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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 1 SC420303

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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 who have emotional 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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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to investigate concerns raised by an anonymous caller who stated that they work at the home. Ofsted received the telephone call on 27 July 2017. The concerns were as follows:  Leaders and managers are not promoting equality and diversity.  Leaders and managers only promote a Muslim curriculum.  Staff put on a CD recording of a preacher called Zakir Naik.  Staff allow the children to watch television and do not meet their care plans.  Leaders and managers allow staff to go to pray at the local place of worship. Feedback is that the preaching at this place promotes hatred which affects members of staff who return to work displaying frustration Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 2 and not coping with the work situation.  Some staff do not hold the level 3 qualification in residential childcare.

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This monitoring visit

The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. An inspector visited the home on 28 July 2017. The registered manager was interviewed and the home’s cook was spoken to. Records of menus and staff qualifications were inspected.

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This monitoring visit

The last inspection of this home was on 13 February 2017, when it was judged to have sustained effectiveness from the outstanding judgement at the full inspection. The inspector made two recommendations at this inspection. The first was to ensure that the independent visitor makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. The external monitoring reports now contain this assessment. The second recommendation made was in relation to ensuring that staff complete the level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England). This followed a requirement made at the last full inspection in August 2016 when it was found that one member of staff held the level 3 diploma for working with adults and not children. At the interim inspection in February 2017, this staff member was on a course and nearing completion, and the requirement was reduced to a recommendation to ensure

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This monitoring visit

completion. She has recently handed in her last piece of work and is awaiting her certificate. Both recommendations are therefore now met.

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This monitoring visit

The host local authority received a complaint in March 2017, which raised issues about equality and diversity at this short breaks service and another short breaks service operated by the same provider. Following this complaint, the registered manager sent a letter dated 31 March 2017 to every parent whose child attends for short breaks. This advised of the complaint and asked for feedback about children’s dietary needs and preferences. The letter included a new sample menu for parents and carers, with requests for suggestions and various avenues for raising any concerns for discussion, for example through the communication books, parents groups or coming in to speak directly to staff. Menus include a wide range of choices such as omelette, baked beans on toast, roast chicken, vegetable couscous, mango salsa salad, meat curry with rice or chapatti, spaghetti bolognese and many other options. In addition to choice, menus ensure that gluten free, halal, vegetarian and

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This monitoring visit

other special diets for religious, cultural or health reasons are available.

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This monitoring visit

The home has a member of staff delegated to ensuring inclusion for children from a diverse range of religious and cultural celebrations. The staff member researches and regularly updates the cultural noticeboard at the home. Some of the celebrations include Christmas, Eid, Easter, Chinese New Year and Halloween. Children’s records include picture reviews which show them enjoying different activities associated with cultural and religious events, such as Easter and Halloween. The registered manager always holds an annual party for staff, parents, children and other professionals in December. The home calls this a celebration Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 3 party and not a Christmas or Eid celebration, to ensure that no-one feels excluded. The home has a newsletter for parents and carers, which regularly reflects the cultural celebrations of the time it is produced. For example, at Christmas, it

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This monitoring visit

depicted presents, a Christmas tree and snow. At other times of the year, it has depicted other religious events such as Eid.

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This monitoring visit

The home has two televisions, one in each lounge. Only one of these televisions currently works. The television is rarely on in the home. Many of the children have autistic spectrum disorders and are simply not interested in watching television. The home organises twice-daily activities, which means children are kept busy and active and there is little time for watching television. There is closed circuit television operating in the main lounge where the television is situated. One of the televisions does not work and is going to be replaced with cupboards. There are no smart televisions at the home and there is no DVD or CD player either.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has never heard of the preacher Zakir Naik and has never heard this name mentioned by any members of staff at the home. The registered manager does not allow staff to leave the building once they arrive for their shift. She tries to accommodate Muslim staff by putting them onto later shifts, so they can attend Friday prayer, but only if this fits in after rotas are completed. She is very clear that children come first.

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This monitoring visit

Staff members do not generally attend the local Mosque. Most staff are female and do not worship locally, preferring to pray at home or in their own community. The registered manager is clear that staff do not leave shifts to pray and there have been no issues within the home associated with this. If staff attend Mosque during their lunch break or outside of work, this has never caused any issues or had any impact on children attending short breaks. The registered manager is clear that the expectation is that staff’s personal and religious preferences are not brought into the work place.

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This monitoring visit

All staff required by regulation to hold the level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) now have this qualification. New staff have two years from their start dates to complete this course and are placed on a programme as soon as they complete a probation period.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection did not find any evidence to support the complaints reported and there were no breaches of regulation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/08/2016 Full Outstanding 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 4 13/08/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to investigate anonymous concerns reported about the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection in February 2017.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Qalb Short Break Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 35 Beaufort Court, Admirals Way, South Quay Waterside, London E14 9XL

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Inspector

Christine Kennet, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC420303 7 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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