Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 1 SC040628 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children who are experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/05/2018 Full Good 21/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build positive and trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. They have made good progress since the last inspection. One child said, ‘Some staff members go above and beyond.’ Staff work effectively with external agencies to gain a good understanding of the children’s needs. Children attend routine medical appointments and access therapy. This input ensures that children’s physical and emotional health is promoted, as well as ensuring that staff have the relevant knowledge to help and support the children’s individual needs. Children understand the complaint procedure and use it confidently. Staff update them on the outcome of their complaint to ensure that they feel listened to. One child said, ‘We do feel listened to.’ As a result, children feel safe to express their wishes and feelings. Staff support the children to access education. One child has significantly improved her attendance at school. Children who find it difficult to attend mainstream

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

education are supported to attend alternative provisions or participate in voluntary schemes. Staff work proactively with local schools and colleges and show ambition for the children to achieve. One child spoke enthusiastically about starting a college course in September. This supports children’s learning and personal development. Children engage in a variety of activities. These include dance classes, structured training programmes, trampolining and bike riding. Some children are participating in a sponsored run for a mental health charity. This improves the children’s sense of belonging and engagement with the wider community. Children leaving school in summer 2020 had their end-of-year prom cancelled due to COVID-19. Staff creatively provided children with an alternative celebration of their achievements. Children experienced riding in a limousine. The lounge was transformed into a ballroom, complete with red carpet. This party openly celebrated

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

the children’s individual education and learning successes. Staff support the children to develop independent living skills. However, the work to support these skills is not underpinned by a structured programme. This makes it difficult for staff to follow children’s individual progress and ensure that they are fully equipped to adapt to adult life once they leave the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers and senior practitioners have an excellent insight into the children’s histories and needs. This information enables staff to work effectively with the children. Managers understand the children’s risk factors prior to admission and assess the ability of the staff to meet each child’s needs. However, risk assessments and safety plans for one child contained conflicting information. As a result, the implications of keeping this child safe were not fully explored or evidenced. Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 4 Staff have high aspirations for children. Children value their home and develop trusting relationships with the staff team. This leads to a relaxed atmosphere where children feel comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings with the adults. The positive relationships with staff help the children to develop and sustain secure attachments. Staff are generally effective at de-escalating any tensions. They use physical

p.3

improvement to be good

intervention infrequently. However, some records have not been completed by staff or signed by the registered manager within the required timeframe. This inconsistency in the scrutiny of records undermines management oversight to ensure proportionate and safe practice. The registered manager does not ensure that recruitment procedures fully explore the employment history of new staff. This weakens safe recruitment processes. Monitoring of staff practice is not consistent. This shortfall has led to staff administering medication but not signing the administration record. This means there is not an accurate audit trail of administration. Staff have failed to recognise significant risks to some children with regards to their self-harming behaviours. In particular, this relates to children who present a risk from ligaturing. Strategies to manage these behaviours are not clear in the children’s risk assessments and safety plans. Although children are learning to regulate their

p.4

improvement to be good

emotions and incidents of self-harm, this shortfall means that staff may not be aware of the risks that children present and how staff can reduce them in their day- to-day care. The local authority had not taken sufficient action to address the recommendations following the home’s independent fire-safety assessment. This shortfall presented a risk to children and staff. Immediate action was taken to address the recommendations during the inspection; however, these actions were not previously prioritised by leaders and managers. All staff members have undertaken the necessary training in order to protect children. Staff are alert to the potential for child protection incidents. They record any safeguarding events so that trends and patterns can be monitored and concerns quickly identified and reported. The staff work closely with relevant professionals and children’s family members to ensure that they are all aware of the actions they

p.4

good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She is visible and available to the staff and children. The manager is having a positive impact on the home, and staff morale is good. Staff spoke positively about the support they now receive from the home’s leadership team. Leaders and managers promote an inclusive culture. They know the strengths, weaknesses and priority areas for development of the home. However, shortfalls in the monitoring processes prevent the registered manager from creating a detailed Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 5 action plan to ensure consistent safe practice, further develop the service and drive improvement. The registered manager actively promotes staff learning opportunities. Staff undertake a comprehensive range of training. All staff are either qualified to the appropriate level 3 qualification or are currently undertaking the course. However, managers have not ensured that all staff have kept up to date with all training

p.4

good

requirements. There are gaps in staff training relating to the support for children who may self-harm. Regular staff meetings help the staff to develop insight into the emotional and behavioural needs of the children. However, not all staff have received regular supervision, and some records are not signed or recorded appropriately. One member of staff’s induction and probation records have not been reviewed within the set timescales. This shortfall has an impact on the registered manager’s ability to appraise practice and ensure a consistent quality of care. Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(x)) 30 June 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

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; 30 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 7 that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. Regulation (12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)(d))

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

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)(h)) 30 June 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 30 June 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)(a)(b)) 30 June 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 30 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 8 employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.7

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b)) 30 June 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.8

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.8

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.8

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.8

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 30 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 9 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.8

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.9

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.9

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. Regulation 35 (1) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(ii)

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home. This includes support with practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. This is with particular reference to recording children’s progress in gaining life skills. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

p.9

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: SC040628 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ

p.10

Inspectors

Paul Thomas, Social Care Inspector Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040628 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.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11