Children's Home run by Personal Security Service Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 1 Registered provider: Personal Security Service Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to four children. The aim of the home is to provide children with a safe, stable, happy and comfortable home, and to enable children to build on their confidence, self-esteem and resilience as they progress into adult life.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the organisation in May 2023. An interim manager has been in post since May 2023 but has not applied for registration.

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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

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2023

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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: 1258658 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of inspection, there were two children living at the home. The staff know the children well and there are positive relationships between the staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their education. They have helped one child to look for apprenticeships and offered encouragement and guidance. Another child has visits from an external practitioner to prepare them for education. The staff support this practitioner at the home. There are plans in place for the child to be supported to return to school. Children have made progress with their engagement with education since being at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are asked their views about the activities they would like to take part in. One child spends a lot of time at the home due to court restrictions. The staff creatively keep her busy. Both children have been to theme parks in line with their wishes, which they enjoyed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. They encourage one child to achieve domestic tasks independently. They discuss independence skills with the child to support their understanding. This is helping to prepare the child for future independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to identify and manage their emotions. The positive relationships that staff have with the children support this. Staff engage with therapeutic professionals from the placing authority to increase their understanding of children’s experiences and how these have an impact on their behaviours. The staff welcome support in developing their understanding to enable them to use this guidance to improve their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and welcoming and is undergoing some redecoration. The manager involves the children in choosing the colours for the redecoration. Children’s artwork is on display around the home.

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

Staff understand children’s risks. They support children to discuss their risks to help them to be able to identify these. This helps children to develop their awareness, with the aim of reducing risks.

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

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and provide clear strategies for staff to use to support children. The assessments and strategies are personalised to the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 4 Restraints are used proportionately, and to keep children safe. The use of restraints is minimal and in accordance with children’s court orders. The staff attempt de- escalation techniques before using restraints.

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

Staff understand the protocols to follow when a child is missing from home. They work closely with the police and placing authorities to locate children. The staff undertake searches in known areas where children spend time to try and locate them. They speak to children when they return to gather information and give children the opportunity to raise any concerns.

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

Staff support children to keep safe online and understand internet safety. When concerns about a child’s online activities were raised, staff limited their online use until these could be safely managed. The manager works with children’s social workers to inform them of any worries and to agree plans to address the risks.

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

Managers do not always ensure staff follow safeguarding procedures. Following an incident where staff did not report concerns to a manager, the staff member involved was not formally spoken to about not following procedures. This could mean that similar incidents could occur again, which could place children at risk. This limits managers’ ability to identify any learning or training needs from the incident.

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

Following incidents, referrals are made to the local authority designated officer (LADO). Recommendations made by the LADO are not always completed in a timely manner. These delays could mean that investigations are not completed thoroughly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager left in May 2023. There is an interim manager who started straight away. The recruitment of a permanent manager is under way. There has been a period of change at the home due to the changes in the management team. The manager has been mindful that this does not have an impact on the care provided for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals talks positively about communication from the manager. They feel that the manager and staff know the children well. The majority of staff report that they feel supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the records about children, including key-work sessions, restraints and incident forms. This allows him to understand children’s behaviours and wishes and then put actions in place to support the children. The manager completes audits and is aware of the developmental areas. He is aspirational about the children and the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager welcomes external scrutiny from the independent visitor. Recommendations made by the independent visitor have been actioned. One recommendation about changing the recording forms for when children go missing- from-home episodes has led to these being easier to review. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 5 Supervision does not take place consistently. There are not clear timescales for supervisions to take place. Some new members of staff do not receive supervisions regularly when they start their roles. This could mean that staff do not have the opportunity to reflect on their practice to support their development. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff report concerns about staff conduct to a manager in a timely manner, and that the recommendations from the local authority designated officer are completed. 8 September 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision of their practice that 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)

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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) Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 7 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Personal Security Service Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Laser Quay, Culpeper Close, Medway City Estate, Rochester, Kent ME2 4HU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Frederik Booysen

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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1258658 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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