Children's home run by London Borough of Tower Hamlets in Tower Hamlets

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 1 SC034652 Registered provider: London Borough of Tower Hamlets Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Judgement at last inspection: good

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 outcomes for the young people leaving the home have, with one notable exception, been poor. Two out of three young people who have left the home went into youth custody as a result of committing criminal offences. Despite these outcomes, staff worked hard to engage with the young people and made positive progress in terms of building relationships. One social worker praised the staff for responding warmly to a young person and providing an excellent quality of care. He noted that staff were able to hold boundaries with considerable skill and sensitivity.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another young person, who had been looked after in the home for a long period, successfully moved on to semi independence. He made excellent progress during his time in the home and engaged very well in his education. Staff continue to stay in touch and offer him support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff talk about young people in a way that shows genuine care and commitment. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 2 One staff member commented that she would want the same for the young people in the home as she would want for her own children. Staff demonstrated a level of worry and concern for the well-being of young people that is consistent with strong, nurturing care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people currently living in the home are, with one exception, making limited progress. A young person who has recently moved into the home spends very little time there. He leaves early in the morning and returns late at night. This means that he is not engaging with staff support in any meaningful way and not making progress in terms of engaging in education. However, the fact that he is returning each night to the home is a measure of limited progress. He has also improved his compliance with healthcare interventions and this is having a positive effect on his moods and behaviour. However, he remains vulnerable in the community as his whereabouts are unknown for long periods each day. This means that the risks to him in relation to exploitation in the community have not necessarily reduced as a result of being placed in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person is making very positive progress. He is fully engaged in education and has learned a range of skills to help him move on to independence. He likes being in the home, he likes the staff and appreciates the help and support that they provide for him.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another young person is also absent from the home almost every evening. His routines are poor, he is not engaging in education and there is a high level of concern about his vulnerability in the community. Staff report that they feel that the risks to this young person increased as a result of being placed in the home with an older boy who was engaged in offending behaviour and thought to be dealing in drugs. These two young people frequently absconded together and the younger boy was subsequently arrested for drug-related offences. The registered manager also had reservations about placing these two boys in the same home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager expressed concern that her professional assessment in relation to matching young people and managing risks was ignored and overruled by senior managers. She also expressed concern that this young person was admitted as an emergency placement and that this was contrary to the home’s statement of purpose. Staff expressed concern that a particularly vulnerable young boy remained at risk and was unsafe living in the local area. The home is working closely with the professional network to manage the risks and provide the support and intervention needed to keep him safe. They hold weekly multi-agency strategy meetings to review safety plans and respond to risk factors.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s written individual risk assessments for young people were highlighted as needing improvement at the previous inspection. They have not improved. Assessments of risk do not always clearly identify important areas of vulnerability. They do not routinely explore risks that young people may pose to each other. When risks are identified, there is not always a clear evidence base as to how the risk level has been assessed. There is often no risk management plan in place to show how risk will be managed and how young people will be supported to become safer. This means that the provider cannot be certain that staff have clear direction and guidance as to how to Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 3 intervene to reduce risks and respond to crisis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The impact of the shortfalls in relation to risk assessment is mitigated to some degree because the staff know the young people well. They are vigilant and demonstrate a high level of concern in response to young people’s welfare. There are sufficient staff on duty to monitor and supervise young people in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a high number of incidents of challenging behaviour since the last inspection. Staff record and handle these well. They have positive intervention strategies to encourage positive behaviour and provide consistent boundaries for young people. This has helped one young person to significantly reduce the number of challenging behaviour incidents in recent weeks.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The vast majority of incidents in the home do not meet the threshold where the provider is required to notify Ofsted. However, some incidents that involved the young people being subject to criminal charges and exploitation should have been notified but were not. The registered manager accepts this and has undertaken to ensure that future concerns are shared with the regulator as required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a significant difference of professional judgement between senior managers in the local authority and the management and staff of the home. This relates to making informed assessments about whether the home can safely meet the needs of young people placed there. It is important that the views of those staff and managers, closest to practice, are given sufficient weight when making these decisions.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/08/2016 Full Good 02/02/2016 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

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 4 12: The protection of children standard (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) 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; and (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. In order to meet this regulation, the provider must clearly identify areas of vulnerability for each child and the level of risk present. They must also have a clear risk management plan which identifies how staff should intervene and respond to reduce risks and manage crisis. The provider should also routinely assess how they will manage risks that young people

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Requirement Due date

may pose to each other. This assessment should inform matching when considering referrals and admissions to the home. 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard (1) The care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In order to meet this regulation, the provider must ensure that young people admitted to the home are admitted in accordance with the admission process set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They must also ensure that only young people who have the range of needs described in the home’s statement of purpose are admitted to the home. 30/04/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children’s Services, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London E14 2BG

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Inspector(s)

Lee Kirwin, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC034652 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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