Children's home run by J & R Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2591854 1

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J & R Care Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is owned and run by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2020.

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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 setting on 20 May 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to monitor compliance notices issued in respect of regulations 12 the protection of children standard, 13 the leadership and management standard and 34 relating to the policies for the protection of children. Ofsted issued these and also served a suspension notice following a monitoring visit on 20 May 2021.

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This monitoring visit

During the previous monitoring visit, inspectors were concerned about the management response to a serious safeguarding incident which occurred on 30 April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit, managers demonstrated that a thorough review of the incident has been undertaken. Shortfalls in the actions of staff at all levels were identified. Managers have shared the learning from the review with all staff as part of a safeguarding training programme. As a result of this transparent approach, staff spoken to during the inspection were able to confidently describe the actions they Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2591854 2 would take if a similar incident occurred. This means that the risk of harm to children placed in the home in future has significantly reduced. Managers have carried out a written review of the process used for completing children’s individual risk assessments. They identified gaps in both the risk assessment process and the quality of the documents. They were being completed by managers who did not routinely work directly with the children, and they were

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This monitoring visit

not updated when children’s needs and associated risks changed. In future, risk assessments will be completed and regularly reviewed by children’s key workers, and senior managers will have oversight. Staff spoke positively about this change in process, and managers have made a commitment to giving staff sufficient administration time to complete the task. Training has been provided to ensure that risk assessments reliably inform staff how to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The safeguarding director has conducted a skills, experience and training audit for every staff member, including the registered manager and responsible individual. The findings from this audit have been used to shape the team training plan. This plan is currently being delivered and will form part of an ongoing staff development programme. Staff members’ understanding of the training is being evaluated at the end of each course. Managers will continue to test staff’s knowledge in team meetings and in supervision sessions. The frequency of these meetings has been increased. A key element of the training content to ensure that staff hold in mind children’s individual experiences. This is to better inform staff how to work more therapeutically with children. One staff member who discussed their learning with the inspector said that they were feeling better equipped and more confident because of the training that they have completed so far.

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This monitoring visit

The provider’s safeguarding policy has been reviewed and updated. It contains guidance about how to respond to safeguarding incidents, which was missing from the previous version. A new online platform has been created, where all policies are stored. There are also other resources, including a staff handbook. Staff have access to the platform and they are alerted when updates are available. The registered manager is keeping a monitoring record to ensure that staff have familiarised themselves with any revisions.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment remains an ongoing challenge. Managers have completed an audit of staffing sufficiency and they are being creative in their approach to recruiting and retaining staff. There has been some success, resulting in fewer vacancies, but there is not currently a full staff complement. Therefore, the home is unable to care safely for the number of children which it is currently registered for. Managers recognise that when they are able to admit children, careful matching will need to take place. Only agency staff who are familiar with the home and have completed the provider’s training programme will be permitted to work there. This reduces the risk of children being looked after by staff who are unfamiliar with their specific needs.

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This monitoring visit

The staffing sufficiency audit identified that as well as having an insufficient number of staff, capacity for management oversight was limited. As a result, the responsible individual is now on site daily. This will increase the number of experienced Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2591854 3 individuals available to work with the children and will provide essential support to the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

Work to improve the environment has been carried out. Consequently, it has a brighter, more homely feel.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices and other requirements made at the previous monitoring visit have been met. As a result of this visit, Ofsted will end the suspension notice and propose to serve the provider with a restriction notice. This will limit the number of children who can live in the home, until such time as Ofsted is satisfied that the home is fully equipped to look after the number of children that it is currently registered for.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2591854 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ash House South, Longfield, Kent DA3 8JF

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Inspector

Helen Simmons, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2591854 5 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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Inspector

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