Children's home run by Kent County Council

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 1 Registered provider: Kent County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority-owned home registered in December 2019. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it is a specialist service that delivers support for up to three children, male or female, aged 11 to 18 years, who demonstrate complex and challenging behaviour. The aim of the home, as set out in the statement of purpose, is to provide a period of intervention and support to children for up to 12 weeks before they return to their families.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since 31 July 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The first full inspection, on 10 August 2021, judged the home as requires improvement to be good. At that inspection, serious shortfalls were identified and, as a result, five requirements and three recommendations were made.

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This monitoring visit

On 22 October 2021, Ofsted was notified of a serious medication error in the home. Initial enquiries found that the correct protocols were not followed, including failing to seek appropriate medical advice for the child and failing to report the incident to senior managers. While these matters were under investigation, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation on 3 November 2021, due to there being a risk of harm if further children were admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Further to the restriction of accommodation notice, Ofsted wrote to the provider requesting information regarding the ongoing care of the child living in the home. Ofsted received a response from the provider on 9 November 2021, outlining the arrangements in place to address the concerns identified. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 2 The purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure that the provider is complying with the notice restricting accommodation. However, following further concerns received by Ofsted in relation to the administration of medication, the inspector reviewed a range of documents and spoke to managers during the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the medication error occurred in the home, the manager has reviewed and updated the medication policy. This includes ensuring that it reflects good practice guidance for managing medicines in care homes. However, the policy does not give staff sufficient information regarding the exact processes for handling and administering medicines. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that staff follow the correct procedures.

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This monitoring visit

When asked about training for staff, the manager was unable to provide a detailed single overview of medication training undertaken. Instead, various emails and certificates were shown to the inspector. The absence of a central record is a missed opportunity for managers and the independent visitor to easily track compliance. A review of the medication records available also showed that only four staff have completed the required medication training and been signed off as competent since the error occurred. The lack of suitably trained staff continues to put children at risk.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection were not reviewed as part of this visit and remain in place.

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This monitoring visit

The provider is currently undertaking an investigation into a range of concerns, which was under way at the time of this visit. Because of this, a decision was taken by the provider to close the home until the concerns are resolved.

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This monitoring visit

The home is currently subject to a restriction of accommodation. Ofsted will keep this notice under review. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 4

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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 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 30 September

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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. (Regulation 23 (1)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31 (1)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32 (1)) 30 September Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 5 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45 (1)) 30 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should prepare and implement a behaviour management policy. This policy should describe the home’s approach to promoting positive behaviour and the measures of control, discipline, and restraint which may be used in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.33)

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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: 2536967 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kent County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kent County Council, Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ

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Inspector

Amanda Harvey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 7 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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