Children's Home, Residential special school run by Wandsworth Borough Council in Wandsworth

Unique reference number SC470513 Inspector Sophie Wood Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Jane Helen Bonner / Deborah Jane Tomlinson Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 11 Inspection date 03/12/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness inadequate

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe inadequate Leadership and management inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

This is the first inspection of the service since its registration from a residential special school to a children's home. The decision to apply for this change reflects leaders and managers desire to provide young people with a single placement. This negates the need for other services in between term times. Placing social workers say, 'my young person found different respite services really unsettling. They now receive consistent support which is of great benefit to them.'

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Overall effectiveness

While young people present as feeling safe and happy within an environment that provides highly personalised and effective care and support, poor recruitment practice makes them unsafe. Although staff are aware of their responsibility in safeguarding leaders and managers are unable to demonstrate that all staff have been safely recruited. This significant failing undermines other areas of safe practice at the very onset of new staff joining the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Additional failings in monitoring systems have allowed poor and ineffective recruitment practices to continue. The Registered Managers and senior leaders failed to identify this critical aspect of their role and responsibilities.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff receive good quality training which impacts very positively upon the quality of care provided for the young people. Their presenting needs, including individual 3 of 11 behaviours are very well understood and effectively supported. This good practice is not reflected or continued into staff supervision processes and this impedes staff members longer term development.

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Overall effectiveness

Requirements have been made with regards to monitoring systems and staff supervision. Senior leaders and managers demonstrate a very strong desire to rectify these serious shortfalls and commenced with immediate action before the inspection ended. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This service is a special school, registered as a children's home to care for up to 52 children on a weekly, termly or 52 week basis. It is operated by a local authority. The home is registered for children with a learning disability, including children on the autistic spectrum and have communication and interaction difficulties.

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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 the registered person shall not employ a person to work at the children's home unless that person is fit to work at a children's home and ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2 (Regulation 26(1)(a) and (4)(b) Schedule 2 16/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27 (4)(a) 16/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home (Regulation 34(1)(a) and (b) 16/01/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): 5 of 11  ensure medicines which are kept in the home are stored safely (NMS 6.13)  where specific measures are used to monitor children, ensure there is a written policy that sets out how they should be used. This is specific to include written agreements with placing authorities (NMS 10.5)  ensure there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home (NMS 21.1)  ensure information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. (NMS 22.5) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people thrive within a stimulating and nurturing environment. They make good or excellent progress across all areas of their social, behavioural and educational development. Young people learn to understand their surroundings and experiences within a world which doesn't always make sense to them. Structured routines, combined with highly individualised care planning feeds their confidence, understanding and trust.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy good general health. They benefit from physically active lifestyles combined with healthy nutritious diets. Those with additional support needs concerning their lifestyle choices, such as issues with food and meal times, receive consistent and thoughtful help. Young people often learn with others and experience different forms of physical exercise. Young people make very good progress with regards to their emotional well-being. Phobias, anxieties and fears are very well understood by staff; these are factored into their daily living opportunities, subtly and sensitively. Young people become more tolerant of their surroundings and they begin to widen their desire to interact with others.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

This factor is especially beneficial in strengthening their personal relationships, particularly with their own family members. Comments from parents include, 'my child has come on so much' and 'there were many things we couldn't do as a family before but we can now.'

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people learn to refine their preferred communication methods which frequently manifest as extremes of behaviour. Over time, individually tailored communication methods reduce their frustration at being misunderstood. Young people learn to effectively communicate and this enriches their relationships with staff and their peers.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s seamless transition from home into the school day helps to maximise their learning potential. Methodical joint planning between home and school staff ensures they practise their goals and targets throughout the day and evening. Young people maximise their learning potential and this positively impacts upon their developing independence. Opportunities to practise these skills are transferred into the wider community.

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Quality of care good

7 of 11 Some young people have limited verbal communication but they, describe staff as 'good, my friend' and 'lovely.' The quality of their relationships with staff is frequently demonstrated through their behaviour. Examples include easy laughter in their company and actively seeking out the individual staff members they want to spend time with. Young people trust these relationships because staff actions are responsive to their needs and consistently applied.

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Quality of care good

Thoughtful, well planned care packages take the young person’s individual and unique needs into account. Young people are highly valued and their key workers in particular, know them extremely well. Staff are able to speak about young people in great depth and with insight. However, some young peoples’ needs and the effective ways of supporting them are not always clearly recorded in care planning documents. A number of new staff members have recently started and they are disadvantaged by the absence of such key information. This could adversely affect the quality of the care provided for the young people.

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Quality of care good

Innovative and creative methods effectively capture the views and opinions of the young people. Their realistic and meaningful contributions at formal and informal meetings have a direct impact upon the day-to-day running of the home. Those with language and communication difficulties receive individually tailored assistance such as pictorial aids, objects of reference and the interpretation of their behaviours to ascertain their views. Bedrooms are highly personalised and young people exercise their personal choice with regards to how to spend their free time. High staffing levels ensure they choose their own activities in accordance with their own preferences and interests. Supervision and support levels proportionately reflect needs without being oppressive. Young people enjoy the freedom of movement within the home and grounds within safe parameters.

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Quality of care good

Staff appreciates the impact of young people's learning disabilities and in many examples, their limited means of effective communication. They understand the associated risks and how such factors can adversely affect young peoples' ability to complain and, in some cases their understanding of their rights. Comments from staff include, 'some of our children might not even know if they are being badly treated so we must make sure that we have strong safeguards in place.' Such potential concerns are minimised by the use of advocacy services, independent visitors and an open door practice with regards to visiting family members and friends. .

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Quality of care good

Young people receive the guidance and support they need to maintain their usually good general health. The home enjoys a very positive relationship with the local GP surgery. Young people receive speedy appointments when these are required. Some young people need additional specialist support. Such appointments are well supported and the home continues to challenge and push for the right health support such input, for example from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service teams. Many of the young people require medication. This is diligently monitored and staff receives external training and competency assessments in this regard. Young people are protected by this safe practice but some medication storage areas are impractical 8 of 11 and should be reviewed.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s transition between home and school is managed well. High staffing levels and diligent shift planning ensures young people are well prepared for the school day ahead. Excellent liaison between school and care staff ensures that young peoples' targets in relation to their educational and social needs are individually tailored, meaningful and suitably challenging. The team of staff have high aspirations for the young people.

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Quality of care good

A strong emphasis is placed upon the unique communication needs of the young people. Communication passports are developed over time and these documents provide meaningful assistance, particularly when young people move onto adult services. New carers can quickly learn the very specific and individual traits and needs of the young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Current recruitment practices are inadequate. The Registered Managers have no oversight of the home's recruitment practices, other than their attendance at interview panels. Recruitment files are not kept in accordance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2001. Applicants are not being robustly assessed and references received are not being managed within safer recruitment practices. These omissions place the safety and welfare of vulnerable young people at risk from potentially unsafe adults.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Other safeguarding practice is robust. Staff receive immediate and on-going safeguarding and child protection refresher training which is underpinned by clear procedural guidance. Staff know what to report and to whom. They demonstrate a strong understanding of the specific risks and vulnerabilities of the young people. Such knowledge reliably informs risk assessments and behaviour management plans. Very high staffing ratios provide good protection and effective safeguards. Comments from staff include, 'lone working makes everyone vulnerable so we all know where everybody is and with whom.'

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Prompt referrals and consultations are made to the local safeguarding agency where appropriate. This also includes the Local Authority Designated Officer in the event of any concerns raised about staff members. Senior staff members with designated safeguarding responsibilities, routinely attend wider conferences, training and seminars to ensure their up-to-date knowledge reliably informs their practice.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Staff are insightful and knowledgeable of young people's individual and more diverse needs which enable them to carry out effective behaviour assessments and management plans. Staff understands young people through their behaviour and are vigilant for any changes in mood or anxiety. Staff are trained in the use of physical restraint techniques although its use is routinely avoided. Records of such incidents 9 of 11 are scrutinised through a senior management structure and this factor provides effective protection and monitoring.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people do not go missing from the home. High staffing levels and the use of surveillance assists with this. Although within policy guidance and the statement of purpose, the use of surveillance within communal areas is not made explicitly clear within placement agreements for social workers to consider. The home's absence and missing guidance is in accordance with local authority and police protocols. Staff members understanding of young people's vulnerabilities, such as risk of exploitation and other risks of harm, underpin the rapid response which is prescribed by the individual protocols which are in place for every young person.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Informal visits from community police officers and the fire service demonstrate positive joint working and young people are introduced to services which they understand are there to help them.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people live in a physically safe and secure environment which is further complemented by high staffing levels throughout the day and night. An effective system ensures new hazards and risks are swiftly reported and remedied by the maintenance team. Health and safety checks are diligently completed and young people are familiar with procedures, including fire safety.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Two Registered Managers are in post. Both managers have significant experience in supporting young people with disabilities; they bring relevant skills and qualifications to their roles. Within the wider context of the service, these managers have other responsibilities which place one as senior to the other. This results in a lack of clarity in both the individual and shared responsibilities held by the Registered Managers.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Procedures for the reviewing, monitoring and improving the quality of care are inadequate because they fail to identify significant shortfalls in staff recruitment and their supervision and support. The Registered Managers demonstrate a lack of understanding with regards to every area of their monitoring responsibilities. This places young people's safety and protection at risk. It also hinders staff's continued, longer term development. Other areas, such as behaviour management, are more diligently monitored and an independent Regulation 33 visitor makes recommendations that help to maintain and improve the quality of the care provided for the young people. On-going development plans are responsive to such monitoring and the needs of the young people. One aspect is concerned with the re provision of accommodation to ensure all of the young people reside in bespoke accommodation which meets their needs.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Staff receive rich and varied programme of training that s is targeted to ensure those staff with more specialist roles within the home such as the administration of 10 of 11 medication or specific communication roles, receive enhanced training. All staff undertake mandatory training which includes safeguarding, promotion of welfare, and training related to children’s disabilities. Staff say they feel both challenged and supported by training. Leaders and managers have recently implemented a skills audit; the findings will be used to enhance training.

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Leadership and management inadequate

All new staff are inducted through formal, accredited programmes providing them with the necessary skills in the early stages of their development. Managers recognise the importance of research and training and demonstrate a commitment through recent improvements in the training programme.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Supervision is infrequent, poorly recorded and it does not demonstrate effective support for staff welfare or their on-going professional development. Performance development targets that are intended to support supervision and appraisal are not being used and do not feature in supervision sessions. One of the Registered Managers is responsible for the supervision of over 20 staff and they are overwhelmed by this task. This impact on the quality of supervision delivered to staff.

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Leadership and management inadequate

This is the home's first inspection; therefore there are no requirements or recommendations to track. Since its registration, the home has received one complaint. Through thoughtful dialogue and interaction, this complaint is resolved. Senior managers demonstrate a strong desire to work transparently with external agencies. Notifications to Ofsted are swiftly made and themes emerging throughout this inspection were immediately escalated for prompt action. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management inadequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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