Children's Home run by Oakley House Kent in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 1 Registered provider: Oakley House (Kent) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who is suitably qualified.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A compliance notice was issued under regulation 32, fitness of workers. Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/04/2022 Full Inadequate 19/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A full inspection of the home was carried out on 4 and 5 April 2022 and resulted in an inadequate judgement. This inspection has focused on the changes that have been made by the provider since then and to assess whether the provider has met the compliance notice that was issued following the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has gone through an unsettled period which has resulted in two children moving out and two children remaining in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a nice environment. Their artwork is proudly displayed around the house and their views are considered when any changes are made to the home’s decor. For example, one child had asked for a den. Staff are currently planning for this to be installed. This demonstrates that children’s wishes and feelings truly matter and that each child can influence decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensures that children have comprehensive care plans in place. Children benefit from regular key-working sessions that cover a range of topics. For example, one child has received a bespoke session on stranger danger and peer pressure. This support has helped the child to stay safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in supporting children’s health needs while respecting their wishes. For example, one child does not wish to engage in health treatments due to her values. However, recently staff became concerned about the child’s health and supported her to see a health professional and to receive the appropriate treatment. This demonstrates that staff have the skills to help children to stay healthy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good educational progress. One child has successfully completed college. Another child has done so well at school she chose to visit a theme park as a reward.

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

The registered manager has ensured that safeguarding is better embedded in the staff’s learning since the last inspection. This has led to staff growing in confidence and establishing routines and boundaries for children. Staff can demonstrate knowledge of children’s risks and the plans to mitigate these risks. Consequently, there has been a reduction in incidents.

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

One child who is currently at risk of radicalisation has a comprehensive risk assessment in place and a referral has been made to an external agency. This wraparound care is helping to keep the child safe.

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

There has been one incident of a child going missing from home. The registered manager took the lead and implemented the child’s risk management plan and Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 4 liaised with the child’s professionals’ network to implement an agreed protocol for any further incidents. As a result, the child has not gone missing again.

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

There has been a reduction in children’s emotional and self-harming behaviours. There is good communication with the dedicated mental health support team and risk management plans are kept updated and shared with staff to ensure that protective factors remain effective.

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

The registered provider has made the appropriate changes to ensure that staff are suitably vetted. Consequently, the provider has met the compliance notice.

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

Sanctions used with children are rare. However, when these are used they are not always restorative in nature. For example, a child who used inflammatory language to staff had her mobile phone taken off her for a day. This does not provide children with learning to help them understand about appropriate behaviour.

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good

The registered manager is dedicated to the care of children. However, there remain some gaps in her continued professional development.

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good

There is a shortfall in one child’s care plan, regarding managing allegations. While this has not had an impact on the child’s care, this omission demonstrates a lack of awareness regarding safeguarding procedures.

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good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that safeguarding concerns are notified to Ofsted and the local authority designated officer promptly. This demonstrates a lack of knowledge of the registered provider’s responsibilities to meet the requirements set out in regulation.

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good

The registered manager has reflected on the last full inspection and the impact this period had on the children and the staff. This has resulted in a lessons learned review being carried out. This has led to improvements in staff’s skills and provided a more settled period in the home that has enabled the two remaining children to thrive physically, mentally and socially.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision and training opportunities. Supervision practice has been developed by the registered manager and is now more in-depth. Staff have a thorough induction and this is reviewed in their probation assessment. All staff have a personalised development plan with set targets to enhance their skills and practice.

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good

The systems used for the management oversight of the home have improved. The registered manager completes audits of children’s records and delegated staff tasks. Incident records are used to create scenarios in team meetings when staff reflect on each other’s practice and learn from this. Staff feel this is helping them develop their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 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

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19 (1)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. (Regulation 29 (4)) 31 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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)(e)) 30 August 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered provider should have clear arrangements in place for the management and oversight of allegations, including allegations against other young people. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18) Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 6

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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: 2625170 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oakley House (Kent) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2625170 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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