Children's home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 1 Registered provider: Jamores Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned, and is registered to care for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection highlighted a number of shortfalls, all of which have since been resolved successfully. Two children are currently living at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children feel safe and very much enjoy living at the home. Their overall outcomes and experiences are positive, and they make good progress from their starting points. One child commented, ‘This home is much better than my last one. Staff are cool. They listen to me, and are respectful.’ Another child said, ‘I like it here. I give it ten out of ten!’ A child’s father who was visiting at the time of the inspection, shared, ‘Staff here are taking very good care of my son.’ Children now attend school or college, and engage in work with the home’s two therapists. This was not the case at the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 2 Children are aware of how to make complaints, but do not feel the need to do so, preferring to speak with staff members instead if they are unhappy. Information about making complaints is available in the home’s children’s guide. However, the guide requires revision. It should include the contact details of Ofsted for children to use if

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff take seriously the views and wishes of children, and they have influence in what happens at the home. For example, currently a child is redecorating her bedroom in the colours she prefers. Once the work is completed, the provider has agreed that she can have a new double bed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection highlighted issues in staff recording of a number of key documents. These included recording of behaviour management plans, medication information, sanctions and records of unauthorised absences and missing children. Since the last inspection the registered manager has provided staff with guidance in recording information more accurately. This has largely been successful, and staff now enter key information clearly and in detail. However, this is not the case for the home’s placement plans. Those reviewed were vague, and not explicit about how the home planned to meet children’s needs. Plans also failed to establish time frames for the completion of tasks. This is important to ensure that there is no delay in achieving placement goals.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s monitoring systems show improvement. For example, the registered manager now regularly audits case files and is responsible for signing off key documents. This is to ensure that records accurately reflect children’s information and the work that staff are carrying out with them. Monthly monitoring visits conducted by an independent person also show improvement. Monitoring reports now comment accurately on staff’s ability to safeguard children and promote their well-being. This is in line with the regulations.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection highlighted concern for staff understanding and management of missing persons and unauthorised absences. The registered manager has since revised the home’s protocols to address these issues. The home’s flow chart of action to be taken in either of these events has been simplified. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the difference between unauthorised absences and situations when children are missing. They understand what action to take should either event occur.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff recording of missing episodes and unauthorised absences is clear and consistent. Records are comprehensive and in line with the home’s revised procedures and those of relevant placing authorities.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection highlighted concerns for the professional development of the staff team. Since the last inspection, staff training opportunities show improvement. Specifically, staff have received training in managing children’s unauthorised absences from the home, and what action to take if they are missing.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition, the home offers staff a rolling programme of training focused on attachment, loss and trauma. This was not the case at the last inspection. This training Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 3 is facilitated by the home’s two therapists. Staff have access to a resource file that contains information, guidance and worksheets that relate to children’s emotional well- being. Staff have an enhanced understanding of issues such as self-harm, anger management, self-esteem and substance misuse.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s behaviour shows improvement the longer their placement progresses. Care staff and the therapists work effectively with children to address conflict and anger management issues in particular. As a result, children’s risk-taking and challenging behaviour is on the decline. This is particularly the case for the frequency that children go missing and the number of critical incidents that occur. Staff make appropriate use of incentives and sanctions to encourage positive behaviour.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessments are tailored to meet the specific needs of individual children. For example, the curfew time for a child was increased, to avoid involving the police when she regularly arrived late to the home. This strategy has been successful, and the child has since negotiated the purchase of a mobile phone. This is to help her to keep in touch with staff when she is away from the home, which she now does. As a consequence of this strategy, staff are aware of the child’s whereabouts and episodes of her going missing have significantly reduced.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s care-planning processes show improvement since the last inspection. The registered manager and therapists are now significantly involved in making decisions about which children are admitted to the home. The home’s matching process is effective in ensuring that the home only accepts children whose needs can be met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the home has been successful in recruiting new permanent staff. They include a newly appointed deputy manager. The home now has a core, stable staff team, with a reduced number of agency staff working with children. This promotes the continuity of care, and children appreciate this.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management of the home is strong. There has been significant improvement to the quality of care provided to children. This has a positive impact on the progress, experiences and protection of children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/12/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 4

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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 order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must–

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(h)) In particular, this relates to establishing and implementing a more effective system for monitoring the recording on case files to ensure records are clear and accurate. This relates to the home’s placement plans. 01/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered provider must–

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Requirement Due date

(c) keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7(2)(c)) In particular, to ensure the guide includes Ofsted’s contact details. 01/03/2018

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 5 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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Thames Innovation Centre, Studio 52, Veridion Way, Erith DA18 4AL

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Inspector

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 6 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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