Children's home run by The St Christopher School in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 1 SC052398 Registered provider: The St Christopher School Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The centre is a purpose-built residential short-break home for six children with learning and/or physical disabilities. The centre is attached to a special school, and both are run by a charitable organisation. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2019 Full Good 26/09/2018 Full Good 07/06/2017 Full Good 15/09/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who come to stay at the home are making good progress in many areas of their lives. One child has become more confident in social situations. They are now able to go swimming. This is a real achievement, which is celebrated by the staff, the child’s parents and the child’s school. Other children are making clear progress in developing their independence. For example, some children are now able to strip their own bed unaided, change out of their school uniform and help staff to make breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, children were observed being cuddled by staff on their arrival, and having fun in the soft play area. Children enjoy a range of fun activities when they come to stay. They have been to see live music during a trip to ‘Party in the Park’ and enjoyed a trip to a fort and a reservoir. Photos adorn the walls of the home and photo albums are full of memories of all the fun things that the children have done and continue to do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents remain responsible for organising and maintaining their child’s health and education. However, the staff support the children’s health effectively. Staff work in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure that children receive continuity of care when they are enjoying their stays. Staff administer children’s medication and carry out complex care tasks to meet children’s health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the children arrive for their stays after school, the managers and staff work closely with education professionals. Managers and staff attend education and healthcare plan reviews and other multi-agency meetings. This ensures consistency between parents, carers and professionals so that children receive individualised care that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children come to stay in a house that provides a warm, cosy and child-friendly environment. There is space for the children to play or to be on their own with staff if they wish. The children’s bedrooms are personalised to suit the tastes and needs of each child before they arrive for their stay.

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

Vulnerable children are kept safe at all times. They are well supported and managed in the local community, which adds to their feeling of safety. There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe and know how to manage concerns if they arise. Safeguarding training is refreshed regularly.

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

Extremely complex behaviours that challenge staff are well managed by the confident and professional team. Staff’s responses to behaviour are supportive rather than punitive. They rarely use sanctions. Staff have a full understanding of Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 4 why each child behaves in a certain way. They use their training, guidance from risk assessments and strategies from children’s behaviour plans to manage incidents well.

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

Physical interventions are effective and proportionate. Senior staff monitor and evaluate the incident records. Debrief sessions with children and staff provide opportunities to explore each incident to see if lessons can be learned and to inform future practice.

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

No children have gone missing from the home since the last inspection.

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

The recruitment and selection of staff is undertaken by the school’s human resources department. However, not all necessary checks have been recorded and not all references have been received. Some of the references that have been received have not been verified. Gaps in employment have not been recorded. The qualifications held by one member of staff are not on file. Therefore, the managers cannot assure themselves of the suitability of staff who are recruited to work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong, effective and consistent leadership is provided by the qualified and experienced registered manager and the deputy manager. Between them, they bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to the home. They are respected and valued by staff, who benefit from their supportive leadership. The managers lead by example through their involvement in all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case records for children are presented in an excellent format. They are clear, robust and concise and reflect the work that staff do to support children. Regular audits and reviews ensure that the plans and assessments reflect the current and changing needs of each child who comes for a stay. The managers and staff have high aspirations for the children. They work collaboratively with parents and professionals following each child’s stay to ensure that any changes to care needs are recorded as they occur. Parents receive weekly reports and professionals receive monthly reports, which ensures good levels of information-sharing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new member of staff spoke of their high levels of satisfaction in their role and of the support that they receive from the managers. Another member of staff spoke with real passion about their role. They said, ‘I really enjoy my job. For the first time in ages, I actually enjoy coming to work. All the staff are lovely. I feel so welcomed. It is a very pleasant atmosphere to work in.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals speak positively about the communication that they have with staff and the care that staff show the children. A social worker said, ‘The communication is very good. The staff even stay in touch and support parents when children have left. I have worked with the home for four years and I have never had any concerns.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 5 Supervision sessions cover a wide range of topics that are relevant to the individual staff members. Training is of a good standard. However, the registered manager and deputy manager do not receive adequate or regular supervision by a person who is experienced in residential settings. Supervision records lack professional curiosity, depth and reflection and fail to discuss the children or safeguarding. This does not enable the managers to review and develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person visits the home and produces monthly reports. The information in the reports does not give a good overview or evaluation of the home, and does not reflect the views of the staff, or the children who come for short breaks. This does not ensure that the service is monitored effectively and that shortfalls are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met one of the two requirements raised at the last inspection. One requirement, in respect of the independent person’s visits, is restated. The one recommendation raised at the last inspection in respect of managers’ supervision has not been met and is raised as a requirement at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 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)) 28 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, provide the registered manager and deputy manager with effective regular supervision. 28 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child 28 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 7 and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last full inspection and is restated.

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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 for children’s home: SC052398 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The St Christopher School

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jacqueline Mullan

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC052398 9 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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