Children's home in Hammersmith and Fulham

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has Declined in effectiveness .

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Since the full inspection in July 2015, there has been a period of significant challenge and disruption at this home. In July, good progress was being made. A new manager was in post and several improvements were being implemented. For example, the institutional culture of the home was being challenged and a more child-centred ethos being established. The company also had plans to carry out an extensive restructuring of its regional provision.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

In September 2015, staff received notification of these plans and the possibility of redundancy. This resulted in approximately half of the staff team leaving the service within a short timescale, with some staff not working their notice. Consequently, managers needed to use agency staff to provide an adequate number of staff on each shift. At times, this has meant half of the staff team has been made up of agency staff.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Additionally, work was also being progressed to transfer five young people from a nearby setting that was due to close. Some staff transferred with the young people to support their transition and settling in. Most young people who recently moved into the home have settled well. Two young people have also left the home as their needs could not be met. A robust recruitment campaign has been undertaken and, at the time of this inspection, the home has an almost full staff complement.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Young people have been sorry to see so many staff leave and feel unsettled by the scale of change. One young person said they felt ‘unhappy’ about the situation and did not know who might leave next. Another young person felt ‘lots of really good staff have left and the new staff don’t know us’. These are genuine concerns expressed by young people who feel their attachments have been overly disrupted.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Leaders and managers have endeavoured to manage the extent to which young people have been affected by these changes. For example, the manager and deputy managers have worked directly with care staff to make up numbers, support the team and provide better continuity of care to young people. During this time, staff morale has been low and the staff team has appreciated this support.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

A significant consequence of managers having other responsibilities such as working care shifts has been a neglect of some management tasks. This is particularly evident in making timely safeguarding referrals and effectively monitoring serious incidents. For example, a referral to the Local Authority Safeguarding Officer (LADO) was only made nine days after an allegation was made. Notifications to Ofsted have not always been made, or only following the omission being identified during independent monitoring of the home.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The quality of care practices and the associated records have not received robust oversight. Some records have been signed off without proper scrutiny given to the practices they describe. For instance, physical restraint records do not always clearly describe what, if any, de-escalation techniques have been used in order to avoid physically restraining a young person.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Sanctions records do not demonstrate that staff have been considered and proportionate in their actions. Sometimes when sanctions are not effective they are repeated. Some sanctions are not relevant to the young person’s behaviour and therefore less meaningful to young people as a natural consequence. On occasions, young people have been ‘invoiced’ inappropriately, when they should have received a far more sensitive and caring response. Some monitoring has taken place, resulting in sanctions being overturned, but this has not been timely. There is no clear evidence of how this oversight is resulting in practices being improved to benefit young people.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Other records relating to serious incidents do not fully describe events. This means that it is not possible to make a fully informed assessment as to whether appropriate action has been taken. For example, records describing an incident that occurred when paramedics were called to attend to a young person are confusing as it is not clear if any injury was sustained. Many of these records do not fully show that staff and young people have been given ample opportunity to discuss and reflect on what has occurred.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The staffing of the home is slowly improving. New staff make up half of the day care staff (excluding senior staff). The challenge ahead is to fully train these staff and equip them with the skills needed to successfully meet the needs of a diverse group of young people. New staff are receiving good levels of support and supervision are being provided. Eight members of the original staff team, despite being in post before April 2014 have not yet completed a level three qualification, and senior managers have admitted many are unlikely to do so before the required deadline of April 2016. This is a serious shortfall, especially in consideration of it being combined with the appointment of so many new staff, who are largely inexperienced and unqualified in residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Seven requirements and two recommendations were made at the full inspection in July 2015. Five requirements and both recommendations have been met. Action taken has resulted in the service working with a range of professionals to ensure young people’s needs are more effectively met and ensuring young people are listened to and have access to advocacy support.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Monitoring processes through the independent visitor and the manager’s review of quality of care have also improved and contribute more effectively to on-going improvements. Two requirements have not been fully implemented. One relates to the protection of young people and the importance of reporting allegations against staff to the LADO in a timely way. The second refers to the importance of really robust management oversight by monitoring and reviewing care practices and associated records to ensure continuous improvements are made in the quality of care provided. These two requirements are repeated in this inspection report.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

It is clear that leaders and managers are committed to making the necessary changes to improve the quality of care provided and outcomes young people achieve. Some good practices are already evident. For example, young people are feeling more empowered by their meetings and are putting forward their suggestions. Many of the young people are being supported to care for a wide variety of their own pets.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Ambitious plans are now in place for the future of the service. The importance and expectation of the registered manager being closely involved in decision making processes was raised by the inspectors. The challenge ahead is to embed the change in culture to provide consistently good quality and child-centred care.

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Information about this children's home

The home is operated by a large private provider of health care, social care and education. It provides care and accommodation for up to 14 children of both genders who have a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Some may also have learning needs. Education facilities are also provided on the same site.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

08/07/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory 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 (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 In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to staff being knowledgeable and reporting allegations against staff to LADO in a timely way, the registered provider must ensure that staff

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the homes' child protection policies. 04/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard with particular reference to the staffing of the home and robust management oversight that promotes improvements in practice and recording, the registered must

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Requirement Due date

(1) (2)(a) enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that is consistent with the approach and ethos and delivers the outcomes set out in the home's statement of purpose; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvement in the quality of care provided in the home. 04/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. Imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be 04/03/2016 by instalments by way of reparation may not be used to discipline any child. (Regulation 19(1)(2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has an appropriate qualification, the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare, by the relevant date. (Regulation 32(4) (5)) 01/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made with includes details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure ,a description of the measure and its duration, details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure, the effectiveness and consequences of the use of the measure and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered as a result of the measure. Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person must ensure that the user has been spoken to about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. Within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to

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Requirement Due date

the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 04/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

40: Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify Ofsted and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious, there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(c)(e)) 04/03/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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