Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 1 SC357981 Registered provider: Benecare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 16 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: 10 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2022 Full Good 09/07/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good 20/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled in the home and make good progress socially, emotionally, educationally and physically.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and nurturing environment and quickly build trusting relationships with staff and feel confident to raise any worries or concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children’s education. One child has recently sat their GCSE exams, which is a huge achievement, and has managed to secure a place at college from September. Another child has just successfully finished her first year at college and is excited about starting her second year in September.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have ample opportunities to engage in purposeful and enjoyable activities. Children can enjoy free time, which allows them to maintain friendships outside of the home. These varied opportunities help to enhance children’s experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop greater independence. For example, staff have supported two children to pass their driving theory test and both children hope to be able to take their driving test soon. When staff assess it to be safe, children are helped to administer their own medication. However, staff do not apply the same level of focus to helping children to learn more about how to budget and manage bills. This limits the children’s abilities to be prepared for their move into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run. Staff ensure that there are a range of opportunities for children to express their feelings and wishes. For example, children can participate in child-focused key-work sessions and are encouraged to compile a wishes and feelings book. This level of consultation enables children to influence decisions such as holiday destinations, redecoration of the home and menu choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend routine health appointments when needed. However, guidance is not in place to manage minor ailments which could be treated with over-the-counter medication. Consequently, this could lead to a delay in children receiving basic medical care.

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

Staff are responsive to children’s presenting vulnerabilities. There is effective risk management in place to ensure that children are safe. However, for some children, their risk assessments are not reviewed when their risks decrease. For example, staff have not reviewed whether bedroom door alarms are still required. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on children’s progress. Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 4 Children are assisted to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Consequently, staff rarely use sanctions and when these are used, they are restorative in nature.

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

When children are ready to self-administer their own prescribed medication, staff ensure a risk assessment is carried out. However, staff have not recorded in one child’s personal health plan the risks of alcohol in relation to the child’s medication. As a result, the child is not fully aware of the potential risks around their medication if they were to drink alcohol.

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

Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment practices. This is extended to agency staff. The organisation has developed a good working relationship with agencies, who complete the expected checks and ensure that agency staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are committed to the children and have high ambitions for their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by the registered manager. They receive regular supervision meetings that help them to reflect on their practice and identify gaps in their knowledge, which are then addressed through training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works closely with children’s social workers, independent reviewing officers, teachers and healthcare professionals. This effective partnership working helps to ensure that children receive all the support and care they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good oversight of the home and ensures that any shortfalls are addressed. All requirements from the last inspection are met. Effective monitoring ensures that the home continues to be well maintained. This oversight helps ensure that children receive a good quality of care. Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a policy and procedure in place for the handling, recording and safekeeping of medication. This includes any use of over-the-counter medication and keeping records up to date when children are self-managing their own medication. 30 September

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have a programme in place to support the broad range of skills children will need to prepare them for adulthood. 30 September Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should review the use of door alarms for each child, to ensure this reflects progress made. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: SC357981 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Thatch Vine Farm, Stockers Hill, Boughton- under-Blean, Faversham, Kent ME13 9AB

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Inspector

Rebecca Fisher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC357981 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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