Children's home run by St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 1 Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a residential special school that is registered as a children’s home to care for up to 29 children with learning disabilities. Accommodation is provided in seven individual houses on the school campus, although two were being refurbished at the time of this inspection. It is owned by a charity, which also has other services within the grounds. At the time of inspection, 15 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2018.

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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 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/07/2022 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good 23/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in this home and make significant progress from their starting points. Individual plans set out achievable targets to develop their life and social skills. These are monitored, and data is used to show how each child has progressed. Each success, no matter how small, is treated with a sense of pride by the staff who care passionately for the children they look after.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are actively sought throughout the day. Staff understand the complexities of each child’s communication style. They give the children time to share their views and make decisions. Children choose their meals, drinks, activities and colours for their bedrooms. Staff spoke fondly of a child choosing her own clothes when shopping for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from parents about the quality of care their children receive is overwhelmingly positive. One parent said: ‘They want to bring out their best qualities. They have ambitions for the children.’ Communication with parents and carers is effective and ensures that they are kept up to date with any events and how their children are progressing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The importance thorough and carefully planned transition plans is a strength of this home. Staff are acutely aware of each child’s ability to cope with or understand change and so ensure that the next stage of their life is planned in a manner with which each child can cope.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to understand healthy lifestyles and what this means for them. The occupational therapists provide an after-school gym club, and children are encouraged to make use of the outdoor gym equipment. Staff join in with the children to make this an enjoyable joint experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The administration of medication is very well monitored. Staff are trained in this area and are aware of each child’s health needs. Consequently, errors in the administration of medication are very rare, and if an error is made, it is swiftly rectified. Joint working with medical professionals on and off site means children have access to all they need to meet their medical needs.

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

Children feel safe in the home and with the staff. Staff understand each child’s vulnerabilities and protect them from avoidable risks, while supporting them to learn how to be safe.

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

Staff know how to respond to safeguarding concerns and, in the main, how to escalate concerns beyond the organisation. Joint working with safeguarding professionals is sound. However, there were two incidents of short delays in Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 4 reporting concerns to the designated officer in the local authority. The registered manager is reflective of these occasions and practice has been adjusted. Children were not at any additional risk because of this.

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

Behaviour management is carefully considered and assessed. Data is used to analyse incidents for trends and patterns. This information is used to inform practice and change strategies if needed. This is underpinned by all members of staff having very good insight into the children’s individual needs and behaviours. This means that children benefit from carefully prepared plans that inform practice and are sensitively and skilfully implemented. Consequently, the need to use physical intervention is low.

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

Safer recruitment practice is good and ensures that children are not in contact with unsuitable people. Children are further protected from unnecessary risk through regular monitoring of the homes and grounds.

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

Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan that outlines how they need to be supported in the event of having to leave their home in an emergency. These are effectively implemented. Fire drills are completed on a regular basis so that the staff know what to do, and children get used to the evacuation process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and individual home managers are aspirational for the children in their care. They actively seek for all children to develop and progress, to ensure that they have the best start in their lives. Home managers talk warmly about the progress children make, brimming with pride at the small steps taken that are huge for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff unanimously spoke of enjoying work at this home. They spoke positively about the variety of training and support they receive from both managers and colleagues. Staff, including agency, benefit from regular supervision, which challenges practice and is a positive developmental tool.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are plans in place to move children from the house in the main building to the refurbished houses. This move is imminent and is looked forward to by staff and managers. It will provide children with a significant improvement in their accommodation. Transition plans are currently underway to help the children adjust to the move.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team make good use of the monthly monitoring by the independent person. They are seeking to continuously improve and have linked with a school in another region to share good practice and learn from each other. Home managers provide peer reviews of each other’s homes, although there is little evidence of the impact this has on changes in practice. The registered manager has had a period of absence, leading to the six-monthly quality of care review not being sent to the regulator. This was reviewed during the inspection and deemed suitable. Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 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 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)) 31 July 2023

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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: 2502382 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Amlets Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7DH

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Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Paul Taylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 7 inspects 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. 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

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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