Children's Home run by Pilgrims Corner Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 1 SC390156 Registered provider: Pilgrims Corner Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, only one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/07/2021 Full Good 10/12/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good 31/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been effective in helping the child to make progress in many areas of his life. Care is specific to him, and staff understand his needs. He said that he feels well cared for and feels safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good working relationships with a range of people, which in turn benefits the child. Professionals are complimentary about the staff and express confidence in the care that is provided. One professional stated that they have been ‘impressed with the level of communication with the home’. Regular meetings with deaf child and adolescent mental health services mean that those working with the child are fully aware of his needs and how they can be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from staff who are committed to ensuring that his day-to-day needs are met. Because of this, he has made good progress in his health and emotional/psychological well-being. He has started to understand why rules and boundaries are in place and this has led to an improvement in his relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of education. They are supporting the child with educational activities while a school place is sought. This ensures that he does not fall too far behind in his education. The manager has worked tirelessly with the placing authority to identify a suitable educational facility for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide good experiences for the child. He really enjoys day trips to places of interest. The outdoors and travelling by train are other favourites, and staff ensure that he has ample opportunities to access the things that help to improve his well- being. The one-to-one input that is provided meets his needs for a quiet living environment where he can grow and develop. As a result, he is more settled and has developed trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the views of the child, which are gained in several ways. Regular house meetings and extensive one-to-one sessions provide opportunities for him to give his views, make suggestions and contribute to plans for the home. The child can express his views outside of these forums, which further demonstrates the trusting relationships that exist between him and the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the value of continued family relationships. They have welcomed the child’s mother to the home and encouraged activities outside of the home. Additionally, they travel a significant distance to take him home to see his mother. This emphasis on keeping family ties and good communication supports the needs of a child who lives far from his home area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been thoughtful in the way they planned and supported the child’s move into the home. He has been able to choose the colour and layout of his room and has been supported to personalise it. A clear plan is in place for his return home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 4 This is in picture and written form, and this meets his communication and developmental needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming in terms of staff and the child. Staff create a friendly and welcoming environment. However, the communal spaces are markedly different from the high standard of decor in children’s rooms, and this does not create a homely environment. There are plans in place to address this, but these are not yet fully realised.

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

Clear safeguarding procedures are in place and staff know them well. Assessments of risk are clear, and staff follow these assessments closely. Staff demonstrate good safeguarding practice, and this is at the centre of the work that they do. Staff receive training to manage risks, such as supporting children who are at risk of exploitation; online safety; self-harming and epilepsy. Training is relevant to the needs of the child. The child said that he feels safe.

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

A good missing-from-care procedure is in place for this child; however, he does not go missing from the home. The child who moved out of the home after the last inspection had significant missing-from-care episodes, and as a result, the home built a good working relationship with the local missing person’s officer. This relationship continues. Bullying and how to prevent it are discussed in one-to-one and house meetings. Because of this, the child is provided with a good understanding of how to report incidents of bullying.

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

Clear and consistent boundaries mean that children understand them. Sanctions are used only where necessary, and physical interventions have decreased. The expectations are clear and give the child a consistent experience of good care, and this helps him to feel safe and well cared for.

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

Staff know what to do when there are safeguarding concerns and how to report them. If there is a concern about a colleague, they know where to take this concern. Detailed recording of incidents means that staff are aware of what has happened and how to respond. Staff liaise effectively with the professional network in response to concerns.

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

Good health and safety practices are in place, and effective monitoring means that the child becomes increasingly safe. The management of medication is effective and the process that is in place means that staff know how to administer medication safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted for less than a year but continues to make good progress with the development of the home. He is ambitious and has high expectations of what children can achieve. For example, despite there being no educational facility for the child, the manager has ensured that staff support the Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 5 child with educational activities that include e-learning and educational trips. The manager has worked tirelessly with the placing authority to find suitable education for the child. He advocates strongly to ensure the child’s best interests are at the heart of care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that they know the progress of the child. This is done in several ways, so that progress is monitored and actions are taken where necessary to address shortfalls. Management’s strong systems of monitoring ensure that plans are reviewed regularly, and changes are made when necessary to further support the child. Because of this, the child has made good progress in many areas of his life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel helped and supported with their learning and development. The manager is committed to creating a learning environment. Consequently, to maintain standards of care, staff continue to develop and enhance their skills and knowledge. An updated induction plan is in place that includes shadowing, familiarising with policies and mandatory training. It means that new staff are well prepared for their role and understand what is expected of them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide a good standard of staff supervision. Supervision is reflective, and staff say that they feel well supported and appreciate the opportunities available to them. The manager is inclusive in his approach. Regular team meetings create a space for staff to express their views openly about the progress of the home and the child. The voice of the staff team is heard throughout.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the home’s strengths and areas for development. These are consistently under review to ensure that progress is made. For example, because of a requirement made at the last inspection, an improved and stronger staff recruitment process is in place. The manager is involved in this procedure at every level, resulting in him having clear knowledge of people coming to work and provide care in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is achieving its stated aims and objectives of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children and young people. Strong professional relationships mean that children have a team around them committed to their continued growth and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers show a commitment to promoting equality and celebrating diversity. They have worked with staff to create information boards that promote difference; this has encouraged meaningful conversation that promotes openness and understanding. Staff and children have benefited from this. The relaxed and open environment means that children can express their identity and be themselves. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC390156 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pilgrims Corner Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC390156 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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