Children's Home run by Castle Homes Limited in Bromley

Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 1 SC419334 Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 22 to 23 November 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have high ambitions for the young people, enabling the young people to make progress from their starting points.  Young people’s progress is monitored and reviewed effectively.  Young people say they are happy and safe in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 2  Young people enjoy a wealth of exciting and stimulating activities in and out of the home.  Staff guide the young people effectively through bespoke independence skills training.  Regular young people and professional survey responses inform the home’s continual development.  Young people make a contribution to staff recruitment.  There is a strong response when young people go missing from the home, supported by good risk assessments and the regular provision of independent return home interviews.  Managers and staff consistently set and maintain boundaries with young people. This has the impact of creating respect, positive relationships, trust and

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Key findings from this inspection

security.  Creating and maintaining positive relationships with young people is at the centre of good practice at the home. Young people feel respected and staff care about them. They feel attached to the home when they move on and some continue to visit.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s key-work sessions are not always routinely recorded.  Young people’s risk assessment updates are not always recorded in a timely manner.  Young people’s return home interviews are not sent to the home. As a result, staff cannot analyse young people’s missing from home behaviour patterns.  The registered manager’s review of the quality of care does not include the opinions of young people, parents, staff and professionals.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/10/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 3

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for the children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system of monitoring, reviewing and evaluating – the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(b)). In particular, ascertain and consider the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. 28/02/2018

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, ensure that young people’s key work sessions are recorded and kept up to date.

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that young people’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated.

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the children 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) In particular, staff must ensure that all young people’s return home interview records are sent to the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in the home. Care plans identify young people’s personal goals. Staff support young people effectively to maximise their potential in all areas of their lives. Progression targets such as increasing positive family contact, regularly attending school or improving personal hygiene are in place. This is successful. For example, with staff encouragement and sensitive care a young person’s episodes of bed wetting has significantly reduced. With staff’s dedication, a young person, previously not engaging in health appointments, now makes her own appointments and attends them. With staff’s commitment and reassurance, a young person increased their confidence, overcame anxiety, and was able to join a local authority ‘once in a lifetime’ trip to Asia.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have an influential voice in the home. Leaders and managers successfully encourage young people to take part in staff recruitment processes. With support, young people ask the prospective staff questions and give their feedback to leaders and managers. This gives young people a sense of ownership and participation in the running of their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are regularly consulted in all aspects of their daily lives. Young people contribute to their formal care reviews. Their wishes and feelings are captured in the home’s monthly ‘how did we do’ survey, house meetings and key-work sessions. Staff swiftly action any requests. One young person wanted a particular Halloween outfit for a party. Staff ensured that this was purchased.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a range of activities for young people dependent on their age and individual needs. Young people enjoy music concerts, trips to the seaside, theatre outings, pamper days, swimming and bowling. A young person described a theatre trip as ‘one of the best days I ever had’. Young people join the home’s annual summer holiday. A young person described the holiday as ‘brilliant fun’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide young people with informal opportunities to progress their independent living skills. These include general domestic skills such as doing their laundry or tidying their bedrooms. The home also offers a more formal independent skills training. A ‘life skills programme’ helps young people to learn meal budgeting, meal preparation, household management, money management, health advice and housing options. This helps young people develop the necessary skills for when they move on from the home. Staff’s attention to young people’s transition needs includes providing them with a ‘bottom drawer’. This contains a starter pack of plates, cutlery, toiletries and other essentials for independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Well-maintained files provide an accurate record of young people’s time in the home. Young people have memory folders to take with them. Photographs, achievement certificates and staff recordings of daily positive comments capture the time that young people spend in the home and give a clear record of their experiences while living there. Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 5 Staff offer continued support to young people when they have left the home. Staff maintain links with young people when they move on. One young person now works for the organisation. Staff meet with previous residents twice a year. This provides young people with connections and ongoing support. Leavers have also been successfully encouraged to contribute to the young people’s welcome pack. A leaver wrote, ‘I liked living at the home. Staff were helpful and we had loads of fun, and I went on holiday with staff, it was the best fun I ever had.’ The leaver added, ‘Thank you for all you’ve

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

done for me and the support you have given me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large residential property. Leaders and managers have ensured that it provides a warm and welcoming environment. Recent refurbishment has added to the homely atmosphere. Young people personalise their bedrooms, which adds to their sense of identity and ownership. Young people make good use of the comfortable lounge, large garden and exercise equipment. Quiet spaces in the home enable young people to enjoy contact with their families and friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker summed up the registered manager and staff’s comprehensive knowledge and meticulous care: ‘The staff have taken time to build a trusting relationship with the young person. They have supported (X) through a very challenging journey and worked with her to create goals and a path for her future. Without the support of staff, this may not have happened.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager conducts rigorous impact risk assessments at the point of referral. This allows for detailed planning processes, during which the needs of all the young people living in the home are considered. This ensures that young people are appropriately matched, and safeguards the stability of young people already living at the home. Young people say they feel safe in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff and managers demonstrate a thorough understanding of the risks associated with each young person. It is evident that staff know the young people extremely well and the individual risks they present. Young people’s individualised risk assessments are in place. Staff identify young people’s vulnerabilities such as going missing from the home, sexual exploitation and challenging and self-harming behaviours. Staff use individual behaviour support plans to reduce any risks. Behaviour support plans are completed in consultation with the young people.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand the triggers that may influence risky behaviours, and implement effective strategies to minimise these. For example, staff’s use of bespoke strategies have helped a young person’s episodes of self-harming behaviour to significantly reduce. When incidents occur, staff complete monthly reports to reflect any changes to risk. However, staff do not always review and record changes in the young people’s risk assessment record. This runs the risk of staff confusion or insufficient safeguards being in place. Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 6 Staff deal appropriately with young people’s missing from home episodes and any unauthorised absences. Incidents are well recorded and reported to the appropriate authorities. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of missing from home episodes. All of these are young people returning home late, which does significantly inflate statistics. However, staff and managers retain clear processes and emphasise to

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

young people their vulnerability if staff do not know their whereabouts. When reduction strategies are not successful, staff are proactive in organising strategy meetings with police, placing authorities and other professionals to discuss and agree on alternative strategies.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff pursue the placing authorities for return home interviews. However, staff do not receive a record of these interviews. This means that staff do not have the opportunity to analyse young people’s behaviour of going missing, assess risk or adapt the arrangements in place to protect the young people in the community.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff confidently encourage discussion on difficult topics with young people. For example, young people’s risk of sexual exploitation is addressed with personal safety workshops, key-work sessions, literature, videos and specialist police visits to the home. This helps young people learn how to stay safe in the community. A young person said, ‘Staff really help you, they listen to you and you can talk about anything.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff maintain appropriate boundaries in and out of the home. The staff team provides good quality of care to very complex young people, and, through very clear and consistent boundaries, the young people are able to accept consequences, take responsibility and make progress. A social worker said, ‘I feel that the team do a good job in remaining consistent in managing complex and challenging situations. Their understanding, knowledge and patience enables the home to work with children with high emotional needs.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people know how to complain. There has been one complaint since the last inspection. The registered manager acts swiftly to investigate complaints and ensures that young people receive feedback and resolution of the complaint. This provides young people with a sense of empowerment.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home provides a safe environment for young people. Staff recruitment procedures are robust. All certificates for fire and health and safety checks are current and reviewed in line with guidance. Regular fire drills take place when the young people are in the home. This ensures that young people and staff are familiar with the procedures should an emergency occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a highly skilled and knowledgeable practitioner. She actively promotes staff’s approach to young people as, ‘Wanting to let the young people know that they matter,’ and, ‘They are still important to us when they leave.’ The home’s ethos to provide ‘good parenting’ is evident throughout the home. During the inspection, Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 7 young people and staff engaged in ‘everyday’ conversations alongside informal advice and support when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working in the home and appreciate the support they receive from the leadership team. Staff feel well supported to undertake their jobs confidently. A member of staff said, ‘This is a lovely place to work. Staff are very supportive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work well as a team. Team meetings are effective. Staff share young people’s updates among the whole team. This ensures that all staff provide appropriate support and care to the young people’s daily and changing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s policy. Leaders and managers actively develop staff knowledge and responsibilities. Staff development is emphasised, which ensures a sense of achievement in their roles. A member of staff said, ‘I love it here. They help me progress.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good evidence of professional partnership working. A social worker said, ‘Staff keep professionals well informed on all communications, and work in participation with services to promote positive outcomes.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are qualified in, or working towards, the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Staff mandatory training is comprehensive. Leaders and managers keep track of essential training and ensure that basic training occurs regularly. This ensures that staff are competent and confident to perform their role. When needed, leaders and managers source external agencies to provide additional training. For example, during the inspection some staff were attending additional training around child sexual exploitation delivered by the local authority specialist police team. This ensures that staff have the most up-to-date knowledge and skills to support young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good monitoring systems are in place. The scrutiny of the independent visitor is regular and effective. The independent visitor’s reports are comprehensive. The monthly reports highlight evidence of good practice and recommendations for improvement. The registered manager swiftly actions any recommendations that are made. This ensures the home’s continuous progress. However, the registered manager’s review of the quality of care provided by the home does not include the views of young people, parents, social workers and staff. This is a regulatory requirement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A previous resident wrote about his experience in the home, and summed up young people’s care in the home very well: ‘(X) is the place for me, (X) is the place to be. Staff will take you out for a drive if you want to talk about things.’ The young person added, ‘The best thing about (X) is that all the staff are nice, helpful, funny, and they all make you feel better when you are down.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 8

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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.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Wells

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC419334 10 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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