Children's Home run by Beaufort Care Group Ltd in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 1 Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private provider which has several other homes in the area. At the time of this inspection, there were three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an interim manager in post who has been in post since April 2022. The interim manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 10 December 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness 30/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 3

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress in this home is mixed. One child has lived in the home for 12 months and family and other professionals commented on the stability afforded to the child in this time. Another child has made significant progress from their starting point since moving into the home just a few months ago. However, the staff are yet to establish a positive routine for another child who is also new to the home.

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improvement to be good

Communication with some professionals is poor. One child has 51% of unauthorised absences from their college course. Staff have failed to liaise with professionals in education, and promote positive parenting and work together to improve the outcomes for this child.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained, and bedrooms are well kept. One child told the inspector that if they do not tidy and clean their room then staff will, so that they are not sleeping in dirty rooms.

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improvement to be good

In the communal areas of the house, there are no photographs or evidence of the children who live here. There is little furniture in the conservatory for children to relax on. However, the manager does have plans to address this.

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improvement to be good

The inspector found records to show that, on multiple days, staff are only aware of one child eating one meal a day. This is often late at night when the child has returned to the home in the evening. For another child, records show a poor diet and a reliance on convenience food.

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improvement to be good

The transition for one child moving into the home was positive and well supported.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers acknowledge that they need to address the push-pull factors for children to promote their safety. However, staff are not yet working creatively enough to address the balance and ensure children are safe in the community.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans state that staff should ‘check in’ with children when they are out of the home. While some children have visual checks by staff, another has a telephone call. This method cannot be solely relied on to ensure safety. Furthermore, the children’s records do not always state if the check-in has occurred.

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improvement to be good

Records do not provide enough detail about the children’s friends and addresses or locations of where the children spend their free time. On one occasion when a child was reported missing, staff did not contact the parents of a child’s friend to see if the child was with them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 4 Staff are aware that children smoke cannabis when away from the home. Staff do not demonstrate enough curiosity or actively discourage this behaviour to promote children’s well-being.

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improvement to be good

Some of the children smoke tobacco. However, no smoking cessation plans are in place to reduce the use and educate children about the harm caused by smoking.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is an interim manager in place at this home. The interim manager has been in post since April 2022 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The interim manager is aware of the shortfalls of the home and is working to address these. The inspector found evidence of the manager reviewing records and responding in a timely manner to address safeguarding concerns, encourage staff reflection and build the safeguarding knowledge of the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The children’s risk assessments do not provide sufficient detail for staff to understand what to look out for and how to respond. Documents are generic and use ambiguous language.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Furthermore, the inspector spoke with a number of staff and each gave a slightly different account of the plans for each child. There is, therefore, a lack of consistency and clear direction for staff to follow.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some of the children’s records have been written in the first person, as if written by the child. However, the child has not been part of the recording and has not agreed to what has been documented. The language used is not child friendly and could upset the child if they were to read the records at a later date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

While staff receive regular supervision, the recordings are of poor quality. The records do not capture any detail of the discussion and could be open to interpretation if relied on at a later date. The records do not capture any decisions or directions agreed in supervision. Within supervision, staff are not encouraged to reflect on their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that children are provided with a varied and balanced diet. 31 October 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— 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 6 that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand the risks to the children outside of the home and apply practices that promote children’s safety and well-being.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 31 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that leaders and managers promote high-quality care for the children and provide staff with the resources and direction to make this possible.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed; and

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that children’s records provide sufficient detail on how to care for them and children are supported to contribute to their records where appropriate. 31October 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision which allows them to reflect on their practice, and that the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions are accurately recorded. (‘Guide to the Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 8 Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, carefully consider the appropriateness of recording the child’s information using first-person narrative. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to develop positive relationships with others, both in and outside the home, as set out in the

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Recommendations

positive relationships standard. However, staff should be alert to the possibility that children may be at risk from such relationships including with friends and others outside the home, and they therefore should take appropriate steps to protect a child where there are concerns for a child’s safety. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.13)

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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: 2623130 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beaufort Care Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beaufort Care Group Ltd, Unit 2 Hollygrove Business Park, Verwood Road, Ringwood BH24 2DB

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Inspector

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2623130 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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