Children's Home run by Prime Calibre Care Ltd in Medway

Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 1 Registered provider: Prime Calibre Care Ltd

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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 is a privately owned home that provides care for up to five children with learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, there were four children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in December 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2023 Full Good 08/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 3

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improvement to be good

Children are cared for by a consistent team where all staff carry out individual work with each child. Most children are making some progress and have some positive experiences. For example, children have enjoyed holidays and are making progress in their independent living skills.

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improvement to be good

Some focussed work with a child has not been completed. This work was identified in the child’s education, health and care plan approximately two years ago. The targetted piece of work should support the child to have a better understanding of their personal care needs and puberty. The lack of oversight means that this work has not been carried out and the target set has not been met.

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improvement to be good

Children have a variety of communication needs and benefit from using visual aids to enhance their communication and engagement. However, these aids are not used consistently by staff. Consequently, this limits each child in having their voices heard.

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improvement to be good

Children participate in activities they like. However, this is not consistent as children are encouraged to spend set ‘siesta times’ in their bedrooms as part of their daily routine. This period is for two hours each day. Furthermore, children’s views have not been sought about how they feel about this routine, nor have they been given choices about how they wish to use this time. This practice limits children’s freedom of choice.

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improvement to be good

Two children attend full-time education, and another child receives education from a tutor through their local authority. However, one child is not in education. The child is provided with limited, inconsistent learning opportunities, which hinders their educational progress. Staff are uncertain about the targets the child is working towards in the absence of the agreed educational goals. There are no records in relation to the child’s education and care plans. Consequently, the child’s identified educational needs are not consistently promoted.

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improvement to be good

The communal areas of the environment lack the characteristics of a child-centred home. This is because toys that children enjoy playing with are located in their bedrooms. One child was seen playing with their toy dinosaurs and was proud to showcase these during play in their bedroom. However, staff do not routinely engage in direct play with children as they take on a more supervisory role. These are missed opportunities to engage children in meaningful play, build relationships with them and understand how they explore the world around them.

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improvement to be good

Children are not always offered choices about their day-to-day care. For example, on more than one occasion, a child had tomato sauce put on their dinner without being offered a choice. This practice inhibits children from having their wishes and choices recognised and feeling valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 4 Children eat meals together. However, communication with children during this time was observed to be minimal. This means that there are missed opportunities to enhance children’s experiences of mealtimes that reflect a family-like atmosphere.

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improvement to be good

Family time is promoted and supported by staff. When children move into and on from the home, the timing of these moves is well thought out to ensure that children feel safe and well prepared. For example, children have enjoyed going out for a leaving meal at their preferred restaurants to celebrate the time they have lived in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a secure understanding of children’s risks. However, they attempt to manage risks that are not there due to being averse to hazards. This means that children are not given age-appropriate opportunities that lead to personal growth. For example, all children use plastic tableware. Their age and individual needs are not fully considered to explore whether they could use crockery.

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improvement to be good

Police call-outs to the home are rare. Staff have used assistance from the police on one occasion. This was to manage a challenging situation with a child and was due to threatening behaviours towards staff. The behaviour was out of character for the child. Consequently, the child moved on from the home due to changes made to their local authority care plan that impacted on their ability to cope with change.

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improvement to be good

Some data held on the recording system used in the home is not up to date and is misleading. This is because new records can be created when information is updated. For example, several records appeared to be pending approval or out of date. Furthermore, when these records are accessed, there is no information in them. This restricts management oversight of incidents. For instance, a physical intervention was not picked up by the manager when reviewing an incident report and debriefs with children are not always carried out. This has also resulted in inconsistencies with sharing information in a timely manager with a placing authority. However, practice in sharing information with external agencies and manager oversight has started to improve.

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improvement to be good

Incident reports do not reflect well how staff managed the situation due to lack of explanation about what children’s behaviour looked like and the factors that led to the incident. This means that it is difficult for staff to reflect on their practice and understand what approaches in managing behaviour are effective.

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improvement to be good

At times, natural consequences are used as a behaviour strategy to break cycles in children’s behaviour. Consequences are not excessive and are in line with children’s understanding. Subsequently, children have been able to reflect and understand the behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 5 Safer recruitment is monitored and scrutinised by the registered manager. This helps to ensure that children are cared for by safe adults.

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improvement to be good

In the main, the arrangements for managing medication are appropriate. However, there has been one incident when some medication was unaccounted for. This was due to the medication not being properly secured in its packaging. In response, leaders and managers revisited medication management with all staff. Consequently, there have been no further issues regarding the safe storage of medication.

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

The registered manager has a clear vision to upskill staff in areas of reporting and recording. Training is being rolled out for all staff to complete. However, this will require focus, support and direction from leaders and managers to ensure this is achieved.

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

Monitoring systems are in place and the manager has support to quality assure the service that is delivered to children. However, there have been weaknesses within these systems for several months, meaning there have been some failures in management oversight.

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

The independent visitor has not always had full access to the home’s recording system due to access permissions. This has resulted in a barrier to their oversight and means that there are limitations in them identifying where improvements are needed to further develop and improve the service. This also means that leaders and managers have lacked external scrutiny in some areas of practice.

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

A service manager from a local authority raised concerns about the quality of care and practices such as ‘siesta time’. This is because they do not fully understand what choice children are given in how they wish to spend this time. Furthermore, there have been occasions when staff were initially reluctant to let professionals into the home when they arrived unannounced. However, some improvements have recently been made in relation to sharing information and being receptive of unannounced visits.

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

Leaders and managers do not ensure that they are in receipt of children’s care plans before they move in. Their assessment of risk, when considering new children, does not explicitly cross-reference each child’s risks and the skill set of staff, nor provide a rationale for children having a high ratio of staffing. Consequently, high levels of supervision can inadvertently hinder children’s ability to develop independence and self- reliance. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child.

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(Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that consultations take place with children daily and are carried out in their preferred method of communication, especially with regard to choices that are given in free time. 15 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 15 May 2025

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The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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

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help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)) 15 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 8 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

(a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the chil- dren’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

(b) 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 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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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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; and 15 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 9 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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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.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should, where appropriate, ensure that children are involved in choosing and preparing meals. In particular, that they have opportunities to experience mealtimes in a family-like way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)  The registered person should only accept new children to move into the home when they are satisfied that staff can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in their relevant plans. In particular, ensure that leaders and managers fully consider the impact that a new child could have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff make informed professional judgements based on the individual needs and developmental stages of children. In

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 10 particular, ensure that the use of plastic plates is reviewed to ascertain whether they are still required by each individual child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for the next stages of their future. This includes supporting children to develop practical skills such as cooking and carrying out personal self-care tasks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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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: 2660433 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prime Calibre Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 158, 176 South Street, Romford RM1 1BW

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Moneat Grant-Williams

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Inspector

Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2660433 12 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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