Children's home run by Ja Nailah Limited in Waltham Forest

children and young women 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 women since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has met the single requirement and two of the four recommendations made at the last full inspection, indicating some capacity to improve. As a result, the independent visitor’s reports now meet regulation, there is a better mix of agency and permanent staff and records are made of staff supervision.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has taken steps towards meeting the remaining two recommendations. A top floor room is now kept locked so young women cannot access an unrestricted window. The manager describes plans to install a restrictor on the window soon. A member of staff is compiling a plan to show staff qualifications and training. This will be useful as it is difficult to identify current training needs or when refresher training is due for the whole staff group.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The staff team is stable. They are from diverse backgrounds with varied qualifications and experience. Young people benefit from this. Staff are skilled at working with vulnerable young women and strive to build their confidence and self- esteem. Young women like the staff and the friendly relationships they have with them.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

Staff plan a variety of activities with young women but they do not always wish to engage in them. They do enjoy activities in the home with staff such as pamper evenings. Staff have also held useful information sessions with young women which they find useful, for example, on sexual health.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

Three young women now live in the home, with two joining since the last inspection. They say that the staff helped them to settle in and get to know the home’s routines. On one young woman’s file, there is an agreement with rules which relate to a different provision, which may have confused the young woman. However, the manager rectified this during the inspection. Young women like living in the home. One describes it as the ‘best place I’ve lived in’. They like the premises and their own bedrooms. Young women feel safe in the home. They describe the ‘usual bickering’ which goes on in families and do not identify bullying as a problem. There have been incidents of challenging behaviour and conflicts, in one case resulting in the arrest of some young women. Staff encourage young women to reflect on their behaviour and learn from it.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has updated her assessment of the local area to identity resources which may be of interest to the young women as well as any risks which may affect them. There are currently risks from gang involvement, drugs and child sexual exploitation. Police from the child sexual exploitation unit state that the staff do a ‘fantastic job’ in working collaboratively with them to try to protect young women. For example, following the young women's association with a local gang, the police installed a panic alarm as a precautionary measure.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The risk for some young women has increased recently as incidents of going missing or returning after their curfew has also increased. Staff work effectively with professionals to keep them informed of escalating behaviour and update risk assessments. With lots of challenges and changing behaviour, a social worker describes having ‘good working relationship (with staff) in the circumstances’. When young women return after being missing, staff interview them to make sure they are safe and well. However, someone independent of the home does not interview all the young women in order to ascertain their safety and the reasons for their absence.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

Individual staff members have identified their training needs. This includes training pertinent to the needs of the young women living in the home, for example, gang involvement. Training providers then cancelled training which had been booked. Staff have not received training on female genital mutilation and the Prevent agenda and so may not be familiar with current guidance. However, the staff and police feel the risk of radicalisation is low, with no referrals made in relation to this.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage young women’s education and want them to do well. Young women’s engagement with education is variable. Some have education placements but attendance fluctuates. One young woman has not been in education for a while. Staff have liaised with the virtual headteacher and local authorities but there is ‘drift’ and no clear plans for her education. While staff are concerned about this, there is potential for them to more urgently challenge local authorities to provide the young woman with education provision.

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Information about this children's home

A limited company provides this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young women who may have emotional and behavioural needs. The home offers its service to expectant women and young mothers who are able to reside at the home with their babies for a specified amount of time.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

18/02/2015 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 recommendations:  Ensure the design of the home includes any necessary adaptation to meet the needs of children with specific health issues. With specific reference to ensuring windows on the top floor are restricted. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17, paragraph 3.24)  Make sure the registered person has a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home's manager. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or

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Recommendations

away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, with specific reference to the Prevent agenda, female genital mutilation and gangs. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  Ensure that if no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child's needs under Regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met). (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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 women living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young women. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young women and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young women. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young women 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 women 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 women since the most recent full inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

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:. 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 women, 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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