Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 1 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides a therapeutic model of care and education for up to four children who have had adverse childhood experiences. There is a school on site that is also run by the organisation. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in November 2017.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/01/2022 Full Good 24/09/2019 Full Good 21/01/2019 Full Good 04/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved out and one child has moved into the home since the last inspection. Two children are currently living at the home and are making good progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have previously struggled to engage in education. Since moving into the home, they have achieved daily attendance at the provider’s on-site school. They are engaging well, aspire to achieve qualifications and have goals for the future.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to take part in activities. The children enjoy go-karting, trampolining, bowling and trips out to parks. Such activities increase children’s social skills and confidence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular children’s meetings ensure that time is spent gaining their views on future activities and plans for the home. Children are encouraged to discuss any issues or problems that they may have in these meetings.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to eat healthy meals. All meals are freshly cooked and attention is given to ensuring that the children eat enough vegetables and fruit every day. One of the children enjoys cooking and baking regularly with staff. He is learning valuable life skills alongside embracing the home’s healthy eating plan. During this inspection, the child commented on how much healthier he now feels.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with the people who are important to them. One of the children enjoys spending time with friends in the community and the other child spends every weekend at home with their family. A parent said, ‘I am extremely happy with the care that the staff provide. They are more like family. I have very good relationships with the manager and staff. My child has consistency at the home. The staff keep him active, are very supportive and communicate regularly with me.’

p.3

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

The children say that they like living at the home and feel safe. A child said, ‘My opinions really do get listened to here. I really like the staff. I have grown up a lot because of them. I now think more before I do things.’

p.3

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

No sanctions have been used since the last inspection. The home has an incentive scheme which enables children to increase their pocket money. Both children are responding well to this system, which reinforces positive behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 4 Children’s individual risk assessments are comprehensive, detailed and updated promptly. High-quality risk assessments provide staff with the necessary strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect children.

p.3

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

No children have gone missing from the home since the last inspection. The home has a detailed missing person policy, and each child has an individual plan. This ensures that essential details are known and that staff are aware of the procedures to follow should an incident occur.

p.4

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

Staff are skilful at de-escalating incidents, and physical interventions have reduced. When physical intervention is required for safety reasons, the incidents have been recorded promptly. The views of the child are gained and staff receive debriefs. However, on one occasion, the deputy manager, who was involved in an incident, completed the debrief with staff. This lack of independent scrutiny potentially compromises the integrity of the review.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced and knowledgeable manager is supported by an equally committed deputy manager. They are ambitious for the children and ensure that meeting the children’s needs is paramount and that consistent care is provided.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality supervision which prioritises the children’s needs and the staff’s professional development. Staff say that they feel well supported by the managers.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers and staff have developed good relationships with other professionals. A social worker described the communication as extremely good and praised the staff for the positive work that has been achieved. One of the children has a mentor, who visits twice a week. The mentor said, ‘The staff are very accommodating and the home is welcoming. Communication is great. It is nice to see the consistency of staff is the same every time I visit.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff attend monthly group supervision meetings with the provider’s therapist. These meetings explore group dynamics and progress made and help staff to develop their practice further.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has completed internal reviews of the quality of care provided for the children. These are comprehensive and detail actions for development. However, several of the reports have not been submitted to Ofsted as required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home was last inspected in January 2022. This latest inspection was brought forward due to Ofsted receiving a complaint from a local authority. The issues raised in the complaint were looked at during this inspection. One of the concerns raised related to failure to record an incident correctly initially. The manager acknowledged that the original report lacked detail and that further information was added following her review. A recommendation has been set. Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 5 The manager has met one of the requirements from the last inspection and the one recommendation. One requirement has been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 6

p.4

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

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any review, debriefing and monitoring of an incident is carried out by people who are not directly involved in the specific incident being reviewed.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 27 May 2022

p.6

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.

p.6

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. (Regulation 45 (1) (4)(a)) 27 May 2022

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 7

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 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: 1236832 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1FD

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

p.8

Inspector

Lynne Drage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1236832 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