Children's home run by The Qalb Short Break Services Ltd in Tower Hamlets

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding 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

Children continue to be offered high-quality and well-planned services at this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and the staff team are passionate about their work and are constantly striving to improve the service. For example, since the full inspection in August 2016, the registered manager has devised new handover forms and activity checklists to ensure that staff each take responsibility for ensuring that tasks are completed and recorded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to support some of the most vulnerable children within the community by offering them short breaks and day care. This helps children to continue to be cared for safely within their families and, in most cases, prevents their admission to care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there has been an increase in the service providing support to families in emergency and crisis situations. On occasions, when children known to the service can no longer remain living at home, the registered manager has sought appropriate permissions for short-term emergency placements. Such placements are undoubtedly in children’s best interests in the short term, as they are already familiar with the home and the staff. Staff have then been able to support positive transitions into appropriate long-term placements. There has been some impact on other children and families using the service when emergency placements arise. However, the management team strives to keep this to a minimum and offers alternative dates when a short break needs to be cancelled in these circumstances.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children make excellent progress from their starting points and the staff support them to make small but significant changes, such as dressing themselves or using the lavatory independently. Families report further positives, such as better sleeping patterns, children listening and improving their communication skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s transitions in and out of the home are managed very carefully. The registered manager and staff team plan which children are best matched to have a short break together. For example, children with similar interests and ability levels come together to ensure that all can gain the greatest benefit from activities provided. When there is an emergency placement, the registered manager splits the groups to lessen the impact on other children’s opportunities to enjoy activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager provides strong and effective leadership and is supported by senior managers to improve the service constantly. The registered manager completes regular reviews of the quality of care provided and develops an action plan to support consistent improvements. Since the last full inspection, work to improve the structure and format of team meetings has taken place. The minutes show that staff participation has improved and safeguarding is a regular slot on the agenda. The registered manager is working hard to get local safeguarding partners to come to team meetings to offer information and training sessions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person visits the home once a month and writes a report, which takes into account the views of professionals and parents. Due to the nature of children’s disabilities, their views are not always obvious in reports. Seeking their views requires the independent visitor to build relationships and observe them more, as they cannot always communicate verbally. These reports do not currently include a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have supported excellent training opportunities for staff. Recent training includes risks of radicalisation, safeguarding and managing challenging behaviour. Staff say that they feel supported by leaders and managers and receive training that enables them to do their jobs well. All staff receive yearly appraisals and this has further informed training needs. Senior staff are offered level 5 courses in leadership and management and all support staff have achieved or are on the level 3 diploma for residential childcare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Observations of staff working with children show their expertise and enjoyment in their role. They have great experience and the ability to build excellent relationships with children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home maintains its excellent record of no children going missing, keeping young people safe and promoting their needs. There have been no notifications, incidents or child protection referrals, although systems are in place to manage these effectively, should they arise.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home takes all its referrals from the host London borough. There continues to be an excellent working relationship with the local authority to promote the needs of the most vulnerable children living in the community. The registered manager and staff team have excellent links with the children with disabilities team; they have worked hard to prioritise needs, and ensure a fair service for all. One team manager said, ‘We see significant improvement in children’s behaviours, they respond to the structure, routine and consistency offered. When there have been emergency scenarios they have offered short term respite, speedily but thoroughly going through the process of admission because these children are in crisis.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff pride themselves on the positive relationships they hold with parents. A regular parents’ group meets at the home during the week when children are not present, and communication has been improved by the introduction of a home-to- placement note book, where both staff and parents can share concerns, important information or simply what their child has been doing while staying at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has responded to the requirement and two recommendations made at the full inspection, showing her capacity to improve the service.

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Information about this children’s home

A limited company owns and manages this service. Funding comes from a local authority for the exclusive use of families and children who live in this inner city borough. The home is registered to provide short breaks for up to five children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory and communication impairment. It can also offer short breaks to young adults over 18 years, provided it reduces its number of children by the number of adults receiving a service. It specialises in providing services to children and young people who have an autistic spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/08/2016 Full Outstanding 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/08/2015 Full Outstanding 27/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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

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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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