Children's Home run by Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited in Hounslow

and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures

that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The home does not safeguard young people effectively. Staff do not follow correct procedures when young people are missing. Young people do not receive independent return to care interviews when they come back.  There is an inconsistent approach to behaviour management. Young people remain overly focused on financial gain and do not follow the expectations of the home.  The registered manager has not effectively managed the home. She failed to provide suitable cover in her absence and, as a result, care standards in the home have slipped.  Records are poor and lack analysis. Risk assessments fail to provide an accurate picture of young people‟s progress or risk level.  The home is in a poor state of repair with damage to windows and a generally poor state of decoration.  Staff morale is low; there is a lack of training, supervision, appraisal and effective day-to-day support.  The Statement of Purpose is out of date and does not reflect the staffing

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

structure or the work conducted in the home.  Work to develop independence skills is lacking in depth and fails to provide a structured approach. Consequently there is a lack of preparation for young people leaving the home.

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The children’s home strengths

 Staff want to achieve the best outcomes for young people. They are able to work in partnership with parents to manage behaviours and promote contact.  Managers recognise the home must improve. They understand that a programme of improvement is urgently required and are committed to achieving this.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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

(7) A responsible individual must— (b) have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child, which— (b) are kept up to date 30 August

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard with particular reference to the damage to the window and decoration in the ground floor bedroom, the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished to (i) meet the needs of each child. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (b) Receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 30 August 33: Employment of staff

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

(2) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system of monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided to children. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out— (a) the steps taken and to be taken to prevent children from being absent without permission. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out— (a) How appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children‟s home. 30 August

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must— (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and where appropriate, revise it. 30 August

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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

 Ensure that contingency plans are prepared in the event of a shortfall in staffing levels. It is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time. The manager should make a formal assessment of the implications of this situation for children‟s care, including any likely risks. The assessment should be recorded and available for inspection by Ofsted and placing authorities („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 54, paragraph 10.18).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (Schedule 3, paragraph 14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child‟s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.31).

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from 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 („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30).

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Recommendations

 The following elements of the workforce plan should be included in the Statement of Purpose (in accordance with Schedule 1, paragraphs 19 and 20): the staffing structure, experience and qualifications of staff and arrangements for supervision of staff practice („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 53, paragraph 10.10).

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Recommendations

 For children‟s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely and domestic environments. Children‟s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene and so on); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than „institutional‟ impression („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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Recommendations

 Assist each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or moving to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope with the home‟s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care (Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 17, paragraph 3.27).

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Information about this children’s home

 This children‟s home remains registered to care for up to four young people. A private provider owns and operates it.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

07 December 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13 February 2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Young people say they are happy living in the home. However, they receive inconsistent levels of care and intervention. For instance, despite key work sessions being regular, their recording lacks depth and analysis. Work with independence skills is also lacking in content and structure. This means any meaningful assessment of development or progress is lost. Outcomes for young people have suffered as a result.

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Requires improvement

The home is in a poor state of repair. For example, the living room sofa is in need of replacement, a bedroom window is broken and one young person did not have a suitable set of curtains in his bedroom. The independent visitor first noted concerns regarding the sofa in February 2016. The broken window represents a significant security and safety concern.

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Requires improvement

The home is not a safe, warm, homely environment. Although staff often cook for young people, food essentials remain locked away in the staff office. This denies young people the opportunity of snacking upon their return to the home and creates a sterile atmosphere. There is damage to the kitchen which adds to the overall feeling of a lack of care and attention given to the environment.

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Requires improvement

Care planning and review is inconsistent. In general staff receive written guidance on how young people should have their needs met. However, records fail to capture the progress made by young people. In addition professionals comment on the absence of, and poor quality of monthly reports. This means that despite young people making some progress it is difficult to assess whether this is meeting the overall aims and objectives of their stay.

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Requires improvement

Young people make effective use of the complaints system and the offer of independent advocacy. However, evidence of consultation is lacking. Residents meetings do not occur regularly, therefore denying young people ongoing representation and an important source of insight into any proposed changes to the home.

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Requires improvement

Staff appreciate the importance of education. Young people receive opportunities to access courses and enjoy safe access to the internet in the home. One young person recently used local authority funding to purchase a laptop to support his studies. Staff liaised well with another placing authority to allow a young person to have private tuition in the home as his allocated college provision was too far away. This helped raise his attainment and he progressed well in his studies. Staff support contact when assessed as appropriate. Visitors to the home are welcomed. One young person is currently tracing his family abroad by use of the Red Cross. This acts as an important source of support at a difficult time.

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Requires improvement

Staff support access to healthcare. Staff have helped a young person to access smoking cessation services. They also seek creative solutions when young people struggle to engage with specialist services. For example, following discussions with staff, a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) practitioner moved an appointment from his office into the community. This encouraged and supported the young person to attend their appointment and removed some of the stigma he initially felt. Arrangements for dispensing medication are robust.

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Requires improvement

Young people say: „It‟s cool here, they do what they can to look after you.‟ They report feeling safe and bullying is not an issue. Professionals comment on the willingness of staff to offer support to young people. Staff help young people to meet their cultural needs. For example, following his arrival into the country one young person has successfully accessed football and boxing clubs. He also received support to attend his chosen place of worship by his key worker. This followed a difficult period of adjustment following arrival.

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Requires improvement

Behavioural management is inconsistent. Staff report a confusion among themselves and young people with a varied approach to expectations of behaviour and attitude. Staff point to excessive emphasis on finance as an incentive to get young people to behave well.

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Requires improvement

There is a poor response when young people go missing from the home. This places young people at risk. The level of reporting of missing behaviour is not accurate in the home. Police report „a lack of staff engagement and proactivity‟. Recently one young person was stated to be „absent‟ and not missing over a period of 27 hours. Staff failed to speak to a responsible adult or accurately confirm his whereabouts. They considered his confirmation of his own welfare to be sufficient. Consequently, police lacked knowledge of his absence and appropriate safeguarding procedures were not followed. On return, young people do not receive an independent return to care interview, meaning that there is a lack of support at a vulnerable time. This shortfall was highlighted at the previous full inspection.

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Requires improvement

The giving of sanctions does not provide appropriate opportunities for young people to learn from their negative behaviour. Records show one young person not receiving a sanction, despite being involved in a large number of incidents of poor behaviour. The same young person returned from 14 days missing from the home. After he completed a household chore he received his allowance and subsequently went missing again. This places young people at risk by the lack of clear boundaries and serves as an extremely poor example to other young people.

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Requires improvement

Evidence of multi-agency work is inconsistent. On one occasion, staff worked effectively with the local police to safeguard one young person and address gang issues. This involved the sharing of information from the home‟s CCTV information system. Staff have also helped other young people to work with youth offending services positively and comply with their court orders. However, recently poor liaison with youth offending services meant breach action was not instigated as required. In the intervening period, the young person concerned continued to ignore his electronic monitoring conditions.

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Requires improvement

The home is lacking in ethos and direction. The registered manager accepted the failings of the home and the regression since the last inspection. She states, „I have taken my eyes off the ball‟. The registered manager says she is committed to a programme of service improvements.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is the home‟s owner. She is currently completing her level 5 management award.

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Requires improvement

The Statement of Purpose is out of date and does not reflect the skills of the current staff team nor the current work conducted in the home. At present it refers to an eight-week assessment of young people upon arrival, this is presently not taking place. This raises the risk of professionals making inappropriate placement decisions.

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Requires improvement

Staff morale is poor. They are lacking motivation and a team dynamic. Key staff members have recently left the home, resulting in destabilisation for the staff team and increased use of agency staff. The home is presently seeking to recruit new permanent staff. Staff report a lack of supervision and appraisal. This compounds their feelings of confusion and worries over ongoing consistency.

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Requires improvement

Training is lacking in the home; there has been no recent training for staff on the radicalisation or sexual exploitation of young people. One staff member has failed to obtain their level 3 qualification within the required timescale. This stems from a lack of management oversight and results in an absence of key knowledge in areas of risk.

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Requires improvement

The home lacks effective monitoring. An independent person completes monthly visits. However, managers are slow to act on recommendations. The registered manager carries out internal monitoring but fails to act on shortfalls identified. They have yet to submit a copy of their monitoring report as required.

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Requires improvement

At present, there is only one night staff member on duty. Although no concerns have arisen, this approach his raises the possibility of one member of staff caring for four young people. The home has not provided a suitable assessment of this risk and its impact on the care of young people in the event of an emergency.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against „Inspection of children‟s homes: framework for inspection‟.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children‟s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children‟s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children‟s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children‟s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children‟s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 that 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 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

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Information about this inspection

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, work- based 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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