Children's home run by Oak House Children's Home Limited in Redbridge

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Although there has been a change of manager, this has had minimal impact on the service. The appointment to the role of a staff member, who has many years’ experience of working in the home as well as management experience, has helped ensure a fairly seamless adjustment for young people and staff.  This home has improved to provide a good service. The staff and interim manager are child-focused. They adapt their care and support to meet young women’s changing needs, under the guidance of the home’s consultant psychotherapist. They have high aspirations for children looked after and want all the young women ‘to be the best they can be’. They get sufficient support, guidance and training to work well with young women.  Staff are very child focused, forming warm relationships with the young women. They face challenges at times but demonstrate a passion for ‘making a difference’ in young women’s lives. They provide constancy,

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The children's home provision is good because:

helping some to form positive attachments with adults and giving them a sense of belonging to the home. For example, staff visit those admitted to hospital and take them gifts so that they know that they are cared for.  Staff regard education as very important in helping young people to learn, achieve and develop socially. They have high aspirations for young women. The home provides education on site for those who are not yet ready to attend a school setting or who are waiting for a place.  As young women settle, their safety improves. There are fewer incidents of self-harm, involvement in criminal activity or of young women going missing, with the associated risk of sexual exploitation. A social worker says that the young woman whom they have placed benefits from ‘structure and opportunity for education’ and has made progress after experiencing many placement breakdowns. They like that ‘the staff give her rules and structure’

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The children's home provision is good because:

and ‘do not give up’ but look for ways to help her.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person's report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded, and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)). 31/07/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that, when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or 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 ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.30).  Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, with particular reference to female genital mutilation and the Prevent duty ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.11).

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home provides care for five young women with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25 November 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30 January 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

All young women are participating in education. Following ‘significant absence’ prior to moving into the home, one young woman is now engaging well in on-site education. Others are doing well, for example, in full-time school. Staff listen to their views about the schools that they would like to attend. Their interests are at the forefront in the search for an appropriate setting, in conjunction with the virtual school headteacher. Staff prepare young women well for the move to new schools, for example, by arranging a mentor, participation in summer schemes and obtaining uniform. Staff also help them to improve their social skills and behaviour, and to reflect on the impact that their conduct may have on others. All these steps help to reduce anxiety about joining a new school and help their transition. Young women get support to explore matters relating to their identity, for example, in relation to their race, culture and gender. They are encouraged to find

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Good

hobbies and activities that reflect their interests, for example, by joining local youth groups where they meet like-minded young people or attending music groups to develop their talents in recording music. Some young women make considerable progress in feeling more settled. Staff support them to develop good night-time routines so that they can sleep better and then have improved concentration during the day. When appropriate, young people keep in touch with family members. This may be by taking part in usual family activities, such as going on holiday together. Others now benefit from having an advocate so that there is someone independent to take an interest in them and their progress. Although there are still challenging incidents and behaviour, there is a reduction in the frequency of these and in young people’s involvement in the criminal justice system. Staff help young women to improve their emotional, mental and physical health.

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Good

They access routine health services and more specialist services when required, such as drug counsellors. The young women benefit from a healthy diet and home- cooked food. Some make significant progress in learning how to sit at the table at mealtimes and/or eat with others, which has previously been very difficult for them. They also benefit from establishing healthier routines regarding regular eating and improved sleep patterns. Young women live in a safely maintained, homely building. They make suggestions about décor and how the home looks. For example, staff have listened to a suggestion for a meditation area in a lounge. Young women like their bedrooms and put their personal stamp on the decoration. Young women experience a wide range of activities. Staff listen to what they say when arranging different activities. They also link activities to therapeutic plans, for example, providing meditation to help with behaviour management. Young women

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Good

like homely family activities with staff such as watching a film together, baking, and staff reading books to them or providing ‘pampering’ sessions. Staff have plans to develop activities further, for example, making links with potential employers who may offer volunteering opportunities or work experience to further young women’s experiences and engagement with others. Staff have embarked on some life story work, for example, compiling scrapbooks about the activities that the young women have been involved in. There are plans to develop this area further, so that when young women move on they have some sense of the changes in their lives and can reflect on their time in the home.

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Good

Some of the young women have very high needs. The staff work to the objectives of each young woman’s therapeutic treatment plan, which includes individual counselling and work with other agencies, such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to support progress towards these goals. With the help of the staff, supported by the home’s consultant psychotherapist, there is a reduction in risky behaviour. For example, for one young person, incidents of self-harm declined while in the home. Key-work sessions help young women to reflect on their behaviour and matters affecting them, for example, learning about healthy relationships when they have experienced sexual exploitation. Staff also use role-play scenarios to help to get messages across to young women about ongoing issues, such as sexual consent, drug use and sexual exploitation. Staff used role-play to explore bullying with

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Good

young women during anti-bullying week. Staff are trained and confident about reporting any safeguarding concerns. There has been one referral about a staff member to the designated officer since the last inspection. The home followed child protection protocols appropriately, for example, by making referrals in a timely manner and suspending staff while an investigation was ongoing. These help to protect the young women. Staff encourage young women to raise any concerns or complaints, although for some time no complaints have been made. They provide residents with sources of help external to the home. Some young women are at high risk of sexual exploitation, particularly while missing. There are significant improvements to the incidents of some young women going missing. For example, when in previous placements they may have gone missing for days at a time, they have gone missing only on three occasions

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Good

since moving into the home, with no recent incidents. Staff are vigilant about trying to find young women and ascertain where they have been. Good joint working with the police helps young women to understand the risks that they place themselves at and ensures effective information sharing about those who may be exploiting them. Although the staff and police debrief young women on their return, someone independent of the home does not always interview them. Appropriate use of sanctions, rewards and restorative justice, helps young women to make progress in understanding and managing their own behaviour. Although staff receive training in restraint, they have not used this since last September. Some sanctions protect young women from making decisions that may result in their criminalisation and affect their health, for example, supervised spending to ensure that they do not use money to obtain illicit substances. Effective

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Good

information sharing about young women’s behaviour and any incidents affecting their well-being ensures that professionals can reassess any risk. Staff receive training, supervision and appraisal to develop their performance. They receive ongoing clinical supervision about how to work with the young women, so all are working to each young woman’s’ therapeutic care plan. A robust recruitment system helps to ensure that people are suitable to work with vulnerable young women. Management informs relevant authorities of any concerns about adults. The physical environment is safe, with good attention to fire safety. There are frequent checks of fire systems and devices, and young women are involved in regular fire drills so that they learn what to do in an emergency. Medication is appropriately stored, and arrangements for recording its administration are sound.

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Good

The registered manager left the home in April 2016. The provider kept Ofsted informed of suitable interim management arrangements while checks are ongoing for the new proposed registered manager. Despite being in role for only a few weeks, the interim manager has good oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of the service and of how they wish to direct it. They have a good grasp of each young woman’s needs. These are sound arrangements, which provide a seamless handover from one manager to another, minimising disruption to staff and young women. Management oversight of what goes on in the home is good. Staff share reports of their monitoring with the regulator to keep them informed between inspections. Similarly, there are effective visits from an independent visitor to monitor what goes on. These include regular discussion with young women and staff to ascertain their views. However, there is a minor shortfall in meeting regulation, as they do

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Good

not give their opinion on young women’s safety or whether the home promotes their well-being. Young women’s files are good, with clear plans for their health, care and education and for reducing risk. Staff have clear guidance about how to work with those in their care. Management met the only requirement made at the last inspection, to update the statement of purpose. This now contains all the information that people need about the service. Staff understand and work to achieve the aims set out in the statement of purpose. Young women benefit from a core team of established staff, supported by bank staff who work in this and a sister home. The majority hold the required level 3 qualification, as well as other relevant qualifications, and others are enrolled to achieve level 3. They receive ongoing training to support their work with vulnerable young women. Safeguarding training covers child sexual exploitation

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Good

and self-harm, which are of particular relevance. Staff training has not yet extended to the Prevent duty and female genital mutilation, although staff have discussed these matters. However, staff are confident that no young women have been at risk of either, so the impact is minimal.

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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 that 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 whom 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, 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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