Care home facing staff challenges, inspectors find

Inspectors made a surprise visit to an unspecified care home for young people aged between 10 and 18 in March

Young people in a Jersey care home and their care staff may not be "adequately safeguarded" by the Care Home Service, a report has found.

The Jersey Care Commission said regulation officers made a surprise visit to an unspecified care home for young people in March and found 12 areas of improvement were required.

It found management vacancies and limited management support meant staff at the care home were experiencing "multiple challenges".

The home is one of nine homes operated by the Children, Young People, Education, and Skills Department. The BBC has contacted the Government of Jersey for comment.

'Consistent issues'

Officers found staff recruitment and retention were "consistent issues" for the service.

The report said this had "been strengthened since the inspection" but a "more permanent solution" was required.

The report said, according to training records, not all staff had completed the mandatory training required under children’s home standards.

It also found formal reflective staff supervision had not been consistent since the start of the year.

'Dedication and compassion'

The report said: "Children and young people have a right to live in accommodation that is safe, accessible, and meets their needs with a well-trained, motivated, stable staff team that is well-supported to deliver high-quality care.

"The regulation officers were not assured that care receivers and care staff were adequately safeguarded and supported by this service."

The report praised care home staff for the "dedication and compassion" with which they carried out their roles.

The care home was tasked with tackling five of the areas of improvement immediately, with the others to be improved upon within the following two, three or six months.