Children's home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Hammersmith and Fulham

This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 12 and 13 January. This monitoring visit has focussed on progress in addressing the regulatory breaches identified at that inspection and no wider judgement is made. However, the good progress made against all requirements set and the calm and homely atmosphere noted evidenced significant improvement in this eight week period.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure effective engagement with external professionals. There is good evidence of assertive engagement to secure better educational provision for both young people and also to ensure that arrangements for independent return from missing interviews are conducted. There is no longer substantial interaction with local police or safeguarding professionals but the managers have sought to build an open culture. An open house coffee morning has been arranged for professionals in the community to learn about the services here. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure all children and young people were engaged in purposeful education. At the time of the last visit one of the current residents had 12 hours per week of one-to-one tuition, this has increased to 21 hours with staff doing structured activities, he attends two classes in the community and has joined scouts. This amounts to a varied and stimulating week. The other resident has commenced a college course, supported by staff but with increasing independence within the college day. She also has swimming lessons and is engaged in structured learning in the home when not in college. This represents an exceptional advance from her level of external activity just eight weeks ago. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to provide purposeful supervision to enable staff to better understand and manage their relationships with children and young people. The management were proactive in offering staff supervision at twice the usual frequency and doing this when all those in the home were reflecting seriously on how to move forward. This has been constructive and the energy and effort put into engaging young people in constructive ‘parental’ relationships is paying dividends. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to manage the relationships between young people to prevent them from harming each other, including bullying. The change to the group dynamic has been a significant determinant of the calmer atmosphere in the home, but alongside that managers and staff have worked proactively to ensure children and young people feel listened to and are respected. There is no longer any bullying or significantly fraught interactions between children and young people; they engage with staff in therapeutic keyworking sessions which are managed sensitively. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to manage the home consistently with the approach and ethos set out in the home's statement of purpose and to ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care. The reflection on the core tasks by the management group resulted in a plan which is delivering this in practice. The recruitment of two new staff means agency staff are not used and children and young people reliably know all the staff who will work with them. The induction of new staff has been thoughtful and children and young people are able to get to know them over time and give constructive feedback which helps establish good relationships between them. The ethos of the home is now commensurate with the statement of purpose. This requirement is complied with. The managers were required, within their care planning, to ensure that impact risk assessments are completed and reviewed so that each child admitted is suitable for

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This monitoring visit

the placement. Since the last inspection there have been no further admissions. However, there was consideration of a move and the assessment determined it would not be wise to move the young person into this home at this time. Managers have also reviewed the admission documentation and there is a template for an impact risk assessment now being used across the organisation. This requirement is complied with but will be scrutinised further after future admissions.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure that staff receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. This has been implemented alongside the improved support to staff to manage their relationships with children and young people. As stated above the frequency of supervision has been increased to promote purposeful engagement and the supervisory relationships are constructive. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure the behaviour management policy is implemented in practice. Staff are trained in behavioural intervention and incidents are reflected upon. There remain some significant moments of challenge by children and young people but these are handled skilfully and the children have minimal negative impact on each other. Behaviour in the short period since the last inspection has been well managed. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure a record is made of any measure of control, restraint or discipline. Since the last inspection the volume of incidents has greatly reduced. There have been a total of eight physical interventions but all were brief, properly documented and reflected upon. It is noted that the previous failure to report was incidental and not systemic. In the calmer environment now prevalent it is highly unlikely that staff will fail to record significant incidents or restraints in the correct way. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure that the host local authority were informed of every admission and discharge. Since that visit there have been two discharges from the home, both events were appropriately confirmed to the local authority. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to ensure regulation 44 reports were completed which set out a good appraisal of the service and that they are sent to Ofsted. Since that inspection a new independent visitor is conducting these visits for the company. The reports are an effective review by a ‘critical friend’, and these are then drawn into an action plan by the manager of the home. This system is, in the short time operative, giving very constructive feedback for the manager which is used to drive improvement. The report is sent to Ofsted as required. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

The managers were required to complete a review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises. This has been done thoroughly and has drawn on professional bodies in the community and utilised available information, for example crime figures. The document is comprehensive and it reaches reasonable conclusions about the safety of the location. This requirement is complied with.

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This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection two recommendations were also made. One of these concerns recruitment practice and the evidence to review this was not available at this inspection. The other concerned return from missing interviews. The only incident in recent weeks was minimal and did not result in a significant absence from the home. It is evident that managers have sought commitment from placing authorities to provide for this should the need arise. Both these recommendations will be further reviewed at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

In summary the progress made in the home has been very good and children and young people who were bored, poorly engaged and at risk of bullying or intimidation within their home are now safe and very well engaged and occupied. There are no new requirements or recommendations made as a result of this visit.

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is registered to accommodate up to four young people with emotional or behaviour difficulties. The home is operated by a private organisation which has several other homes but only this one in this locality.

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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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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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