Children's home run by Newrays Care Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 1 Registered provider: Newrays Care Service Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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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. Since the last full inspection, the home has experienced a number of changes with the recruitment of a total of nine new staff. This has included a new manager and deputy manager starting in post in the last six weeks. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. These changes have contributed to young people experiencing an inconsistent quality of care. Young people make minimal progress in key areas, such as their educational and behavioural development. For example, one young person receives home tutoring; however, the staff’s poor communication with school means that staff do not know when the tutor will arrive at the home. Staff do not prioritise planned meetings to review education arrangements, meaning that there is drift and delay for young people. Another young person is currently applying for apprenticeships. However, because of a

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

lack of boundaries, staff allow young people to get up late every day. Consequently, Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 2 young people are not in established routines and ready to engage in any education provision offered. Staff do not keep young people safe. For example, staff allow a young person identified as being involved in the distribution and use of drugs to have high levels of free time in the community. Staff and managers are consistent in their view that these arrangements are not appropriate. One manager told the inspector that the young person was not safe. Despite this, staff not only allow the free time, but are encouraging the young person to work towards increasing his free time. Staff are failing to effectively minimise and manage the actual and potential risks for the young person. When the staff challenge the local authority and the police, this is well-meaning but ineffective. For example, the manager did not use the local authority’s escalation

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

procedures when a social worker reversed decisions made in a strategy meeting without consultation. Young people are at risk of sexual exploitation, as managers are unable to hold partner agencies to account. Managers do not consider significant information, such as young people’s self-harming behaviour, before admission. Managers only consider such risks once a young person is living in the home. Furthermore, staff give limited thought to matching new young people’s needs with those young people already living in the home. The outcome is that staff, who lack confidence and experience, are unable to manage young people’s behaviours. Unsuccessful behaviour management means that young people go missing. In addition, staff are not able to de-escalate behaviours, meaning that physical restraints are required. The manager’s oversight and review of such incidents is not always good enough. Consequently, there are missed opportunities to understand why such

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviours occurred and to develop more effective responses. Damage caused by young people in the home means that conditions in the home are poor. This includes damaged internal doors and a hole in a wall. Delays in fixing other maintenance issues exacerbate this problem. For example, at the time of the inspection, two bathrooms were not fully operational, a radiator in a playroom was not working, and an electrical extension lead was hanging from the wall in the kitchen. Young people do not experience a homely and pleasant environment in which to live, thus impacting on their sense of worth and belonging. The current manager has only been in post for six weeks and, therefore, has not yet established herself in her role. Notwithstanding this, the manager has not yet been successful in establishing appropriate monitoring systems to understand the quality of care provided to young people. For example, the monitoring of medication

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

administration is not good enough. Specifically, staff do not always record when they have administered medication, or complete planned medication checks. Furthermore, when staff identify that medication is missing, managers are either not aware of this or take no action. The manager does not ensure that key documents, such as local authority care plans and personal education plans, are on file. This contributes to the poor care planning for young people. Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that— if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(2)(c)(i)) Specifically, the registered provider should ensure that damaged and unpainted internal and external doors are repaired and repainted. The radiator in the playroom is fixed. The electric lead hanging from the kitchen wall is secured. 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing 30/01/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 4 authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(ii)(vi)) The positive relationship standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from relationships based on mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to help each child to develop socially aware behaviours. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)) 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi))* Specifically, the registered person should ensure that plans in place to keep young people safe are kept under review, are reflective of current known risks and are effective in managing and reducing risks associated with young people’s vulnerability to exploitation and any other known risks. 20/12/2017

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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 aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(e)(h)) 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving from the home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)) Specifically, the registered person should ensure that, when considering the admission of the young person, that they fully consider all relevant information to determine that staff are able 30/01/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 5 to meet those needs. Consideration should also be given to the compatibility with existing young people and any steps needed to manage this. The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicine received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the measure, the registered person has spoken to the user about the measure, and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the measure the registered person adds to the record to confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) Specifically, when a physical restraint is required, the staff and young person involved should be spoken to, and the manager should record the action taken within the above timescales. 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(a)) Specifically, the registered provider should ensure that copies of local authority care plans and personal education plans are on file. 30/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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

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

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: 1241861 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newrays Care Service Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newrays Care Services Limited, Sinckot House, 211 Station House, Harrow HA1 2TP

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Inspector

Paul Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241861 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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