Children's Home run by Fonjock's Social Work Practice Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 1 Registered provider: Fonjock’s Social Work Practice Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to three children. All children have experienced trauma or abuse.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since 1 March 2022.

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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: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show commitment and care to provide good support to a child who has recently moved to the home. Despite the information provided when the child was referred to the home not giving staff a full background of the child, staff have responded to emerging needs and risks to provide stability and care to the child. Staff are beginning to form positive relationships with the child. They are clear and consistent in the way they provide support and communicate positive messages to the child in terms of their potential to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child who recently moved from the home did so successfully and remains in contact with the staff who cared for them. Staff had to respond to changes in the child’s care plans due to an unplanned absence of the child’s social worker. While this unsettled the child, staff maintained a caring and nurturing approach, and this resulted in the child moving onto and maintaining a planned independence placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently at the home is keen to attend school. There is not yet an identified school setting due to emerging risks the child faces. The manager has advocated strongly with the professional network to access suitable provision. Staff have introduced a creative timetable of educational activities and a structured routine in the home. This has supported the child to settle and is helping them to prepare to re-engage with formal education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home requires attention to look more homely and welcoming. There are some repairs outstanding and, at the time of the inspection, the manager had clear plans in place to address this.

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

Staff understand the vulnerabilities of the children they care for and take effective action to keep them safe. Good practice is underpinned by clear records and safety plans. These are regularly reviewed and staff are clear with regards to agreed actions to help children become safer.

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

Staff maintain a close working relationship with important adults in the child’s life. Close working with police, social workers and family ensures that responses to any concerns are well informed. In one example, effective partnership working ensured that staff responded quickly to reduce the risks posed to a child whilst out in the community. The feedback from the local police was complimentary with regards to the way staff worked with them and the child to help reduce the risks.

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

The child is sensitively supported by staff with regard to helping them come to terms with traumatic events from the child’s past. They also support children to access Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 4 therapy and counselling. Staff liaise effectively with the professional network to share any new information that may not have been previously known.

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

Staff support the child to fill their day with activities, set up enjoyable bedtime routines involving massage and relaxation techniques, and advice from therapy professionals internally and externally to evolve their practice. This has led to occasions where previous behaviours such as going missing or self-injurious behaviours have not occurred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have demonstrated resilience in the face of some challenging situations and risks. They understand the impact on children of multiple placement changes and are working hard to provide stability and to make the placement work for the child currently living at the home. The child’s social worker said, ‘Communication is really strong, and staff are doing everything they can.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager supports staff through detailed, reflective supervisions and staff report that they feel supported by their manager. The manager of the home is ‘hands on’ and works alongside the staff when necessary to cover shifts.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When new staff are recruited, the provider does not always complete full checks. For example, the reason for a staff member leaving their previous employment was not explored and, in another example, the provider failed to obtain a full employment history. All other checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children are carried out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are mostly well trained, and managers have effective monitoring systems in place to ensure training is regularly updated. Some staff have not had the capacity to fully complete some training such as ligature training, despite this being a known risk. The child has not displayed behaviours that involve the use of ligatures while at this home, and there are sufficient numbers of staff who have completed this training to ensure that there is a trained staff member on duty at all times.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have addressed the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. Ofsted has been notified of all significant events, the manager has submitted their application to register, a quality-of-care report has identified strengths and weaknesses in the home, and records are appropriately signed and dated by staff. This demonstrates a willingness to improve the service for the children in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that all staff recruited have a full and satisfactory work history and explore the reasons for ending a role with vulnerable people. 6 July 2022

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that all staff have received the training required to reduce known risks to children in their care. 6 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that For children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘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: 2585102 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fonjock’s Social Work Practice

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Orchard House, 1 Old Convent Orchard, Bury St. Edmunds IP33 3PQ

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Inspector

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2585102 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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