Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 1 SC401927 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 operated by a limited company. It provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties aged between eight and 18 years of age. There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since 26 May 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the last full inspection and subsequent monitoring visit on 8 March 2022, the home’s registration was suspended due to serious safeguarding concerns. A monitoring visit on 20 April 2022 concluded that the provider was complying with the suspension notice and had taken action to meet the three compliance notices. This resulted in the suspension being removed and Ofsted imposed a three-month condition. A further monitoring visit on 8 November 2022 identified that leaders had complied with the requirements and were ready to accommodate children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2022 Full Inadequate 06/08/2019 Full Good 29/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 3

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improvement to be good

There has been one child move into the home following the reopening in December 2022. The child’s move to the home was planned and included visits for them to get to know staff and the environment. However, there are gaps in some information, such as health and educational records. Therefore, staff did not have relevant information to provide effective care planning.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to engage in educational activities; this has provided positive structure and routine. A tutor attends the home to support the child’s learning. However, there has been a delay in establishing a school placement, therefore impacting on the child making educational progress.

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improvement to be good

There are gaps in meeting the child’s health needs. For example, staff have not been provided with accurate information regarding a known health condition. Furthermore, there are unnecessary delays in accessing dental care. Therefore, there are shortfalls in supporting the child’s health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

The staff have built a positive relationship with the child and have regular key- working discussions. These opportunities have allowed the child to explore matters that are important to them. The child said: ‘I feel staff help and support me.’ This has resulted in the child having positive experiences and making progress from their starting point.

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improvement to be good

The home is well presented and a nice place to live. The child has been able to personalise their bedroom. Consultation has occurred with the child to develop the communal areas. However, the garden lacks play equipment; staff identified this as an activity the child enjoys.

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improvement to be good

While incidents in the home are rare, there is a missed opportunity for the child to be able to reflect with staff following any incidents. Therefore, the child is not being supported to develop strategies and consider how they would do things differently.

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improvement to be good

The staff are not proactive around e-safety risks for the child. They rely on the child to inform them of any dangers they come across. This is a missed opportunity to educate the child of online risks and how to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not ensured that all required delegated authority and consent were in place for the child when they moved to the home. Consequently, staff did not have the required consent for emergency medical treatment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 4 There is a shortfall in the manager’s professional curiosity to explore an employee’s previous employment dispute regarding poor practice. While this has not impacted on staff being suitably vetted, it highlights a gap in the manager’s scrutiny of safer recruitment.

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improvement to be good

There are sufficient plans in place to guide staff around the child’s risk-taking behaviours. Staff can demonstrate that they know their safeguarding responsibilities and provide boundaries for the child. Consequently, the child does not go missing and is involved in minimal incidents in the home.

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good

The manager is aware of the areas of development in the home. He is supported by a small staff team who provide continuity of care and they feel supported. The manager has submitted his application to be registered with Ofsted. His ability to manage and lead effectively is yet to be measured by Ofsted’s suitability process.

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good

The manager has not yet established effective monitoring systems to demonstrate his oversight of children’s care, for example reviewing key documents and ensuring that these are updated with current information.

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good

The manager failed to notify Ofsted of a serious incident. This inhibits the regulator’s oversight of the response to safeguarding concerns and how such incidents are managed.

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good

The manager has not ensured that all staff have all the necessary skills and experience needed to support children’s needs. For example, staff have not received training on the child’s health condition, and face-to-face training arranged on self- harm has not been prioritised.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, minutes of supervision meetings do not fully demonstrate that staff have the opportunity to discuss incidents and reflect on their practice and the impact on the quality of care they provide. Therefore, there are missed opportunities for staff to learn from their experiences and professionally develop.

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good

There is good partnership working and communication with external agencies. The child’s social worker stated: ‘The home has been the best thing that has happened for the child.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 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 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

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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

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner; and 9 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 6 that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must provide training for staff in the child’s specific health conditions and that records are accurate about the current health needs of the child.

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must provide children with e-safety education and support from home staff to ensure that children are safe when online and understand the risks involved in accessing the internet. 9 April 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

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; 9 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure he has oversight and evidence regular reviews of all matters relating to the management of the home and the quality of care provided.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must explore information from previous employers that could relate to potential poor practice. 9 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; 9 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC401927 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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: SC401927 9

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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: SC401927 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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