Children's home run by Ja Nailah Limited in Waltham Forest

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people say that they are very happy in their home and form close and supportive relationships with staff. This helps young people to reduce risk-taking behaviour such as running away from the home.  Staff are committed and very professional. They seek inventive means of supporting young people, such as researching the internet for alternative behavioural management techniques.  The home benefits from a dynamic and permanent staff team that accesses a broad range of training and takes visible pleasure in the progress of young people.  Young people build relationships with their family, in some cases after a prolonged period. This helps to develop an understanding of their history and increase placement stability.  Multi-agency work is strong in the home. There is a very positive relationship with local police, with good levels of information sharing informing robust risk assessments.  Staff appraisals are not complete for this year. This limits professional

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

development and may affect staff morale.  Independent return to care interviews are not occurring regularly. Information exchange and analysis with professionals of episodes of going missing are not effective when these occur, placing young people at possible future risk.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

33: Employment of staff The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 01/01/2017

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

p.4

Recommendations

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (Regulation 36 (schedule 3 (14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child's parents. Evaluation of incidents of going missing should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.31)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. ('Guide to the

p.4

Recommendations

children's homes regulations including the quality standards', pages 44 and 45, paragraph 9.30)

p.4

Information about this children's home

A limited company provides this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young women who may have emotional and/or behavioural needs. The home offers its service to expectant women and young mothers who are able to reside at the home with their babies for a specified amount of time.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/09/2015 Full Good 18/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/11/2014 Full Adequate

p.5

Good

Young people say that they are very happy in their home. The home offers a warm, family-style environment. Former residents regularly return to the home to keep in touch with staff and young people. Young people value the home and are proud of it. One young person comments, ‘This home is a life saver, you should have met me a year ago.’ Despite arriving at the home in high states of distress, young people form close and positive relationships with staff and each other. Young people and staff take pride in progress. This is supported by regular and effective key work. Staff proactively engage young people through events such as pampering/‘mocktail’ evenings. Staff respond to the needs of young people quickly. Care is guided by clear and simple principles. Staff work with young people in a transparent, empathetic manner. This builds trust and a firm level of understanding. Behavioural boundaries are clear and consistent. This allows the development of resilience, increased self-

p.6

Good

worth and positive decision making. Staff have the skills to enforce this consistently and challenge others when they feel that others are not acting in the best interest of young people. Behaviour is good in the home and there is no use of restraint. When young people struggle, staff use relationships and high skill levels to reason effectively and de- escalate potentially problematic incidents. Young people learn new skills, such as self-regulation. Staff advise young people on the negative effects of peer group association. The benefits of positive self-choice are clear and apparent. Sanction use is consistent and designed to address the relevant concerns, for example the implementation of supervised spending when cannabis use is suspected. Young people make progress in education and employment. Young people engage well despite previously poor histories of education. Progress and attainment are monitored and rewarded by staff. Staff recently supported a young person’s

p.6

Good

applications for employment when it was felt that college provision was inappropriate. Staff’s persistence proved key towards the young person obtaining a job. A rich and varied array of opportunities are offered to young people, including employment in a local sports shop and a hair and beauty course. Access to paid employment further acts as a source of self-confidence and pride to young people. Contact with parents and family is managed well. The role of parents/carers is recognised as an ongoing long-term support for young people. Parents/carers respond well and in turn support the placement. One parent comments, ‘They have great skills and ability to keep her safe. I am very happy with the home.’ Staff recently supported one young person to travel abroad and re-establish contact with family. This helped her to understand her history and she settled well on her return. Staff ensure that placing authorities appropriately assess and agree

p.6

Good

overnight stays. This recently allowed overnight contact for young people so that they could celebrate Eid with their family. Culture and difference are celebrated in the home. The home recently supported Black History Month by organising a successful dance party. Young people entertained staff with cultural dances and food dishes. This helped to promote positive relationships and an understanding of each other. Healthy living is monitored well. Young people have good access to local primary care services, including sexual health screening. Gym membership and access to a local swimming pool are offered to young people. This supports positive routines and self-esteem.

p.7

Good

Good multi-agency work supports a strong safeguarding culture in the home. A positive relationship with local police and the local multi-agency sexual exploitation (MASE) panel promotes good knowledge of local intelligence and informed risk assessments and decisions on care planning. Police recently provided videos and learning materials to the home on the dangers posed by grooming behaviours. A police officer comments, ‘They continue to have a good awareness of the issues affecting young people in the home.’ This helps to keep young people safe. Internet safety is prioritised. Staff continually remind young people of the need to maintain privacy settings on social media accounts and the dangers of posting or distributing inappropriate images. This reduces risk-taking behaviour. Staff push for swift allocation of specialist support services such as child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Young people engage well and these

p.7

Good

services support a reduction in risk-taking behaviour such as drug misuse. Staff effectively incorporate learned behavioural management techniques to support consistency and further improve outcomes. Staff are inventive and proactive. They plan key work sessions using research and guidance from the internet. Recently, this offered one young person a number of alternatives to self-harming behaviour. These involved clear visual prompts and worked well. Staff help young people to reduce incidents of absconding behaviour. On return, the provision of independent return to care interviews and the recording and evaluation of missing statistics are not consistent. When interviews occur, staff are not informed of any pertinent information. This results in the loss of key information and oversight, which may render young people unsafe. Consultation is positive in the home. Young people know how to complain and

p.7

Good

access advocacy if required. They use weekly residents’ meetings to address any peer group concerns and plan for activities. The weekly menu is planned by young people on a rota, with mealtimes used for learning new cookery skills and sharing cultural recipes. Work on independence skills is structured. Staff help young people to follow a clear programme of exercises, such as learning to budget. Pictures are taken of key work sessions, which subsequently help to evidence the progress that young people make. This has improved outcomes for those moving onto semi-independence.

p.8

Good

The home benefits from a committed and dedicated owner and registered manager. The registered manager has been in post since the opening of the home in 2001. She is a qualified social worker with over 28 years of experience of working with young people. The registered manager is well supported by a deputy manager, who has been in post since 2010. Feedback and monitoring are effective. Managers remain supported by the consistent challenge and scrutiny of an effective independent visitor and have responded swiftly to the requirements and recommendations of the last inspection. The service development plan is robust and realistic. Managers set a positive example for staff, by advocating forcefully for young people and challenging issues of drift and delay. Case files show good evidence of management oversight and review. Managers engage consistently with young people and enjoy a high level of mutual respect.

p.8

Good

Staff morale is very positive and stable. The staff team is skilled and permanent with no use of agency staff. Managers have recently safely recruited two new staff members. The team offers a unique blend of skills, age and ethnicities. There are presently three qualified social workers and two qualified youth workers employed at the home. Young people benefit accordingly. Staff meetings are well attended and a crucial forum for evaluating behavioural management strategies and mutual support. At a recent meeting, staff used a piece of research to discuss the emotional impact of verbal abuse from young people. A learning culture is supported by highlighting issues in the media which may affect young people such as ‘sexting’. No staff members have left since the last inspection. This promotes consistency and stability for young people. Staff report a good range of training and support. This gives them the ability and

p.8

Good

confidence to address complex behaviours. Training is accessed online and from the local authority and covers many of the complex issues facing young people, such as child sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation. Supervision is regular and of value. However, managers have failed to complete appraisals for all staff. This shortfall increases the risk that staff will not fulfil their professional potential. Managers ensure that the home is in a good state of repair and with a good range of activities available such as an air hockey table. All of the necessary risk assessments and checks are undertaken in respect of the building. Managers control admissions well. Established procedures offer effective screening and offer good matching to the needs of young people already resident in the home. A thorough assessment of risk of the local community assists managers in considering any possible gang affiliations which may have an impact on possible

p.8

Good

admissions. An application to expand the home from four to five beds is in process and reflected in a revised statement of purpose. Given the positive nature of this inspection, an adverse effect on care levels is not envisaged.

p.9

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’.

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

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 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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.10

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.11

Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘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 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.11

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, workbased 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.12

Information about this inspection

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

p.12

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.12

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.12