Children's Home run by Shalamar Children Limited in Essex

Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 1 SC475088 Registered provider: Shalamar Children Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is privately owned and managed. The home operates using a therapeutic approach to child care.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has resigned. He left without working any notice period. The deputy manager was appointed to be the manager but did not submit an application to Ofsted to register. He resigned from the home without any notice period. This means that there has been a significant change in the day-to-day arrangements in the home and that has had a direct impact on the children and the staff in relation to continuity, direction and decision-making.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The responsible individual and the directors have appointed one of the residential care workers to be the manager for the home. He has enthusiasm for the role and has worked for over two years in a position relevant to the residential care of children. He is Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 2 well supported by the recently appointed deputy. The manager and deputy manager say that, in a very short time of working together, they have identified how they will improve the home. For example, the deputy is forging relationships with the schools attended by the children and is overseeing and tracking the effectiveness of some of the recording systems.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant change in the group of children. Three children have come to the home and then moved on, while two of the children living in the home at the time of the full inspection remain. These two children have good, warm relationships with the staff and make progress in some areas. For example, one child continues to attend school regularly and the other is enrolled at a local school and is attending with some reduction in hours. This helps children to fulfil their potential and provides routine and some structure to their day.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Over the summer months, the frequency and intensity of incidents in the home increased. The group is now more settled, and so the frequency of incidents has recently reduced. This means that many of the incidents that have taken place since the last inspection link to the behaviours of children who have now left. These children left either because the provider took the decision to end the placement or because the move reflected the local authority plan. For example, one child was moved without notice and one child returned home to the care of her family. The provider keeps the regulator informed of significant events that happen in the home, to a certain extent. However, on one occasion when a child threatened other children and the staff and caused significant damage to the home, actions which resulted in the child being removed from the home by the police, the regulator was not notified. Failure to notify means that the overview of

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

a home monitored by Ofsted is not accurate.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider accepts referrals for children who have previously shown that they make risky decisions. For example, some of the children are known to have gone missing from other settings. Children continue to go missing from this home. The records show that, to a certain extent, the staff try to persuade the children not to leave the building, and when a child does leave the premises, the staff work purposefully to locate the child. The staff follow a procedure to make a meaningful effort to contact the child by telephone, go out and search the local area and liaise with the police. Mostly, children return to the home within a few hours, but some children go missing overnight. On more than one occasion, two children have gone missing together.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one of these occasions, when efforts to prevent the children from leaving the building did not work, one member of staff opened the front door, enabling both children to leave the home. The responsible individual had recommended this action as a strategy to prevent the children from coming to harm from their own actions within the home. However, the decision on this occasion does not reflect the provider’s missing from care policy or the information recorded in both the children’s risk assessments. On this occasion, this practice increased the likelihood of children who are already known to be vulnerable and at risk of child sexual exploitation coming to further harm.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

When children return to the home after a period of being missing, the staff are warm and nurturing in their approach to welcome them back. The responsible individual takes Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 3 a hands-on approach. She makes up the on-call rota and is often present in the home. The staff on duty speak to the child and they are supported by the positive relationships that they share with the missing police liaison officers who ensure that colleagues come to complete a safe and welfare check. However, the directors and managers do not demonstrate that they understand that the responsible local authority should provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return-home interview. The result is that independent return-home interviews do not happen as described in the quality standards.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a slight increase in the number of physical interventions. The records sampled show an overall improvement in the information recorded. For example, the description of the measure used is more clearly recorded. This means that the provider meets this part of the regulation raised at the last inspection. Records sampled show that the staff talk to one another and to the children following an incident. However, there is no clear system to demonstrate that, within 48 hours of the use of the measure, a person authorised by the responsible individual meets with the member of staff and those involved. This does not provide these staff with the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the effectiveness of the intervention or to demonstrate that the decision to intervene physically was the most appropriate action.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has worked to meet the requirements from the last inspection. Regular fire drills take place, alongside weekly checks of fire detection equipment. The directors make available additional resources to provide opportunities for the staff to develop. For example, there are opportunities for face-to-face training in understanding relationships.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2017 Full Good 22/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 01/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.3

What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 4

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child and help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 10/11/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is managed and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(b))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This is in particular in relation to reviewing the missing child policy. 10/11/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children to aspire to their full potential and promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose, and ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(e)) 10/11/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of any measure of restraint the registered person, or a person who is registered by the person to do so has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm that it is accurate and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds 10/11/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 5 to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i) (ii) (c))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident requiring police involvement relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 10/11/2017

p.5

Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return-home interview. Homes should take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’.

p.5

Children’s home details

Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 6 Unique reference number: SC475088

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Shalamar Children Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 3, 2nd Floor, Stanhope House, High Street, Stanford le Hope, Essex SS17 0HA

p.6

Inspector

Rosie Davie, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC475088 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7