Children's Home run by Kent County Council in Kent

Inspection report children's home: SC403850 1 SC403850 Registered provider: Kent County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This local authority home is a short-break service for disabled children.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2018.

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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: 15 December 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC403850 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/12/2022 Full Good 08/12/2021 Full Good 08/10/2019 Full Good 08/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC403850 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who receive short breaks at this home are looked after by staff who are committed to ensuring that they are kept safe and have an enjoyable experience. Children were observed to be relaxed and happy at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Working closely with children's families is given high priority to ensure consistency of care. In one example, managers sought feedback from children's families about their favourite places to visit in the community. This is so that, if opportunities arise, staff can arrange for them to visit familiar places during their short break. In another example, the parent of a child who has recently started to stay at the home spoke very positively about the child’s introduction to the service. They said that the child had settled well, and this is because they have been introduced at a pace which is suitable for the child. The parent said they were 'full of praise' for the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager proactively seeks ways of continuously improving the environment to ensure that equipment and resources provide children with a wide range of experiences. Children are supported to participate in activities that they find comforting and enjoyable as well as those that expand their interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff speak with pride when they describe the progress children make in relation to their ability to communicate their wishes and feelings. The registered manager encourages staff to use Makaton sign language during all interactions with children. However, during the inspection, there were missed opportunities for staff to help children to express themselves using Makaton.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by staff who know them well, and who understand how to meet their individual needs. This is underpinned by care and support plans that clearly describe to staff how to care for children in line with their preferences. The plans include information about the targets children are working towards to support them to be as independent as possible. Children's successes are celebrated and shared with people important to them at review meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers work closely with children's schools to ensure a shared understanding of children's current needs. Children's health needs are supported by the practice educator. She provides expert advice on children's health care plans and oversees staff training and assessment of practice to ensure that they can competently complete health tasks.

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

Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Managers ensure that the staff team’s safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date through regular, varied training opportunities. Inspection report children's home: SC403850 4 Managers have recently made changes to matching processes to ensure that children receive short breaks alongside other children only when their needs are compatible. Staff receive appropriate training to respond to children's behavioural needs. Despite staff describing a lack of confidence at times, they know the children well and this helps them to support children effectively who are struggling to manage their emotions. There have been no incidents requiring physical restraint since the last inspection.

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

Some children need specialist equipment to keep them safe. When that equipment restricts children’s movement, it is only used in line with individualised plans that are kept under close review by managers. Children’s parents and relevant professionals are involved in all assessment and review decisions.

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

There has been an improvement in the quality of staff recruitment records since the last inspection. They demonstrate that staff and managers responsible for this area of practice have a sound understanding of the processes they need to follow to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work at the home.

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

Incidents where children are at risk of harm are rare. When they do occur, staff and managers take swift and decisive action to ensure children's safety and well-being. Appropriate steps are taken to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

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

Medication is safely managed, and as a result, medication errors are infrequent. All errors, including minor errors, are taken seriously, investigated and acted on. Outcomes have included refresher training for staff or repeated competency checks. Learning is shared with the wider staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has effective management monitoring systems in place. As a result, she has sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. She has high expectations of staff, and this leads to good quality care when children come to stay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report good support from managers. They receive regular supervision, performance development reviews and training that helps them to meet the needs of the children they are looking after.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints about the service are rare. When they do occur, managers take appropriate action involving external safeguarding professionals where necessary. Feedback from external professionals is very positive regarding communication and partnership working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager proactively seeks feedback from a range of sources and makes good use of this feedback to develop the service. Children's views are recognised as particularly important, and staff and managers think creatively about how to capture these. The quality of monthly visits by the independent person has Inspection report children's home: SC403850 5 improved. They provide good oversight and scrutiny. This helps to ensure that children’s safety and well-being are maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Promoting equality and diversity is a key strength of the service. Managers ensure that there are equal opportunities for all children and that staff understand and meet children’s cultural needs. Staff make good use of fun activities to help children to learn about cultures and religions in a way that is accessible to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are sufficient care staff on each shift to meet children's needs. When there are rota gaps, these are filled by permanent relief staff or regular staff working additional shifts. As a result, children are looked after only by staff who know them well. However, the cook roles have been vacant for several months and this means that care staff must complete cooking tasks. When necessary, managers add extra staff to shifts to facilitate this. Managers are actively recruiting to the cook positions and one person is due to commence the role very soon. In the meantime, care staff express feeling frustrated that covering the cook role takes them away from spending time with children. Inspection report children's home: SC403850 6

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Statutory requirement

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 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

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children.

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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 each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ix)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should seek to improve the staff team's confidence to fully meet all children's behavioural needs. 1 April 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a Inspection report children's home: SC403850 7 responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there are enough suitably trained staff on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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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 children's home: SC403850 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Kent County Council

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone, ME14 1XQ

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Inspector

Helen Simmons, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report children's home: SC403850 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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