Children's home run by London Borough of Barnet

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 Sustained Effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has continued to provide good care to the young people. The local authority have strengthened the stability in the home by confirming the management arrangements and ensuring continuity of care to the young people. The registered manager provides clear direction to the home and leads the establishment of the ethos of improving outcomes for young people, by her personal example. Young people say, ‘She is lovely, listening, polite and always there for you. She is always on about education and improving ourselves.’ Staff meticulously plan young people’s progress out of the home to new settings. They manage these moves at a pace appropriate to each young person, providing ongoing support where required. Some young people have considerable outreach support to aid them in settling and making the next stage successful. One young person said, ‘I am looking forward to moving on but I am anxious about it as well.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

I am hoping to get outreach support and use the training flat to test how I can cope.’ The carefully planned support, aids young people’s successful transition to adulthood. Admissions to the home are generally in line with the policy as described in the statement of purpose. The registered manager works closely with the responsible person to provide effective gatekeeping for the home. This generally ensures that they follow the procedure described in the statement of purpose with due regard to meeting the young person’s needs as well as assessing the impact they will have on the existing group in the home. However, one recent placement did not follow this guidance and in particular did not follow the homes risk assessment procedures. This led to an early breakdown in the placement. This failure, by the responsible individual, to follow the procedure as detailed in the statement of purpose potentially compromised the safe care of the individual and of the other

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people in the home. The manager has created and implemented a comprehensive training programme for the staff team. This programme includes: clear induction for new staff; core training for all staff; further training for the staff team; and training for senior staff to enhance the succession planning. In addition, the manager has completed a revision of the statement of purpose to include all staffing details and a clear structure chart for the home. However, she has not yet combined these elements and the local authority procedures for managing and improving poor performance, in the workforce development plan. The individual components are all in use by the home so this has had no negative impact on the delivery of good care to the young people. The registered manager maintains rigorous monitoring of practice in the home. She has effectively linked her internal monitoring to the independent persons

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reports, staff training and to young people’s progress checks. Her draft review of the quality of care in the home is underpinned by the Quality Standards and outlines a development plan for the home linking feedback from these differing sources. The independent person’s reports are well written, appropriately detailed and contain a lot of information on how the home provides safe care to vulnerable young people. However, they do not always have suggested timescales for the completion of suggested actions. In addition, the reports go to the home, prior to going to HMCI, potentially compromising their independence. Some young people complained about sanctions in the home. However, they all agreed that the manager is fair and listens to any issues they raise but they had not shared their concerns with her. The young people agreed that the sanctions are effective if not to their liking. The sanctions in use are appropriate and staff

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

attempt to make them restorative and effective. The boundary setting in the home is effective and most young people agree that the sanctions and interventions are fair and appropriate. One young person admitted that he had made a very serious error and that the home’s intervention had been very strict but appropriate. He said of this, ‘Of course that was a difficult lesson for me and the sanction is difficult. However, for the situation it was what was needed at the time. I will do things properly from now on.’ The registered manager is addressing issues raised during the inspection, ensuring all interventions are appropriate and understood by the young people. Young people make good progress in the home. There is a very strong focus on education and assisting them to achieve their potential. Staff have worked through individual difficulties with young people, improving their attendance and attainment

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

in colleges and schools. The staff have a good relationship with the virtual school, schools, colleges and work placements. These relationships aid in ensuring young people can successfully maintain placements and complete schemes of learning. Staff also encourage young people to personally address difficulties in their settings. There are examples of young people negotiating returns to college and work. One young person described how he had applied for a further college course and successfully completed this without assistance from staff. Young people undertake independence programmes in the home and work towards independence gaining life skills and financial responsibility. Staff ensure that they successfully prepare young people for moving on from the home. The responsible person has successfully addressed the requirement from the last inspection ratifying the management arrangements and ensuring continuity of care

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and control in the home. The registered manager has fully addressed all but one recommendation maintaining the good quality of care and enhancing the engagement of young people in the home. Care plans and risk assessments set clear targets, with identified lines of responsibility and regular reviews evidencing young people’s progress or identifying points of difficulty. The manager uses this information effectively with her management team and through regular reflective supervision with the staff team. The manager outlines the structured development of staff in the partially completed workforce development plan and in her detailed six monthly reviews of the home. She is improving the development of staff by her monitoring and structuring of more frequent and effective reflective supervision for them. She is also gathering feedback from young people and professionals working with the home, which she is using effectively in staff appraisals. The change to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

appraisals ensures that young people have a meaningful role in staff development enhancing their ownership of the home and developing their sense of responsibility

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Information about this children's home

This local authority children’s home can provide care and accommodation for no more than six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/01/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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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

Ensure that where the independent person's report recommends actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home these include timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take these actions. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person's report to HMCI.( Regulation 44 (5)(7)(a)) 08/06/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Complete a workforce development plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20) (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53 paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person supports the admissions policy as described in the statement of purpose. In particular that they only accept placements where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's relevant plans and where they have fully considered the registered managers assessment of the impact the placement will have on the existing group of children.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page56, paragraph 11.4)

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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

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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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