Children's Home run by DOONAMIS LIMITED in Essex

Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 1 Registered provider: Doonamis Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company and provides care for up to three children. It provides emergency, short-term to long-term care for children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home registered in September 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 3

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inadequate

One child has made some progress since they have lived at the home. However, several serious incidents, poor behaviour management and ineffective managerial oversight mean that children are not safeguarded. As a result, the home has been judged inadequate.

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inadequate

Two children are currently living at the home. Since the home registered in September 2022, one child has moved out and one child has recently moved in.

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inadequate

The manager failed to ensure that the needs of one child could be met and that staff had the skills and knowledge to provide effective care for that child. The staff could not safely manage and support the child. Consequently, the child experienced an unplanned move from the home.

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inadequate

Staff do not gather children’s wishes and feelings about the home. Children’s meetings are sporadic and there is no record of children’s views being sought in other ways. Key-work records are not detailed and do not reflect conversations that children and staff have or any actions or outcomes. As a result, children do not feel involved in their plans.

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inadequate

Staff carry out random room searches without a record of their rationale. There are no records of the action taken when prohibited items, such as cannabis grinders, are found in children’s bedrooms, or how these are disposed of. Staff fail to engage children in discussions about these events and how the room search has affected them. Therefore, opportunities for reflection with children to encourage their safety and well-being are potentially lost.

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inadequate

Children’s records are sparse and do not give a clear insight into their daily lives. Children’s records are not written in a way which is meaningful to them.

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inadequate

There are no detailed health plans for the children. Consequently, information on children’s individual health needs is incomplete. There is a lack of suitably clear and detailed guidance for staff to follow. This has the potential to result in an inconsistent approach to managing children’s health needs.

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inadequate

Staff have good links with the children’s education providers, which has ensured positive partnership working. Staff actively encourage children to attend education, which has resulted in significant improvements in children’s attendance.

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inadequate

Staff welcome the children’s families into the home and ensure that children can safely keep in regular contact with the people who matter to them. Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 4

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inadequate

Leaders and managers lack knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and the regulatory requirements. This affects their ability to have effective safeguarding oversight of the home and ensure that practice safeguards children.

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inadequate

The manager failed to consider the risks faced by two children who were moved into the home at the same time. The manager did not consider how these risks could affect the children’s welfare and safety. As a result, this poor matching meant that risks to both children of substance misuse, going missing from care and exploitation increased.

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inadequate

One child, who is at high risk of exploitation, has been missing from the home for long periods. The records of children going missing from home do not include sufficient details about the actions taken by staff to keep children safe. The manager has not reviewed the records of when children go missing to assure herself that all possible actions have been taken. Staff lack professional curiosity when children return, and there is no evidence of independent return home interviews. Opportunities to identify patterns and trends and better understand risks are therefore missed.

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inadequate

One child smokes cannabis at the home, and drug paraphernalia has been found in a child’s bedroom. However, managers have failed to assess this risk adequately and have not actively reduced this risk.

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inadequate

Risk assessments are of poor quality and staff do not keep these updated after each incident. Consequently, staff may not be aware of the presenting risks or concerns for children. There are no behaviour management plans to help staff understand behavioural triggers or guide them in how to manage behaviours and prevent escalation.

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inadequate

The staff’s responses to safeguarding incidents have not been proactive or robust. At times, children have not been safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has been in post since September 2022. She is working towards a relevant level 5 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that the required records are kept at the home. There are no records of the consequences given to children, behaviour management plans or health plans. Staff are not provided with guidance on how to meet children’s health and behavioural needs consistently. Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 5 The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of safeguarding incidents. Consequently, Ofsted has not been aware of concerns relating to incident management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not undertaken sufficient training in safeguarding and child protection. Therefore, they have not managed safeguarding concerns and incidents effectively. Records of safeguarding concerns and incidents are inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff recruitment records do not demonstrate that safe recruitment processes are followed. Records of identity checks are not held and references from the applicant’s most recent employer are not always taken up. This does not safeguard children from unsuitable people gaining employment at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current management monitoring of the home is poor. Senior managers have failed to identify the significant and widespread shortfalls found during this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 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

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, take effective action to respond to children’s wishes communicated during house meetings and key-work sessions. 17 February 2023

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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 17 February 2023 Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 7 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

* 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

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; and

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that assessments of risk are accurate, clear, up to date and identify relevant information, allowing staff to manage risks and help children to understand risks and improve their own safety;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that clear plans and guidance are in place to carefully consider matching arrangements;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that leaders, managers and staff understand risks associated with substance misuse, child criminal exploitation, child sexual exploitation and incidents of children going missing from care, and act on these risks to help children become increasingly safe. 17 February 2023 Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 8 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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;

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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)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that leaders and managers monitor the quality of the care and practice at the home effectively, identify shortfalls and take action to address them;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that leaders, managers and staff have a sound understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that safe recruitment procedures are followed and clear records are maintained;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all records are clear, accurate and up to date and provide the necessary guidance for staff to enable them to safely care for the children. 17 February 2023

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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 17 February 2023 Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 9 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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(vii) (b)(i)(ii) (c)) 17 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 17 February 2023 Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 10 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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 17 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff only search children’s bedrooms after informing them and gaining their permission, unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s safety or well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping. In particular, ensure that all plans for children are up to date and that incident forms are detailed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 children’s home: 2672782 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 117 Kingfisher Close, Shoeburyness, Southend-on- Sea SS3 9YB

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2672782 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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