Children's Home run by Heartwood RSW Ltd in Redbridge

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is an experienced and well-qualified staff team working at this home that are committed to providing good quality care to young people.  Leaders and managers have effectively managed the home through change and the new manager has the support and respect of the staff team.  The staff team know the young people well, are working very positively with them and young people are making good progress from their starting points.  Young people are included in making choices about their home; their views are valued and respected with individual needs taken into account.  Staff work really well with professionals, families and the wider safeguarding network.  There is good use of impact risk assessments to understand the effect of new admissions on existing residents living at this home.  Staff hold a good understanding of safeguarding and receive regular training on key issues such as child sexual exploitation.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The Registered Manager has challenged care planning on behalf of young people and encouraged the use of external advocates.  External monitoring of this home is effective. Reports are provided to the regulator and have helped the manager to improve practice.  Risk assessments cover key information to keep young people safe, but require further development.  Effective policies are developed, but some need further updating to include the Quality Standards and new regulations.  Staff are not yet fully trained about the Quality Standards and the impact they have on practice.  Notifications to the regulator about senior staff changes have not happened in a timely way.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if−

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Requirement Due date

(ii) the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual. (Regulation 26 (4)(ii)) 05/10/2015.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Ensure the registered person undertakes a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. This recommendation is also made in respect of updating essential documents to reflect the new Quality Standards. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  Ensure the registered person challenges (under regulations 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility

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Recommendations

for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs with specific reference in respect of staff understanding of the new Quality Standards. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for five children of either gender who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/03/2015 Interim Sustained Effectiveness

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Good

The children’s home provides an effective service that meet the requirements for good. Young people are expected to participate and engage with their care plans at this children’s home. Identification of needs, risk and future aims are clear and helps to meet individual needs. For example, one young person has an external worker who shares their culture and religion to undertake identity work. Placement plans include young people’s views on each part of the plan. This ensures young people are aware of what is expected, can contribute their views and understand how the home plans to support and help them. Key work sessions, informal sessions and life story work with young people are given high priority and help to build positive relationships with staff. Even the most informal individual sessions, for example, a conversation in the car or while shopping is recorded, all of which provides evidence that staff support young

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Good

people to make the right choices and provide positive role models who listen to and communicate with them. Staff and young people interact well during both positive and negative situations. Staff show positive regard for the young people, teaching respect and helping build-up trust. For example, a young person who required a lengthy discussion about appropriate behaviour and boundaries in the morning was later observed to be relaxing and watching a film with the same member of staff, obviously happy and laughing together loudly.

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Good

Staff work hard to engage young people in education. Two young people recently came to live in the home. Meetings and preparations with the virtual school and local community schools to make suitable plans for their continued education are underway. One young person who was is due to leave the home accepted a place at college to study an apprenticeship combining functional English and maths with car mechanics, carpentry and engineering. This indicates considerable progress after a long period out of education. A former resident who had recently moved into semi-supported accommodation with outreach work from the home had been offered a placement at a local college to study level three in performing arts. With support from the previous manager, this young person attended the British Film Institute, to learn life skills and acting as work experience. Although this young person did not then get the required grades for his chosen course, the college

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Good

accepted him due to his previous work experience. Young people are encouraged to look after their health needs with support. Staff help register young people quickly with local health services and keep appointments for preventative health, such as optician and dental appointments. Two young people are receiving support from local child and adolescent mental health services and due to their age and vulnerability staff accompany them to these appointments.

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Good

There is a range of activities on offer, for example movie nights with popcorn, visits to the Olympic park, shopping trips and bowling. One young person is being supported to join a local running club and another is about to start police cadets. Other activities that young people can enjoy at the home are a trampoline, baking and purchased a caravan, which will be available for use in school holidays or at weekends.

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Good

There is good evidence that young people are supported to learn skills for later life, for example in doing their own laundry, learning cooking and baking skills, helping with shopping and keeping their own rooms tidy. This helps with their transition to independent living and raises self-esteem. The manager is currently re-writing the transition policy for this home. Many young people move into the provider’s semi- independence unit where their pathway plans are continued. The manager describes challenging a placing authority where abrupt plans were made which didn’t support a smooth transition for a young person. There is good evidence of outreach work being offered to support young people during their transition to live elsewhere.

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Good

Young people say they like living at this home. Recent leavers have been reluctant to leave and have written and said positive things about the ‘loving care’ and ‘family feel’ the home has. The current residents both say how much they like the home, one giving it a ‘five star rating’ and likened the cooking to ‘Gordon Ramsey’. Another says, ‘With my diet, I’m a vegetarian, the staff help and know what I can eat, they are actually quite good. I haven’t been to the temple yet but it’s going to be arranged.’

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Good

Young people are encouraged to make choices in the running of the home. For example, one young person assisted with staff recruitment by writing questions for staff interviews. These questions form part of the recruitment process.

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Good

Contact with friends and family is important to young people. One young person has his contact supported by the staff at the unit and another parent regularly visits and takes their child out. This parent says, ‘I am able to visit the home and feel X settled really well, he seems to like it here and staff are helpful.’

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Good

Staff practice demonstrates dignity and respect for young people. For example young people are encouraged to maintain their identity, with staff ensuring they meet dietary and religious needs and ensure cooking and food preparation is consistent with cultural needs. Young people are supported to share their views and challenge their care plans when they are not happy; for example, one young person who was not feeling ready to move on, was supported to complain and given direct access to a children’s rights advocate.

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Good

The children’s home provides help and protection that meet the requirements for good. Young people say they feel safe in this home with staff and in the community. Clear boundaries and expectations of positive behaviour make young people feel safe and secure. Individual key work sessions back up these values with young people. The regulator is notified appropriately of serious incidents, which ensures oversight of how the home is managing difficult behaviour. A recent increase in notifiable events was well observed and analysed by the manager. This related to specific individuals and appropriate action to manage these incidents resolved these difficulties. This home does not tolerate bullying. When reported it is addressed quickly and effectively to ensure young people feel protected. For example, following a recent admission to the home, it became clear very quickly that there were issues of bullying towards an existing resident. Notice was given to the placing authority and

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Good

the young person moved to preserve the security and safety of the existing resident. Restraint is rarely used in this home; the ethos is to stop challenging behaviour by pre-empting and preventing any before they happen. A reward system is in place to encourage good behaviour and effective sanctions deter difficult behaviour. Young people appear to respect this; for example, one young person says, ‘I understand why they took my TV away and I had supervised spending and will change my behaviour.’ Behaviour care plans receive regular updates and challenging behaviour training is planned for all staff in September to support their management of this. Staff are vetted prior to working with young people and there are safe recruitment practices in this home. Safeguarding training is part of the induction process and then updated every year. Additional training, specific to the individual needs of young people is planned as required.

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Good

The home has an excellent e-policy, cyber and grooming policy, which helps staff to understand the risks faced online and protect young people and keep them as safe as possible. Due to the age and current assessed risks, neither of the young people in placement are able to access the internet without close supervision from staff. Adequate precautions are in place to prevent fires. For example, firefighting equipment is in place and there are up-to-date compliance checks and fire drills. Young people are closely supervised in the kitchen or when cooking. Knives, medication and control of substances hazardous to health are carefully stored in locked cabinets to ensure their safety.

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Good

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers meet the requirements for good. An experienced manager who has previously run homes within adult services is in charge of the home. The manager also has experience working with children and families, has a level 5 leadership and management qualification in adult services and has the relevant experience. She is currently undertaking the level 5 leadership and management qualification. The manager has satisfied the requirements for registration and the process of approval and registration is currently underway. The regulator has not been kept notified of the changes to senior management, for example a change to the responsible individual or the resignation of the previous Registered Manager. The changes in leadership and management have been well managed for staff and the service, although there are some inconsistencies within the staff team regarding how they are working together. For example staff say they need better

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Good

communication and some areas still need improvement to ensure all staff are working well together. Despite this, staff are overwhelmingly positive about the new manager and the support that has been offered. Staff feel well supported to undertake their role and have the necessary training and information to do their jobs. There is respect for the new manager and staff feel they are being encouraged to take on responsibility,’ with proper support to do so. Staff receive regular supervision with clear goals and objectives to help them do their jobs effectively. The manager undertakes good planning for new admissions, including a template for matching which considers the impact on existing residents as well as the home’s ability to meet young people’s assessed needs. A good match with existing residents is required prior to acceptance of placements and this has been effective in managing and meeting young people’s behaviour and needs.

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Good

There is an experienced and well-qualified staff team in place, with all staff, including bank staff, holding level 3 qualifications or above. Care and placement planning is good and reflects young people’s views, wishes and feelings. Young people are encouraged to attend their reviews, go through plans and sign them if in agreement. Some placing authorities had not provided all necessary paperwork. There is some evidence of chasing this information but a more robust approach will ensure placement plans are clear and in line with placing authority plans. During inspection, the manager was very clear about the weaknesses in the service in respect of updating policy and procedure to ensure this is reflective of the new quality standards and framework for inspection. The manager’s knowledge of the new framework and standards is evident, for example in recording of restraint recording and monitoring reports. An independent person is employed for updating

p.10

Good

other policies and procedures across the organisation. Staff knowledge of the new quality standards is weak. The manager provides positive challenge on behalf of young people when their care plan is not been acceptable. The manager carefully considers how the placement is meeting the young person’s needs and where it is not, review meetings are called to discuss this and consider alternative plans. There is a clear and accurate statement of purpose, which has been updated to reflect the new regulations and quality standards. The home is welcoming and comfortable and has recently undergone some refurbishment, which has improved facilities for young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's websi. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Text phone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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