Children's home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Colchester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 1 SC029560

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of two children’s homes operated by a private provider. The home provides specialist therapeutic care and treatment for up to six children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 7 September 2021. An interim manager is in place and is in the process of applying for registration with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The purpose of this visit was to assess the provider’s response to the steps set out in the two compliance notices that Ofsted served following the full inspection in May 2022. The compliance notices were in respect of the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. This visit also monitored the provider’s adherence to the notice restricting accommodation that Ofsted served on 26 May 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

This visit identified that the provider has addressed all the steps that were set out in the two compliance notices. The remaining three requirements that were raised at the full inspection have not been assessed as part of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. The provider has not admitted any children to the home since the last inspection. Following this visit, the restriction of accommodation was lifted.

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Information about this children’s home

The management arrangements are working adequately as an interim measure. The manager of the sister home is overseeing the management of this home. His role is combined with some shift cover at the sister home. This is not sustainable, as there are occasions when the manager has been on a waking night shift prior to working the next day. However, the responsible individual has appointed a new deputy manager to ensure consistent management cover. This provides a manager who staff can contact in the event of any safeguarding concerns.

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Information about this children’s home

There are staff on sickness leave, and there have been two COVID-19 outbreaks. The manager’s priority is to ensure that are enough staff to provide children with safe levels of supervision. There are six agency staff that are being used. These Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 2 agency staff are used regularly to ensure that children are cared for by staff who they know.

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Information about this children’s home

There are enough staff on every shift. This includes cover from staff from the sister home, the manager working occasional shifts, and the use of agency staff. A recruitment campaign is underway with the aim of recruiting more staff than needed. This will cover the current staff vacancies and sickness leave.

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Information about this children’s home

The responsible individual has recruited a new independent person, who is undergoing recruitment checks. The aim is to provide more detailed monthly reports that include increased scrutiny and feedback from professionals and parents. New managerial auditing tools have been introduced and are in the early stages of use.

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Information about this children’s home

There are several newly revised systems to ensure that staff know how to report and record any concerns. The procedure has been shared in a summarised policy, in team meetings and staff supervision meetings. The electronic record system has been revised to remove tabs that previously confused the staff. The new system immediately alerts managers to safeguarding concerns. This means that there is a backup system and, therefore, when children or staff share concerns, these are investigated.

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Information about this children’s home

The responsible individual has held a campaign to raise staff’s understanding and awareness of their responsibility to report concerns and safeguard children. Records of discussions demonstrate that staff understand their responsibilities. There have been no further safeguarding concerns reported.

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Information about this children’s home

Two of the bedroom floors have been replaced. An extractor fan and an air conditioning unit have been fitted in one of the bedrooms. This is to increase the air flow in the room and manage the temperature. This has reduced the odour in the bedroom.

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Information about this children’s home

There are several broken concrete slabs lying around the garden. These have not been identified as hazards or removed by the staff. This shows a lack of care for the garden and little understanding of the risk that these could pose to children.

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Information about this children’s home

The staff rota fails to show exactly who is on duty or how long the acting manager spends at the home providing management cover. The record is only accurate when matched with other records, such as payroll. Therefore, it is difficult to see who is on duty and how many staff are working on each shift. This reduces the manager’s ability to oversee and monitor the staffing arrangements.

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Information about this children’s home

Overall, there has been a drive to address the concerns raised at the last inspection and make the necessary improvements to ensure that children are safeguarded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 23/05/2022 Full Inadequate 09/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 4

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any hazards in the garden are removed. 29 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is an accurate record of persons working at the home. 29 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and 29 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 5 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 29 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 29 August 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. In particular, implement the independence programme and provide more regular support sessions to review Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 6 independence targets. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken by the provider to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices served by Ofsted on 26 May 2022 and the provider’s adherence to the restriction of accommodation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kites Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Langham, Colchester CO4 5PX

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Inspector

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 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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