Children's home run by Sahara Care Service for Children Ltd in Slough

This monitoring visit

This unannounced monitoring visit was made following the inadequate judgment at the full inspection in May 2016at which a compliance noticed was issued in relation to the safe recruitment of staff. In addition, numerous requirements and recommendations were made relating to the care that the young people receive and to staff practice. The newly appointed manager and head of service provided a range of records evidencing how they had planned or already addressed all areas of concern. Several members of the staff team have left and those remaining are having their performance evaluated. The home currently presents as unsettled for the young people and staff, due to uncertainty about placements and the status of the home. The management proactively addressed the compliance-related issue. A new recruitment policy has been implemented. The policy clearly outlines the procedures to be undertaken when recruiting new staff to work with the young

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This monitoring visit

people. Records indicate that the management team and independent visitor have been safely recruited using the new process. Management took prompt action to correct the shortcomings in recruitment for the current staff. Their personal files have been updated with their photos, and references have been resubmitted. Risk assessments have been put in place for the entire staff team, assessing their risk to the young people in case concerning information becomes known. Care plans for the young people are of a good quality. Every young person’s plan has been updated to include information related to his or her care, his or her individual targets and the strategies that staff will use to support them. The views of the young people are reflected throughout their plans, evidencing that they understand what is expected of them. Young people have been provided with an independent person to support them in their care experience.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have improved their efforts of exploring the personal interests of the young people. They anticipate that they will be able to create opportunities for the young people to develop their social skills and confidence. Some young people have started to engage in tasks designed to increase their ability to be independent, while others have yet to engage in their desired activities due to limited opportunities. Young people are actively taking a role in food shopping as the staff encourage them to assist in preparing healthy meals in the home. Previously, young people had the majority of their meals prepared for them by the staff. The option of eating meals together is now being offered to the young people by the staff, as it was absent previously. Appropriate mechanisms have been put on the fire doors in the home ensuring that they are able to close and open properly in case of fire. The doors are no

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This monitoring visit

longer propped open with doorstoppers, making them complaint with fire regulations. Sufficient improvements have been made to the risk assessments for the young people and to the locality risk assessment. Clear information is available on the risks associated with the young people, the home and the community. Records reflect that guidance on reducing risk is now detailed for staff. There has been no further training undertaken by the staff to increase their awareness in safeguarding the young people. A training matrix was supplied with details of basic and specialised safeguarding training for the staff. There have been incidents of missing for young people that the staff have responded to well. Ensuring that staff have an improved awareness in safeguarding is an area of improvement identified by the management, contributing to the assessment of staff performance. The relationships between the staff and the young people continue to be of poor

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This monitoring visit

quality. A young person said, ‘I do not trust the staff, which makes it difficult to talk to them.’ The quality of engagement between the young people and staff has not improved their relationships, which appear superficial with young people only engaging when they need something. The majority of the staff lack the confidence to closely engage or challenge the young people when necessary. The challenging behaviour of the young people continues to be an issue for the staff. There have been a number of incidents involving the young people becoming verbally aggressive and threatening towards staff. The staff do not manage disagreements between the young people effectively. The young people become agitated and escalate their behaviour, due to ineffective intervention methods used to resolve issues. The young people were observed to be very volatile with each other during the visit, resulting in damage to property and a chaotic environment.

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This monitoring visit

The home still does not have a registered manager. A manager has been appointed and has started the process of improving the service for the young people. Unfortunately, the manager’s application for registration has only recently been submitted and is at the first stages of being processed. The home will not be able to make any sustained changes until the management situation is stabilised. One member of staff is currently undertaking the required qualification for working in a children’s home. Several members of the staff that were due to undertake qualification have left. The management will need to ensure that all subsequent new members of staff have the level 3 qualification. External scrutiny of the home is now the responsibility of an independent visitor that was hired by management following the last inspection. One report has been submitted to Ofsted, and it will take time for her to become familiar with the

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This monitoring visit

service. It is too early to determine how rigorous and effective the monthly reporting will be, when capturing the lives of young people along with identified strengths and areas of improvement for staff practice. Overall, there have been positive changes identified during the monitoring visit along with areas that are still in need of improvement. A further full inspection will be needed to properly assess the service and its ability to implement and sustain change when caring for young people.

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Information about this children's home

The home is run by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on, (a) mutual respect and trust, (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour, and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c) 23/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that staff (a)(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 (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 23/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(c)) 23/08/2016 The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home. (Regulation 27(1)) 23/08/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children will have varied pre-care experiences. A large proportion of children come into care for reasons relating to trauma, neglect and abuse. The registered person should ensure that staff are prepared and able to listen to children who want to talk about their past difficulties. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.12)  Staff should have the skills and confidence to communicate and easily understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children whom they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views, acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to 'tell'. They should also understand how children might communicate their

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Recommendations

feelings through behaviour. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside the home, and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)  Children should be encouraged to develop positive relationships with others both in and outside the home, as set out in the positive relationship standard. However, staff should be alert to the possibility that children may be at risk from such relationships including other children in the home, and therefore should take appropriate steps to protect a child when there are concerns. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.13)  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home

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Recommendations

and make best use of the information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent visitor must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home's care. (‘Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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 children's home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 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 children looked after 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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