Children's Home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Milton Keynes

Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 1 SC391379 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023 and is suitably qualified.

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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: 14 November 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: SC391379 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Good 05/05/2021 Full Good 26/11/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home and one child has moved in from a sister home. Care planning is robust and effective in guiding staff on how to support the children. While there have recently been some unsettled times in the home, staff have managed these well. Staff support the children in times of change and things have started to settle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education attendance is mixed. One child is making excellent progress and is currently studying for their A levels. Two children attend the provider’s internal college and while their attendance is low, this is progress for them based on their previous engagement. Another child has recently lost their college placement due to poor attendance and is unsure what their next steps will be.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are registered with local health services and routine appointments are made for them when required. Any appointments children decline to attend are followed up and staff speak with the children about the importance of these appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have regular discussions with the children to explore their views and wishes. Children can contribute their ideas to the shared household agenda, and they choose what food they would like or what activities they would like to participate in. Children contribute to their care planning to ensure that their views on how they are supported are included in their written plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager is an advocate for children’s relationships with their families. For example, one child has been reunited with their birth family and is now having regular visits and building on their relationship. Staff work very well with children’s families. This joined-up approach shows children that staff and families work together and model good parenting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The communal areas of the home are warm and inviting. However, children’s bedrooms are not kept to a good standard of cleanliness and repair. This does not promote children’s sense of well-being in their personal space.

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

Senior leaders respond appropriately to any concerns raised by the children. Serious incidents are reported to the local authority designated officer and the regulator. Where required, a thorough investigation is carried out, which demonstrates strong safeguarding practice. Children live in a home where they can share their concerns and are listened to.

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

Staff are aware of children’s risks, and incidents are well managed to support children to be safer. If children go missing from the home, staff are proactive in trying to locate and Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 4 contact them. Staff talk to the children when they return, to see how they can prevent them from going missing from home again. Appropriate risk plans are in place to support any children who harm themselves, to ensure that the risks are reduced and monitored.

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

The provider’s therapeutic model aims to create strong routines and boundaries for the children. Its focus is on building self-esteem and on forming relationships between individual children and staff. Part of this works on the children receiving tokens throughout the day for carrying out daily tasks. Children can accumulate different levels and incentives to reflect their accomplishments. However, the policy and procedure relating to financial consequences is unclear and is not always used as part of reparation work.

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

Safer recruitment processes are in place to ensure that internal staff are suitably vetted. However, some information is missing regarding the suitability checks for agency staff. This includes verification of previous employment when working with children or vulnerable adults and ensuring that original Disclosure and Barring Service certificates are viewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate and committed to the children and strives for them to receive the best care and life experiences. There is continual reflective learning to improve practice and ensure effective oversight of the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager feels supported by senior leaders. Equally, staff feel supported by the registered manager. They have regular supervision sessions and appraisals and meet monthly for team meetings. This gives lots of opportunities for staff to come together to discuss children’s needs and their own support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a comprehensive training and induction programme to ensure that staff have the skills and qualifications required for their role. The registered manager ensures that staff are supported with their development, which has enabled them to progress through the company. Equally, the registered manager is supported by the responsible individual to progress her skills and qualifications, and she has opportunities to embed practice throughout the wider organisation and deliver training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a culturally diverse staff team. This is of great benefit to the children in the home and ensures that their cultural needs are being met. The small and consistent team of staff work well together and are committed to the children achieving their best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Risk plans are generally updated following any incidents or new risks emerging for the children. Staff practice is consistent and appropriate to the risks presented. However, one child’s plans contain conflicting information that does not reflect staff’s practice when a child is missing from the home. This could be confusing for new or agency staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered provider has updated the home’s statement of purpose. However, this has not been sent to the regulator as required. Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 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, 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

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

This specifically relates to the children’s bedrooms. 31 July 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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated and specifically relates to agency members of staff. 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 6 The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b)) 31 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. This specifically relates to the policy and procedure relating to financial consequences. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. The registered provider should ensure that risk plans reflect staff practice and are clear. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC391379 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1FD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

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Inspectors

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Shirin White, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC391379 8 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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