Children's home run by The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd in Barking and Dagenham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness . The leaders and managers have addressed all shortfalls identified at the full inspection. The requirements related to not having a manager, poor monitoring of the service and the gaps in the staff recruitment records and staff supervision. Additionally, the use of locks undermined the fire safety and limited young people’s access to some areas of the home without an effective risk assessment being in place. Improved leadership and management have ensured a more robust monitoring of the quality of the service. In addition, enhanced safeguarding in relation to staff recruitment and risk management have improved the overall approach to keeping young people safe. Improvements have included a more stable staff team, a comprehensive programme for staff supervision, support and training, and a new

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

bespoke electronic system for keeping records. The aforementioned have underpinned the overall improvement in the service. The leaders and managers have secured compliance with all six requirements and in doing so have achieved a significantly improved service. Young people now receive a service that is managed effectively and efficiently. Good safeguarding practices mean that any potential risks to their safety have been either removed or minimised and are managed well. They receive good- quality care and achieve positive outcomes. The home now has a registered manager who is highly motivated and capable of delivering positive change. In October 2016, the company’s managing director registered with Ofsted as the manager for this home. She has appropriate levels of relevant experience, qualification, competencies, skills and aptitudes for this role. Together with the new responsible individual and the management team, she has

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

implemented a comprehensive and ambitious improvement plan. She has tailored a recently introduced electronic recording system so that it reflects the needs of this service more fully. The automatic alerts let the managers know of any incidents or concerns, as soon as a report has been submitted. The improved record-keeping and a more efficient administrative system have enhanced information sharing, monitoring and quality assurance processes in the home. The independent visitor supports the home’s improvement agenda. By providing external scrutiny, his monthly reports have contributed to the realistic evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of the service. The staff recruitment procedure has become compliant with the relevant regulation and good practice guidance. A new business development manager has audited recruitment information on all staff files and ensured that all required information is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

available. She has clarified any gaps in employment with staff members and ensured that the equivalents to the disclosure barring service have been obtained from abroad for those staff members who lived and worked there. The home’s approach to risk assessing the home’s physical environment now takes young people’s right to freedom of movement against their need for protection, in a more balanced way. Following the full inspection, the managers and staff have reviewed their practice regarding the existence and use of locks. They have removed a keypad lock from the kitchen door and a traditional type lock from one of the bedrooms. This has enabled young people to walk more freely throughout the home. It has also enhanced fire safety. In respect of the main entrance lock, the managers have continued to work effectively with the placing authorities to apply for deprivation of liberty orders, when this was in the best interest of the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people. They have advocated well for the young people and challenged the placing authorities when their response was slow. The leaders and managers have continued to build on the team’s strengths. They have identified safeguarding as a particular focus for development in this quarter. They have invested heavily in the staff support and learning. All staff have received training on a wide range of topics. They had training in advanced child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and terrorism, forced marriages, suicide and self-harm thoughts, recognising and preventing female genital mutilation and professional boundaries. They have also recently had a training session that specifically focused on the home’s revised and expanded safeguarding policies and procedures. The staff team has remained stable. No staff members have left since the last inspection. Two new staff members are undergoing an induction to the service,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

while their recruitment information is being finalised. Both of them have relevant qualifications: one at Level 3 and the other at Level 5. All staff receive individual supervision on a monthly basis or more frequently. They have good opportunities to review their practice and reflect on how it could be improved. Discussions around the impact of the training on the staff practice feature regularly in the supervision notes and at the team meetings. A decrease in the number of incidents of any nature in the home demonstrates that the staff’s practice has become more effective. In particular, a number of occasions when staff members had to intervene physically in order to safeguard the young person or others around them have decreased significantly. In the past, restraints happened each month. There were six restraints in August 2016, four in September 2016, two in October 2016, one in November 2016 and none since then.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered provider has continued to invest in the physical environment. Better parking facilities at the front of the house have facilitated easier transitions for young people from the mini-bus to the home. Paving and artificial grass at the back of the house, together with new planting areas, have enhanced the garden. The garden has also tripled in size, as the provider who owns all three adjacent houses has opened it up across the houses exclusively for the use of this home. Two newly-built buildings in the garden have provided additional indoor space and facilities for staff and young people. Young people receive individually tailored care and are thriving in this service. They are making excellent progress in many aspects of their well-being, particularly in their ability to self-regulate their behaviour and engage more positively with other people, new experiences and learning. Parents praise the quality of care and the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

positive impact that the home has had on their children. Since the full inspection, one young person has left the home and one has been admitted to the service. The recently admitted young person settled in very well. The young person who left the home moved in difficult circumstances for reasons beyond the home’s control. The leaders, managers and staff have worked closely with the young person, her mother and other professionals to make this ending and the necessary transition to adult services as easy as possible. The young person lived in this home for approximately four years. During that time, she developed deep feelings of belonging, safety and attachment to the home. Due to the good quality of the service she received, she has moved towards adulthood with many happy memories of being in care. The leaders, managers and staff have stayed in touch with her, as she is adjusting to the changes. As a Christmas gift,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

they gave her a tablet computer with a photo gallery to remind her of good times that she had while living in the home. This was an effective placement until the young person had outgrown it and her needs had significantly altered. The leaders, managers and staff have clearly demonstrated that they have a strong capacity for improvement. They are now delivering a significantly improved and much safer service to young people than at the time of the full inspection. The home as a whole has made excellent progress. No shortfalls have been identified at this inspection. Extensive management tools are in place to ensure that the improvement is sustained and that the staff practice continues to improve further.

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home for young people who have a diagnosed autistic spectrum disorder and/or learning difficulties. The home is registered for two short-break and three long-term placements. The short-break aspect of the service generally operates between Friday and Monday and during school holidays. The company also has a day service provision/activity centre at a nearby site.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

17/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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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