Children's home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Hammersmith and Fulham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to be well cared for by the staff team. Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home. The registered manager strongly advocated for the young person in their wishes to remain at the home, but they eventually moved back to the placing authority. The social worker involved was impressed by the ‘leaving package’ completed by the staff team. This included a photo book of the time that the young person was at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people still at the home have flourished with the stability of their placements. One young person has significantly improved in their engagement with education. A teacher stated that they have made ‘Massive improvements in their social and emotional development due in no small part to the supportive home life they have experienced’. Addressing the lack of full-time education placements was the only recommendation from the last inspection. This has now been met. Another young person has become increasingly aware of making positive choices relating to their peer group.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between young people and their families have improved due to contact arrangements being well supported by the staff team. All young people have been able to spend time with their families over the Christmas period, with staff being on call to respond to any emerging concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have moved forwards with their health. This includes improvements in their personal health and becoming more aware of their diet.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Placement plans are detailed, and updated on a regular basis. This helps to keep staff aware of current issues with the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team has used its monitoring systems well. This includes responding swiftly to issues raised by the monthly visitor. The six-monthly monitoring process has resulted in the manager creating a short-term development plan. This has linked necessary staff training to enhance childcare practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s safety continues to be a high priority. Staff have worked well with child protection agencies and the police, in response to a safeguarding concern that occurred prior to the last inspection. A detailed chronology of events highlights the staff’s involvement with strategy meetings to ensure that police investigations were fully supported. Staff have a good awareness of the need to be vigilant and report any concerns with regard to safeguarding young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of restraint is low and staff use a range of de-escalation techniques prior to needing to hold young people. The staff use rewards and sanctions to promote further positive behaviours.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is a pleasant and well-looked-after environment. One young person stated, ‘It’s my home, so I try to keep the place looking okay.’ There is an ongoing system of redecoration and improvement. This has resulted in improvements being made to the bathroom since the last inspection. Young people now have bedroom door alarms to support their safety. These have been risk assessed on an individual basis, and agreements have been made with both young people and their social workers regarding their use. Young people’s privacy has not been affected by this system, as young people cannot hear the sounders for these alarms at night. This is because the sounders are placed in the staff sleep-in area away from the young people’s rooms.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Fire drills are completed on a monthly basis, although two of these have not been recorded fully. This suggests a lack of effective monitoring of these records.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff training is updated on a constant basis, although one staff member has not completed training in restraint despite working at the home for over six months. This is to be completed in the next month. Staff have recently been recruited, bringing the team up to a full complement once all necessary checks have been completed. This will help to enhance the level of care provided to the young people.

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Information about this children's home

The home is part of a large private organisation. The home offers care for up to three children, primarily who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, in an age range from eight to 18.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/08/2015 Full Good 23/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/11/2014 Full Good

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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 the home complies with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene, and so on). However, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than an 'institutional' impression. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and that any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home's statement of purpose. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.57)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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 that 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 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 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,

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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

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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