Children's Home run by Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited in Hounslow

Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 1 SC409851 Registered provider: Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to care for up to four young people. A private provider owns and operates it.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The full inspection on 22 August 2017 judged that the home was inadequate. On 25 August 2017, Ofsted served a notice to suspend the registration of the home. One monitoring visit and one additional visit to the home occurred on 17 October and 15 November 2017 respectively. Ofsted lifted the notice to suspend the registration on 21 November 2017.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, the home was ‘not judged’.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Currently, there are no young people living at the home. No young people have lived at the home since August this year. Therefore, the inspection focuses on whether the children’s home meets its statutory requirements in order to maintain its registration, and whether it is ready to accept placements. As a result, no judgement is made.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the lifting of the notice to suspend registration, no young people have been admitted to the home. Managers continue to explore potential referrals. The host local Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 2 authority recently visited the home to assess the possibility of placing young people in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Nine requirements and nine recommendations remained from the monitoring visit that occurred on 17 October 2017. The home has met three of the requirements. These related to the provision of an independent visitor, supervision of staff and the oversight of the responsible individual. As the home has not looked after young people since the requirements and recommendations were made, it is not possible to fully assess the effectiveness of the actions taken by the home to meet some of them. Therefore, six requirements and nine recommendations are repeated in this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent visitor is now in place. Ofsted has received two reports of visits that occurred in October and November 2017. These reports evidence a high level of scrutiny and focus on driving improvements in the home. For example, the designated safeguarding officer is due to receive specialist training following a recent recommendation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition to managers, there are four members of staff in the home. Staff report good levels of supervision and training. Online training supports staff. Managers assess learning and development by the use of role-play during supervision sessions. The responsible individual continues to supervise managers in the home. The business development manager reports that supervision is positive and that he feels that the home has made considerable progress. The business development manager and deputy manager plan to complete their management qualifications in May 2018.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have updated the statement of purpose. However, it does not contain details of the qualifications and experience of the staff team and therefore requires a further update.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to lack a registered manager. The home has not had a registered manager in post for a period in excess of 26 weeks. The former registered manager confirmed that they plan to apply for registration. Ofsted has yet to receive an application to register a manager for the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2017 Full Inadequate 26/09/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/05/2016 Full Requires improvement 07/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 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, the 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 ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(c)) 01/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and where appropriate revise it. (Regulation 16(2)(c)) 01/02/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this is in relation to the lack of specialist risk assessments, care plans and monthly reports. 01/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are 01/02/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 4 helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 11(2)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home should provide a programme of constructive activities when young people are on holiday or not in education and employment. The leadership and management standard

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(2)(a)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should address the high staff turnover and consequent lack of consistency for young people. 01/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (case records) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(b)) 01/02/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 5

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person only accepts placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 11.4, page 56)  Make sure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 9.38, page 46)

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Recommendations

 Challenge the child’s education provider if the child does not receive sufficient support to progress as outlined in their relevant plans. Act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education as a good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraphs 5.11 ─ 5.12, pages 27 ─ 28)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely and domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all

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Recommendations

times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  Devise a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20) The plan should: − detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose; − detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); − detail the process for managing and improving poor performance. Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 6

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Recommendations

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. This is also with reference to ensuring staff training in radicalisation and refresher training in safeguarding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 10.8, page 53)  Demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing to prevent disruption to children’s attachments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  Keep records detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of

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Recommendations

missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 45 and 46, paragraph 9.31)  Ensure the provision of support to sustain or regain confidence in education and engagement in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.5)  Encourage young people to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 7 it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC409851 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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