Children's Home run by Blandford House (UK) Limited in Hillingdon

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The provider does not have a consistent approach to behaviour management. This means that staff do not always help young people to learn from mistakes.  Staff sometimes use physical intervention to prevent young people from suffering harm. They are not trained in the use of safe techniques for physical intervention and do not record their use in line with regulations.  Young people are at risk of bullying, because the provider does not have a clear policy to identify and manage incidents of bullying.  Young people are sometimes admitted to the home without sufficient information to assess whether the home can safely meet their needs. This also means that the home cannot assess the impact of new referrals on existing residents.  Young people’s care plans do not always include health information. This presents a risk that they will not receive the help and support that they need to stay healthy.  When young people are admitted to the home, staff do not formally assess

p.3

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

the risks associated with them going missing. This means that there is no clear strategy in place to reduce the likelihood of young people going missing. If young people do go missing, staff do not always have photographs of them to help the police to locate them.  Some staff have no recent training in key areas of child protection, first aid or physical intervention. Not all staff have the required level 3 diploma in residential childcare or equivalent qualification.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 Most young people, including those with complex needs, achieve positive outcomes. They generally move on in accordance with their care plans. Some young people have been able to return to their families and others have successfully moved on to foster care.  Staff develop positive relationships with young people. They are able to help them to establish healthy routines and engage in constructive activities. Staff celebrate success and are genuinely proud when young people do well. Young people appreciate this and comment positively about their relationships with staff.  Young people report feeling safe in the home. They feel that staff are looking out for them and will intervene to keep them safe from harm.  Staff are vigilant. They keep a close eye on young people in the home and often stay with them when they are out in the community. They work closely with the local police and take prompt action if they are concerned

p.4

The children's home strengths

about anybody in the local area who may present a risk.  Staff provide extra support to help young people to engage in education. They work effectively with schools and placing social workers to help young people to find the right provision.  Staff support young people to have positive contact with their birth families, and family members feel welcome in the home. Parents appreciate the care provided for their children, and comment that staff keep them informed and involved in decision making.

p.4

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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.5

Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to meet regulation 19, the registered provider must not— impose a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation; (Regulation 19(2)(f)) 22 July 2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy for the prevention of bullying in the home, which must in particular set out the procedure for dealing with an allegation of bullying. (Regulation 34(3)) 22 July 2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

p.5

Requirement Due date

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; and (b) the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (5) Before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must— (a) consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and (b) have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. (Regulation 34(4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 22 July 2016 35: Behaviour management policies and records

p.5

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; and (b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (2) The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (3) The registered person must ensure that— (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (i) the name of the child; (ii) details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure; (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’),

p.6

Requirement Due date

and of any other person present when the measure was used; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 22 July 2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children's home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that 5 September individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.6

Requirement Due date

(3) The requirements are that— (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— (a) the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (5) The relevant date is— (a) in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or (b) in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(1) The health and well-being standard is that— (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met; (b) children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and (c) children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff help each child to— (i) achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child's relevant plans; (ii) understand the child's health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child's health and well- being, in a way that is appropriate to the child's age and understanding. 22 July 2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

p.7

Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 22 July 2016 (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 22 July 2016

p.8

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than 'institutional' impression. In particular, consider whether it is necessary to have house rules on the walls in communal areas. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The home should ensure that it has sufficient suitably trained staff on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  Staff should understand what they must do to prevent bullying of children by other children or adults. Staff should be able to recognise and address different types of abuse such as peer abuse, cyber-bullying and bullying in day-to-day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that procedures for

p.8

Recommendations

dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (See regulation 34(3) on the policy for the prevention of bullying.) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should: – Detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the homes Statement of Purpose – detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding and health and safety

p.8

Recommendations

and mandatory qualifications). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home's statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)

p.9

Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned residential children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 10 young people under the categories of emotional and behavioural difficulties, and learning difficulties.

p.10

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.10

Recent inspection history

30 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.10

Requires improvement

Young people are sometimes admitted to the home without sufficient information for the provider to assess how their needs will be met. This makes it difficult to assess how new admissions may impact on the existing group of residents. Staff are not always proactive in seeking the information that they do not have. This means that some young people have to wait longer than necessary to receive the individualised care that they need to make progress and promote their health. It also means that, sometimes, group dynamics in the home can make it difficult for the staff to provide a calm and stable environment. The provider’s approach to urgent referrals is not consistent with that described in the home’s statement of purpose, which states that the provider will not admit urgent referrals ‘unless they have sufficient information to ensure they can meet their needs’.

p.11

Requires improvement

Despite these shortfalls, staff provide a high level of support and monitoring to ensure that young people are safe. They develop positive relationships and work with skill and commitment to make a difference in young people’s lives. Most young people leave the home positively and move on in a planned way. Some young people have made sufficient progress to be able to return home or successfully move on to foster care.

p.11

Requires improvement

Staff work well with parents and families. One grandparent was very pleased with the standards of care provided to her grandson. She felt that staff communicated well with her and made her very welcome in the home. The inspector observed a young person spending time with his grandmother in the home. He clearly enjoyed and benefited from his time with her. A placing social worker commented that the provider was an effective partner in the professional network and provided excellent support to enable a young person maintain family contact. He went on to describe how this had helped the young person to return home.

p.11

Requires improvement

Staff are vigilant and attentive. They spend time with young people within the home and in the local community. Where young people are not in education, staff keep them busy with constructive activities and promote healthy routines. One young person has made significant progress in a short space of time. He had been out of education, but now attends a local school. Staff support him daily, by accompanying him to and from school. A placing social worker described how staff worked effectively with the school to make sure that this young person had a planned introduction to lessons. He felt that this had contributed to a successful outcome. Despite positive feedback from placing social workers, one placing authority was less positive. It felt that the home did not always inform it of serious incidents and that the group dynamics in the home meant that young people were not always safe.

p.11

Requires improvement

Staff pay attention to what young people say and work hard to encourage them to share their views. Young people are consulted on the day-to-day running of the home and the range of activities provided. In some instances, their views are also recorded to inform care planning, though practice is not consistent in this area. This means that some young people, particularly those who are new to the home, do not contribute fully to discussions about how they experience being looked after. This misses an important opportunity for young people to tell their story and say what support they need in order to feel cared for.

p.12

Requires improvement

Staff are persistent in their efforts to support young people to engage with health services. They act promptly to make sure that they are registered with local services and support them to attend health appointments. When expert help is needed, staff seek help and guidance from professionals who specialise in child and adolescent mental health. When young people are admitted in an emergency, staff do not always seek information from young people’s parents or previous placements to make sure that they understand their presenting health needs. This runs the risk that young people do not receive immediate help and support in order to stay healthy.

p.12

Requires improvement

Young people report that they enjoy living at the home. They get on well with staff and each other. The physical environment is maintained to a high standard and most communal areas have a warm, homely feel. There are some areas of the home where posters, such as those detailing house rules, detract from a homely environment.

p.12

Requires improvement

Staff involve young people in day-to-day tasks such as keeping their rooms tidy and doing washing. They also teach them how to cook. These are valuable skills for young people to learn to promote their independence.

p.12

Requires improvement

Staff do not always seek the information they do not have in order to assess the vulnerabilities and threats in relation to young people admitted to the home. In practice, staff are vigilant and provide high levels of monitoring, which means that young people are safe.

p.12

Requires improvement

The provider looks after young people with complex needs who often have a history of multiple placement breakdowns. Staff develop positive relationships with young people and provide clear boundaries. Most young people settle in well and, over time, reduce behaviours that are harmful or have a negative impact on others. If behaviour cannot be managed safely, the provider works closely with the placing authority to review the placement and, if necessary, to effect a planned move. This means that the service can safely negotiate times of crisis to restore a calm and stable environment.

p.12

Requires improvement

Despite some success in managing behaviour, there are significant shortfalls in relation to behaviour management policies and approaches. The behaviour management policy describes a strategy of positive intervention and minimal use of sanctions. In practice, sanctions are used, and sometimes these are not permissible. In one example, a young person was ‘fined’ for smoking. On occasion, staff use physical intervention to stop altercations between young people and to prevent harm. These interventions are not recorded. This runs the risk that physical interventions are not safe. It also means that opportunities for learning from incidents are missed.

p.13

Requires improvement

Young people report feeling safe in the home and get on well with each other. One young person said that he felt safe from bullying in the home, because staff ‘wouldn’t let it happen’. He described how staff are always vigilant and intervene quickly if young people misbehave. Despite this, the home does not have a coherent policy to counter bullying. This means that incidents where young people are in conflict with each other are not always followed up to ensure that bullying is not taking place.

p.13

Requires improvement

When young people go missing from the home, staff are proactive. They encourage young people to keep in touch if they are late. They work in partnership with the police, placing authorities and parents in order to ascertain their whereabouts and secure their safe return. The records and systems that underpin this practice are not consistent with procedures set out in the placing authority’s Runaway and Missing from Home and Care Protocol (RMFHC Protocol). When young people are admitted to the home, staff do not routinely assess the vulnerabilities of each young person in respect of going missing. They do not always have a photograph on each young person’s file. This undermines the provider’s ability to develop strategies to reduce incidents of missing. It also means that staff do not always have sufficient information to share with the police to help them to locate young people missing from care. In practice, most young people do

p.13

Requires improvement

not go missing overnight. The provider has been successful in helping most young people to reduce their frequency of going missing.

p.13

Requires improvement

Staff monitor the use of the internet in the home. They are alive to risks presented by social media, particularly in relation to grooming and child sexual exploitation. There are no concerns that young people in the home are at significant risk of exploitation, and high levels of monitoring and vigilance from staff reduce any risks in this area. Young people know how to complain. They have access to independent advocacy services. There have been no child protection concerns or allegations of mistreatment in relation to young people living in the home.

p.13

Requires improvement

Not all staff have undertaken recent child protection training in relation to understanding the risks in relation to radicalisation. Not all staff have undertaken first aid training. This means that there is not always a member of staff to administer first aid in the event of an emergency.

p.14

Requires improvement

Since the registered manager resigned her post, the provider is experiencing a significant period of transition. This has had an impact on the effectiveness of the management and leadership of the home. Many of the shortfalls highlighted in this report are in relation to shortfalls in systems, policies and recording. This is indicative of a lack of robust management oversight in respect of the quality of care. This means that the service has not been able to learn from mistakes or provide clear direction to staff in order to improve the service.

p.14

Requires improvement

The new interim manager has been in post for a short period of time. He has considerable experience of managing residential children’s homes. He has not yet had time to gain sufficient oversight of the service in order to deliver improvements. He is not yet sufficiently familiar with systems to be able to monitor the quality of care. This means that key records such as risk assessments, physical interventions and sanctions are not routinely monitored by the manager. Staff report that he has made a positive difference and feel that he understands the challenges faced by residential staff. Young people speak positively about the manager. A placing authority social worker praised the strength of relationships and rapport that he builds with young people, and went on to say how the manager was able to get a young person to engage with support and accept boundaries.

p.14

Requires improvement

The positive outcomes for young people and their positive experiences are influenced by the quality of relationships between staff and young people. Staff provide clear boundaries, and demonstrate skill and commitment in their work with young people. The manager provides regular supervision to staff. This allows them to reflect on the emotional impact of the role, their own learning and development, and strategies to support young people.

p.14

Requires improvement

The home does not have a workforce development plan. This means that some staff have not undertaken core training in areas of child protection, physical intervention or first aid. Not all staff have completed a level 3 qualification in residential childcare. The provider is taking steps to address this, and all staff are now enrolled on this course.

p.14

Requires improvement

The manager works closely with the staff to ensure that their views are central to service development. The provider has commissioned a specialist consultant to assist the manager in this process. The manager is well supported by an experienced service manager who provides clinical supervision and guidance. These arrangements provide the tools to develop the service in a way that is inclusive and well informed. The provider recognises many of the shortfalls outlined at this inspection, and has clear plans in place to address them. These arrangements have only recently been put in place, and the planned improvements have not yet been implemented.

p.15

Requires improvement

The period since the last inspection has coincided with a period of transition in management arrangements. This has had an impact on the provider’s performance in relation to meeting all of the requirements at the last interim inspection. There have been some improvements in relation to increasing the availability of staffing in the home. The provider does not provide care in a way that is consistent with the home’s statement of purpose.

p.15

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’. 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 looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

p.16

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.16

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 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

p.17

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘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 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.17

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,

p.18

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.18

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.18

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

p.18