled at interpreting their preferred choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the adults have created opportunities for the children to continue to have enriching experiences. Children have enjoyed treasure hunts, discos and an authentic drive-through cinema experience, safely within the grounds of the home. Since the restrictions began to lift, carefully planned outings have taken place to reintroduce the children to social experiences in the community. As a result, the children are enjoying reintegrating into society.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational progress is promoted and the children have been taught in smaller groups to reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission. They have benefited from continuing to learn and maintain routines, despite the significant changes caused by the pandemic. Consequently, the children have continued to make progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful consideration is given to planning for children to arrive at the home. Assessments ensure that well-informed plans are made that help the children to learn and develop new skills. Equally, when the children are preparing to leave, the adults go to great lengths to ensure that they are prepared for moving on.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding practice is good. The adults have the knowledge and skills to report concerns without delay. Relevant referrals are made to the designated officer, who told inspectors that they are satisfied with safeguarding practice. Adults are confident in raising concerns, which has resulted in changes in practice. In some instances, carefully planned moves within the home have occurred to reduce risk. Consequently, these actions help to keep the children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The adults can describe the strategies used to reduce risk when unwanted behaviours occur. However, the risk assessment records do not always contain these strategies. As a result, there is a risk that new or agency adults would not be made aware of the strategies required to support the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Physical restraint is used reluctantly. For one child, critical incidents resulted in allegations and a complaint. Adults have engaged with external safeguarding partners appropriately. Clear records evidence adults’ actions and ensure that the adults’ practice is scrutinised, and reflections and debriefs take place for adults and Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 4 children alike. Trustees’ reports also focus on safeguarding, which offers an additional layer of scrutiny.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The children benefit from in-house therapeutic support. Bespoke support packages overarch speech and language, occupational therapy and direct therapeutic input. Collaborative working across health, education and care ensures that the children receive consistent support in achieving their goals. Children’s goals are broken down to enable small steps to be made towards success. As a result, the children make progress and enjoy success.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Routine servicing of equipment, and frequent maintenance checks, ensures that the home is maintained effectively and provides the children with a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and mangers are aspirational. Their dedication is infectious and shared by those who work at the home. The adults describe feeling well supported by visible and approachable leaders and managers. New adults have been safely recruited during the restrictions in place due to the pandemic. They speak positively about their induction and engaging in training via online video meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Frequent supervision provides the adults with opportunities for reflection and development. However, despite frequent supervision and specific action plans, nine staff have not achieved the level 3 qualification within the required time frame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and mangers have demonstrated determination to provide the children with continuity of care and education during the pandemic. They have gone to great lengths to provide the adults with personal protective equipment and COVID-19 test kits. They have also arranged vaccinations and accommodation for adults to reduce the risk of infection for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managerial monitoring is effective. The registered manager makes good use of the independent reports and his own development plans to continue to make improvements to the service. Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 5

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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—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessment records contain all relevant strategies for safeguarding children. 27 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— 28 November Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 6 the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff achieve the required qualification within the specified timescales.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Amlets Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7DH

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Inspectors

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2502382 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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