Children's home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Colchester

Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 1 SC029560 Registered provider: Kites Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of two children’s homes and a school operated by a private provider. The home provides specialist therapeutic care and treatment for up to six children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since January 2021.

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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 visited this home on 7 October 2020 to carry out an assurance 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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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 20 January 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/05/2018 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 3

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improvement to be good

Three children have moved into the home since September 2020, and one child has left. At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home. The children have been through a difficult time during which incidents and police callouts have increased. A number of shortfalls have been identified. Despite these shortfalls, the children’s views of their experiences are generally positive. They feel settled and have built good relationships with the staff.

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improvement to be good

The risk assessments for matching children have improved. Group compatibility risks are now considered. However, the management team’s decision to accept an admission during a turbulent period for the established children resulted in a poor welcome experience for one child and an unplanned move for another.

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improvement to be good

The house is not clean or welcoming. One child does not have adequate storage for clothing. Redecorating is long overdue; wallpaper is marked through general wear and torn in places. Carpets and laminate flooring are worn with some holes. The upright freezer stands at an angle and is unsteady. Fire signage, closed-circuit television and displays of health and safety information give an institutional feel.

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improvement to be good

The manager has reduced the office space to create an extra room. This provides another space where children can have privacy and use their gaming consoles.

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improvement to be good

The garden includes outdoor equipment that the children actively use and enjoy. A large trampoline and crash mat enable children to exercise outside. However, the garden requires urgent maintenance. The fence panels have been damaged and are disintegrating. Ornamental walls and steps are crumbling and the flowerbeds are overgrown. Debris and rubbish are evident in some areas to the rear and front of the house. Despite the poor upkeep, the space is enjoyed and used by children.

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improvement to be good

The staff cook for some children, and others prepare their own food. Children’s preferences do not include fresh vegetables or meals prepared from fresh ingredients. The staff have become over reliant on frozen ready-prepared options. These do not provide enough healthy choices or encourage children to explore and enjoy broader options.

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improvement to be good

Children are beginning to make some progress from their starting points. Children who are at risk of criminal exploitation have made progress in reducing these risks. Some children have been able to re-engage with their education and improve their attendance.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from therapy sessions. A new outreach worker plans activities and provides one-to-one time. Staff have been creative in providing safe activities with Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 4 another home, and this has expanded children’s social opportunities during COVID- 19 restrictions.

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improvement to be good

Children said that they are happy and feel that their views are listened to and understood. Children can share their thoughts and feelings through reflective house meetings. When children have concerns, they are supported to make complaints and feel satisfied with the manager’s responses and actions. Consequently, children feel empowered and that their rights are respected.

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improvement to be good

Risk management plans are updated to include emerging risks. However, the staff do not follow the plans. Important risk-reduction strategies on a child’s use of a mobile telephone and safety measures for a child having access to sharp objects are not being implemented. Considering the recent increase in difficult incidents between two children, this shortfall unnecessarily places children at increased risk.

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improvement to be good

The staff know that a child has had a smart mobile telephone for several weeks. Despite possession of this increasing risks to the child, the staff have not discussed this with the child or agreed a compromise to reduce the risks. Failure to address this places the child and other children at risk.

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improvement to be good

Disruptive incidents between the children have not always been managed well. Although when incidents occur the immediate situation is de-escalated, the debriefs and key-worker sessions fail to consistently address the direct impact that children’s actions have had on other children. As a result, opportunities to resolve differences and improve relationships are missed.

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improvement to be good

The home’s location risk assessment has not been updated in line with children’s identified vulnerabilities. Important information and crime statistics that could help to minimise the risks to children have not been sufficiently gathered. This does not ensure that staff are continually informed about the area and can mitigate potential concerns.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes do not consistently meet requirements. Information on employment history is not obtained for agency staff. The overseas criminal check was not explored for one permanent staff member. This fails to sufficiently reduce the potential for unsuitable people to work at the home.

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improvement to be good

Fire prevention equipment is in place, and the staff ensure that the children know how to safely evacuate the house. One medium-priority action from the fire risk assessment has not been addressed for six months, and one fire door strip is missing. Both these deficiencies are in regard to children’s bedroom doors and could reduce the effectiveness of the fire safety measures. Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 5

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good

The manager has been in post since March 2020 and registered in February 2021. She is working towards a level 5 qualification and has long-term experience as a deputy manager. The last year has presented a number of challenges that include issues caused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, high staff turnover and delayed building works. These issues have been combined with a new admission and volatile group dynamics. As a result, there are a number of shortfalls in the leadership and managerial oversight.

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good

The manager knows the children very well. She spends time with them and provides a positive practice role-model to the staff. This significantly reduces her capacity for managerial tasks, and managerial oversight is limited. The quality of some of the behaviour management plans is poor, and key-worker sessions do not reflect current issues.

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good

A relatively new electronic record storage system has meant that not all the management team can access and update records efficiently. Some records are not uploaded within a reasonable time frame, and others are not available. There is no oversight or record of meal planning. The staff training matrix is not updated, and the managerial review of care was delayed by a month. These shortfalls reduce the manager’s ability to monitor incidents, review records and improve the quality of the care.

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good

The home is not delivering all aspects of the therapeutic care promised. Some of the staff fail to reflect the model of care described. There are staff who smoke just outside the front of the home. Children rarely eat together, and staff do not routinely share meals with the children. The home is not well kept, and important aspects of the children’s care are not discussed with them. This undermines the quality of care and does not match the care described in the statement of purpose.

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good

There are few qualified, experienced staff. Most of the team is new and inexperienced. Out of the nine staff, there are four staff in their probationary period. Although most staff receive supervision, the supervision records vary in quality and do not evidence reflection on practice and learning.

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good

Generally, feedback from social workers is positive, although they were aware of some concerns and are working with the manager to address these.

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good

The manager and responsible individual have taken some immediate steps to address the shortfalls identified. Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is a clean, welcoming environment, maintain the garden and provide adequate bedroom furniture. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)) 28 May 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, implement the children’s risk assessments and ensure that children cannot access items that cause a potential risk to them. 28 May 2021

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider should use monitoring and review systems to review incidents and take necessary action to keep children safe. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in 30 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 8 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the staff deliver the therapeutic model stated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 28 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete; 28 May 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 9 full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, gain employment history and overseas checks.

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Requirement Due date

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

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that reviews are completed in required timescales and that the location assessment is informed by crime intelligence data. 30 July 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with nutritious meals suitable for each child’s needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)  The registered person should ensure that the staff use positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision enables the staff to reflect and act on how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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: SC029560 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kites Children Service’s Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Langham, Colchester CO4 5PX

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Inspectors

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC029560 11 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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