Children's Home run by Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd in Newham

Unique reference number SC060545 Inspector Jackie Graves Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager POST VACANT Date of last inspection 13/05/2014 2 of 8 Inspection date 11/02/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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This inspection

There is poor progress as the registered person has not fully met the two requirements made at the last inspection in May 2014. As a result, not all aspects of the premises are safe or suitable. In addition, there are further shortfalls in the premises, staffing and staff rotas, supervision of the manager, supplying monitoring reports and making notifications. The Registered Manager left the home recently and a new manager has been appointed.

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This inspection

The registered person makes sure that fire doors are no longer wedged open. However, some fire doors do not close completely as locks are broken. This could potentially compromise young people's safety in event of a fire. The requirement relating to fire safety is repeated in this report.

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This inspection

Not all parts of the building and garden are reasonably decorated and maintained in contrast to the more homely aspect of some parts, for example, the lounge. As a result, young people do not experience an entirely safe or well-maintained home. For example, the contact room is not a comfortable or homely place where young people may meet their visitors. It is of poor appearance with several large household items awaiting disposal, one of which may have been there since last May; arrangements for disposing of broken items, which are to be expected in a home for young people with challenging behaviour, are inadequate. The gardens are also not well maintained or attractive for young people's use. For example, there is a large pile of broken furniture awaiting disposal in the rear garden and rubbish closer to the home and in the front garden. The requirement relating to maintaining and decorating the premises is repeated in this report.

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This inspection

Young people like their bedrooms. They like to personalise these and have anything they need relating to their religion or culture. However, some windows do not have coverings and may be overlooked, which could compromise young people's privacy. 3 of 8 A few windows have broken handles and one cannot be closed at all. One window on a landing is not restricted so may present a risk to a young person.

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This inspection

Young people do not live in the quality of premises they deserve. The responsible individual oversees the maintenance and decoration of the home but arrangements for this are not sufficient. Staff report any issues in a maintenance log but there is little clarity about when and if tasks are completed. Also, repairs are not always conducted in a timely manner. For example, there are repeated records over eight weeks of fire extinguishers without pins, which may compromise fire safety. As not all shortfalls in the premises are recorded in this maintenance log, the potential for improving the premises is further compromised and young people live in a home which in places looks neglected, for example, some lights do not work or are missing light bulbs completely.

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This inspection

A new manager has been appointed and has worked in the home only a short time. The registered person has submitted an incomplete application so it is not possible to process the new manager's registration with Ofsted at this stage.

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This inspection

The new manager has effected some positive change in the home. Some staff feel more motivated and find a calmer atmosphere and more structure. One said the new manager 'has made a big difference'. The manager has recruited new staff who bring varied experience and relevant backgrounds to working with young people. He is looking to broaden the diversity of the staff team to better reflect the young people's backgrounds. One young person says the new manager 'has made the place more organised and helped young people to know each other more'. Improved systems to record young people's financial matters mean there is more transparency and young people know what is due to them. The manager supervises staff but does not receive supervision himself, which is particularly crucial when taking over management of a home.

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This inspection

Staffing arrangements do not meet the individual needs of all young people resident in the home at all times. Young people like the activities which they help to choose. However, the manager finds that staff having 'zero hour' contracts impacts on arranging the rota to accommodate some activities. This is because staff seek work elsewhere to make-up their hours and earnings so are not necessarily available to work when required. This affects young people's care at times, for example, a young person's key worker is not available to attend their personal education plan meeting as they are working elsewhere. Staff report that this also affects the provision of some meals which are reliant on certain staffs' expertise and cultural input. Staff also find difficulties in arranging meetings, including team meetings; some say that staff handovers are difficult as staff are not paid for this time. This may impact on

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This inspection

effective information sharing about young people between shifts. Staffing rotas do not include or provide a full record of who has worked in, or been in charge of, the home. For example, they do not include the full names of staff, when the manager is on shift or who is in charge of each shift. 4 of 8 The registered person monitors what goes on in the home by appointing independent individuals to visit each month on their behalf. Reports of their findings are reasonable and shared with Ofsted. However, these reports are not shared with the home in a timely way. This means the staff and manager cannot read these soon after the visit to find out any shortfalls and begin to address them. Therefore, this monitoring is not entirely effective in helping the service improve.

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This inspection

The manager also checks what goes on in the home to help it develop. Reports of their findings are much improved; they meet amended regulation and provide far more analysis of what goes on. This helps the service to young people improve.

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This inspection

Young people like living in the home. They say they mostly get along with each other 'like a family'. They appreciate having their 'own space' to think about things and say this is respected by others. They experience positive relationships with staff who they can approach with any worries. One young person says, 'Staff are really nice. Really caring.'

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This inspection

Young people feel safe in the home. No bullying is reported. One child protection allegation has been reported since the last inspection. This was appropriately reported and investigated with the oversight of the local designated officer. This ensures that the home's child protection procedures are employed appropriately when there is an allegation in order to keep young people safe.

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This inspection

There is a reduction in challenging incidents. There have been fewer occasions when police have been called to assist with very challenging behaviour. One incident took place in January. However, this was not notified to HMCI. As information was not shared, Ofsted was not able to assess any need for regulatory involvement.

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This inspection

Staff report an improved approach to helping young people achieve better outcomes. Staff are encouraged to re-visit care plans, help young people to bring about required changes and not be 'accepting' of limited progress or negative situations. Some young people have been in the home only a short time. However, some say there is an improvement in how they feel, finding the home an improvement on their previous placements. A few say they feel more confident about expressing their views in meetings with professionals, saying the manager 'helps out a lot - listens to me'. Some young people have tried to improve their health as a result of staff support, for example, in trying to give up smoking. Some say they are helped to manage their anger and feel better as a result.

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This inspection

All young people attend school, college, work experience or run their own business. This ensures they are learning and optimising their choices and future prospects. Staff provide help and support for education, for example, helping with homework and reading books with some young people. The home has only one computer which is quite difficult if more than one young person at a time needs this for their studies. Also, they do not have access to a printer which can limit copying documents such as curriculum vitaes and homework assignments. However, the 5 of 8 manager and staff have plans to provide better facilities to support young people's education. 6 of 8

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for eight children with learning disabilities and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2014 Full adequate 04/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 16/05/2013 Full adequate 23/07/2012 Interim inadequate progress

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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) make sure proper provision to safeguard the children accommodated there and suitable arrangements to respect their privacy and dignity, with particular reference to ensuring windows which present potential risk are restricted and that all windows may be closed (Regulation 11 (1) (a)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person makes suitable arrangements to conduct the home in a manner which respects the privacy and dignity of children accommodated there, specifically that where bedrooms are overlooked there is some form of window covering (Regulation 11 (2) (a)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed by the registered person receive appropriate supervision, with specific reference to the manager (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

30 ensure that if any of the events listed in column 1 13/02/2015 7 of 8 (2001) of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table, with specific reference to notifying Ofsted when relevant (Regulation 30 (1))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children's home used by children are kept clean and reasonably decorated and maintained (Regulation 31 (2) (e)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person takes adequate precautions against the risk of fire, with specific reference to ensuring any damage to fire doors is repaired quickly (Regulation 32 (1) (a)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) provide a copy of the written report about the independent person's visit to the manager in a timely manner so staff and the manager can read this and take action in response to any recommendations made before the next visit takes place. (Regulation 33 (9)) 28/02/2015

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated in all areas (NMS 10.3)  make sure that records in the home demonstrate the staffing level, with specific reference to including on staff rotas the full names of staff, when the manager is working in the home and identifying who is in charge of the home on each shift (NMS 17.2)  ensure the overall number, competence and deployment of staff, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, can fulfil the home's Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the home. (NMS 17.1) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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