Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 1 SC390167 Registered provider: Pilgrims Corner Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children. Currently, one child is living in the home. The home is part of a small organisation which has three other homes close by. Children can attend the school operated by the same organisation.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2021.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 5 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 14 January 2020

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2020 Full Good 28/11/2018 Full Good 02/08/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff form positive relationships with children who move into the home. They are providing good care and support to the child in placement. This is helping the child to grow in confidence and to avoid problematic behaviours that he displayed prior to living in this home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are held central to the planning and running of the home. The child is consulted on simple choices, such as the menu for dinner, but also on matters that are important to his development and future. The child has recently begun some independence work linking between home and school for a formal qualification. Staff work well with the professional network and contribute effectively to care planning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is moving to another home in the organisation which, because of its location, is better suited to help this child develop his independent living skills. This move has been thoughtfully planned and staff will be moving with him so that he has familiar faces and continuity of care. This has made it easier for the child and he is very positive about the move to a new home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home previously struggled to engage in education, but is now attending school. Staff have helped him to establish healthy routines and provided consistent care and support. They have worked closely with the school to introduce the child to lessons and this has helped him overcome barriers to education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, they are offered the chance to visit and meet with staff. Transitions are planned to meet the child’s needs and to ensure that they are ready for the move. There have been three placement endings since October 2020. Most children moved on positively, in accordance with their care plan. One child moved on in an unplanned manner, but staff understand the significant impact on children of unplanned endings. They reflected to consider what they have learned from this and how they can reduce the risk of further unplanned endings for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to understand healthy living and what this means for him. He is encouraged to join in with exercise and other activities that promote his physical and emotional well-being. The child has recently started menu planning and budgeting to reduce unhealthy dietary options. Staff encourage the child to access routine health appointments, and provide good information and support to help him engage with health services

p.3

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

Staff create an atmosphere of safety in the home and children feel safe to share their worries and concerns with staff. Staff know the child well and are attentive to his needs. Staff are quick to notice if the child becomes upset, and plan extra Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 4 support for him when he is in situations that they know are likely to cause him anxiety.

p.3

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection that have required reporting to partner agencies. Staff are aware of the processes to follow should they be worried for a child’s safety or well-being. They are aware of the child’s vulnerabilities and have good strategies in place to protect him from harm. The child’s plans and assessments are updated regularly and in line with changing patterns of behaviours. However, the information contained in these plans is not always accurate. Staff awareness of the risk to children of exploitation in all forms means that they are attuned to any indications that children may be at risk.

p.4

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

Staff understand that children’s behaviours are a form of communication. Staff manage the child’s perceived aggression well and refocus it into what is causing him concern. Staff are consistent in their boundaries and the child knows what is expected of him. This child has made considerable progress in terms of his emotional development and behaviours.

p.4

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

Responses to children being missing are clear and individualised to the child. Staff make every effort to locate children and encourage them back to the home should they be missing. This is not a current concern for the child living in the home. Staff have proportionate plans in place to ensure that supervision is not overly restrictive and that children are able to take reasonable risks. For example, they recognise that this child occasionally needs to go outside without staff for fresh air and to calm down when he is anxious.

p.4

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

Children are protected from avoidable risk through regular checks of the home and firefighting equipment. The home is due redecoration throughout in the coming weeks. The managers are aware that the main bathroom is in a poor state of repair and they have been seeking for this to remedied with the landlord.

p.4

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

There are some gaps in checks undertaken for new staff. References are not verified in a rigorous manner. Inaccuracies on dates of previous employments in the recruitment records were not explored. The lack of manager’s oversight has also meant that these gaps have not been identified.

p.4

good

The leadership and management of the home is judged as requires improvement because of shortfalls in the oversight of recruitment practice, recording relating to children’s relevant plans, and risk assessments. This creates some vulnerability in the important systems and records that are designed to underpin safe practice in the home.

p.4

good

The recording in relevant internal care plans for the child is, at times, inconsistent. For example, the plans identify safety measures that are no longer relevant to the risks relating to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 5 Some recent amendments to the home’s location risks assessment have taken into account risk factors that contributed to a child’s placement being ended in an unplanned manner. However, the assessment forms that staff use for considering new admissions do not make any reference to all potential risk factors in the local area.

p.4

good

The registered manager is relatively new to the role. He is registered for this home and a neighbouring children’s home. He divides his time between both homes. He has a clear vision for improving the quality of experiences for children in the home and has made a positive start in the role. He is accessible to staff and children and models good care practice.

p.5

good

Staff are confident in the manager’s skills and abilities and say they can contact him at any time. They say they are well supported and have the training they need to meet the children’s needs. Staff find supervisions useful and know that they can ask for additional training or refreshers should they need this. There has been a number of staff leaving and managers have looked at the staff retention and turnover. Managers have reviewed the recruitment and induction process to address this, and new staff report that they feel well supported and welcomed by the team.

p.5

good

The managers’ monitoring of the quality of care provided to children identifies areas for improvement, while reflecting on and celebrating successes. The team is seeking to continually develop the service. The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. He has credible plans in place to make further improvements to the service. Managers utilise reports from the independent visitor, and they respond to any recommendations made. The managers’ quality assurance reviews have significantly improved, showing clear links to the development of the home. The manager works effectively in partnership with external agencies. The manager advocates well for children to ensure that they are getting the best possible support and resources that they need. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 6

p.5

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.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)) 28 February 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.6

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, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and 28 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 7 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)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that placements for children effectively support the children’s needs while considering the impact of the features of the local area. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

p.7

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: SC390167 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pilgrims Corner Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 185 Sea Street, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8JY

p.8

Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Emeline Evans, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC390167 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.

p.8

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 . 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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9