Children's home run by Surrey County Council in Woking

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 1 SC040631

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Registered provider: Surrey County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. The staff care for up to four children who have experienced childhood trauma and have complex difficulties relating to their social and emotional well-being. Four children currently live at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since September 2022 and is in the process of submitting her application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Three children were present during the inspection. Children are, overall, settled and nurtured in the home environment. They benefit from strong and trusting relationships with staff who know them well.

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The care of children

There have been steady practice improvements in the home since the previous inspection. This has positively impacted on children’s overall quality and experiences of care.

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The care of children

Children enjoy a variety of activities available to them and actively participate in them alongside staff. They talk positively of their experiences with staff and look forward to their next activity.

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The care of children

Managers and leaders advocate on behalf of children to ensure that they have options available to them relevant to their interests and hobbies. As a result, children regularly attend the gym and horse-riding lessons. This helps children to enjoy new activities and build relationships.

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The care of children

Staff promote contact between children and those important to them. Staff also build relationships with the network around the child. This ensures consistency in messages and clear communication with children. This collaborative approach also reduces risks to children, especially when they go missing.

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The care of children

Children’s views have become more evident. This is most notable in their care and placement plans. An example of staff practice changing due to a child’s feedback was also seen. Responses from children, staff and family members also attest to the child’s voice being present. The previous recommendation has therefore been met.

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The safety of children

Staff understand the individualised risks to the children in their care. Risk assessments are detailed and updated regularly. Children trust staff and will ask for support when feeling vulnerable. Staff actively implement strategies to reduce the risk of harm to children. This keeps children safe.

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The safety of children

Staff’s response to children’s behaviour has improved. When there are concerns, staff take effective action. There have been no unplanned endings or admissions. The police presence in the home has continued to be significantly reduced. Staff confidence has improved in their approach to keeping children safe. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 3 Safeguarding incident reports are detailed and thorough. Managers reject incident reports if they do not include enough relevant information. This promotes good practice in ensuring accuracy in reporting.

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The safety of children

No one spoken to voice any safeguarding concerns around practice during this inspection.

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The safety of children

Progress has been made in relation to the shortfalls raised at the last inspection under the protection of children standard. However, it was not possible to test these fully. The requirement will remain, and it will be explored at the next inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has been in post since September 2022. Since the previous inspection, she has submitted her application to register. Two experienced deputy managers and a relatively new staff team support the manager. Sufficiency within the team has improved. Staff report that the manager is supportive and communicative. This provides a positive environment for children to live in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers continue to work well with external professionals and family members. All comments received report good communication and positive working relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Recording on children’s files is thorough and detailed. Management oversight is evident but has been consistently delayed. The manager acknowledges this is an area for improvement. The manager has recently embedded an audit tool to track oversight. This is in addition to the current recording system in place. It is still too soon to assess whether this will result in sustained change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Notifications of safeguarding incidents are now consistently being sent to Ofsted. Delay is minimal. This has allowed for the regulator to review the manager’s safeguarding actions. The previous requirement is therefore met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and staff strive to improve the presentation of the home to make it feel less institutionalised. Improvements can be seen in the kitchen and living areas. Bathrooms have been painted and personalised. However, work to replace the flooring in bathrooms has not been completed. The previous requirement has been replaced with a recommendation. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/05/2021 Full Good 28/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/07/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 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 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(iv)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 May 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— 15 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person’s progress on timely oversight of incidents.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children and is a homely, domestic environment. The children’s home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations; however, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This relates specifically to the registered person making progress on the home’s development plan for refurbishment of areas in the home that need improvement, including the bathrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Surrey County Council

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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

Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC040631 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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