Children's home run by London Borough of Ealing in Ealing

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team is stable, long-serving and provides good leadership and management to the staff team. Staff receive regular, reflective supervision from managers and are confident and capable in their roles. One member of staff said, ‘We work well as a team under the guidance of the manager. She is very hands-on and is always there for us.’ All senior staff have completed training on providing supervision. Senior staff who do not yet have a management qualification plan to commence an appropriate level 5 course in the new financial year.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the management team addressed most recommendations set. The independent visitor maintains external monitoring of progress with them. Due to the short time between inspections, the registered manager has not fully completed all recommendations, such as the training of senior staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children enjoy living in the home and feel safe and protected by staff. They build strong, effective relationships with staff, which many maintain after they leave the home. Where children have moved on since the last inspection, staff have provided outreach support to aid them in making their next moves successful. One child said, ‘I do feel safe here, very safe. I can always talk about personal issues to staff. I am really comfortable with staff and meet regularly with them. I have different people I bond with for different things. They all help with different parts for me.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have developed strong and effective relationships with other professionals, and bring them in to work with children. The management team has positive working relationships with the virtual school and with the local schools. The team uses these links to advocate for appropriate education for the children in their care. Staff invite guest speakers to aid staff development and to engage and educate children. These include the fire brigade, local police and drugs and health workers. Planned speakers for staff and children include one to discuss the ‘Prevent’ agenda. A visiting social worker said, ‘Staff are fantastic at supporting children’s education. They attend personal education planning meetings, school events and all care planning activities. They work well with health, including the looked after children nurse. They are very good at interacting with the wider professional network.’ The registered provider ensures that an independent person visits the home at

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

least once a month. The independent visitor provides reports directly to all relevant parties, including HMCI, in a timely manner. The reports are detailed, analytical and provide positive guidance and support to the staff in the home. The visitor reviews staff progress against Ofsted recommendations, as well as suggestions from previous independent visits. The reports praise positives in the home and reinforces good practice. The registered manager sends separate reports to HMCI containing her responses to these visits, making this an effective management tool for the development of the service. The registered provider has used the independent visitor to train a wider pool of independent persons to ensure continuity of visiting and maintenance of this high standard.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team has revised its own internal monitoring of the quality of care in the home. The team produces a monthly report reviewing how it is addressing all aspects of the quality standards. The next six-monthly review of the quality of care is due in April, and managers plan to complete it using this information, which they have underpinned with the quality standards.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have revised the risk assessments, care planning and individual support plans. They have produced clear guides for staff on how to complete these, and have trained them in their use. They are continuing to support the implementation of these new ways of working through supervision and monitoring of their implementation. This has included the independent visitor tracking progress on the effectiveness of these plans and their implementation. This has resulted in more consistent plans, and better staff understanding. It also provides clear guidance on how to work with children and evidence their progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team has a well-constructed and effective workforce development plan. It has reviewed all training completed by staff and has a training plan for the coming year. Training includes refresher training in key activities, as required for all staff, and ongoing training for managers. The registered manager includes agency staff in training and has ensured that recruitment agencies provide their staff with appropriate training, such as safeguarding for children. When agencies have not ensured that staff have a relevant level 3 qualification, the registered manager has informed them that these staff cannot meet the care needs of the children and she will not employ them in future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is completing a review and update of the statement of purpose. Staff are knowledgeable about this statement and apply the ethos and codes of practice in their work. The statement provides an easy-to-read guide for the way staff can meet the quality standards and provide good quality of care for children. The registered manager has not yet gathered the background information on all staff to finalise this review. The statement is an effective guide to practice in the home, and lacks only this background information on staff experience.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager provides children with a safe, comfortable and well- maintained environment. One child said, ‘It feels homely here. I am always downstairs getting together with the staff and others. For meals we all sit down together in a real family way.’ Staff do regular fire drills and checks on all equipment in the home. The health and safety file contains all checks on equipment and up-to-date insurance policies. Since the last inspection, the management team has included a list in the health and safety file outlining the frequency and planned dates of all testing. This includes regular testing of portable electric appliances. Children enjoy living in a safe and pleasant home due to the staff focus on their safety and comfort. Children say that staff involve them in maintaining the home, choosing colours and furnishings throughout, but particularly in their own bedrooms.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers agree all admissions to the home. Generally, staff carefully plan these with social workers, the child and the relevant education workers. This includes information-gathering and visits to the child in their current placement and at least one overnight stay in the home. Staff work closely with social workers when children are not safe and do not respond positively to the ethos and culture of the home or put others at risk. In these situations, all parties, including the child, plan a move to a more suitable setting. The management team risk-assesses all admissions and exits, enhancing the likelihood of successful moves.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage all children to make progress in the home. This includes work on independence skills, support in education, health (including sexual health), criminality and absences from care. Children receive excellent support from the well-trained and dedicated staff team to make progress in these areas. Staff monitor progress and evaluate available information to aid the setting of appropriate care plan targets and risk assessments. This has resulted in a reduction in episodes of missing from care and positive engagement and progress for most children in education. One child said, ‘I have made so many improvements since coming here. The main one is my attending college and doing well there. I have started to make my life from here.’

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Staff receive support and young people receive therapeutic intervention from the looked after children psychologist.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/11/2016 Full Good 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Good 14/02/2015 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:  Revise the statement of purpose and function, ensuring that it is child-focused and indicates how the home provides individualised care to meet the quality standards for the children in its care (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5). In particular include details of the experience of staff.

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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, 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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