Children's Home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 1 Registered provider: Kites Children Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides specialist therapeutic care for up to five children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/10/2021 Full Good 10/06/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they feel safe and that staff help them to stay safe. Children form trusting relationships with staff. Observations of children show that they feel relaxed and confident in the presence of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to discuss and resolve difficulties of living together. They encourage children to resolve problems as a group. This allows children to form positive and respectful relationships and resolve possible conflict before it escalates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to attend school. There are good routines and structure in place to support children’s school attendance. School reports show that children make educational and social progress. All children’s attendance is above 90%.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage in meaningful social activities. This is supported via the provider’s outreach service and by staff who work in the home. Children take part in organised activities, such as go karting and attending football matches. They also attend a weekly club which offers a range of social opportunities. One child has recently purchased a guitar and is having guitar lessons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive therapy to address their trauma and associated behaviours. Carers and professionals say that this support helps children to make progress emotionally. One professional said that for one child, this progress was the reason they now engage in education and social activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Given the specialist nature of the provision, children are often placed far away from home. However, staff transport children long distances and support them to spend time with their family and friends. This ensures that children maintain relationships despite being placed considerable distances from home.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities and know how to keep them safe. Staff take appropriate action when children are missing from the home or involved in significant incidents. Their swift actions and understanding of children and their plans help to keep children safe.

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

Staff help children to understand their care plans and the level of risk they are currently assessed at. Children understand what this means for their future planning. The staff encourage children to take appropriate risks in line with their assessments. This allows children to work towards goals and targets, such as increased independent time. Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 4 Staff understand that children use behaviour to communicate their feelings and emotions. Staff understand children’s behaviour support plans and emotional needs. Children are offered appropriate support and de-escalation strategies when they are distressed and upset. This means that physical intervention is rarely used by staff.

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

Children’s allegations are taken seriously, and swift action is taken to keep children safe. One allegation has been recorded since the last inspection. This has been reported to the police and the local authority designated officer (LADO). Following LADO advice, an appropriate investigation was carried out, and the matter was quickly resolved for the child and staff involved.

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

For one child, there are inconsistencies in the documents guiding staff on managing risks. This increases the potential for staff to respond to these risks inconsistently.

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

On one occasion, the use of an appropriate and proportionate physical intervention was not recorded as a physical intervention. Managers did not identify this. As a result, the manager has not spoken to the member of staff or the child about the use of the measure of control.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced and qualified registered manager in post. They are ambitious for the children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. They receive training which meets the needs of the children in the home and is in line with the specialist support the service provides, as set out in the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that there is good multi-agency working in place to support children. There are close working relationships between the staff in the home, school, therapists, social workers and outreach workers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have generally good oversight of the home. They use key performance indicators to review the numbers and patterns of significant incidents, including restraints and missing-from-care episodes, and to monitor staff training and supervision. These indicators are reviewed weekly by the manager and responsible individual, and monthly by senior managers in the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has actively advocated for a child who is placed a long way from home and who wants to move closer to their family. They have worked closely with the placing authority and social worker to try and resolve this for the child, and possible alternatives are being explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At busy times, staff supervision sessions are not taking place or, when they do, are not being recorded in line with the home’s supervision policy. Therefore, at these busy times, staff are missing out on this support and managers are missing opportunities to monitor and develop staff’s practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s assessed risks are recorded accurately in all relevant plans. 31 July 2023

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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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31 July 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a system is in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 6

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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: 1230268 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kites Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Langham, Colchester CO4 5PX

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Inspectors

Tom McGhee, Social Care Inspector Eileen Bultitude, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1230268 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 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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