Children's home run by Surrey County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 1 SC045408 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides a short-break service for children who are having an emotional crisis at home. It is part of a wider service for children experiencing poor mental health and is operated by Surrey County Council and the local National Health Service.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since July 2021.

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a number of children have accessed the service for short breaks. Children have benefited from staying in a safe and calming environment at times of crisis. Staff have met their needs well, and children have avoided hospital inpatient admissions as a result.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were no children in placement at the time of this inspection. The current responsible individual is in the process of handing over the service to the incoming responsible individual. Both were available at the inspection. The home is without a registered manager or full staff team. The recruitment process is under way. In the meantime, the plan is for the home to remain closed until June 2022. At this time, it is anticipated that a new manager and staff team will be in place. The provider hopes that it will have had time to form itself as a group and benefit from the specialised training needed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Five requirements were set at the last inspection, of which two were deemed to be fully met. An updated statement of purpose has been sent to Ofsted, and staff are now knowledgeable of the roles of safeguarding professionals outside the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

With regards to the three unmet requirements, work has been done towards rectifying the shortfalls identified. The recruitment of a registered manager is underway, with an advert out at the time of inspection. The responsible individual was confident they will be able to appoint a suitable person given the calibre of applications they had seen.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s pre-placement information has improved. It remains a challenge to gather all relevant information before a child stays, given the nature of the crisis placements. However, plans show enough detail to be able to care for the child in the immediate period after their arrival. This, along with improved risk assessments, means that staff have relevant information to support children. There are further plans in place to improve the quality of and develop staff skills in producing quality and detailed reports. This is a work in progress and is part of the planned training for staff prior to the home’s reopening. As a result, the three requirements in relation to these areas remain.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The incoming responsible individual is well aware of the areas for devolvement and continues to make good use of the reports produced by the independent visitor. The building is in good order and provides a warm, homely environment. Regular checks of fire-fighting equipment ensure that children are safe from avoidable risk. The responsible individual is reflective of children’s level of crisis when determining if Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 3 they are involved in a fire drills during their stay. Specialist plans are in place for children who have additional needs which may impair their ability to hear alarms, such as wearing ear defenders. Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/12/2018 Full Inadequate 21/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/03/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 5

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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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the staff being able to adequately identify and write risk assessments which meet children’s diverse needs. 1 June 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

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Requirement Due date

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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that there is a satisfactory system in place for gaining information about a child’s social welfare and needs when assessing children for admission to the home. 1 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 6 The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (a)(b)(i)(iii)) 1 June 2022

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC045408 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Surrey County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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