Children's Home run by Southern Adolescent Care Services Ltd in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 1 SC061795 Registered provider: Keys KIN Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2021 Full Outstanding 08/10/2019 Full Outstanding 01/08/2018 Full Outstanding 13/09/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the home reopened, managers have not ensured that thorough and considered matching happens when new children move into the home. This has resulted in one child having to leave the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff do not always feel supported by senior leaders and this has created a negative culture. As a result, a long-standing senior leader has been deployed to provide support to the manager to reinstate structure to help to improve the quality of care for children.

p.3

improvement to be good

One child is building a trusting relationship with some of the staff. Another child is beginning to enjoy taking part in a variety of activities such as going swimming, visiting a skate park and participating in trips to the beach.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s educational needs are not provided effectively. One child attends a mainstream school, where he is struggling to engage due to his complex mental health needs. Consequently, he is spending time outside the classroom because he struggles with the school environment. Before a child moved out of the home, they were receiving a limited timetable of education in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children attend weekly house meetings, key-working sessions, and engage in daily one-to-one discussions where they can express their feelings and thoughts. However, records of these meetings do not always capture the children’s voices and thoughts, but instead concentrate on conversations made by staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children take part in the preparation of meals and complete tasks such as setting the table. One child said, ‘I like it here because I get to do a lot of things, baking cakes, cooking with staff and doing many activities.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff ensure that risk assessments are kept up to date. This helps the staff to stay informed of the risks that effect each child and how to respond to these risks. However, managerial oversight of these assessments is missing.

p.3

improvement to be good

Although children are making some progress, the skill sets of the staff and the management sometimes lack the resilience and ability to manage crisis situations. This contributes to a disorganised approach that has the potential to compromise children’s safety.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have clear strategies in place in the eventuality that a child was to go missing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 4 Children’s behaviour management plans are well documented and regularly updated. These are shared with children and their social workers. However, staff do not always adhere to some boundaries and guidelines that are detailed in the child’s plan. This has resulted in an escalation of risk-taking behaviours presented by children and an increase in the use of physical restraint. Some incidents are not recorded timely and debriefs and managers oversight is completed far too late to be effective.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home environment is kept clean and safe, with regular health and safety checks being completed.

p.4

improvement to be good

Recruitment procedures are in place. However, on occasions, safer recruitment is not fully adhered to. For example, some applicants’ identity documents are not signed off to confirm that original copies have been seen. As a result, this deters stringent measures from being taken to ensure that only suitable people work with children.

p.4

good

The previous manager has been reappointed to the home and is currently applying to be the registered manager.

p.4

good

The manager is aware of the shortfalls in the home and has already implemented a development plan to drive improvement. For example, the manager has brought in a new process to help assess children’s progress. This includes completing a weekly report that helps to provide a clear analysis of children’s participation, progress and to pick up any safeguarding concerns. These are then shared with the children’s social workers.

p.4

good

Supervision records lack detail. When supervision does take place, it is not beneficial or productive. As a result, some members of staff do not feel listened to or given the right guidance to help them to inform their practice.

p.4

good

Staff receive all their mandatory training. When the home was closed, the staff were able to access online and face-to-face training. This has helped to improve staff’s theoretical knowledge.

p.4

good

Managers do not always investigate complaints, allegations and whistle-blowing incidents reported by children and staff, or notify the key agencies including the regulator. This compromises the ability for all required action to be quickly taken and for external oversight to be in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 5

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.5

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers have oversight of children’s incident and risk assessment records. 19 August 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)) 19 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 6 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child s welfare; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, that managers ensure that staff have clear plans for how to support children when their behaviours escalate. 19 August 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.6

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) 19 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 7 In particular, that managers ensure that children’s voices are captured in records.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 19 August 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.7

Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

p.7

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

p.7

Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(f)) 19 August 2022

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained, as set out in regulations 31 to 33. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 8

p.7

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: SC061795 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Southern Adolescent Care Services Ltd

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Second Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

p.9

Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC061795 10 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.9

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.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10