Children's home run by Surrey County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 1 SC045408 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides a short-break service for children who are having an emotional crisis at home. It is part of a wider service for children experiencing poor mental health and is operated by Surrey County Council and the local NHS.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 13 September 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/12/2018 Full Inadequate 21/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of inspection, one child was staying at the home. A detailed plan was in place to support the child and meet all areas of their needs. Staff provide individualised care to all children who stay at the home, and are committed to supporting children’s progress and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between staff, other professionals and parents are good. Information-sharing means that all are aware of children’s progress. One parent felt their child should have been at the home longer, as staff did a good piece of work with their child. Another parent was able to express their concern to staff. This was about staff not informing the parent of a safeguarding incident. This demonstrates the positive relationships between staff and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make progress in all areas of their lives. Staff are skilled and knowledgeable in the care they provide children. Consequently, children make progress, including improved sleeping patterns, decreased self-harming behaviours, improved diets and eating habits.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of education and support children to access school or alternative provisions. Staff supported a child to access their school, despite the significant distance from the home. Staff offer activities when children do not attend an education facility. The activities are fun and relaxed. As a result, staff consistently support children’s education and respect their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Additional support from clinical staff is provided to help children to meet their emotional and psychological well-being. Because of this, children become more relaxed and experience a settled stay in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can share their views and raise concerns. Staff gain children’s views in one- to-one discussions that are well documented and understood by staff. This allows staff to further explore children’s wishes and feelings. Feedback is gained from children when they leave the home. The manager uses this information to improve the quality of care in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences in this home. Staff provide opportunities for baking, cooking and playing games. Staff and children take part in mindfulness colouring. This provides a more relaxed space for children to talk and reflect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the short-term nature of the home, staff help children to prepare for their future. Children are responsible for maintaining their room. Staff encourage children to cook with them. Children experience a positive welcome to the home. One parent said that, ‘[name of child] was made to feel welcome, even before she arrived thanks to phone calls and answering her questions.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 4 Staff understand the importance of children spending time with their family. They help to prepare children and support them when family members come to visit. This provides reassurance and security for children.

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

Risk assessments are in place, which are followed and regularly updated and reviewed by staff. Staff work with children to teach them how to keep themselves safe. As a result, staff know the safety needs of children and provide a good level of care and support.

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

Plans are in place to promote positive behaviour and they are specific to each child. Risk assessments provide strategies on how to support children’s behaviours. Staff involve children in contributing to behaviour plans. For example, a child shared what helps them, such as talking to them in a calm voice and smiling. This enabled the child to feel part of the plans to support them. One parent said, ‘I am extremely happy with how patient they are with my child.’

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

Staff follow the procedure for the management of children who go missing from the home. They work closely with the police to ensure children’s safe return. Staff and professionals know the children who are at risk. They put safety plans in place to reduce this risk. For example, staff give the local police relevant information about children’s risks when they arrive at the home.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are in place to protect children. Staff understand the processes for the management of allegations. They know who the safeguarding lead is, and how the police become involved in child protection concerns. Staff receive regular and-up-to date safeguarding training. However, there was a lack of information-sharing between staff after a safeguarding incident. This also meant that staff did not share the information with a parent on time. As a result, this caused some anxiety for the parent.

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

Good health and safety processes are in place. The home is well maintained. Fire risk assessments are up to date. Contractors check fire equipment. This ensures that children are safe from avoidable risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home reopened in June 2022 and a manager has been in place since this time. The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. The manager has high expectations for what children can achieve. She is visible and is available to children and staff. The manager ensures a satisfactory level of care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the progress that children make. The process in place to understand this is clear and children are supported to make progress. The manager takes effective action to escalate issues that affect children and their progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 5 Systems in place to support staff continue to be well organised. Staff are supported and told the inspector that the home is a nice place to work. Training is consistent and is of a good standard. Training meets the needs of staff and, in turn, meets the specific needs of children. An effective induction process is in place. This means that staff are well supported when they start working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the home’s areas for development. They are taking effective action to meet these improvements. For example, they have responded to the challenges of recruiting suitable staff. The home will only offer full short-stay care when an experienced, well-trained staff team is in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that there are good working relationships between the staff. This means the team around the children is effective. Managers and staff attend meetings about children. Social workers are satisfied with their working relationship with staff at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work together to promote equality and diversity. They celebrate difference. They meet the religious and dietary needs of children. For example, they provide gluten-free food where children have this need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers encourage the views and participation of children. They responded to a request for a white board to play a game. Children now use this for a range of activities, including a place to record their daily plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, leaders and managers have responded to the requirements made at the last inspection. As a result, all the requirements are met except one. Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(d)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates specifically to ensuring that safeguarding incidents are shared with parents in a timely manner. 25 March 2023

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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: SC045408 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC045408 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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