Children's home run by Surrey County Council

Inspection report children's home: 1230411 1 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides bespoke care for one child at any time but is registered for two children. The staff support children with complex emotional and/or behavioural needs. It is owned and run by the local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 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 setting on 22 October 2021 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not judged

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1230411 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2020 Interim Not judged 14/11/2018 Full Good 12/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 20/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1230411 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children form strong relationships with the highly nurturing and skilled staff team. The care provided by staff, on a two-to-one basis, and the use of a consistent approach means children make progress. Staff recognise the impact on children of their traumatic childhood experiences and multiple moves to different homes. They work sensitively with children, helping them to develop their own sense of identity and self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect and this helps them to maintain their positive bonds with staff who provide constant fresh starts for children throughout the day. Children are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive bespoke packages of education to meet their needs, as a result of staff working closely with the virtual school. Barriers to learning are identified and overcome with the help of specialist tutors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they feel listened to and staff have acted on their ideas. They have been engaged in a wide range of activities, including going to the beach and swimming in the sea, creating a music track at a recording studio and going go- karting. The links with a sports agency mean that children can request more adventurous activities, such as wild swimming, and these are quickly explored and made available.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional well-being is central to the care provided in the home. Staff’s responses to children are informed by regular reports from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The fortnightly sessions with CAMHS enable staff to support children consistently. Staff celebrate children’s small steps and achievements, recognising the significance of these. Children meet with the designated nurse and are working towards improved health, such as smoking cessation and attending medical appointments.

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

Children learn to feel safe in the home. They learn how to trust staff and how to form positive bonds with adults. Staff are acutely aware of children’s vulnerabilities and their risks in the home and the community. Disclosures or concerning information are appropriately shared with partner agencies, and staff are confident in their role in keeping children safe.

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

Joint working with social workers, CAMHS and police leads to clear safety plans should children be missing from the home. Children are supported to understand how they may be at risk in the community and learn new ways to manage risky situations. Progress has been slow, but noticeable. Children with histories of being at Inspection report children's home: 1230411 4 significant risk of exploitation learn to contact staff and return to the home. Staff share intelligence with the police if they are concerned about children’s activities.

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

Staff understand that children communicate through their behaviour. Plans are clear and concise, and updated as behaviours or responses change. The use of a ‘consequences’ approach to undesirable behaviour has a positive impact on both children and staff. Children have the chance to learn from their mistakes and staff reflect on their approach and alter the way they respond accordingly. Children learn why something is wrong or inappropriate. The use of physical interventions is very low. However, while there is evidence of good practice, there have been delays in staff accessing the behaviour management training.

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

Recruitment is managed centrally by the local authority. The application forms are not available on staff files in the home. Therefore, employment history and any gaps cannot be easily identified and the staff files do not include details of reference verifications. This means that the registered manager does not have satisfactory oversight of the suitability of staff working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed by a highly motivated registered manager, with support from a committed deputy. Staff are enthusiastic in their roles and enjoy the challenge and reward of supporting children in such intense circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported and reap the benefits of group supervision with CAMHS and their own individual supervision sessions. They have been able to continue training throughout the local and national lockdowns and this contributes to the consistent care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Ensuring the right staff are available to care for children in the home remains a challenge. Leaders continue to seek staff who are suited to the intensity of support required for providing solo placements, but a shortage of permanent staff remains. However, investment in the recruitment and training of a team of bank staff provides consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff ensure that children’s plans are up to date and respond to children’s needs. They have actively challenged the poor information provided by local authorities and continually monitor and advocate for children when they conclude that the home is no longer able to meet children’s needs. Staff maintain contact with children who move on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The highly effective approach by staff to joint working with partner agencies contributes to the effective safeguarding of children. The managers actively challenge partner agencies when they consider that children’s needs are not being met. Leaders escalate concerns when appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers appropriately review their aims and objectives using their internal monitoring as well as making effective use of the external monitoring provided by Inspection report children's home: 1230411 5 the independent visitor. Staff are consulted on proposed changes and managers include the views of children and staff. Although the development plan is brief, it reflects the changes required to the building in the coming year. Inspection report children's home: 1230411 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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

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)) 27 August 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have training in the home’s method of behaviour management. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.58)

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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: 1230411 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1230411 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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