Children's Home run by Bayis Sheli Limited in Hackney

Inspector Seka Graovac

This monitoring visit was required to assess the registered provider’s compliance with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and in particular, with the compliance notice regarding fitness of workers.

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Standards Act

On 1 July 2016, the registered provider was issued with a compliance notice under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notice enforced the requirement for the registered persons to comply with the Regulation 32 Schedule 2 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015: Fitness of workers. The registered provider’s complete failure to ensure that safe recruitment processes were followed placed vulnerable children at an unacceptable risk of harm. The registered provider was given until 14 August 2016 to achieve compliance with this regulation.

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Standards Act

At this monitoring visit, the registered persons demonstrated that they have improved the staff recruitment procedures and achieved compliance with the Regulation 32 Schedule 2. The examination of the staff files clearly evidenced safer recruitment practice.

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Standards Act

With the help of an independent consultant, the registered persons reviewed all staff files. They took appropriate actions to address any issues identified. All staff files evidence that a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check has been completed. The explanations of any gaps of employment have been clarified in writing and the evidence of identity checks has been obtained.

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Standards Act

Since the last visit, the registered persons have recruited two permanent staff members and one bank staff member. One agency staff member also works at the children’s home. The records clearly demonstrate that each of these staff has been thoroughly vetted to ensure that they are suitable for their roles. The staff files contain all records specified by the Regulation 32 Schedule 2: a photographic proof of identity, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, two verified written references including a reference from the most recent employer, a full employment history including a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, verification of the reason why the position was ended, as far as possible, and copies of their qualifications and relevant training.

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Standards Act

By following comprehensive and robust recruitment procedures, the registered persons have assured that children receive care from people who are fit to be in their role. Therefore, the registered persons have secured compliance with the statutory compliance notice. The consistent implementation of a robust staff recruitment procedure has had a positive impact on safeguarding children at the home: children are now safer.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

In addition to the requirement regarding fitness of workers, 15 other requirements and three recommendations were raised at the full inspection.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The registered persons have taken all requirements and recommendations seriously. They took a wide range of appropriate actions to improve the service. They have increased scrutiny of the service to ensure that the improvement actions are being implemented and that better practice is consistently achieved.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The registered persons have focused the available resources on improvement. They have stopped considering new referrals until the improvement has been achieved. They have also halved the number of children that they are registered to provide care for, from 16 to eight.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The leaders, managers and staff have continued to provide service to one young person, as the only resident at the home. This young person has received appropriate care that effectively meets his needs. Staff members have consistently provided him with the high level of supervision that he needs, in line with his care plan. They have enhanced his safety, welfare, development and positive experiences.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The registered persons have made additional resources available to support the improvement agenda. A widely acknowledged consultancy service provided them with an independent oversight and help. Consultants visited the home on numerous occasions. They provided supervision, support, challenge and advice to the registered manager on a weekly basis. They have contributed to the review of the home’s statement of purpose, policies and records, with the aim of bringing them into line with up-to-date good practice.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The placing authority has also contributed to the increased scrutiny of the service. It has visited the home more frequently. In order to rebuild trust, the registered persons have engaged with it more openly and honestly. To ensure that children’s welfare is promoted, the home has shared relevant information more swiftly with the whole network of professionals. This includes the professionals from social care, education and health services, and the parents. The young person has received better coordinated care. An example of this is how the home worked together with others to promote more effective epilepsy management.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The registered manager has also consulted the partner agencies about the location of the home. The outcome of the annual review is that, with the current risk management strategies, the location has remained appropriate and safe.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The home’s leadership and management have been made stronger by the recent appointments. The registered persons appointed a new deputy manager and a new senior residential care staff member. Through promotion, they have also appointed another senior staff member internally. This means that a full management complement is now in place to manage the service more efficiently and guide staff more effectively.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

Stronger leadership, a good training programme and regular reflection on the care practice at the team meeting have increased the staff’s confidence and skills. All staff have received training in first aid, behaviour management, manual handling and medication. The home has achieved having at least one member of staff with a suitable first aid qualification on duty at all times. The medication procedure has been reviewed and amended to include more robust record keeping and daily monitoring. No medication incidents have occurred. The medication practice at the home is now sound.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

All staff have received a clear message that restricting children’s movement in the home is unacceptable. The young person’s liberty of movement has not been restricted. There have been no incidents requiring physical intervention. Staff were effective in promoting young person’s positive behaviours and keeping him safe. No safeguarding incidents have occurred. The requirements regarding records of the measures of control and notifying Ofsted of serious events will be checked again for compliance at the forthcoming full inspection.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The two requirements that were raised in relation to the protection of children standard and a recommendation regarding risk assessment regarding lone working have also been restated in this report. The registered persons have done significant work on improving the management of risks relating to the access to the home environment by persons not employed to work there, the use of the hydrotherapy pool and lone working at night. However, further evidence is required to demonstrate that they have done everything that they can in order to eliminate and minimise the risks to children.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The newly created written risk management plan does not cover all the safeguarding actions that the registered persons have informally agreed with the organisation with which the home shares the premises. Details on how and at what level this organisation is to share the vetting information about their staff with the registered persons have not been formalised.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The hydrotherapy pool has not been in use, therefore it is not possible to evidence the planned implementation of safer practice. Although the overall risk assessment regarding the use of the pool has been updated, the individual risk assessment for the young person has not been completed.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The door that separates the entrance lobby to the building from the children’s home is not closing properly. This weakens the arrangement by which people who come to use the facilities, such as hydrotherapy pool, but not visit the children’s home are always escorted while on the premises. At the moment, once a visitor enters the building, they can access the areas designated as the children’s home. Staff members are vigilant and come to greet any visitors, but there is no internal physical barrier to secure the boundary of the children’s home.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

The managers have completed a generic risk assessment in relation to each staff member working alone. However, the particular circumstances in which staff members work alone, such as the young person’s behaviours and level of anxiety, the staff member’s skills and their relationship, have not been assessed. An example of this is when a bank staff member worked alone on his first night shift at the home.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

These two requirements and the recommendation will be evaluated again at the forthcoming full inspection. The requirement regarding publishing the statement of purpose on the website has also been restated.

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at the full inspection, on 22 June 2016

In conclusion, the registered persons have taken appropriate actions to address all requirements and recommendations. They have achieved compliance with the notice regarding staff recruitment. They have demonstrated compliance with 11 requirements and two recommendations. The other five requirements and the remaining recommendation have been restated in this report. Further evidence is required to demonstrate that good practice has been consistently achieved. The registered persons are continuing with the implementation of their improvement plan and embedding good practice.

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Information about this children's home

A private limited company with a charitable status provides this service. The home may accommodate up to eight children who may have a physical or learning disability. This includes up to four children under short-break arrangements and up to four children permanently.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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.

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12 The protection of children standard

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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12 The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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12 The protection of children standard

In particular, that access to the home environment by persons not employed to work there is restricted. 11/09/2016

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12 The protection of children standard

(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.

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12 The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must review the risk assessment of the home’s hydrotherapy pool and complete the individual children’s risk assessments in relation to any child using these facilities. These risk assessments must take into account children’s needs and health conditions. 11/09/2016

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16 Statement of purpose

(4) If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such publication would prejudice the welfare of children in the home. (Regulation 16(4)) 11/09/2016

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35 Behaviour management policies and records

(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’), 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

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35 Behaviour management policies and records

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 five 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. (4) Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(4)) 11/09/2016

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40 Notification of a serious event

(4)The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 11/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that whenever there is a lone worker on duty, a formal assessment of the implications to children's care, including any likely risks and strategies to address those is recorded. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph 10.18)

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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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