Children's home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Wandsworth

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two requirements and four recommendations resulted from the last full inspection. The home has successfully met all of these. There are no requirements or recommendations from this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home now has clear records of any incidents involving restriction of liberty, and these are subject to appropriate management scrutiny. There are low numbers of such restrictions, but when instigated, their use is entirely appropriate. Staff have a good understanding of when to use such restraint, and ensure that its use is for the shortest possible time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s guide has been reviewed with the help of young people. It is now clear about young people’s use of mobile phones and oyster cards, and clarifies that there is a stepped process towards free use. Young people who have been recently admitted to the home are aware of this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is part of a wider organisation which is transitioning from a paper file system, to an electronic one. This is now almost completed, and the impact of the changes is now being well managed to minimise disruption to operational services.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s medication records are now routinely reviewed as part of the independent visitor checks. Staff are more knowledgeable about individually prescribed medicine, in that there are now profiles of each young person. This helps staff understand administration issues and possible side-effects better.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is using good practice from a sister home to help young people develop independence skills. This is being locally driven by the home’s independence champion, and progress is based on each young person’s individual needs and skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people are engaged in a level of education or training. This represents a big improvement on their previous patterns. One young person said, ‘I’ve done more science and mathematics here than I’ve done for ages – I like that.’ The home also strongly promotes young people’s positive engagement with their community. Some young people were very involved with Black History Month, others attend poetry readings and some enjoy trampolining. This focus on local cultural events helps young people develop confidence and new skills and interests.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who have lived in the home for some time are now much more able to keep themselves safe. For example, they travel to college alone and are able to complete residential placements successfully. Other young people have been able to move on from the home into community placements and say that the home taught them how to, ‘live with others and build relationships’. Some of these young people previously put themselves at great risk by being missing for weeks at a time. Staff do not give up on such young people, and are tenacious in tracking their movements as far as possible and working closely with other agencies to get them home safely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are well supported in their work by routine psychological consultancy, and an underpinning relationship-based ethos which influences all their work. In practice, this means that they offer a highly nurturing environment where young people are routinely praised and motivated within clear boundaries. Young people value this emotional warmth, and quickly become close to their key workers. For example, young people who are newer to the home still go missing, but now keep in touch during these episodes and return home sooner.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy living in their cosy home, which is full of photos and inspirational quotes. They like being able to theme their bedrooms as they wish, and enjoy playing board games and watching DVDs with staff. One young person described the house as, ‘very homefied’. Key-work sessions are very regular and focus on what is relevant for that young person, such as understanding how gangs work. Young people’s comments are actively, and often successfully, sought in these sessions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home, together with its sister home, was part of the government’s innovation programme. This has now ended, but the home is still part of a rigorous evaluation programme funded by the Department for Education.

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Information about this children’s home

This section should outline: This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four young women. It is owned and managed by a charitable organisation. The home provides care for young women who are at risk of, or who are subject to, child sexual exploitation, and aims to keep them as near as possible to their own community. It is currently being evaluated on behalf of the Department for Education.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/06/2016 Full Good 12/01/2016 Full Good

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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 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 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, 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

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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