Children's home run by Surrey County Council in Woking

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 1 SC040631 Registered provider: Surrey County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This 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.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children currently live at the home. All four children were present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is currently vacant.

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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

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 2

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 3

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requires improvement to be good

Despite some positive changes since the assurance inspection, some shortfalls remain in safeguarding practice and leadership and management. The overall quality and experience for children therefore requires improvement. There is a development plan in place. However, this is not yet fully embedded in practice.

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requires improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection all but one child was enrolled in an education provision. Attendance for all children enrolled was erratic. Staff provided a lack of consistent incentives for children to attend. There is a development plan in place, however, this is not yet embedded in practice. Virtual school said that staff are proactive in advocating for children.

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requires improvement to be good

The children receive individualised care and support from a dedicated staff team. The approach from staff towards children is both nurturing and warm.

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requires improvement to be good

Staff spoken to are happy to work at this home and speak positively about the children. The staff communicate well with parents and keep them up to date about their child. Parents are positive about the care and support that the children receive.

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requires improvement to be good

Most children say they like the staff. They feel able to speak to staff about their worries and concerns. The children know that the staff listen to them and value their opinions. The children feel heard and understood. Managers respond quickly to children’s complaints. As a result, trusting relationships develop between the staff and children.

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requires improvement to be good

The staff work well with other professionals. Staff advocate on behalf of the children to ensure that these external agencies provide the support the children need.

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requires improvement to be good

The staff actively promote contact between children and their families. This enhances children’s links with their families and keeps them connected with the people who are important to them.

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requires improvement to be good

The children smoke in one area on site and vape in the home. This puts children’s health at risk. The response from staff to address these behaviours is inconsistent and not in accordance with the home’s statement of purpose.

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requires improvement to be good

Dynamics between the children are sometimes of concern. Staff’s response to children’s behaviour is inconsistent. As a result, children do not receive clear Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 4 messages about expectations. In addition, they do not receive consistently good support to learn how to manage difficult situations.

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requires improvement to be good

Staff took appropriate action in respect of two significant safeguarding incidents in the home. These incidents were reported to relevant safeguarding professionals. However, the manager did not notify these to Ofsted. Therefore, the regulator was not aware of significant events that occurred in the home and was unable to monitor safe practice.

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requires improvement to be good

Some improvements to the home have been made since the last inspection. However, damages to the building and fire doors have not been repaired, and the bathrooms require redecoration.

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requires improvement to be good

The arrangements to protect children are generally effective. Staff have positive relationships with the professional network to safeguard children. Professionals spoken to have no concerns about staff practice.

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requires improvement to be good

Staff understand the individual risks for each child. The manager ensures that thorough risk assessments are in place for each child. The children’s risk management plans are kept up to date and reflect their changing needs.

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requires improvement to be good

The staff team continues to grow. New staff have the necessary skills and experience to care for children. The manager ensures that the relevant statutory checks are undertaken before staff undertake any work with children. Safer recruitment practice is robust. This helps to prevent unsuitable people gaining employment in the home.

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be good

The manager is relatively new to the role. She has submitted an application to Ofsted.

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be good

The manager knows the children and staff well. The staff feel well supported by the manager and described her as ‘supportive and approachable’. There are few changes in the staff team. This ensures the children receive continuity of care and are able to develop positive relationships with the staff. This enhances the care of children.

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be good

The manager is working with the staff team to improve consistency of behaviour management. However, this is not fully embedded in practice as yet. Without united boundaries in place, the children’s response to situations is variable.

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be good

Staff training records are unclear. It is therefore difficult to track staff’s development and further learning needs. This lack of detail could result in missed opportunities for staff to improve their knowledge and practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 5 The quality of recording is variable. Sometimes the level of detail is insufficient to demonstrate the actions that staff take to meet the children’s needs.

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be good

Managers’ oversight has improved since the last assurance inspection. There is now clear evidence of curiosity, reflection and actions to be undertaken, which are then followed up.

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be good

The manager knows the areas for development. She is reflective and uses complaints as a learning opportunity for the staff team. The manager is passionate about improving the experiences for children within the home. She has actively begun to implement change. However, the improvements are not yet fully embedded into practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 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 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

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 28 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those 28 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 7 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(v))

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(d)) 28 August 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

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)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 28 August 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child is supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that the staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 8

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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: SC040631 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quadrant Court, 35 Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7QQ

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Inspectors

Skye Frain, Social Care Inspector Faye McCarthy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040631 10 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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