Children's Home run by Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 1 Registered provider: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a charitable organisation. It is registered to accommodate up to four children aged 11 to 16. The statement of purpose says that the home is ‘a specialist residential therapeutic community providing therapeutic care and treatment along with family support to psychologically traumatised children’.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered on 23 August 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

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 good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection of this home following registration in August 2021

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience warmth and care from the adults who are familiar with their needs. The children are receptive to the support given to them and understand that the adults want to help them. As a result, children develop positive relationships with staff and make good progress. Meaningful joint working across the therapeutic community provides an effective wraparound service for children. As a result, the children feel secure and increasingly more confident.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s emotional well-being is held central to all practice. Integrated working with therapists and school staff provides children with a consistent approach to their care. Children learn through staff’s role modelling of positive communication, interactions and understanding emotions. This provides a safe space for children to emotionally develop and grow, while recognising the impact they have on each other.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy school and their attendance is good. The therapeutic ethos across the organisation leads to children learning in a style which suits them. Adults have high aspirations for children and sensitively support them when they have found education difficult in the past. Partnership working with the children’s schools provides a consistent approach to children’s learning, as well as emotional and social development.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The progress children make is measured in a range of ways. Staff make sure they notice achievements which may seem small, but which show real progress for children. As a result, children experience nurturing care. This gives them the confidence to work hard to achieve goals which are important to them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are actively encouraged to pursue their interests. One child has built his own shed and he told the inspector that he wants to do this when he is older. He is also saving hard to be able to buy his own drill. Children are supported to engage in a range of socially and emotionally stimulating activities in the community. These opportunities allow children to develop their social skills and give them a broad and wide range of experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sensitive support has enabled children to engage in meaningful discussions which allow them to explore their identity at their own pace. Children and staff enjoy engaging in multi-cultural celebrations and events. Staff have created an environment which expands children’s interests and shows them that diversity is celebrated.

p.3

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

The safeguarding of children is a priority of the staff team. Staff are responsive to the risks that are present for both the group and individual children . Children’s risks and Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 4 vulnerabilities are well understood and clearly communicated within the staff team. Children’s positive relationships, with a consistent staff team, mean that there have been no safeguarding incidents. Consequently, children are safeguarded effectively.

p.3

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

Staff understand that children’s behaviour is a form of communication. Staff get alongside children to help them understand how they are feeling and how to manage some of these difficult emotions. As a result, there have not been any physical interventions, and incidents of negative behaviour are rare.

p.4

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

Therapeutic community meetings take place weekly. These meetings enable effective information-sharing about children’s current risks. They also ensure that risk management plans are updated. All incidents are discussed and behaviour management responses are reviewed by managers to ensure that they are proportionate and appropriate. This results in risk management plans being current and effective to guide staff in their day-to-day work.

p.4

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

Safe recruitment practices are, on the whole, understood and implemented. However, there are gaps in the registered manager’s records of his recruitment monitoring. This lack of management scrutiny runs the risk that any omissions may go unnoticed.

p.4

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

The home is well presented and is focused on providing an environment for children to be relaxed and feel safe. All the children’s bedrooms are decorated to their own choices. Children are kept safe by appropriate environmental checks and measures being in place.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are passionate about being good role models and trusted figures for the children and for the staff. Staff report excellent support from managers. They describe a culture which promotes mutual respect. This thoughtful and inclusive approach from managers promotes a positive ethos where children benefit from genuine care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Their consistent approach is supported by regular and effective supervision, appraisals and team meetings. This is complemented by a range of meetings that allow staff to reflect on therapeutic practice and a consistent approach to providing the best care and support for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training package, including having access to bespoke training and a qualification in therapeutic care. Staff stated that the training is supportive of their work and is always encouraged by the registered manager. This demonstrates that the registered manager recognises the importance of skilled and trained staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers’ monitoring of the quality of care is generally effective. However, this is undermined by some areas that lack efficient and thorough Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 5 processes. The registered manager has oversight of daily records and reports, but does not clearly evidence how he uses this oversight to further improve practices or address any areas for development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware that some of their processes are hindering the evidencing of practice. In one example, the medication policy does not give clear guidance on the process of keyholding. In another example, the policy does not give clear guidance on managing the electronic buzzer system. This resulted in staff using the buzzer during the day without informing the child. Consequently, staff are not providing consistent and informed care for the children. This has led to a review of these processes and procedural systems and the use of an electronic reporting process being considered.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Working closely with other professionals is prioritised by the registered manager. In one example, the inspector viewed a very well-coordinated integrated piece of work for a child who was in crisis. This involved multiple health professionals providing different levels of care and support to the child and staff. A health professional stated that ‘the staff provided the best care for the child and could not have done any more’. Subsequently, the child was able to safely move to a specialised setting that will meet his long-term health needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 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)) 31 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 31 May 2022

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should maintain good employment practice. They must demonstrate that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.6

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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 7 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: 2641682 8

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy, 210 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JX

p.8

Inspector

Rebecca Fisher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 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

Inspector

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

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9