Children's home run by Kent County Council in Ashford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 1 SC368763 Registered provider: Kent County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This short breaks service is jointly funded by the health authority and the local authority. The home provides short breaks for up to six children who have physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 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: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/03/2020 Full Outstanding 08/01/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well. Children are seen smiling, belly-laughing, and having positive interactions with staff and each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are aware of children’s targets and their responsibilities in helping children achieve these goals. Staff demonstrate good knowledge, and were seen, in practice, helping children to achieve their individual targets. As a result, children are making good progress in developing new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff recognise the value of education and provide effective support to enable children to attend school regularly. They liaise with schools to share practice and strategies to meet the children’s specific needs and to promote their growth and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff care for the children like loving and protective parents. When children need something, staff respond immediately. For example, staff ensure that children have access to all their essential clothing and belongings. This means that children can enjoy a comfortable overnight stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The building has plentiful resources, including appropriate and suitable toys and interactive games for children to enjoy. One member of staff has sourced a range of beautiful hand-made knitted animals and objects to accompany children’s well-kept story books. This really brings stories to life and encourages children to engage in active listening and texturized play. This promotes stimulating and engaging activities for the children, while building positive relationships with the adults who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create vibrant and interesting display boards. These include certificates and achievements, children’s artwork and key topics. These are displayed in an easy read and purposeful way for the children to digest and reflect on. For example, staff support children to learn about their rights and how these are protected by law. This empowers children to understand the significance of their voice, instilling confidence, and individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are completed with the full involvement of children’s family, staff and social workers. The care plan is a live document that underpins the care provided by the staff. These are regularly updated to reflect children’s changing needs between stays. One parent said, ‘I review and consent to my child’s care plan every time they stay.’ This approach improves communication with parents and means that children are supported by well-informed caring staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a lack of tangible communication resources for the staff to effectively communicate with all children. This is a missed opportunity to strengthen the voice Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 4 of the child. Senior managers have identified this shortfall and are in the process of securing additional training to help strengthen the communication methods used in the home.

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

The registered manager and staff are acutely aware of the risks and vulnerabilities of the children in their care. When needed, staff act fast to protect children from harm. They are clear on their safeguarding responsibilities, and all have up-to-date training in child protection.

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

Staff support children’s families well. When families need more support the staff and registered manager are there to listen and to offer helpful solutions. This way of working helps children and their families to receive targeted and professional support when it is needed the most.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff are safely recruited and have the skills to care for the children. The registered manager ensures that all relevant checks are completed on staff prior to starting in the home. This process means that only suitable adults get to work with children.

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

Medication practices are safe and effective. Staff are trained in the care of medicines and are diligent with medication procedures, policies, and how to report any concerns. The staff are aware of what medications children take, how they take them, and how this helps to keep children healthy. As a result, medication errors are low.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This local authority home is registered with Ofsted to provide overnight care for children on a short breaks purpose. However, senior leaders have made the decision for one child to move into the home on a temporary basis while the appropriate long-term arrangements are found. This is against the home’s conditions of registration and means that the home’s identity, and the staff team’s ability to fully operate as a short breaks home is compromised. Senior leaders plan to conduct a substantial review of all their children’s services in order to inform future plans and development of accommodation for children within this local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has taken immediate action following the last inspection in order to improve supervision practice for staff. She has reviewed the home’s supervision policy and supervision template, and has implemented an additional tool to help streamline supervision records. This is in the early stages of becoming embedded into practice. However, the inspector found good-quality and reflective supervision for staff. A staff member said, ‘I value my supervisions and find them really helpful.’ As a result, the requirement from the last inspection has been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has created an additional risk management plan in relation to fire safety. This demonstrates that she is aware of Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 5 the risks and has considered, through professional planning, how she and her staff team are actively reducing risks. As an extra layer of assurance, night staff are now writing clear and prioritised nightly evacuation plans for the individual children. This means that staff have clear guidance should a fire occur with reduced staffing. As a result, the requirements from the last inspection have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s spa is fixed and nearly open to the children for them to enjoy during their stay. This has been an extensive refurbishment and has taken a considerable amount of time to finish. Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 6

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the staff must use the children’s preferred method of communication as recorded in their care plans. 10 August 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

In particular, senior leaders must only admit children into to the home in line with their conditions of registration. 10 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, senior leaders are to ensure that the staff have the necessary training to effectively communicate with children using their preferred methods of communication.

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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: SC368763 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kent County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Kent County Council, Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC368763 9 regulates and inspects 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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