Children's home run by Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd in Thanet

Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 1 SC023645 Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home is part of a larger organisation which has several homes in the area. The home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children with social and emotional difficulties. Five children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 11 March 2021.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

This inspection was brought forward in order to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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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: SC023645 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2023 Full Good 09/11/2021 Full Good 19/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/05/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children well and have a good understanding of their needs. Staff identify children’s strengths and recognise their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s individuality is valued. Staff embrace differences and children are supported to explore their identity. When staff need additional information about children’s needs, they access community resources and specialist services as required. This accepting approach enables children to explore what their identity means to them in a non-judgmental environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

No new children have moved into the home since the previous inspection. Two children have moved on. One child moved on at short notice. However, unplanned endings are rare. When they do occur, the registered manager liaises with professionals to give the child and staff time to say goodbye. Considerate plans are made to ensure that children experience a positive and smooth move. Furthermore, some children who have moved on maintain their relationships with the staff, which supports their continued sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family visits are encouraged, where this is part of a child’s plan. A flexible, sensitive approach helps children to experience positive relationships with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s access to education is generally good. However, one child receives a reduced timetable of tutoring. Leaders and the registered manager are working with education professionals to try and identify and secure a suitable school placement for this child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ask children about their views and wishes, through meetings and discussions and in day-to-day conversations. This means that children influence the care and support that they receive. Children say that they enjoy living in the home and generally get on with each other. Children access activities of their choice, individually and in small groups. This helps with relationships in the home and promotes children’s social skills.

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

Staff complete safeguarding training and have a good knowledge of safeguarding processes and contextual safeguarding. Their knowledge and understanding are regularly discussed in team meetings and in staff supervisions. Staff are familiar with the home’s whistle-blowing policy. Safeguarding concerns are regularly notified to the relevant professionals and Ofsted.

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

Before this inspection, Ofsted received information which raised safeguarding concerns relating to staff conduct and practice. Subsequently, Ofsted requested the provider to carry out their own internal investigation regarding the concerns raised. Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 4 However, the response received by Ofsted was weak. It fell short of a thorough investigation and did not provide assurances that all matters raised had been considered. For example, it was unclear if a full range of information was examined, and key people had not been included in the fact-finding. As a result, this inspection was brought forward. Leaders had not identified the gaps in their internal investigation and, at the time of the inspection, the matters had not been fully investigated.

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

The registered manager and staff are clear about risks in the home and those that apply to specific children. They assess these risks well and take appropriate steps to minimise them. Children say that they can go to staff with any problems and that they feel safe.

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

Children do not regularly go missing from the home. Detailed plans ensure that when children do go missing, staff know the areas to search and children’s known associates to contact. This has meant that children can be located and safely returned home after a short time. Staff make appropriate use of the police and external safeguarding partners when required, to support children to understand how to keep safe when away from the home.

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

Staff understand children’s individual risks and are highly attuned to their behaviour. As a result, children receive guidance and support that enable them to develop the skills and resilience to manage their emotions and deal with their feelings. When incidents do occur, physical intervention is used only as a last resort. The records are comprehensive and include how staff have tried to de-escalate situations. The registered manager has oversight of these records and ensures that interventions are proportionate and necessary. Children and staff are spoken to following any incidents.

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

Staff use incentives, rewards and verbal praise to recognise when children do something well, or when children have shown kindness and respect to each other and staff. Children say that staff remind them when they are being unkind and stop any disagreements. For instance, staff mediate and support them to find ways to manage their differences. This means that on the rare occasions children do not get along, staff support children to quickly resolve the issues.

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

Children’s health is prioritised well, and staff have good oversight of their healthcare needs. Staff support children’s emotional well-being. Medication is stored safely and there is an adequate medication management system. However, the medication administration record for one child lacked information and detail. For example, staff did not have relevant information on when to administer medication on a ‘when required’ basis. However, this did not have a negative impact on the child, due to staff understanding their needs well. There have been no medication errors since the last inspection.

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

Door alarms are used on all the children’s bedrooms. Although a generic risk assessment has been written, it fails to demonstrate on an individual basis why each child requires a door alarm. This compromises the privacy of children who do not Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 5 require a door alarm as a measure to keep them safe. The home’s statement of purpose and children’s guide do not reflect the use of bedroom door alarms. Therefore, the recommendation made at the previous inspection is not met.

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good

The registered manager is competent and passionate about her role. She has an excellent understanding of the service and the children’s needs and uses this knowledge effectively to continually develop the service. There is currently no responsible individual for this home. Leaders are yet to appoint a new responsible individual and directors and area managers are currently overseeing the home.

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good

Staff access training in core areas including safeguarding, physical intervention and first aid. When needed, staff undertake more targeted training, for example, managing self-harm and complex trauma. This gives staff the skills that they need to meet the individual needs of children. Most staff have achieved or are undertaking a relevant level 3 diploma. One staff member has not completed this within regulatory time frames. Plans are in place to rectify this.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, these are variable in quality. For example, not all supervision records clearly show actions or plans about how staff can meet their professional development targets. This means that plans to promote staff development are not always reviewed and monitored.

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good

The registered manager has established excellent working relationships with other professionals. For example, a social worker said that communication and involvement in planning, from the registered manager and staff, are helpful and effective. A headteacher described their involvement with the registered manager and deputy manager as ‘excellent’.

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good

There have been some staff changes since the last inspection. However, due to the stability of the rest of the staff team, this has not had a detrimental impact on children’s experiences or quality of care.

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good

Safer recruitment practices are generally followed when new staff are appointed. However, on one occasion, they were not diligently followed for a staff member who subsequently left the home. There was a lack of professional curiosity when the staff member had their identity checked and verification of employment history carried out. This was a missed opportunity to fully understand the staff member’s background and overall fitness for the role they were employed for.

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good

The manager has carried out an internal review of the quality of care. This is reflective and demonstrates that the registered manager has a clear view on the progress and areas for improvement in the home. The independent person’s visits and reports are used to help the registered manager to improve practice. Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 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, The 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that when concerns arise regarding the conduct of staff, comprehensive investigations take place that examine all available materials, and fact-finding includes all relevant staff. 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The privacy and access standard is that the registered person must –

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Requirement Due date

ensure that any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 21 (c)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the use of door sensors is assessed individually for each child. 31 August 2023

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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

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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. 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 7 For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(a)(b)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual. (Regulation 26 (4)(ii)) 31 August 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide and the home’s statement of purpose are reviewed and revised. Particularly, that they reflect the use of door alarms. Also, who can be contacted in the absence of the responsible individual. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23)  The registered person should ensure children’s medication is administered in line with a medically approved protocol. In particular, that details of when to administer ‘as required’ medication is clear in children’s plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive effective supervision which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children they care for. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 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: SC023645 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 73 and 74, Maple Leaf Business Park, Manston, Ramsgate CT12 5GD

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Inspectors

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Tony Waite, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC023645 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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