Children's Home run by Footsteps Care Limited in Waltham Forest

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 Children are generally healthy, but some interventions used to support children do not promote a healthy lifestyle, and in particular, do not help them stop smoking.  Individual risk assessments are not updated regularly and do not reflect the progress children make in relation to behaviour and improved levels of independence.  The physical environment lacks warmth and does not have a homely feel. Bedroom windows are not restricted to prevent children using them as a means of leaving the building unnoticed. This presents a risk of injury through falling and means that children may not have the supervision in the community that they need to keep them safe.  The recording systems employed by staff do not present a coherent picture of how they provide care to children in a way that is consistent with each child’s relevant plans and demonstrates progress.  The Registered Manager handles allegations against staff effectively and in

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because:

partnership with relevant agencies, but does not always notify Ofsted, as required by the Children’s Homes Regulations (2015).  The homes admission criteria as set out in the statement of purpose, does not accurately reflect the categories of children set out in their registration certificate. This runs the risk that children may be admitted to the home with needs that do not meet the registration criteria.  The recording systems used for safeguarding children who may go missing, do not closely relate to the Runaway and Missing from Home or Care (RMHC) protocols.

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The children's home strengths

 Children enjoy living in the home; they have positive relationships with staff and genuinely feel cared for.  The home has a high staffing ratio, which means that there are always enough staff to provide safe levels of supervision and spend time with each child.  Children enjoy a range of fun and stimulating activities both indoors and in the local community. Staff encourage them to take part in day-to-day activities such as cleaning, shopping and cooking. This helps them gain skills for independence.  The home is very proactive when it comes to working in partnership to access education placements for children. Some children, who previously did not engage in education, now do so.  The Registered Manager leads a resilient team. They are able to work through difficulties and crisis situations with children with complex needs. This means children have stable placements and move on positively.

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Information about this children's home

The home is operated by a private company and provides care and accommodation for up to eight children with mild to moderate learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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

12. The Protection of Children Standard:

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to the need to keep individual risk assessments up to date and present them in a coherent format that allows staff to easily access the relevant information. Risk management plans should accurately identify and reflect practice, the registered provider must ensure: (2)(a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 20.12.15

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard with 20.12.15 particular reference to ensuring that windows are fitted with limiters to prevent children absconding or climbing out and being at risk of falling, the registered provider must ensure that: (2)(d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

12. The Protection of Children Standard:

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to having updated policies on missing that reference the Runaway and Missing from Home or Care (RMHC) protocols, the registered provider must ensure :

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Requirement Due date

(2)(e) that the effectiveness of the homes child protection policies is monitored regularly. 20.12.15

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Requirement Due date

14. In order to meet the care planning standard with particular reference to ensuring that only children who fit the home’s admission criteria are admitted to the home (this must be consistent with the categories of children for which the home is registered), the registered provider must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)that children are admitted to the home, only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home provides care for, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 20.12.15

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Requirement Due date

14. In order to meet the care planning standard with particular reference to the need for the home to have a record for each child that clearly sets out as a coherent document and in an easily accessible format; What the needs, aims and objectives are, how the interventions and supports in place are addressing these needs and what progress the child is making. This record should, where possible, include the views of children. The registered provider must ensure: (2)(c) that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 15.02.15 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if –

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Requirement Due date

(c) there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(3)(c)) 20.12.15

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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

Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The home must ensure that interventions to help children stay safe and healthy, promote healthy outcomes, particularly in relation to children who smoke tobacco. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 35, paragraph 7.18).

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Recommendations

For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children, they will in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. The home needs to be decorated to create a warm and welcoming environment. The children’s bedrooms should be consistently presented to create a ‘cosy’ and personalised space. They should have, where possible and consistent with the wishes of children; rugs, lamps, mirrors, photos and artwork on the walls. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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requires improvement

Children like living in the home. One child said that she likes it ‘because staff look after me, I do nice stuff’ , she went on to say that her parents regularly visit her and that staff often take her to visit her sister. Other children noted that they feel staff are ‘genuine’, ‘down to earth’ and look after them well. They feel that staff listen to them and they can talk to them about any worries they may have.

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requires improvement

Children like the physical environment of the home. They have space to enjoy quiet time, do activities and spend time as a group. The children’s bedrooms are all different and staff help them choose decorations and soft furnishings. Not all rooms have the same standard of presentation and some would benefit from further personalisation to help children feel more at home. The communal areas are clean, but not especially warm and welcoming. Several children commented that they wanted staff to decorate the home with ‘more colour’.

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requires improvement

Most children make good progress at school. A placing authority social worker described how staff were ’brilliant’ at chasing education services to secure a school placement for two children in the home. When children struggle to attend school, the support plans in the home are not clear about how staff are working to monitor attendance, spot trends or help children overcome barriers to learning. This means that, despite the best efforts of staff to encourage attendance, there is no coherent strategy consistently applied across the team. As a result, the attendance for those children who are struggling to attend, does not improve. The home has an annex, with dedicated staff to provide teaching for some children who are not attending their school placements. This keeps them in a healthy routine and allows them to continue with academic studies during periods when they are not able to attend their education placement.

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requires improvement

High staffing levels in the home ensures that children have dedicated staff to spend time with them and take care of them. The recording systems used to describe how the staff intervene to help children make progress are complex and not always completed. Given the high numbers of staff in the home, it is important that the support plans developed by the home are clear, easily accessible and reflect the relevant plans for each child. In the absence of such a plan, there is a risk that care is inconsistent and that some strategies for supporting children may be ineffective.

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requires improvement

Children are generally healthy, they eat a balanced diet and have a range of activities to keep them physical active and mentally stimulated. The home seeks advice from specialist medical and mental health practitioners to assist in looking after children. They use their personal knowledge and professional judgement to inform the wider network if there are any health problems or if medical treatment is not effective. Children attend regular health checks and all medical appointments. Staff know the children well and are alert to small signs that may indicate that children are unwell or distressed. Some practices in the home do not promote healthy outcomes, particularly in relation to discouraging children from smoking.

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requires improvement

The children in the home have complex needs and often present challenging behaviour. Staff manage this well. Children have clear boundaries and staff use positive interventions, such as praise and rewards, to discourage negative behaviour. Children comment that they all generally get on well. Bullying is rare and when incidents do occur, staff intervene to keep them safe. Children know how to complain and when they raise concerns, staff take them seriously.

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requires improvement

Staff teach children how to behave safely in the home and help them understand how their behaviour affects others. Staff are trained in methods to manage and de- escalate conflict. They understand the triggers for each child and how this may affect their moods. Physical restraint is only used by staff who are trained to do this safely and only when it is necessary to prevent harm occurring. The Registered Manager reviews every incident of physical intervention and takes steps to ensure that staff do not use this too often; or without good cause.

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requires improvement

Some children have complex health needs and require daily or emergency medication. There is always a member of staff on duty who is fully trained to meet these needs. The system for recording and administering medications is robust. Senior staff regularly monitor recording, and as a result, children always get the medication they need at the right time.

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requires improvement

Staff are very resilient and can manage high levels of challenging behaviour when this is necessary to support a young person in crisis. They are able to build and maintain positive relationships through difficult periods. This helps children develop a sense of belonging and self-worth, which helps them feel more settled. One child commented that the staff liked her so much that ‘they can’t get enough of me’. A social worker commented that a child made significant progress in terms of his emotional well-being, and he no longer tries to self-harm.

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requires improvement

Individual risk assessments clearly assess the particular vulnerabilities of each child and each child has a plan to minimise risk of harm. Staff do not always update them, so it is not always clear if children make progress and become less vulnerable. The home does respond when they identify new risk factors, but do not always reflect this in the recording. This makes it difficult for staff to assess or for children to understand, if the risk management strategies provide the right balance between keeping children safe and promoting their independence.

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requires improvement

The physical environment is generally safe and well maintained. The local fire service visits the home and advises on fire safety. Staff undertake training to know what to do in the event of a fire and carry out regular fire drills. The windows in the children’s bedrooms are not restricted, this presents a risk that they could abscond undetected or receive an injury through falling.

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requires improvement

Children rarely abscond from the home or go missing. Supervision levels are high to prevent vulnerable children leaving the building unnoticed and staff understand how to keep children safe if they abscond or go missing when out on trips. A small number of children do go missing overnight and sometimes for longer periods. Staff work effectively with partner agencies to keep children safe in these circumstances and take a proactive role in trying to secure their safe return. If children abscond frequently or for long periods, the Registered Manager attends strategy meetings and works with the placing authority to review the placement plan to make sure that they are able to keep children safe. The recording in respect of children going missing is not always completed and this runs the risk that staff may miss important information relating to the whereabouts or vulnerabilities of children who abscond.

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requires improvement

This is a new service and the Registered Manager is new to the role. He has extensive relevant experience with children in a residential setting and previous experience as a deputy manager of a children’s home. He has been extremely busy setting up the new service, recruiting staff and managing a high demand for the service. He has made a positive start to the role and demonstrates high levels of ability and commitment to deliver a service that looks after children with complex needs.

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requires improvement

Many of the systems for recording have been copied from another home run by this provider and do not fully support the particular needs of this service. It is important that the home develops its own sense of identity and recording systems to support and enhance the quality of care to the children in this home.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manger has effective support from the responsible individual. They work together to deliver a resilient service in order to provide stability for children with complex needs, who have often been unable to engage with other provisions. They are well resourced and make ethical, child centred decisions when considering admissions to the home. They work through difficulties and stick with troubled children through crisis, which means that placements do not end in an unplanned way. This desire to help and stick with children in trouble can lead to unintended consequences and, on occasion can involve admitting children to the home that do not meet the admission criteria. This runs the risk that they may not be able to meet their needs or that it may have an adverse impact on the group of existing residents.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager promotes a strong safeguarding culture and takes a robust approach to risk assessment. Though staff do not always update risk assessments or present them in a coherent format to ensure that risk management plans reflect practice. When presented with conflicting priorities to manage risk the manager does not always achieve the right balance. For example, a strategy to prevent children from putting themselves at risk in the community had an adverse effect on promoting their health. Another decision to leave upstairs windows unrestricted to allow exit in case of a fire, presents other risks of absconding and injury through falling.

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requires improvement

Children know how to complain and when they do so, the Registered Manager acts upon their concerns. They feel safe and are able to confide in staff when they are worried or need to share their worries. The Registered Manager investigates allegations against staff thoroughly and works appropriately with partner agencies to follow protect children from harm. He does not always notify HMCI as required by regulation.

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requires improvement

The manager carries out stringent checks on new staff to ensure they are suitable for the role. New staff follow a comprehensive induction schedule and gradually assume more responsibility when they have completed relevant training and are assessed as being competent. He has good systems in place to monitor the quality of care and regularly reviews the practices in the home, in response to feedback from children, staff and other stakeholders.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager provides support and supervision for all staff and they feel he supports them well. One new member of staff said that she applied for the role because the manager ‘is interested in what I have to say and cares about me’. Performance is managed well and provides constructive challenge if practice falls short of the high standards required.

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requires improvement

Children enjoy living in the home and get on well with each other. Children make progress in respect of their emotional well-being because of the relationships they have with staff. They feel cared for and this helps them engage with work to improve their behaviour, become more independent and make sense of the reasons that they are in care. There is a strong ethos to promote education and learning in the home. They take part in a range of constructive activities and do well in education.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager works effectively in partnership with placing authorities and other relevant agencies. He advocates well for children and takes a lead role, when necessary, to call the professional network together to review placements when children present complex risks, or are not making progress.

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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 website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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, workbased 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 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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