Children's Home run by S P Homes Limited in Lambeth

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 registered manager ensures that the home is a safe, welcoming environment for young people. She engages all staff and young people in maintaining a bright, clean and well-decorated home. Young people say that they enjoy being in the home and think it is warm, friendly and homely. They personalise their bedrooms which are appropriately furnished and maintained. The registered manager leads by example and sets high standards in the home. Staff and young people respect her, one member of staff saying, ‘She is a strong manager who is always there for us.’ She ensures that all staff are familiar with the stated aims and objectives of the home, as detailed in the statement of purpose, and apply these principals in their work. The statement of purpose provides a clear and detailed explanation of how the home functions and how staff ensure the safe care of the young people. However, there are some minor errors in the document,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

which the registered manager addressed with the responsible person during the inspection to enhance and clarify the service provided to young people. The manager has successfully recruited suitably qualified and experienced staff since the last inspection. The new appointments ensure that the manager is able to cover emergencies and short-term contingencies in the home with suitable staff. The home are continuing to recruit a deputy manager, following the recent departure of a senior member of staff. All staff have completed a suitable induction period, including training in: emergency first aid; safeguarding; administration of medication; food hygiene; and an introductory discussion on radicalisation and the prevent agenda. The management team have enhanced the safety of staff and young people with these appointments and the commencement of the training programme. The registered manager maintains good monitoring of the home, its location and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

functioning. She has completed a detailed and excellently structured review of the suitability of the location of the home. In this review, she has skilfully used information about the location of the home to construct a helpful guide to local risks and resources including schools, libraries and facilities for the young people. She effectively uses the monthly independent person’s reports on the home, young people and staffing. The independent person’s reports are appropriately challenging and provide a good commentary on how the home ensures the safe care of young people. The registered manager’s internal monitoring reports include commentary on the location risk assessment as well as actions taken in response to the independent person’s monitoring of the home. However, she has not clearly underpinned the report by the Quality Standards. This has not impacted negatively on her continuous promotion of good practice within the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have left the home in a planned manner with support from staff and their placing authorities. Most maintain contact with staff and the manager, sending in letters and photographs of their new lives. The registered manager carefully plans new admissions, taking into account the needs of the young people already living in the home as well as the needs of the potential admission. Consequently, the home continues to be a calm and stable environment where young people are successfully addressing care plan targets. Young people make good progress in the home. They reduce the frequency of going missing and of offending. They have improved attendance, behaviour and attainment at school or college. Where young people experience difficulties in education, the home work closely with the social worker, school and virtual head to address these difficulties and reengage the young person. Young people also learn

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

appropriate life skills through their engagement in highly structured pathway plans. As mentioned young people have successfully reduced absences from the home. Most absences are now late returns from approved social outings rather than overnight periods of missing from care. The manager ensures that all young people have debriefings when they return from any period of missing from care. The local police and some local authorities also attend to seek to understand why the young people have been missing and reduce any risks they may be exposed to. The registered manager says staff offer young people the opportunity to see someone independent of the home or social services if they wish on their return. However, staff do not always record this, leaving it unclear if they offer young people this helpful safeguard. The manager has successfully addressed all requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. As mentioned, this has improved the safe care of young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people and the creation of a suitable staff team who benefit from a skilfully structured and comprehensive workforce development plan. The improvements in tracking progress of young people ensures that their care plan targets and risk assessments are current and meaningful. Sanctions are infrequent, appropriate and aim to be restorative in nature. Young people say they feel safe in the home and well looked after by kind, listening staff.

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately-run children's home which caters for up to six young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

04/03/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the six monthly review of the care provided by the home, the experiences of the children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children, is underpinned by the Quality Standards.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page64, paragraph 15.2)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that you keep under review and update the statement of purpose indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in your care. In particular include the age range of children accommodated and contact details for the Office of the Children's Commissioner.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page14, paragraph 3.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that, where you have offered young people an independent return home interview, staff record this and the young person's response.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45 paragraph 9.30)

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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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