Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited in Redbridge

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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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved in effectiveness .

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

One regulatory requirement was raised at the last inspection, in relation to staff qualifications. Staff are now finishing the coursework to obtain the relevant diploma-level qualification. There is a well-defined strategy in place that monitors the progress that the staff are making towards completion. The manager is in regular contact with the course provider to ensure that the staff are meeting the expectations of the course. Although robust action is being taken to meet this requirement, it is not yet met and, therefore, it is restated.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The manager has taken action to improve the staff’s knowledge and understanding of the behaviour management strategy. The senior management team met to evaluate the strategy. They have developed a training programme that has been delivered to the staff group, reinforcing the need for accurate recording and detailed analysis of incidents, in particular, physical interventions.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The staff have physically intervened to prevent children from harming themselves or others on nine occasions since the last inspection. The records of these restraints are recorded appropriately and with sufficient detail. The reports reflect that these incidents were managed in line with the regulations. The manager has identified a senior team leader, who has expertise in managing behaviour, to audit the records for each incident of restraint. The feedback is shared with the staff at team meetings, to enable them to reflect on how the events were managed. There has been a reduction in the number of physical interventions used since the previous inspection because staff have learned to use other de-escalation skills to manage negative behaviour.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Children do not go missing from this home. The children who live in this home receive constant supervision because their assessed needs require them to have one-to-one staffing. A review of the staffing rota identifies that there has been a sufficient number of staff on shift to meet the children’s needs. The staff have completed training to raise their awareness of the risks of child exploitation. Discussions with staff during this inspection demonstrate that staff know and understand the processes to follow if a child does go missing. Staff have very positive relationships with the children. They use their in-depth knowledge of the children to help to build good, positive connections with them. The staff have helped the children to manage their feelings when a significant member of staff left the home. This member of staff had a particularly positive relationship with the children. In order to help the children to prepare for this

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

event, key workers spent time discussing the children’s feelings about the staff member. They arranged to go with the children to buy a memory box. The children were encouraged to collect photos and keepsakes of this staff member. This helps them to remember the events and activities that they had taken part in together. The manager also contacted an external agency to review the preparations that were in place to see if any further aspects should be included. Staff then arranged a leaving party, with the children, to celebrate the time that they had spent together. This culminated in a camping trip, with craft activities and sharing a small meal cooked on the campfire, with the staff to mark the significance. One child commented, ‘I get on with my key worker.’ Another child, using her communication symbol tool, showed that she is happy when spending time with her key worker.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The staff work in partnership with the on-site school. Some children have been supported to return to school. This has led to a significant improvement for these children and helped them to reach their education targets. A parent commented, ‘Although my child has only been at this provision for a few weeks, they have gone willingly into school. This is great as they had not been going to school at all before they came to live here.’

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Older children have pathway plans in place to support them to develop independent living skills. These pathway plans help the children to learn to be self- reliant and to gain confidence, in areas such as budgeting skills and cooking, ahead of their move to independence.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

There have been no complaints or notifications sent to Ofsted since the previous inspection. Staff are aware of the policies and procedures to follow in the event of a significant incident.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The manager’s ongoing monitoring of the service has led to an improvement in the quality of record keeping. She has made improvements to the recording of ad-hoc key work sessions. This includes further training for staff and reinforcing the importance of ensuring that the records describe how the children are achieving positive outcomes. The manager reviews the independent visitor’s reports to ensure that the home is delivering the service in line with the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Local authorities remain happy with the care provided by the home. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘There has been a definite improvement in this child’s social and self-care skills. The home always provides a useful report and a DVD, which shows the activities this child has been involved in. This helps to involve the child in their review. The staff work well and update the care plan. I have no concerns about the safeguarding practices in this home.’

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Information about this children's home

A private company owns and operates this home. It is registered to accommodate up to five children who have learning difficulties and/or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/09/2016 Full (aligned) Good 09/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/10/2015 Full Good 23/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 the ‘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

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children's home if the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) ('the level 3 diploma') or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma. The relevant date is in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls two years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home, or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(3)(b)(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b))

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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 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 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, 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

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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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