Children's Home run by Destiny House in Harrow

Unique reference number SC038906 Inspection date 08/01/2014 Inspector Wilfried Maxfield Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 25/06/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for up to eight young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private organisation.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

The overall rating for the home was judged as adequate at the last full inspection in June 2013. However, the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people were judged to be good. The home has maintained the standards across all of the outcome areas since this inspection. A need for additional improvement has been identified. There is one requirement and one recommendation as a result of this visit.

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Progress

The Registered Manager is committed to raise the standard of care provided to the young people. Two recommendations were made at the last inspection. A recommendation to improve the missing children protocol has been met. To achieve this, links with the responsible placement authorities have been strengthened and strategies to prevent young people from going missing have been discussed with local authorities and have subsequently been improved. Young people continue to go missing on occasions but the level of episodes has been significantly reduced. The second recommendation has been partly met. Although there is a good commitment to further develop the staff teams professional skills and experience the home cannot fully evidence that all of the staff have had adequate safeguarding and child protection training. Young people benefit from the Registered Manager's considerable professional experience and an exceedingly caring and young person centred approach. The

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Progress

manager ensures that the home is effectively managed and provides young people with a very motivated and strong staff team. Staff are very committed to providing young people with a good level of care and support. The majority of staff have worked together for a number of years and are able to offer excellent continuity of care and placement stability. Young people feel safe and enjoy living at the home. They speak very positively about the care and support they receive and about their experience of living at the home. One young person stated 'I have a really nice big room and the food is great. All of the staff here are sound and I enjoy their company. I definitely like all of it.'

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Progress

Young people are supported to make good progress. Strong emphasis is placed on positive relationships and good behaviour is promoted. An external professional commented on the home's ability to accelerate young people's development and personal growth and said 'I am very pleased how quickly the young person is developing now. The young person has made an enormous amount of progress since starting this placement.'

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Progress

The home uses a wide range of very effective behaviour management strategies. Deflection and de-escalation is used highly effectively to prevent challenging incidents. Consequently, physical restraints have not been used since the last inspection. However, staff also rely on overly intrusive levels of CCTV surveillance to monitor young people in communal areas of the home. Placement plans do not document that current levels of welfare or safeguarding concerns are so significant as to warrant such a measure.

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Progress

Young people benefit from living in a warm, caring and supportive environment. The premises provide young people with good facilities. Young people live in an environment which is clean, tidy and comfortable and is maintained to a good standard. It is well furnished and in satisfactory decorative order. Bedrooms are personalised to young people's individual tastes and provide good privacy and comfort.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that electronic or mechanic monitoring devices for the surveillance of children are not used in a children's home except for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the 28/02/2014 welfare of the child concerned, or other children accommodated in the home. (Regulation 22 (1))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of children and purpose of the setting, and training keeps them up to date with professional, legal and practice developments and reflects the policies, legal obligations and business needs of the home. Here in particular, ensure that staff have appropriate safeguarding and child protection training. (NMS 18.1)

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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