Children's Home run by Prime Calibre Care Ltd in Medway

Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 1 Registered provider: Prime Calibre Care Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 15 December 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

Date of last inspection: new registration

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress. Staff help children to learn practical skills and complete personal care tasks. Children are encouraged to make choices and decisions about the running of the home. House meetings are held regularly and allow children the opportunity to express their views and feelings. Staff engage children in meaningful direct work, which is sensitively managed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager maintains effective links with children’s schools. One child, who was not attending school, has responded well to receiving support from a visiting tutor. School staff value the staff’s input. For example, one member of teaching staff said, ‘There’s been a transformation in the child.’ Another member of teaching staff said, ‘The staff have gone above and beyond to ensure the safety and well-being of both boys.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children can see those who are important to them. Family members are welcomed into the home. Staff also facilitate phone calls and children’s time with their family in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s photographs and artwork are proudly displayed throughout the home. One child expressed his pleasure at living here in a letter to staff. However, staff do not consistently sit with children at mealtimes. This is a missed social and learning opportunity.

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

Safeguarding concerns are reported immediately to external professionals and action is taken to protect children. The manager shares any learning that comes out of investigations with staff in team meetings, group supervisions and in individual supervision sessions.

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

The registered manager takes a proactive approach in engaging other agencies to ensure that children’s care plans and risk assessments are agreed by all key professionals.

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

Children have positive relationships with each other and enjoy activities as a group and individually. The matching process has been, overall, successful. The high levels of supervision mean that children’s individual needs and safety can be closely monitored. However, leaders have not considered the children already living in the home in their impact risk assessments.

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

Children can use the internet safely. Children are protected from online exploitation and agree to the safety measures in place. This increases their knowledge of how to keep themselves safe in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 3 Regular health and safety audits ensure that children live in a safe environment. Fire drills are carried out regularly. All children have personal emergency evacuation plans to ensure that staff know how to safely help them if a fire should occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed by a suitably experienced registered manager. She provides strong leadership and is appreciated by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are supported in their role, and there are good opportunities for professional development. Team meetings are held regularly and children’s care plans are discussed and updated. Staff have regular supervision meetings with the manager. This allows them protected time to discuss their welfare, the impact of the job and how they can develop. The manager values the staff’s well-being, which in turn empowers them to nurture and respond sensitively to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Physical interventions and sanctions have significantly reduced due to the staff consistently following a positive behavioural approach. The manager reviews all physical interventions, analyses the incidents and reflects on any learning, which is shared with staff individually and as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring processes are generally good. However, there has been an inconsistent approach to recording. The direct work with children is not always recorded in a child-centred way, including the recording of house meetings. In addition, some documents are not consistently recorded, and are repetitive or do not have the necessary detail. This does not impact on the current staff, who know the children well. However, new staff may miss crucial information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The CCTV policy and management guidance indicates the camera is to be used externally only, to ensure that children are safe from unwanted visitors. Despite this, cameras were used internally on the day of the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the CCTV policy is adhered to. 31 August 2022

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all records are child-centred, recorded consistently and have the necessary detail. 31 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 5 This relates to ensuring impact risk assessments consider the needs of children already living at the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should, when appropriate, ensure that children can be involved in choosing and preparing meals and opportunities to sit together and eat should be promoted (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8), In particular, ensure that staff consistently sit with children during meals.

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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: 2660433 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prime Calibre Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box Suite 158, 176 South Street, Romford, Essex RM1 1BW

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Moneat Grant-Williams

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 7 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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