Children's Home run by Destiny House in Harrow

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.

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The leadership and management are weak. Children live in a home that lacks consistent management and oversight.  The registered person has continued to fail to meet the leadership and management quality standard.  Staff do not have access to up-to-date or accurate written guidance. This includes the child protection and behaviour management policies.  The management of health and safety is not robust. Managers fail to complete management plans to reduce the risk of environmental concerns.  The home’s fire safety management plan is not consistently implemented. The fire exit paths are not kept clear of obstructions. This compromises the safety of all.  A lack of appropriate arrangements for providing, reviewing and supervising drama therapy compromises the quality and appropriateness of the healthcare that children receive.  Records of the staff duty roster do not accurately reflect the exact hours

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

that the registered person and staff are on duty.  The level of electronic surveillance is intrusive and not in keeping with a homely environment. In addition, the garden is bare and is fenced by barbed wire.

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The children’s home strengths

 The staff team is highly experienced, stable and committed to children. All staff members have an appropriate qualification in children’s social care.  The registered person and staff are highly skilled in providing direct care and forming positive relationships with children. This includes children with highly complex needs and those sometimes described as difficult to reach.  The registered person and staff are effective in encouraging children’s creativity, learning and self-discovery. Some children’s attendance of education has increased immensely while living in this home.  Children lead healthy and active lives. They have access to a wide range of internal and external activities that promote their enjoyment and relaxation.  The registered person and staff support children to attend their chosen place of worship, enabling them to practise their faith.  Children report feeling safe in the home. They receive high levels of

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The children’s home strengths

supervision and support in line with their care plans, individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans.

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The children’s home strengths

 The registered person and staff are committed to managing children’s behaviour within a positive framework. The home’s approach to behaviour management has been successful.

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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 ‘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

6 The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to having a statement of purpose that clearly defines and reflects the intentions and practice, the registered person must— (2)(a) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff— (i) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

This relates in particular to the registered provider confirming what services are provided. 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

6 The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, in particular in relation to arranging and providing care to meet a specific health outcome, the registered person must demonstrate— (3)(a) that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority; (b) that the care meets the child’s needs; (c) that the care is delivered by a person who— (ii) is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care; and (d) that the registered person keeps the child’s general medical practitioner informed, as necessary, about the progress of the care throughout its duration.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the home’s provision of drama therapy. 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to having an effective risk management process, the registered person must clearly demonstrate— 01/12/2016 (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

This relates in particular to the risks associated with the swimming pool, the chest freezers and the internal brick wall in the garden. 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 keeping the home’s policies, procedures and documents in line with current legislation and good practice guidance, the registered person must— (2)(g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— (i) developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— (a) the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; (b) the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance; (d) the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(b)(d)) 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— (1)(b) provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(b)) 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

35 Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— (1)(b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35(1)(b)) 01/01/2016 37 Other records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— (2)(a) maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; (b) ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement relates in particular to maintaining accurate records of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual hours worked. (Regulation 37(2)(a)(b)(Schedule 4.3) 01/12/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Review the physical environment with the aim of satisfying the quality standard that states that, for children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children, they will, in most cases, be a homely, domestic environment.

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Recommendations

This particularly relates to the excessive use of visual and movement surveillance that is linked to an alarm system, the use of the term ‘industrial kitchen’ in the statement of purpose and the condition of the garden area. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 Complete a formal risk assessment and contingency plans in the event of shortfall in staffing levels.

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Recommendations

This is in particular if there is one staff member on duty or if a staff member works alone with a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.18)

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care and accommodation for up to eight young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/09/2015 Full Good 24/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/01/2015 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

Children live in a home that is managed inconsistently. A lack of clarity regarding the home’s purpose has a negative impact on the service’s compliance with legislation. This includes a lack of appropriate arrangements for supervising the home’s drama therapy. This shortfall compromises the appropriateness and the quality of the healthcare that children receive. In addition, weaknesses in the home’s management of health and safety risks, including fire safety, undermine the safety of all in the home.

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Requires improvement

The home environment is institutionalised and does not promote a homely feel. The garden’s high fence has several rows of barbed wire on the top. In addition to three external cameras, there are cameras in all communal areas. A monitoring screen in the office enables the registered manager and staff to see what is happening in the communal areas of the building. Some of the cameras are recording and some are not. Each camera is linked to a movement sensor. Every time that a person moves, an alarm sounds. For example, getting up from sitting at the dining table triggers the alarm. The alarms make the environment unpleasantly noisy and institutional. Each child and their social worker sign a document to confirm their agreement with the use of the cameras as necessary to safeguard the children. However, this document does not mention the movement sensor and subsequent alarm. When triggered, the alarm is audible throughout the home.

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Requires improvement

These shortfalls are in contrast to the efforts made by the registered person, staff and children to make the environment more homely. In many areas, the home environment appears comfortable and child centred, with dolls, toys, books, posters, displays of positive motivational messages and soft furnishings.

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Requires improvement

The registered person and staff are effective in encouraging children’s creativity, learning and self-discovery. Some children’s attendance at education has increased immensely while living in this home. One child’s attendance has increased from 33% to 100%. Another child’s attendance has increased from 31% to 94%. These are significant improvements, given their starting points when they moved in.

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Requires improvement

Children lead healthy and active lives. They have access to a wide range of internal and external activities that promote their enjoyment and relaxation. Staff support them to attend their chosen place of worship and practise their faith.

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Requires improvement

The registered person and staff are able to form close relationships with children. This includes children with highly complex needs and those sometimes described as difficult to reach. The ability to form positive relationships with children is the biggest and the most important strength of the service. Children receive individualised care that meets their diverse needs. The registered person promotes their emotional well-being and mental health by providing drama therapy.

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Requires improvement

The only child who currently lives at the home reported being very happy. She has made great progress in many aspects of her life. She has progressed from attending alternative educational provision to being in a high-achieving mainstream school. Her recent attainments include excellent test results in English and science, a ‘good behaviour’ award and a merit from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She attributes her success to the registered person’s continued efforts to help her. At the inspection, she described her experience of the home: ‘It is really nice, here. You feel loved. Everybody cares for you and listens to you. Staff always check what you think. If you are not well, they would act immediately to help you. It is absolutely fantastic.’

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Requires improvement

Parents, teachers and social care professionals also provided positive feedback about the service. All of them said that the communication with the home was good. The staff’s commitment to children, their understanding of children’s needs and the consistency of the team have had a positive impact on the children’s experiences and progress.

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Requires improvement

Managers and staff do not consistently apply a robust approach to the management of health and safety risks within the home’s physical environment. Risks are not consistently identified or well managed. For example, children have access to three large chest freezers that do not have locks. Despite this, no consideration had been given to the potential risk of children gaining access. This poor approach is particularly of concern, given that some children have a history of suicidal ideation.

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Requires improvement

The home does not have a risk management plan in relation to its swimming pool. The pool is in a separate building at the bottom of the garden. The registered person said that it was last used in 2011. She has previously stated an intention to decommission it, but has not acted to do so. The impact of the delayed actions on the continuing risks of having a swimming pool have not been considered. Although the swimming pool area is locked, glass-panelled doors make it vulnerable to inappropriate access. On the day of the inspection, the pool had a significant amount of water in it. The water was dark and had a thick cover of ‘green and brown growth’ on it. The registered person was unable to say when was the last time that the seemingly stagnant water was tested for bacterial growth. No records were available to show that the water was chemically treated to counteract any harmful bacteria. This places everybody at risk and could have been easily

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Requires improvement

avoided. The inspector has raised her concerns regarding potential waterborne and airborne pathogens with the local authority’s environmental health department.

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Requires improvement

The home’s fire safety management plan is not implemented appropriately. The plan states that staff check fire escapes every 20 to 30 minutes to make sure that they are free from obstructions. On the day of the inspection, both fire exits were obstructed. Three rubbish bins obstructed the exit path at the back of the house. A two-metre long car step that was left on the only staircase obstructed the exit path from upstairs. In addition, a fire door that separated the ground floor from the landing leading to the first floor was propped open with a wedge. This places children and staff alike at risk of harm. The obstructions were subsequently removed by staff.

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Requires improvement

The home’s child protection policy is not up to date. For example, the policy points to the version of the ‘Working together’ document that was published in 2006. The policy also contains some confusing information. For example, it refers to a place of worship. In another place, it repeats the a myth that a child will be taken into care if social services become involved. This ignores the fact that the children who live in the home are already in care. The policy specifies that it is based on the safeguarding standards published by the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service. The information in it has not been consistently reviewed in the light of what is relevant to this children’s home.

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Requires improvement

The home’s behaviour management policy is not comprehensive. It covers how appropriate behaviours are to be promoted, but it does not set out the measures of control, discipline and restraint which staff may use in relation to children in the home.

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Requires improvement

Children report feeling safe in the home. They receive high levels of supervision and support, in line with their placement and care plans, and the individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans. Staff are committed to managing children’s behaviour within a positive framework. They recognise the uniqueness of each child and consistently use encouragement and praise. They have built positive relationships with children in their care. They have managed difficult situations well within clear and consistent boundaries. The home’s approach to behaviour management has been successful. There have been no restraints or sanctions.

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Requires improvement

There have been no reported concerns regarding child sexual exploitation or radicalisation, and no child protection referrals or allegations against any staff member. When children go missing from the home, staff follow appropriate procedures, in partnership with others, to locate and as far as is possible, under the circumstances, promote their welfare. The child who currently lives in the home has a history of absconding, but has never absconded from this home. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The registered provider also manages the service. She has been in this position since the home opened in 2002. She has appropriate qualifications and the experience necessary for the management role. She is a qualified social worker and has a master’s degree in business administration.

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Requires improvement

The service is not consistently meeting the standard expected of a good children’s home. At the last inspection, the leadership and management were judged to be requiring improvement. This is still the case. Although the registered person took steps to improve them, the actions have not been fully effective in bringing the leadership and management up to a good standard. The impact of the registered person’s continued failure to manage the home effectively is now more visible in the overall outcomes for children. These include safeguarding and the promotion of welfare.

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Requires improvement

The registered person does not provide up-to-date written guidance to staff. The policies and procedures do not refer to current legislation and good practice guidance. In addition to the shortfalls in the child protection policy, the home’s other policies refer to out-of-date legislation. For example, the policies on the adequacy of staffing levels and on handling allegations against staff members refer to the quality standards for children’s homes 2011. However, the quality standards were only introduced in April 2015. The policies quote the numbers that correspond to the national minimum standards that were revoked in 2015. The requirement for the registered person to update the policies and procedures was raised at the last full inspection in September 2015 and repeated at the interim visit in January 2016.

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Requires improvement

The home’s statement of purpose does not clearly correspond to the service provided. For example, in one paragraph, the registered person highlights that the aim of the therapeutic approach is ‘for the boys to move onto long-term foster care’. Girls are not mentioned, although the home provides care to children of either gender. In addition, the equality risk assessment has not been completed, and the home does not solely prepare children for fostering. The home is currently registered with Ofsted for up to eight children. The statement of purpose states that the home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children.

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Requires improvement

The statement of purpose also notes that a non-intrusive alarm system is linked to the bedroom doors. However, as previously noted, the alarms are also linked to movement sensors adjacent to each of eight internal cameras. The alarm system makes a noise that is clearly audible throughout the house.

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Requires improvement

The statement of purpose confirms that the home is not registered as a school. However, the home’s staff list includes a qualified teacher. This person does not work for the home in any other capacity apart from as a teacher. She provided education to a child throughout her stay at the home, which was for approximately four months. The teacher believed that the home was registered to provide education. The registered person and the teacher gave inconsistent information about the local authority’s agreement with this arrangement regarding the child’s education. At the last full inspection, the registered person was made aware that, should she wish to provide education, she must register as an education provider. This registration is in addition to the children home’s registration. The only child currently placed attends a local school, therefore education is not provided at this time.

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Requires improvement

The statement of purpose specifies that the home is committed to delivering high- quality healthcare. A suitably qualified therapeutic consultant provides drama therapy to children. However, the arrangements for her to receive regular professional supervision are not in accordance with children’s homes regulations. The last time that the drama therapist received appropriate professional supervision was in February 2016. Since then, the registered person has supervised the drama therapist. This is not an appropriate arrangement. The registered person does not have the necessary qualifications to carry out this task. The registered person has also signed off and approved the drama therapy intervention plan for the child. In addition, information sharing regarding the review and impact of the therapeutic care on the child with the placing authority and the child’s general practitioner is not always clearly recorded.

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Requires improvement

Not all parts of the home are maintained well. Apart from a few weeds, the garden at the back of the house is completely bare. The registered person says that she plans to help children to grow herbs in the garden; this was also the plan in September 2015. Some of the bricks in an internal garden wall have fallen out, undermining its strength. The gated area to the side of the swimming pool building had plastic rubbish in it. In addition, barbed wire is situated on the top of the garden fence, giving the home a harsh appearance, notably as surrounding households do not have this. The home has a locality risk assessment, but no risk assessment regarding the security of the building has been completed. The registered person has not considered if the same level of security could be achieved without the use of barbed wire.

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Requires improvement

An independent visitor carries out regular monthly monitoring visits to the home. Their last report did not raise any recommendations for improvement. The registered person has engaged the same person’s consultancy company to help her to improve the service. More improvement is required to achieve the standard expected of a good children’s home.

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Requires improvement

The registered person is very much involved in providing direct care to children. She provides good practice leadership. However, the other aspects of the leadership and management are weak. Even after a repeated requirement in relation to keeping accurate records of staff duty rosters, the registered person seemed unaware that those documents needed to reflect the exact hours that she and staff are on duty.

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Requires improvement

Situations when staff members work alone are not formally risk assessed. When the only child currently placed is at school, no staff members are on duty. A risk management strategy in relation to this has not been recorded. There are no formalised on-call arrangements or contingency plans, should the child suddenly need to return home. The registered person has shared the telephone contact numbers with the school, as per the school’s own procedures.

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Requires improvement

The home has a highly experienced and stable staff team. All staff members have an appropriate qualification in children’s social care. They are highly skilled in providing direct care and forming positive relationships with children. Good internal communication, team meetings, individual and group supervision, and regular review of their individual performance enhance the team’s cohesion and the consistency of its approach. The staff and the registered person know children in their care very well. Many aspects of the actual care planning and care delivery are good. The practice is child centred. The registered person and staff always prioritise the needs of children. They advocate extensively for children in their care. They have a clear understanding of the impact of care on the children’s progress. They are highly committed to children. They take proactive steps to work with other professionals for the benefit of children.

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Requires improvement

The home needs to be managed with more clarity, consistency and decisiveness, better risk awareness and a stronger evidence base in order to demonstrate that it is a service in which good practice is embedded.

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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’. 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

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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.

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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 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

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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 .

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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 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

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

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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