Children's Home run by Surrey County Council in Surrey

Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 1 Registered provider: Surrey County Council

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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 home is owned and run by a local authority. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children who experience emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 25 July 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 September 2024

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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: 2756164 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has left the home since the last inspection. This was a child-centred decision that benefited both children living in the home at the time. The child had mixed experiences in the home. Staff worked very hard to support them and keep them safe but were not always able to do so. Despite this, the child built strong and supportive relationships with several staff members and was helped to make progress in some areas, such as accessing therapy. These relationships helped to ensure that the child was well supported to move and settle into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has lived in the home since the last inspection. They are settled and have trusting relationships with staff. These relationships are supporting them to make good progress. For example, they are eating more healthily and taking part in more activities. This child was, at times, impacted by the difficulties experienced by the child who left the home. They said that things are much better now, and staff say that the child is more relaxed, and positive in their interactions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home recently. Before the children moved in, managers considered a range of information as well as the potential impact of children on each other. The staff team worked effectively to support both children to have a positive move. The relationships they have established with staff have helped them to settle and begin to make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value education and learning. They work closely with education professionals to support children's progress, resolve difficulties and help children who are not in school to learn. As a result of this support, one child is now attending school full time. Another is engaging more with online tuition and making plans to return to school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use their relationships to support children sensitively with the areas they need help with. One-to-one time is used to guide and advise children on issues such as family time or their health. This helps children to feel cared for and to approach difficulties in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's views are listened to. They know how to make complaints. Staff encourage children to express their preferences and make choices, such as for meals, activities and friends visiting the home. This helps children to feel heard and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers understand the importance of working relationships with others who are involved in children's care. They work with other professionals effectively, who provide consistently positive feedback about care, safeguarding and communication in relation to the three children currently living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents spoken to were generally positive about the care that their children receive and their safety. Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 4 The home is in good repair and comfortably furnished in a child-centred manner. The home manager ensures that repair and redecoration are carried out promptly when required, so that a homely environment is maintained.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of the children living in the home. They are guided by risk assessments that provide clear direction and are kept updated. Children's safety is a priority. Children receive the right response when there are concerns for their safety, such as in relation to online risks or when children go missing.

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

Staff take a positive approach to children’s behaviour. They recognise that behaviour is a form of communication, and seek to support, redirect and de-escalate situations. The use of incentives and rewards is embedded in practice. Physical interventions are rarely used and only when required for the safety of children or staff. Records of previous incidents do not show consistent management oversight or follow up discussions with children and staff to provide reflection and support. The new manager has a sound grasp of their responsibilities in this area, but it is too early to see evidence of improvements as there have not been any recent incidents where physical intervention has been used.

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

The management of allegations about staff has improved. Previously, it had been inconsistent. However, the new manager has taken thorough action to address these gaps. This helps to ensure that children receive safe care.

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

Leaders and managers conduct comprehensive safer recruitment checks before new staff start. This helps to reduce the risk of children being in contact with unsafe adults.

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

Electronic door alarms continue to be used in the home. They are used with good intent, but the need for such alarms is not assessed or regularly reviewed, and written consent is not in place from the placing authority for all children. Therefore, it is not clear that their use is necessary and proportionate for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management arrangements have not been stable since the last inspection, during which time there has been a complete change in the management team. Inconsistent management impacted, at times, on the support for staff to respond to behaviour that challenges, the level of management oversight and the progress made with addressing some of the shortfalls previously identified. There had also been several incidents in relation to the security of the staff office, keys and medication. Managers have made changes as a result and the current arrangements for office security, key and medication storage are appropriate. Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 5 Following intensive senior management input and the recruitment of new managers, the home is now much more settled for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is now a permanent manager and deputy in place. The manager has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager and deputy show a good understanding of the strengths of the service and the areas for development, and have a firm commitment to their roles. The new manager has made good progress in that time, for example, in addressing team morale, responding to the report of the independent visitor and ensuring timely notifications to the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are positive about the team and the support they get from managers. They say that the new manager and deputy manager are supportive and available, and that they feel listened to. The new manager has ensured that regular team meetings and reflective time for staff with an external facilitator are happening. This is helping to support improved team morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have made improvements to the induction process for new staff and are striving to ensure that supervision and appraisal happens in line with company policy. However, further improvements are needed to underpin efforts to build a strong and stable staff team. For example, staff who are on probation are not receiving the required frequency of supervision, and not all newer staff have had timely probation reviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are required to complete a range of relevant mandatory training, such as first aid and behaviour management. Systems are in place to ensure that staff are up to date with this and progressing with appropriate qualifications. This helps to ensure that children receive care from well-informed staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers recognise that there were significant challenges for the child who left the home and the staff caring for them, which also impacted on the child who remains in the home. Although there has been some reflection within the team in relation to these difficulties, leaders have not carried out a formal learning review, despite this being requested by the interim manager at the time. This represents a missed opportunity to capture learning to inform the ongoing development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is adequately staffed, with recruitment underway for one vacant post. There has been considerable change in the staff team, but managers have worked hard to recruit and rebuild the team. Managers understand the importance of consistency for children and have ensured that any agency staff use is minimal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers carried out a six-monthly review of the quality of care as required by regulations. However, this did not include the views of parents and there is not yet a system in place for obtaining these to inform future reports. Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 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

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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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 (1)(b) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive supervision and probation reviews in line with company policy. 8 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 8 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 7 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(ii)(h)) In particular, carry out a learning review in relation to the ending of one child’s placement and the experiences of the two children living in the home at that time.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child's need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 8 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the system they have in place to enable them to undertake a six-monthly quality of care review provides for ascertaining and considering the opinions of parents in line with regulation 45(5). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: 2756164 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Surrey County Council, Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Reigate RH2 8EF

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Heighes

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Inspector

Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2756164 10 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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