Children's home run by ERA Care Limited 5921904 in Epping Forest

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, the home was ‘not judged’ . Following the full inspection, the registered manager has left the company. The responsible individual is advertising for a new homes manager. All of the staff have either left or been redeployed to work in other homes in the group. The home remains registered with Ofsted, and external monitoring has continued. No children have lived at the home since the last inspection in September 2016. The registered provider has indicated that the home will not be operational until a manager is employed and a staff team is recruited and trained to work with any potential children referred to the service. The regulations and recommendations from the previous inspection are carried forward. The provider works openly with Ofsted and is aware that they must inform Ofsted of their intention to admit children three months before a child’s placement

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is one of a small group run by the organisation. It provides care and support for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/08/2015 Interim Sustained 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

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff protect children from harm and enable them to keep themselves safe. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (2)(c) ensures that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (2)(f) understands the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child, and uses this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 28/04/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that placements are only accepted for children where the home is satisfied that it can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Ensure that, beyond local authorities, other agencies, specifically the police, receive information about children referred to and leaving the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)  Ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. This is with specific reference to bedding, removing sharp implements from bedrooms and painting woodwork in bedrooms. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  Ensure that the review of the home’s location is robust in the identification of any risks, and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  Ensure that, just as in a family home, children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) This is with specific reference to the routine locking of the kitchen from 11pm to 8am.

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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 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

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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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