Children's home run by St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 1 Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a residential special school that is registered as a children’s home to care for up to 10 children with learning disabilities. Accommodation is provided across the school campus. It is owned by a charity. At the time of the inspection, 10 children and young people were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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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: 2502382 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Good 05/07/2022 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good 23/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, children and young people have moved to new accommodation areas within the school campus. Positively, children and young people now have a clear separation from their school day as their home environment is now further away from the main education building.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Following substantial investment, the quality of the children’s accommodation has greatly improved and is finished to a high standard. Children and young people personalise their own bedrooms as they wish to. The provision of ensuite bathrooms for has helped some children and young people progress with their independence and personal hygiene

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people benefit from well-planned support when they are moving into the home or within the premises. The children and young people are positively involved in planning such changes. Advice is sought from a clinical psychologist to inform plans for children who are moving on. As a result, children and young people are well prepared, and all such moves have been successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s health needs are met. They receive sensitive support to help them understand changes to their body. Staff offered excellent support to one child who has been through life-changing surgery since the previous inspection. Healthy diets are promoted, and children and young people enjoy home-cooked food.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good links exist between the care staff and the school. Daily handovers take place, which ensures that all relevant information is shared effectively. For one child, their school attendance has increased since living at the children’s home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people successfully learn life skills. These skills include doing laundry and learning to travel more independently. A recently implemented recording system now records children and young people’s progress in a new format. Although in its infancy, the new system is helping to more easily capture children and young people’s daily experiences through photos and words.

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

Safeguarding concerns are identified and responded to appropriately. Good partnership working exists with external agencies. Staff understand the individual risks for each child or young person. There are good risk management plans in place. These plans clearly identify strategies for staff to follow to reduce risk and are implemented consistently.

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

Children and young people respond well to positive praise and encouragement. One professional said the home has ‘continued to provide a supportive and nurturing Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 4 environment to help the child thrive’. Staff work well together as a team and provide clear boundaries. They use de-escalation techniques effectively. The use of restraint has decreased since the previous inspection. There is clear oversight of any use of any medications that are prescribed to support children through periods of crisis. This ensures that medication is only used as prescribed.

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

Link worker sessions take place using the child or young person’s preferred communication method. These meetings cover feelings and explore children and young people’s emotions. Children and young people share any worries they may have, and staff listen.

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

Children and young people live together happily. There is no bullying or targeted behaviour between the children and young people. The children and young people are kind to each other. Everyone helps with daily living tasks, such as laying the table and tidying up. Children and young people live in environments that are safe from hazards and are well maintained.

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good

Monitoring systems are not wholly effective. In some areas, oversight is effective, such as with recruitment, children’s progress and building maintenance. Other areas, such as training, supervision and staffing, are not being overseen effectively by the registered manager. Shortfalls exist in these areas. This is the third full inspection in a row where monitoring systems have been raised as a requirement.

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good

Children and young people benefit from a stable staff team that provides them with consistency. However, the home has a high number of staff vacancies, and to maintain this consistency several staff members are working additional hours. Monitoring systems to support the welfare of these staff and whether there is an impact on the children are inconsistent. Recruitment strategies are in place, but it is too soon to see a significant impact.

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good

Staff receive regular training in several topics such as safeguarding and fire safety. However, most staff who support children overnight have not accessed training in autism awareness and Makaton. As a result, children and young people are being cared for overnight by staff who do not have the same level of training as the day care staff.

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good

Although many staff are trained in first aid, some shifts have taken place without a trained first aider on the premises. This could delay children and young people receiving the correct help if they are injured.

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good

Safeguarding concerns are identified and appropriate actions are taken. However, there have been several notifications that have not been made to Ofsted in line with regulation. This includes serious medication errors, a Disclosure and Barring Service referral and several allegations. Although these incidents have been managed well, Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 5 this compromises the regulator’s ability to oversee the effectiveness of safeguarding within the home.

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good

Staff members do not all receive formal supervision on a regular basis. For example, some staff have had gaps of several months between meeting their supervisor. This means that some staff are not provided with a regular opportunity to hear feedback on their practice, receive structured support and develop professionally.

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good

The registered manager has strongly advocated for children and young people and has challenged the professional network effectively to get the best support and outcomes for them. This demonstrates a belief in children and young people to receive the best opportunities and support from all involved in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working in the home pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (33), the registered person must without delay notify— 15 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 7 HMCI.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; and

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (3)(a) (4)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 15 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 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: 2502382 9

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Amlets Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7DH

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Inspectors

Anna Williams, Social Care Inspector Kelly Marchmont, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2502382 10 and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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