Children's Home run by Southend-on-Sea Young Men’s Christian Association in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 1 Registered provider: Southend on Sea Young Men’s Christian Association Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a local charity affiliated to a national charitable network. It provides care for up to three children aged between 11 and 17 who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. The registered manager meets with children before they move in. This helps children to feel able to ask questions and be reassured. Children are encouraged to plan the day that they move in. This helps them to feel a sense of control over their own lives. The manager works with people who are important to the child to share information. The manager uses this information to ensure that children living together have common interests and that staff have the correct skills and experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from choosing and engaging in a variety of activities. Staff organised for one child to have off-road driving lessons. This gave the child the confidence to explore learning to drive with a view to potential employment. Children have gym memberships and personal trainers. Children and staff volunteer their time at a local food bank. Children are helped to build confidence and learn new skills while having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is a priority. Both children had not been in education for a significant period of time before moving to the home. One child has now completed functional skills exams, and their attendance at school and work experience is good. One child engages in online tutoring and has started to plan their career. A teacher said, ‘The registered manager has been instrumental in sourcing educational placements for both children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to spend time with people who are important to them. Children’s friends have visited the home. Staff take children to see their families. Staff understand the importance of children’s relationships. Staff also understand that these relationships can be complex and that children may require emotional support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals agree that children have made significant progress since living at the home. Both children are now in healthy routines. One child spends time with staff without wearing clothing that covers their face. One child has significantly reduced smoking illegal substances. A social worker said, ‘From where he was, to now, it’s been amazing. He has flourished. He is a different child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand the risks of substance misuse. Staff talk to children about their health, lifestyle and future. The manager works closely with other professionals to discuss any concerns about children’s health. Staff make referrals to substance counselling and health professionals. This helps children to make positive choices about their health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with staff talking about matters that are important to them. Children are involved in the creation of menus and organising daily activities at the Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 4 home. However, children do not know how to make a formal complaint. This means that issues affecting children may go unresolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a modern, welcoming and spacious home. However, broken glass and discarded cigarettes were visible in the garden. This is a health and safety risk to children and detracts from the pleasant surroundings of the home.

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

Staff understand that children’s behaviour is a response to their trauma. The home’s psychologist creates behaviour plans and strategies which focus on children’s experiences. Staff use these plans to help children when they feel upset or worried. As a result, there have been no restraints and behavioural incidents are rare.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and how to keep children safe. Risk assessments are detailed and provide staff with guidance on how to manage known concerns and risks. Consequently, this has had a positive impact on one child and significantly reduces the risks to them. One child said, ‘The staff are nice, they help you. It’s aright living here.’

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

Detailed missing-from-home procedures are in place for both children. There has been one occasion when a child left the home without permission. Staff looked for the child and contacted relevant people and the child returned safely. Staff spent time with the child to find out why they went missing. This helped the child talk about their feelings.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to report safeguarding concerns. Social workers said that communication is good.

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

Room searches are carried out only when there are concerns for the health and well-being of children. Records of searches are detailed. However, children are not asked if staff can search their bedrooms. This means that children may not feel respected or trusted.

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

Consequences are used to help children learn when they have made unhealthy choices. However, the consequences are not always restorative and records do not evidence the length of a consequence. Furthermore, the manager does not sign or comment on the records. This does not evidence that the manager is overseeing and assessing the proportionality or effectiveness of consequences.

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good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced to manage the home. An experienced responsible individual and deputy support the manager.

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good

The manager is focused on creating an established and experienced staff team. Regular team meetings focus on team-building activities and development. The Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 5 manager encourages staff to reflect on teamwork and practice. This helps this newly formed staff team to develop relationships, and share ideas and responsibilities.

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good

Staff receive supervision which focuses on children, safeguarding and development. However, supervision is not carried out in line with the time frames detailed in the home’s statement of purpose.

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good

The manager follows safer recruitment processes. Staff receive well-planned inductions. External professionals enhance the induction programme. This includes staff wearing virtual headsets to help them experience the effect of trauma on children from conception through to adulthood. This helps staff to have a deeper understanding of how children may feel in certain situations.

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good

The manager does not have effective monitoring tools in place. Children’s information is stored in different files and there are duplicate assessments and plans. A child’s risk assessment was not in their file and could not be found for an hour during the inspection. Important information is not easily accessible and could lead to staff working inconsistently with children.

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good

One member of staff did not know what the statement of purpose is. While this does not affect the children’s experiences, lack of understanding of the home’s approach does not enable staff to work to the same goals.

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good

Staff complete the organisation’s mandatory training programme as part of their continuing professional development. However, the manager has not provided substance misuse training. This training would provide staff with additional skills and knowledge to support the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 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 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to removing the discarded cigarettes and broken glass in the back garden. 3 March 2023

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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, monitor children’s files and information to ensure that they are secure, reviewed and accessible. 10 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, or discipline 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; 17 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, provide managerial oversight of records to consider whether consequences are proportionate, relevant and effective.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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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

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(c) (2)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, provide relevant training to staff on substance misuse. 24 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff— 24 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 8 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff receive regular supervision in accordance with the time frames in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff understand the statement of purpose.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is not generally entered without their permission, though it may be necessary to establish routines to allow for rooms to be cleaned regularly. Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or their permission obtained. Immediate searching may be necessary when there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’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 children are aware of how to make a complaint and reminded as necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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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: 2696017 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Southend on Sea Young Men’s Christian Association

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newlands, 85 Ambleside Drive, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2FY

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Inspector

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2696017 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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