Children's home run by White Lodge Centre in Runnymede

Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 1 SC013828 Registered provider: White Lodge Centre Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home provides short-break care for up to six children who primarily have physical and/or learning disabilities. The home is located on a multi-purpose site and is operated by a large charitable organisation.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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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: 24 January 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: SC013828 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Good 19/06/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress through spending time in the home. They learn key skills for independence and how to spend time away from their family. They enjoy spending time with their friends and having age-appropriate experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Joint working with parents, education professionals, and other partner agencies means that children benefit from seamless transitions between school, home and short breaks. This leads to consistency in the approach to children’s needs and best practices being shared. Parents are enthusiastic about the home and the care and attention that their children receive. Parents say that it is their child's 'second home', and that the children get to do activities that they themselves are unable to undertake with them, such as going to restaurants for meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wide and varied range of activities. Photographs and videos show children enjoying being with the animals that visit the home, including dogs, pigs, and stick insects. Local firefighters visit and children have the opportunity to wear a firefighter’s helmet. Children learn about key events throughout the year, such as Shrove Tuesday, Mother’s Day and other lesser-known celebrations through the monthly celebration display. A video shows one child doing an excellent pancake toss.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are listened to and taken seriously. They make choices during their stay, such as what activities to do, the food they eat, and which staff are supporting them. Staff advocate for children regarding more-complex issues. For example, a child who had their daycare visit times reduced through changes to local authority agreements was vocal that the change was not in their best interests, and they did not wish to come to the home anymore. The manager adapted some visits to revert to the longer stays to help them to feel comfortable in the home again.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's physical and well-being needs are well met. Children learn how to try other foods to widen their diet and choices. Procedures for checking in, monitoring, and administering medication are sound. Children have access to supportive aids for independence and mobility that they also have at home and school. However, children's records do not show that a suitable professional, such as an occupational therapist, has made decisions on equipment that may be restrictive, such as specialist high-sided or zipped tent-style beds.

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

Children's actions show that they feel safe in the home. They approach staff with confidence and staff know how to respond to them. Staff are alert to any signs that the child may be uncomfortable, upset, or worried. Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 4 Staff know each child well and are aware of their individual vulnerabilities. They do all that they can to keep children safe and are confident in the processes to follow should they be worried about a child's welfare. Parents say that they know their child is safe when they stay at the home, and they are confident in the care provided by staff.

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

Staff consistently support children in the home, meaning that the children feel settled. Staff know that behaviour is a form of communication and put in time to understand what children want or need. Some children have reward charts to help them with learning skills at times when they may struggle, such as showering and staying in their own bed overnight. This leads to a reduction in unwanted behaviours, as children know what is expected of them.

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

The setting is due to have a full refurbishment. In the meantime, repairs that are made are not always of a good quality; they are safe, but not completed with care, such as pictures being hung straight or with suitable fixings. The manager has challenged this, but it remains a concern.

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

Recruitment procedures are strong, meaning that children are cared for by suitable people. However, the computerised recording system is cumbersome, and several documents have not been uploaded to it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has high aspirations for each of the children who come to the home. Her desire for all children to have an amazing stay is reflected in how well the staff respond to and support children throughout their visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The approach to recording children's time in the home against specific targets highlights where children are making progress through their stays. This means that staff can review how children are progressing and how they can continue to support them to develop their skills further. Photographs of children enjoying activities provide a clear record for the children and their parents to reflect on and celebrate their successes. The three-monthly reviews mean that children's skills are continually being developed to increase independence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported by the manager, senior team and each other. Staff benefit from regular supervision that allows time to reflect on their practice and consider further areas for development. Staff say that they have the training they need to meet the needs of the children. However, safeguarding training no longer has a specific element regarding children who are disabled. The manager is aware of this issue and ensures that staff are aware of specific risks and vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the shortfalls in staffing, and recruitment is ongoing. Senior staff work tirelessly to ensure that children have consistency in support, covering gaps in the rota themselves or with regular, known agency staff. This leads to children knowing the people who are caring for them. Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 5 The manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Development plans for the home are continually reviewed. They manager makes good use of regular monitoring of children’s outcomes, the quality of plans, and progress across the home. She makes good use of the evaluative reports completed by the independent visitor to constantly improve the care and services that children receive. Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all medical and supportive items are agreed by a suitably qualified professional. 12 April 2024

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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

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) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when maintenance takes place, it is to a suitable standard. 12 April 2024

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that recording systems for recruitment are fit for purpose and contain the information needed. 12 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that all staff have safeguarding training that covers the specific vulnerabilities of disabled children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: SC013828 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: White Lodge Centre, White Lodge, Holloway Hill, Lyne, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 0FA

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC013828 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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Inspector

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