Children's Home run by Moonreach LTD in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 1 Registered provider: Moonreach Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in July 2023 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 13 July 2023 and is suitably qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they like where they live and speak positively about the care they receive. Staff establish trusting relationships with the children. As a result, children feel that staff keep their best interests at heart.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to have a say in their care. A particular strength of staff in the home is their ability to engage children in open discussions. There is a strong emphasis around supporting children to express their wishes and feelings. Children’s views are sought through natural and planned discussions, as well as monthly children’s meetings. These forums also provide staff with opportunities to hold sensitive discussions with children to assist safety planning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain meaningful relationships with their families and the people who are important to them. This includes promoting and supporting family time. Family members are kept up to date and speak confidently about the care provided to children. One parent described how staff make it feel like they are ‘one extended family’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are making great progress from their starting points. Staff have high, but achievable, ambitions for the children regarding their education. They have a clear expectation that the children engage in formal learning. One child, who previously struggled to attend school, is now enrolled in full-time education and participating in work experience. Staff work with education services to promote the children’s education plans. When plans fall short of what children require, staff and managers are proactive in their challenge of relevant partner agencies.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager fully considers children’s needs before they move into the home. This includes a team approach to decision-making and planning. How best to support children moving in is carefully considered. Staff send the children information about the home and arrange discussions and meetings to support early introductions. As a result, children quickly settle in and feel comfortable in their new home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment that replicates that of family home life as much as possible. Children’s bedrooms are decorated and furnished to a high standard. The children are encouraged to personalise their bedroom to reflect their individual tastes and identity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of preparing children for their future. They develop clear plans to help progress the children’s life skills in line with their age and ability. The children are supported in all areas, for example from taking responsibility for keeping their bedrooms tidy to managing their own food budget. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 4

p.3

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks for the children. The importance of supportive relationships as a safeguard for children is kept central to all risk management. Staff develop detailed individual risk assessments and support plans, which are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff are involved in risk management planning and know what is expected of them if any safeguarding concerns arise.

p.4

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

The children rarely go missing because they like where they live. They feel happy and safe in the home. On the few occasions when children have been missing from the home, staff have been proactive to maintain contact and encourage their safe return. On return, staff provide children with reassurance and understanding. Planned discussions with children about why they went missing routinely take place. This helps to ensure children’s safety and reduces the likelihood of them going missing again.

p.4

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

Staff understand that children’s behaviour is a form of communication. They continuously look beyond presenting behaviours to try to understand and respond to what children are trying to convey. Staff skilfully balance this against ensuring that children still have fair and consistent boundaries in place.

p.4

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

Allegations against staff are few. However, when allegations are made, they are well responded to. All allegations against staff are reported to safeguarding partner professionals. The manager quickly takes steps to ensure the immediate safeguarding of the children, followed by diligent investigations.

p.4

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

The suitably trained staff use physical intervention appropriately and only as a last resort. Planned conversations are routinely held with children and staff following any incident. The manager monitors the use of physical intervention to quickly identify any emerging patterns. Plans are put in place to consider different approaches. The home’s protocol around the use of physical intervention is not easily accessible by staff or linked to children’s plans. A failure to include a child’s local authority and school in staff’s planning to manage incidents resulted in a lack of a joined-up approach. This led to a lack of understanding from partner professionals around an increase in the use of physical intervention. Consequently, the child’s local authority moved them from the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is dedicated to ensuring that children living in the home have positive experiences. The manager establishes high standards for the care provided by staff, as well as the aspirations she has for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a comprehensive understanding of children’s backgrounds and current needs. While taking the lead in assessing and planning for each child’s care, she also acknowledges and values the staff’s expertise. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 5 Staff describe the manager as ‘knowledgeable’, ‘caring’ and ‘responsive’. Alongside daily discussions, staff receive regular high-quality formal supervision. When new staff begin working in the home, they have a thorough induction. As a result of the support and training staff receive, they feel confident in their role when supporting and safeguarding children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a strong presence in the home and takes an active role in the day-to- day care provided. Children’s families and professionals have confidence that the manager creates an environment that enables plentiful opportunities for the children to progress. They say the manager is someone they can talk to if they have any concerns.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager drives improvement by using feedback and lessons learned from practice. The manager regularly assesses the care provided and takes action when this does not meet their expectations.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints are rare but when they occur, they are viewed as a point of learning. The manager deals with any complaints efficiently. This includes ensuring that feedback is provided to the complainant at every stage. Children are aware of the complaints procedure and say that they feel supported and listened to when they raise complaints. Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(d)) 7 February 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.6

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that children’s plans are informed by the organisation’s policy on discipline and restraint and that staff have access to this policy. 27 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 7

p.6

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: 2728332 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Dane John Works, Gordon Road, Canterbury CT1 3PP

p.8

Inspector

Kerry Howarth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2728332 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9