Children's Home run by Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 1 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a charitable organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged 11 to 16 years. The statement of purpose says that the home is a specialist residential therapeutic community providing therapeutic care and treatment, along with family support, to psychologically traumatised children. There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience care from staff who are attentive and familiar with the children’s needs. Staff show a high level of respect and affection for the children. As a result, children develop positive relationships with staff and make good progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The approach to considering new children moving in to the home is thorough and includes the children living there, as well as those moving in. Any potential issues are highlighted, and staff are given guidance about the strategies that they may need to help them to support the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s emotional well-being is central to all practice. Integrated working with therapists and school staff provides children with a consistent approach to their care. Children learn through staff modelling positive communication, interactions and understanding emotions. This provides a safe space for children to emotionally develop and grow, while recognising the impact that they have on each other.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place high value on the children’s education. All the children are enjoying regular school attendance. One child attends the local horse-riding stables and very much enjoys learning about managing and caring for horses. Consequently, children’s experiences of learning and education are positive, and they make good progress .

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are supported by staff through careful planning and strong communication with external health professionals. The children’s medication needs are safely managed by the staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular house meetings are held, which allow children plenty of opportunities to express their feelings and have some input into the running of the home. These are effective forums for group discussions. Children benefit from being part of a close- knit, supportive community.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sensitive support has enabled children to engage in meaningful discussions, which allow them to explore their identity at their own pace. Children and staff enjoy multicultural celebrations and events. Staff have created an environment that expands children’s interests and shows them that diversity is celebrated.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage in varied activities and to develop friendships outside of the home. For example, one child has maintained friendships made before they moved to the home. Another child is looking forward to attending a music concert. These opportunities help children to develop their social skills and to broaden their experiences. As a result, children are developing positive memories. Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 4

p.3

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

The safeguarding of children is prioritised. Staff demonstrate a sound knowledge of safeguarding. Managers demonstrate good safeguarding practice by following clear procedures when incidents occur. Leaders and managers consult other professional agencies effectively.

p.4

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

Risk management plans are in place for all children. This supports staff to understand and manage current risks. The registered manager regularly reviews children’s risks with staff to develop strategies and manage any emerging concerns. This practice demonstrates that the team values collaborative working and that every staff member has something valuable to contribute.

p.4

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in this home. Staff support children to reflect on challenges and frustrations and to develop more-positive strategies to manage these. This underpins an embedded expectation that there are positive ways to resolve differences and frustrations while respecting others.

p.4

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

Children access the internet. The home has safeguards on the children’s devices and through the organisational system. However, children are not readily provided with e-safety information and appropriate educational materials to understand the risks of being online. Consequently, children do not have the skills and knowledge to keep them safe and protected from harm when using the internet.

p.4

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

Safe recruitment practices are understood and implemented by the registered manager and staff responsible for this area of practice. All necessary checks are in place to ensure that children are protected from unsuitable people working in the home.

p.4

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

Social workers speak highly about the level of communication that they have with staff and their prompt responses when issues arise that may impact on a child’s well-being or safety.

p.4

good

The registered manager has not yet established effective management systems to provide consistent practice. However, the registered manager is passionate and has a clear vision for the home, and his aspirations are shared by the staff. The child- focused approach and therapeutic ethos is clearly embedded in staff practice.

p.4

good

The registered manager is aware of his safeguarding responsibilities. He works with professionals and acts on their advice. However, there have been occasions when the registered manager has been significantly delayed in reporting notifiable incidents to Ofsted. Therefore, he is not fully meeting his regulatory responsibilities.

p.4

good

Overall, staff receive good training. However, there was a lack of assessment into the staff’s skills to meet the emotional needs of a new child moving in to the home Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 5 and the children who live in the home. As a result, staff were not provided with specific training, impacting on the quality of care and support for the children.

p.4

good

Staff receive regular supervision. This is enhanced by weekly reflective group meetings, team meetings and focus groups. Staff state that they feel supported. However, records do not fully reflect the length of supervision or the discussions that take place.

p.5

good

The registered manager has not completed admission records for one child who had moved in to the home. Furthermore, the records for other children are incomplete. This does not meet the registered manager’s regulatory responsibilities.

p.5

good

Significant details, such as the staffing structure, within the statement of purpose are incorrect. Consequently, the provider does not meet this aspect of the regulation by failing to update this key document when such changes occur.

p.5

good

The manager reviews the daily and case records for all children. As a result of this monitoring and oversight, the manager has knowledge of the children’s day-to-day experiences and a well-rounded view of the progress that the children are making. However, the registered manager does not ensure that the records always demonstrate the practice of staff and, therefore, they do not positively reflect the quality of care that the children are experiencing.

p.5

good

Regular communication with the children’s social workers results in a shared approach to managing risks and targeted care planning for the children. Feedback from external professionals is very positive about communication and partnership working. One social worker stated, ‘they work in an open and therapeutic way, which supports positive relationships with the child and us as professionals’. This demonstrates a culture of openness, which ensures that children benefit from meaningful joint working. Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must provide children with e-safety education and support from home staff to ensure that they are safe when online and understand the risks of accessing the internet. 26 March 2023

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 7 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff receive training that meets the needs of the children, particularly where this is known when children move in to the home. The registered person must ensure that there is a plan in place for any staff who miss training that they require to meet the children’s needs.

p.7

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 26 March 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that all children who move in to the home are entered into the admissions log to evidence their time and journey at the home. 26 March 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.7

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.7

Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 8 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that placement plans and any changes to how the adults should respond to day-to-day risks are updated in written risk assessments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that there is record of supervision kept for staff. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation and the home’s policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

p.8

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: 2641682 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy, 210 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JX

p.9

Inspector

Rebecca Fisher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2641682 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10