Children's home run by Kent County Council

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 1

p.1

Kent County Council

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a local authority and first opened in December 2019. According to its 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. Its aim is to provide a period of intervention and support to children for up to 12 weeks before they return to their families.’

p.1

Information about this children's home

There has been no registered manager since 31 July 2020

p.1

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.

p.1

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. Staff failed to seek appropriate medical advice for the child and did not 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 moved into the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Further to serving the restriction of accommodation notice, Ofsted wrote to the provider requesting information regarding the ongoing care of the child who was already 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.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 11 November 2021, Ofsted completed a monitoring visit to ensure the provider had been compliant with the notice restricting accommodation and to review a range Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 2 of documents in response to the serious medication error. At that inspection, further shortfalls were found with regard to staff training and the home’s medication policy guidance.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to ensure that the provider continues to comply with the notice restricting accommodation and to seek clarity on the arrangements that the provider has in place to accommodate children when the restriction notice ends on 25 January 2022.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the notice restricting accommodation and the property has been empty since the last child moved across to another children’s home operated by the provider.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Senior leaders plan to conduct a substantial review of all of the provider’s children’s services, including this home. Consequently, the provider is reliant on the outcome of that review to inform any future plans for operating the home and accommodating children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Consequently, senior leaders have elected to remain non-operational by requesting that their registration is varied to include a condition of registration that requires giving Ofsted three months’ notice of their intention to admit a child.

p.2

This monitoring visit

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

p.2

This monitoring visit

The provider is currently undertaking several investigations into alleged staff misconduct. These were ongoing at the time of this visit. Senior leaders provided assurances to keep the regulator updated on the findings and outcomes.

p.2

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 3

p.2

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.

p.3

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—

p.3

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph requires the registered person to—

p.3

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;

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

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)) 1 June 2022

p.3

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)) 1 June 2022

p.3

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)) 1 June 2022

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32 (1)) 1 June 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 4 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)) 1 June 2022

p.3

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

p.4

Recommendations

quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.33)

p.4

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.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 5

p.4

Children's home details

Registered provider: Kent County Council

p.5

Children's home details

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

p.5

Inspectors

Kelly Monniot, social care inspector Sophie Wood, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2536967 6 regulates and inspects 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.

p.5

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government- licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspectors

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

p.6