Children's home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report children‟s home: SC459354 1 SC459354 Registered provider: Jamores Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home for three children who have emotional and/or behavioural needs and/or a learning disability.

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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 this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection highlighted a number of shortfalls, some of which have been resolved successfully, while other issues remain unresolved. This inspection highlights additional weaknesses in the home. Three children currently live at the home. Since the last inspection, there has been a significant increase in the challenging behaviour of some children. Staff have restrained children on eight separate occasions. Records of restraints are detailed and sometimes feedback from the home‟s consultant is included. The consultant has expertise in de-escalation and physical intervention techniques. Despite training in de-escalation, guidance from the consultant and the home‟s therapists, staff‟s management of some incidents has been ineffective. They have been unable to take control of difficult situations. The consultant said of a recent incident, „If alternative action was taken, it would have avoided the restraints and assaults

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: SC459354 2 potentially.‟ There has also recently been an increase in the number of times the police have been called to the home. This was to assist staff manage some children‟s extremely challenging behaviour. On one occasion, this involvement directly resulted in the arrest of a child. The registered manager states in written feedback, „[the young person‟s] escalation of negative behaviours has been of concern lately. If she does not get what she wants, she starts to become physically aggressive. She may need to be restrained. It is unfortunate that staff felt the need to involve the police again on this occasion, as we avoid criminalising children in our care as best we can.‟ This course of action is not in the children‟s best interest. The child‟s placement is currently under review. Staff require further support and training in managing more effectively children‟s

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

behaviour. In addition, managers are required to sign off all restraint records. This currently does not happen consistently. There has been an increase in the frequency of children being absent from the home without permission. On these occasions, staff records were detailed and outline contact made with the police, the local authority and others. On the child‟s return, staff explore whether the child is safe and they attempt to obtain information about the child‟s earlier whereabouts. The previous inspection highlighted shortfalls in staff‟s recording of their administration of children‟s medication. Despite staff receiving additional medication training and the managers‟ review of the home‟s medication recording tool, recording errors still occur. For example, medication records do not highlight a recent mishap where a tablet was discarded. Staff on this occasion sought medical advice and replaced the discarded tablet

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

with one for use in the following week. Staff failed to record this sequence of events and, as a result, it remains unclear on medication records the reason why there was a shortfall in medication for the next week. This is despite a number of staff signatures confirming that there had been no issues in their administration of children‟s medication. In other medication records, staff failed to accurately record the time of day when medication was administered. In one instance, medication was prescribed to be taken when the child first woke up in the morning. The medication was taken by the child in the afternoon, but was recorded as being given in the morning. A requirement about staff‟s accurate recording of medication is, therefore, repeated at this inspection. Some children‟s educational progress is poor. For one child, this is due to their very sporadic attendance at school. For another child, this is due to professionals failing to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

secure appropriate educational provision. This child, who previously had 96% attendance at his former school, has not attended any school since his arrival at the home, which was three months ago. Instead, the child completes worksheets at the home for two hours a day. This is inadequate educational provision and does not support the child‟s academic progress. The previous inspection highlighted that Ofsted was not consistently notified of key events as required. This issue has since been resolved. However, managers do not always forward notifications to Ofsted within 24 hours as required. In one instance, the registered manager informed Ofsted of a serious incident ten days after the event. This Inspection report children‟s home: SC459354 3 is a breach of the regulations. Case records are not consistently kept up to date. For example, staff are unable to produce records of a number of key-work sessions that they say they previously held

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

with children. This means that records do not accurately reflect the work being undertaken with children. Staff maintain other records well. The case file of the child most recently admitted to the home contains good background information, placement support plans, risk assessments and other key documents. The child has settled well into the placement and is developing good relationships with the staff team. The placement objectives are clear. Care planning and placement activities support the achievement of placement targets. The service has recently appointed a new manager for the home. The manager is due to start working at the home in the forthcoming weeks.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/07/2016 Full Good 28/01/2016 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

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) In particular, that staff receive training in de-escalation skills. 01/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

(b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 01/04/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC459354 4 35(3)(b)(ii)) 23.—(1) The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children‟s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 01/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

8.—(1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (x) help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(x)) 01/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— (a) a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; (c) there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; (d) a child protection enquiry involving a child — (i) is instigated; or (ii) concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 01/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

36.—(1) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— (b) are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(b)) 01/04/2018

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC459354 5 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‟.

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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: SC459354 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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