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 judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The registered manager has met two of the four requirements set at the last inspection. She has contacted the placing authorities and gained written consent for the use of electronic monitoring in the home. The manager has reviewed the complaints procedure to ensure that the children’s views are recorded. This means that the child making a complaint is fully included in the process and the records reflect whether they are happy with the conclusion. The staff continue to provide the children with consistent and effective support. Children say that staff listen to them and are always there for them. A child said, ‘The staff do everything they can. They work in a way that allows us to understand. They have helped me develop coping skills.’ The good relationships are evident in the interactions observed between the staff and children. The

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children feel valued and nurtured, which has helped them to feel settled and to increase their confidence. The two unmet requirements relate to training and qualifications. Although the staff had completed the home’s mandatory training, it did not include any specific training on managing bullying. This training has been made available, but not all of the staff have completed it. Several staff members are now in the process of undertaking their Level 3 qualification, but not all staff have completed it within the previously given timescale. These requirements are restated. The staff receive regular good-quality supervision in line with the home’s policies. The management and staff team remain consistent. No new members of staff have joined since the last inspection. The children benefit from receiving care from familiar adults. It helps them to develop the skills that they need to sustain heathy relationships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no children admitted since the last inspection. One of the children is getting ready to move on to semi-independent living. Staff are working with the social worker to ensure that this transition is successful. The child said that she will be sad to leave the home and praised the staff for helping her to make progress. She said, ‘I didn’t know how to keep myself safe when I moved into this home. Staff worked closely with me. I now recognise the risks I was taking and they [staff] helped me to change for the better.’ Staff monitor the children’s progress closely and ensure that information is shared with other professionals. A social worker said, ‘I think they [staff] are amazing. They work really well with the children. I receive detailed monthly reports along with incident updates. The staff are very thorough. It is the best home I have worked with in regard to partnership working and communication.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Robust care plans and comprehensive individual risk assessments are in place. The previous inspection highlighted that the children had no impact risk assessments. The manager has started to work on this; however, the impact risk assessments are incomplete. This recommendation is restated. The staff understand the importance of education. They work in partnership with education professionals to maintain and improve attendance. All of the children are either attending education, engaged in apprenticeships or in employment. A teacher said, ‘This home consistently performs at a high level. The staff are always contactable and respond promptly to any issues.’ Staff encourage the children to succeed and they celebrate the children’s achievements. During this inspection the staff motivated a child to attend a college interview and they planned a group meal for the child’s return. The staff implement the home’s protocols and work in partnership with the police

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

when children go missing. A parent of a child who has a history of going missing said, ‘I have seen a significant improvement. My child is safe in this house. The staff are very proactive and they understand how to safeguard the children.’ Staff recognise patterns and triggers of behaviour and they work with the children to help them to gain an understanding of the risks. This results in a reduction of negative incidents over time. The manager has not met a further two of the previous recommendations. She has made a request to the GP to sign to say which household remedies the staff are able to give to the children. However, there has been a delay in the GP’s response. Work has started on improving the children’s guide to the home, but the day-to- day routines are not detailed. These recommendations are restated. Although the manager has not met some of the recommendations, the children continue to benefit from good-quality care.

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Information about this children’s home

This charity-operated children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to eight 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

01/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

21/01/2015 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) meet(s) the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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

11: The positive relationships standard To meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must: (2)(a)(xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, 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, by the relevant date. (Regulation 32(4)(5)) 01/06/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the child’s general medical practitioner (GP) is kept informed of any progress of care, including any suggested changes of that care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 18, paragraph 3.33) In particular, ensure that GPs sign to say which household remedies can be given to the children by staff.  Ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand the day-to-day routines of the home, and what care they can expect to receive while living in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  Ensure that placements for children are only accepted when managers are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and when they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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

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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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