Children's home run by Children Assisted in a Real Environment Ltd in Hammersmith and Fulham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has made good progress since the full inspection in November 2015, meeting the one requirement made. Of the two recommendations made, one is fully met and good progress is being made towards meeting the second.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendation partly met is in respect of appraisals. The registered manager has completed all but two appraisals, so this recommendation is repeated at this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is keeping supervisions of staff up to date and has organised schedules to ensure staff development and progress is regularly reviewed. The registered manager has found that completing appraisals informs where practice needs to develop and helps to ensure poor practice is addressed and training needs taken into account.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff report that morale is good, that they feel supported by the manager and work well as a team. The staff team is stronger following the recruitment of two new support workers and the promotion of another to a senior role, making three senior workers available in the home to run shifts. Two senior staff completed courses in supervision and will assist the registered manager with completing supervisions, pending the appointment of a deputy manager. Staff receive regular training for example they completed medication training recently and will soon be attending food hygiene.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A strength of this home is the experience, commitment and dedication of the staff team. Observations show positive relationships between staff and young people. When young people returned home on the school bus, staff greeted them warmly and they responded, showing their excitement to be at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three new referrals have been accepted since the last inspection. One young person’s needs were too high for the staff team to manage and the registered manager made a difficult decision not to offer a placement due to the impact on other young people. Despite this placement not going ahead, staff completed good transition work in their attempt to meet this need. Two young people have started using the service, bringing the total number of young people receiving short breaks up to six. Two other young people are looked after, one is a permanent resident and another receives a shared care package.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are making good progress at this home, for example, one young person now travels on the bus without staff support. Other young people have improved sleeping patterns, reduced angry outbursts and learnt to regulate their behaviour better.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have expanded their diets considerably, trying new foods and being encouraged to eat a healthy diet. Young people are supported to learn independence skills within their own limitations. Young people help to lay the table for dinner or clear and wash the dishes after meals. All young people are supported to keep their rooms tidy and to bring their laundry down to be washed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff show good skills with young people, encouraging good behaviour with very clear and consistent boundaries. This provides stability and routine and helps young people to feel safe and supported. A head teacher says, ‘they are excellent, they improved behaviour and routines, they have worked with obsessive behaviours and helped young people to be calmer.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding is central to practice in this home. Staff are working with young people who are supported within the community with short breaks. Staff regularly attend meetings and core groups to support young people and to ensure good communication with placing authorities, parents and other professionals. Inter- agency working is strong and young people benefit from good levels of communication and working in partnership.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are limited incidents within this home and restraint is rarely used. One physical intervention has been used since the last inspection, which should have been recorded as such and signed off by the manager. A requirement is made to ensure that recording is in line with regulations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have worked well with parents and supported them with advice and strategies about managing difficult and unwanted behaviours. Families spoken to felt supported by the staff and that they are offered ‘good information’ and ‘been helped with behaviour’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

External monitoring of this home is good. An independent person regularly visits the home and offers a good analysis of practice and recommendations for improvement. The registered manager responds to these recommendations to help improve the service and a development plan for the year ahead is in place. The registered manager passes clear expectation onto staff to drive improvements.

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Information about this children's home

This private children’s home provides care and accommodation to up to five children and young people with learning disabilities. The manager of this home also manages another home owned by the same company.

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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

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 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 the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31/03/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The registered person must ensure all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and the children in the home's care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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

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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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