Children's Home run by Heartwood RSW Ltd in Redbridge

Unique reference number SC461865 Inspector Jackie Graves Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Heartwood RSW Ltd Registered person address 416 Green Lane Ilford Essex IG3 9JX

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Responsible individual Siva Lingam Moodley Registered manager Daniel Steve Elliott Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 6 Inspection date 13/03/2015

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This is the first inspection following registration. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

Sustained effectiveness is judged because good progress is made by most young people but limited for one. The manager is not monitoring what goes on and has not met two of the three recommendations made at the last inspection. Further shortfalls are found resulting in two requirements and one recommendation.

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This inspection

Young people benefit from being looked after by a core team of staff and a manager who have worked at the home since it opened. The staff team is reasonably stable although there are staff vacancies, which are being recruited to. Difficulties recruiting staff of sufficient quality are found. Agency staff are being used while new staff are sought. However, the manager tries to use the same agency staff in order to provide consistency to young people and the staff team.

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This inspection

Staff have a detailed knowledge of the young people they care for. They want them to do well and make progress during their time in the home. They are very supportive and advocate strongly on young people's behalf. There are positive interactions; staff employ positive behaviour techniques well, for example, using distraction techniques and activities to help young people better manage their behaviour. Rewards are used but a few young people do not feel these have a direct bearing on the decline or improvement of their behaviour and that the receipt of rewards is almost incidental.

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This inspection

Young people enjoy varied activities. They took part in a holiday and liked the experience. Some attend drama groups. They enjoy doing activities with staff such as baking or playing football.

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This inspection

Most young people are making reasonable progress but one is not, despite staff efforts. He does not engage in any kind of education, training or employment. As he is absent from the home for much of the time during the day and his whereabouts 3 of 6 are unknown, he is not engaging fully with what the home has to offer, for example, key work sessions with staff to address these matters. Staff do not necessarily report these absences as missing episodes, as they do for absences when young people do not return at night. Also, such absences are not always logged, risk assessments updated when necessary or debriefs recorded.

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This inspection

Young people say they feel safe in the home. They mostly get on well with each other, sharing some activities such as playing computer games or playing football. However, some staff and young people feel there may have been some low level bullying, while others regard it as normal teenage behaviour. Some young people have been at risk of sexual exploitation. Staff have worked well with the police and placing authorities to manage this risk and improve young people's safety. However, they have not had training specific to child sexual exploitation or in gang involvement and as these matters affect young people, feel this would be of benefit to them. One staff member has not had child protection training.

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This inspection

The manager's checks of what goes on in the home have not been maintained. As a result, some documents, such as sanction and behaviour records, lack management oversight to make sure any methods used with young people are reasonable.

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This inspection

The building is mostly comfortable and clean. Young people like their bedrooms. Some signs in the kitchen and hallway, and information on the young people's noticeboard, detract from the generally homely appearance of the rest of the building, and a few young people find this institutional. The garden is quite bare but young people currently like it this way so they can play football. They use the garden to smoke and a number of cigarette butts litter the ground, which does not create a cared-for look. The lounge is reasonably furnished but the games room lacks sufficient seating and young people find the television is fixed too high for them to be able to play games comfortably. A meeting room is also fairly stark and bedding stored in this room makes it look less domestic.

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This inspection

Young people are greatly affected by the imminent departure of the Registered Manager who leaves at the end of March. He is a strong role model who has established warm relationships with young people who are sad to see him go. Arrangements are in place for the interim management of the home until a new manager is appointed.

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This inspection

At the last inspection, three recommendations were made. The manager was asked to include young people's views in staff appraisals. This will be incorporated into staff appraisals during the month of August 2015. The provider was asked to make arrangements for the professional supervision of the Registered Manager. This has not been done. Therefore, a requirement is now made in order to ensure that the manager gets the support they need to carry out their role. A written development plan has not been completed yet but there are plans for the new manager to do so. 4 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children's home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation to five children of either gender who may have emotional and behavioural 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) make sure that where the registered person considers that a child who is accommodated in the children's home and for whom a care plan has been prepared is, or has been, persistently absent without permission from the children's home or is at risk of harm, the registered person shall ask the local authority that looks after that child to review that child's care plan (Regulation 16 (6) (a) (b)) 30/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all persons employed by the registered person receive appropriate supervision, with specific reference to the professional supervision of the Registered Manager (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 30/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person maintains a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at least once every three months and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home. Supply to HMCI a report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1). (Regulation 34 (1) (a) (b) (2)) 30/04/2015

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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 6  make sure that written records kept by staff detail all absences and when these are reported, the circumstances of the child's return; update the risk when necessary (NMS 5.9)  ensure a comfortable and homely environment is provided in all areas of the home (NMS 10.3)  produce a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home's current operation and resource (NMS 15.2)  consider training staff specifically in child sexual exploitation, gangs and child protection to ensure they are equipped with the skills required to meet the needs of the children. (NMS 18.1) 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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