Esther House

Inspection report children’s home: SC474150 1 SC474150 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Ltd 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 accommodate up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is one of several homes owned and operated by a private organisation. The organisation is also registered to provide education to the young people it cares for.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the last inspection there had been no registered manager in post for more than 26 weeks, which informed the judgement of inadequate for leadership and management. The manager’s application for registration has been received by Ofsted and is being processed at the time of this visit. There is a small, established core group of staff who have built good relationships with young people. Rotas now show the hours actually worked by staff in the home. The rotas also demonstrate that there continues to be a pattern of high staff turnover. Since August 2017, three new staff have left during their probationary period. The manager said that the organisation is in the process of reviewing the recruitment processes to see where improvements can be made to reduce turnover. Recruitment files are not held on site and not all induction and supervision records were available. Therefore, it was not possible to evaluate actions in respect of two previous requirements, so these are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC474150 2 repeated in this report. The manager has reintroduced regular team meetings and the home’s therapist is also providing staff with support. There has also been significant change in the resident group. The manager described the positive action that took place to support planned moves into and out of the home. However, the supporting records available do not provide a full and clear account of young people’s transitions and the rationale for these. These incomplete records will not help young people understand their life journeys should they subsequently read them. Management impact risk assessments about new admissions remain weak. They identify the risks but not the strategies for staff to use in order to reduce the potential impact of these risks for young people on each other. Management practice around emergency moves into the home is not as described in the statement of purpose. Specifically, there

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

is no assessment of the suitability of the placement and a final meeting after 28 days. The admission and discharge record does not include one move that took place out of and back into the home. The manager has a good understanding of the safeguarding concerns and risks that affect the young people living in the home. The young people have enjoyed some periods of relative calm since the last inspection. These have been interspersed with some very challenging and risky behaviour. The established staff team continues to understand this as an expression of trauma. Staff are committed to the young people and strive to work with them through the challenges. Newer staff, who may bear the brunt of some of the challenges, struggle because of this, and this is a contributory factor in the high staff turnover. At the time of this visit, there has been a decrease in missing from home episodes, some improvement in education attendance, and young

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

people are engaging well with staff. Young people have planned the half-term activities and are enjoying various trips, such as a trip to the zoo. Young people are more accepting of staff challenges to their behaviour, and staff use diversionary techniques effectively. Since the last inspection, the manager has introduced risk management plans. These are a work in progress. For example, the strategies for staff to use in their management of self-harm are reactive and none are preventative. As a result, staff training in this area is planned. In one case, staff action that was needed in order to minimise an identified risk has not been implemented. The manager is in discussion with the placing social worker about how to address this. The new working and safety plan gives staff clear guidance about their day-to-day practice. The manager has approached a drugs advisory group to continue working with the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has taken robust action in response to any concerns about staff practice. She has an effective working relationship with the local authority safeguarding officer. There has been one complaint since the last inspection. Records show that the manager has dealt with this to the satisfaction of the complainant, as required in the last report. The manager is making good use of the monthly independent visitor’s reports. She and the support manager are working on the next management report and intend to use both of these to inform the development plan for the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC474150 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/12/2016 Full Good 03/08/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/11/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. In particular, ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d) Schedule 2 (6)) Brought forward from previous inspection 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) and (3)(b)) Brought forward from previous inspection 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(5)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. A record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child— the date of the child’s admission to the children’s home; 30/04/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC474150 4 the date on which the child ceased to be accommodated in the home; the child’s address on leaving the home. (Regulation 37(2)(a) Schedule 4 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept 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. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and

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Recommendations

encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: SC474150 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 32 Woodstock Grove, London W12 8LE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Deysel

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Inspector

Maire Atherton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC474150 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 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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