Children's home run by Seaside Care Homes Limited in Havering

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:

 Children are fully protected because staff and managers make their safety the top priority. Exceptional risk assessments balance management strategies with the determination that ensure that children should benefit from a wide range of life experiences.  There is excellent planning for new admissions, and staff and managers enable children to settle in the home without stress. Families and other professionals comment on the comprehensive approach to ensuring that children remain safeguarded throughout their stay.  Feedback from parents and professionals is uniformly enthusiastic about the care that children receive. They particularly comment on the home-from- home atmosphere and the empathetic approach from staff. Children are relaxed and happy.  Partnership is a strength, with active and dynamic relationships between the home and a range of local health and educational professionals, who all work together to support children and solve problems as they arise.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Care plans focus on medical needs and ensuring safe care. At the same time, staff and managers are not risk-averse. They are determined that children should be able to enjoy activities and set out to overcome or manage any obstacles. Children have been able to participate in activities in the community and take holidays, which they have enjoyed.  Some shortfalls were identified during this inspection. Details regarding staff recruitment are kept in different places in the home, which does not lead to efficient tracking of information. Supervision records do not contain reflective discussions, with specific tasks and timescales, with the result that some actions are not followed through. Finally, staff and managers are not following children’s progress in relation to their starting points, showing what actions the home is taking to maintain or improve their goals.

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

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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, with particular reference to driving improvement in the home, the registered provider must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home 28/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Maintain good employment records, with particular reference to ensuring that all recruitment information, including qualifications, is organised effectively so that any gaps are clear and can be addressed in a timely fashion. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  Ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care, with particular reference to identifying and tracking actions within specific timescales to confirm that they have been completed. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this children’s home

The service is a privately owned children’s home that provides respite care and accommodation for up to four children. The home accommodates children who have a learning or physical disability, complex medical needs and who may have life- limiting conditions. Children have packages of care varying from living at the home as semi-permanent placements or occasional overnight stays to short visits after school .

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/2/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

17/2/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Staff and managers produce good clear care plans for each child, which principally focus on their behaviour and health needs. However, they do not provide evidence of children’s starting points in their developmental goals. Consequently, it is not possible to track the progress that they are making, what appropriate developmental goals have been set and what actions the home has taken to help them sustain or improve progress. For instance, one child is noted to be walking more but there is no evidence of what this is based on, or what the home is considering to support this performance. This is a wasted opportunity to recognise achievements, which in turn could be fed back to children and their families to reassure and motivate them

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Good

Children benefit because they are looked after by staff who know their needs and vulnerabilities very well and speak of them fondly. The parent of one child said: ‘It is like a little home there. They approach him and speak to him as I would.’ Many children cannot communicate verbally so staff are skilled in recognising signs of enjoyment or pleasure. Parents of children notice positive changes. The father of one child said: ‘She is very comfortable and has blossomed with the attention from staff. They love her to bits. They pamper her and do her nails, which she loves.’

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Good

All children attend school. As this inspection took place during the school summer holidays, the inspector did not have the opportunity to contact the headteacher. However, social workers, health professionals and parents report close cooperation between the home and school. This includes attending reviews and other meetings about a child’s progress in school, monitoring changes in their medical conditions, coordinating discussions about medication and exchanging information about menus so that children benefit from a varied diet. As a result, children each have a bespoke programme of care that supports their educational progress.

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Good

Children have access to a wide range of activities, which they enjoy. In the home, staff are skilful in arranging pursuits such as karaoke or, if the weather allows, sensory pleasures such as sitting outside dangling their feet in a small paddling pool. Children get out into the community. Trips include going to the seaside, a visit to the pantomime, the zoo or ten pin bowling. All activities are carefully assessed so that any eventuality is planned for. One professional commented that staff and managers are determined that children should also be able to benefit from everyday activities such as going out for a takeaway. This means that children enjoy a balance of routine and more unusual experiences. Staff and managers are not risk-averse and can be creative in their ambitions for children. For instance, one member of the care team suggested that some of the children could attend a football tournament where they could raise some money

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Good

for extra play equipment for the home. This proved to be very successful, with children clearly very happy to be among the crowd of other youngsters. The registered manager described the reaction of one child : ‘It was a massive effort to get there but she was really smiley and happy so that was real feedback.’ On another occasion, a group of children and staff went on a self-catering holiday for a week. The home has produced a hardback book of the week, with printed photos for parents and colleagues to see. Children and staff are shown taking part in different activities: swimming and water play, feeding deer, having meals together and even attending a Bollywood dancing class. Strikingly, children are shown at the beginning and end of the trip, initially tense and a little gloomy but relaxed and laughing at the end.

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Outstanding

Children come with complex medical needs and disabilities. They have no sense of risk or danger, with the consequence that staff and managers must assume total responsibility for their care. Children are fully protected because staff make their safety the top priority. Each time a child comes to stay at the home, staff and managers make sure that they have full and complete information. One member of staff said that the message was: ‘Know your child so that they are safe and happy.’ As a result of this professional approach throughout the staff team, children remain safeguarded.

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Outstanding

All children benefit from exceptionally comprehensive risk assessments. Risks are balanced with management strategies that ensure that children have opportunities to maximise life experiences. Any challenges arising from their medical conditions are never regarded as insurmountable. For instance, one child loves to swim despite a chronic medical condition which could place her at immediate risk. Staff work around this purposefully, so that she is able to enjoy her time in the water. If emergencies arise, they are dealt with effectively and promptly. Consequently, she remains safe at all times while still being able to enjoy herself.

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Outstanding

Staff and parents work together to ensure that children’s stay is as relaxed and productive as possible. The registered manager works confidently with families to ensure that the home has up-to-date information. She has recently completed a programme of home visits to all children and their families. This individual approach has led to good, detailed care plans, strengthened by personal information, which ensure that children’s health needs are well met. Children settle quickly in an environment that feels like a home-from-home. In addition, a comprehensive assessment pack is completed after each visit, including a range of information from health needs to activities. Children remain protected in this consistent and dynamic exchange of information between staff and families.

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Outstanding

Staff and managers are confident in their ability to look after vulnerable children and this can lead to examples of innovative care. For example, two siblings recently spent a holiday period in the home, giving their parents the opportunity for respite. Due to their extremely complicated and diverse requirements, planning began almost a year before the placement. This included research undertaken by staff and managers into the various conditions and how they could be managed, liaison with a specialist hospital and negotiation for on-site training for staff. Their determination and commitment to ‘going the extra mile’ is evident in their decision to go and collect the two children from well outside the local area, when specialist transport arrangements could not be agreed. The result was a very successful stay. Written feedback from the social worker said: ‘Thank you for your excellent care of these two very complex boys. The family were very impressed with the care and

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Outstanding

(as you probably know) they are asking for another stay next year.’

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Outstanding

Staff and managers are aware of broader risks to children, including internet abuse or grooming, and have received training about this. They encourage children to use electronic devices within safe boundaries and by agreement with parents, but are always vigilant. One member of staff said: ‘We can do this without being too obtrusive. We know they are vulnerable.’

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Outstanding

The management team prioritises the safety of the premises and this is supported by a range of comprehensive risk assessments. This is linked with a common sense approach to safety. For instance, the emergency evacuation plan for each young person is considered carefully to balance risks and management strategies. This means that children are safeguarded but not exposed to unnecessary stress.

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Outstanding

Staff recruitment files are not comprehensive. Key information, including whether checks have been completed before a member of staff begins in the home and evidence of qualifications, is held in different locations within the home. This information was available during the inspection, but the system does not ensure that any gaps are identified and followed up and is not an effective use of quality assurance systems. Judgement grade

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Good

The registered manager has addressed the recommendations following the last interim inspection. When considering a new referral, the manager makes records of all enquiries and contacts so that it is clear whether the home has access to a full range of information and assessments. This means that she can confidently predict if they will be able to meet that young person’s needs.

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Good

Staff and managers in the home confirm that they receive regular supervision. However, records of these sessions are not robust. Notes are descriptive rather than demonstrating reflective practice. Tasks are not set up with specific timescales or followed up at the next session, which means that it is not clear if an action has been achieved. This is a wasted opportunity to develop professional practice and to drive improvement in the home.

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Good

The management team relies on advice and information from regular external monitoring. Staff and managers are skilled in interpreting children’s responses, and parents confirm that they feel that they are being well cared for. There have been some positive responses from parents to audits sent out by the home. The registered manager has been in post for about seven months. She is a qualified nurse with several years’ experience in the care of children with complex medical needs. She has enrolled on the national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 5 course in leadership and management, with an expected finishing timescale of two years. The two directors of the company are both experienced paediatric nurses who also have NVQ level 5 qualifications. The company places a high value on professional training. Staff are either already NVQ level 3 qualified, are about to go on the course or will do so once they have completed their induction training

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Good

The management team monitors the quality of care within the home using direct feedback from families, social workers and other professionals. Comments about the service are uniformly enthusiastic. One school professional said that they were: ‘Doing an amazing job, a wonderful environment for children.’ Parents comment on the empathetic approach of staff, who treat them as part of the team working with the children, keeping them informed and working alongside them. One parent said: ‘Their communication is excellent. They understand that I need to be kept informed and give me a call.’

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and children 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 children 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 children 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 children. A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and children 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 children living in the children’s home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and children. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, children and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and children. Wherever possible, they talked to children, children 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 children 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 Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Information about this inspection

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 children, 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

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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