Children's Home run by Kent County Council in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 1 SC037282 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 children’s home is operated by a local authority and, in accordance with its statement of purpose, provides short-break care for children with learning difficulties, physical disabilities and associated complex needs. The maximum number of children who can stay at the home at any time is seven.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 1 October 2021.

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This monitoring visit

On 6 January 2022, Ofsted was notified of a serious allegation about several staff members. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to explore the actions taken by leaders and for Ofsted to be satisfied that all relevant information had been shared with safeguarding professionals.

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This monitoring visit

An incident involving a physical intervention with a child occurred in the home on 30 December 2021. Following this incident, allegations of harming the child were made against the staff members involved in the restraint. This incident is currently under investigation by the police and safeguarding professionals. The staff involved are not currently working in the setting while this investigation is underway.

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This monitoring visit

A review of relevant records and interviews with the senior leadership team confirmed that reporting processes at the time did not fully follow the provider’s safeguarding protocols. This was acknowledged by senior leaders, who confirmed that additional training has been sourced and internal reporting structures are being reviewed.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has employed a consultant for three months to support a review of the provider’s children’s services and facilities. The consultant’s role will provide Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 2 additional support and mentoring to the responsible individual and lead on initial investigative processes, should the need arise while longer-term plans are made. This is aimed at removing potential conflicts of interest for the responsible individual when safeguarding concerns arise.

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This monitoring visit

The child’s positive behaviour support and positive handling plans are well written and clear. This guidance includes the necessary strategies to guide the staff to help and support the child to feel safe and understood. Useful and vital information, such as known factors and triggers that cause the child to become upset and distressed, is included. This helps the staff to minimise the child’s frustrations and, as a result, recorded incidents for this child are low.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection in November 2021 were not reviewed as part of this visit and are therefore repeated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/11/2021 Full Good 03/12/2019 Full Outstanding 13/03/2019 Full Outstanding 07/03/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 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 (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 20 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that the home is fire-safety compliant and that the children have reviewed personal evacuation plans. 20 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and 20 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 5 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 20 February 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 20 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 6 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that children have the relevant plans moving into the home, and that the children’s care plans are kept up to date and under review, and are clear for the staff to follow.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming and supportive for children. The home must also meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. In particular, senior leaders should consider installing outside lighting so that the children can continue to play outside in the darker months. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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: SC037282 7

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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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Inspectors

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Sophie Wood, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037282 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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