Children's home run by Beaufort Care Group Ltd in Barnet

Inspection report children's home: SC046480 1 SC046480 Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home can provide care for up to four children and young people with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private organisation that operates several other homes in the area.

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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 4 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2020.

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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: 6 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC046480 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/09/2019 Full Good 22/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/08/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report children's home: SC046480 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and welcoming. Children have been involved in choosing décor and colours. Damage or maintenance is rectified quickly, this means children live in a safe and well-kept home. As a result, children enjoy being in the home and take pride in their personal spaces.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The annexe, which provides semi-independent living for one child, provides an environment which a young person can call their own. Although mealtimes continue to be a shared experience, this young person has developed excellent self-care and basic skills and has secured a part-time job.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff know the children well. However, not all staff have a good understanding of children’s lived experiences. As a result, one child does not receive a consistent response to situations. However, the manager has taken action to address this with staff through additional training. Children are supported to develop their social and emotional well-being. Staff are creative and use different skills to support the children. For example, staff use role play to explain how to approach other children and make friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage positively in education and have made sustained progress. Staff motivate, encourage and advocate for the children to engage in education. Since living at the home, one of the children is attending education for the first time in years and is making good progress. As a result, this child is thriving and making new friendships. Throughout the pandemic, committed and enthusiastic staff have supported the children in their education, with clear and consistent boundaries and one child has successfully completed their GCSE’s.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff communicate well with other professionals to build positive working relationships. There is a proactive and consistent approach in obtaining information to aid care planning. As a result, the children have made positive overall progress and benefit from a multi-agency approach to support the care they receive.

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

Staff have received training in managing emotional and physically aggressive behaviour by children. Behaviour that may place themselves or others at risk of upset or harm such as, when a child hurts themselves deliberately. The use of a range of de-escalation techniques enables staff to consistently manage children’s behaviour. Planned and focused key-work sessions provide children with the opportunity for reflection and help them understand their own feelings and behaviour.

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

Risk assessments are regularly reviewed by the registered manager and senior Inspection report children's home: SC046480 4 leaders. The staff have a good understanding of risk management and ensure that there is, overall, careful and thorough assessment of risk. As a result, children are responded to by consistent, informed and effective staff.

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

Staff can explain the processes, and roles and responsibilities of professionals, for keeping children safe. Staff have had appropriate restraint training, and restraint is used only when absolutely necessary. Following any incidents, staff will talk to children to rebuild the relationship and support children to find better ways of managing their emotions and feelings. The recording of concerns or incidents is clear and includes all required information. This means, actions taken by staff help to keep the children safe.

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

Children know the procedure to make a complaint. They have access to the home’s children’s guide so that they can contact other professionals if they do not wish to speak to the registered manager or staff. Incidents and allegations are well managed and quickly responded to. Children say that they feel supported and able to confide in staff if they have concerns or worries. As a result, children feel secure and cared for by appropriate adults.

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

The risk of fire and hazards are appropriately managed in the home through regular checks and audits by the registered manager. Staff receive necessary training and know the evacuation procedures and how to protect children in an emergency. There is good monitoring of health and safety. Therefore, children live in an environment that is safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is run by a confident and efficient registered manager that knows the staff team well. Leaders and managers have a clear vision for the home and high expectations for the children’s progress and outcomes. The registered manager can identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses and takes necessary and prompt action to address these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and quality assurance systems are effective and assist the leaders and managers in identifying shortfalls. The management team meet regularly, and the registered manager ensures that any action or learning is shared with the whole staff team. Team meetings are thorough and recorded well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, there is a lack of focus on safeguarding. For example, knowledge is not refreshed through scenarios to ensure that responses are informed and within staff members’ capabilities. Nonetheless, incidents are low and well managed. Staff are well supported, and their well-being is consistently monitored by leaders and managers. This ensures that children are cared for by staff that can meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff receive an induction to the home. However, the induction programme does not contribute to providing good, reflective and knowledgeable outcomes. The resources used are generic and repetitive. This means that staff in their probation Inspection report children's home: SC046480 5 period lack some of the skills to care for the children they are responsible for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders know the children well and make child-centred decisions based on advice and information from partner agencies and views of the children. For example, staff advocating for a child to continue living at the home to complete the transition to independence. This child has exceeded expectations because their care has been consistent and from staff that know them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are able to challenge senior leaders. Staff told the inspector that senior leaders are visible, and that they are able to raise any issues without fear of consequence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the previous inspection, two requirements and a recommendation were made. Through this inspection these are judged to have been met. Inspection report children's home: SC046480 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff strive to understand the impact of children’s experiences and how this is interpreted through behaviour. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 21 paragraph 4.3)  The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding and gained, refreshed and recorded, in particular, during supervision with all staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43 paragraph 9.12)  The registered person and leaders should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve a robust and thorough induction and complete probation within the agreed timescale. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53 paragraph 10.8)

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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: SC046480 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beaufort Care Group Ltd, Unit 2, Hollygrove Business Park, Verwood Road, Ashley, Ringwood BH24 2DB

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Inspector

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC046480 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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