Children's home run by The National Autistic Society

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 1 SC485659 Registered provider: National Autistic Society Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This large children’s home, which is operated by a national charity, provides care and accommodation for up to 17 children who have a primary diagnosis of autism. It is linked to a specialist autism school and provides both long and short term breaks.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2017

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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 declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has declined in effectiveness due to the lack of a registered manager in day- to-day control. The home has ongoing problems with recruiting and retaining staff. Insufficient progress has occurred in meeting the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is currently on a year’s planned absence. Leaders were required to propose another person for registration in her absence but this did not happen. However, leaders have now shortlisted to fill the manager post and have considered how to improve the management structure at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been historical problems with recruiting and retaining staff at this home. Leaders have tried various ways to recruit permanent staff with little success, such as open days and arrangements with employment agencies. Since the last full inspection, Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 2 the situation has worsened due to the departure of three staff who had worked there long term. Agency staff cover vacancies and staff from the linked school sometimes assist. However, at times, there are more agency than permanent staff on shift, which is not best practice. For example, on the day of this inspection, only two out of 10 staff on shift were permanent staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staffing and management situation affects the time available for staff support and training, management tasks and record-keeping. However, the situation does not appear to directly affect children’s care. An interim manager works hard to try to ensure that children receive continuity of care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff have received supervision or annual appraisal to help them reflect on their work and development. The interim manager, who is a qualified social worker, receives supervision but this is not from an appropriately qualified social worker.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent person visits the home every month to check what goes on. However, leaders and managers have not provided Ofsted with reports of these visits as required since August 2017. Neither have leaders and managers provided their own reports of reviews of the service since April 2017. This is not effective information-sharing.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to enjoy their time in the home, for example having fun doing Zumba, cooking with staff or enjoying activities which give them sensory pleasure. A parent described their child as ‘happy’ during their stay. Some children like going on trips out, for example to different places to eat or to parks. Following its repair, children now enjoy riding the bike in the garden. However, the garden remains quite bare and children may benefit from extra play or sensory equipment. Despite some staff only working in the home for a short time, children enjoy spending time with them and there is lots of positive interaction.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

No children have gone missing from the home, or while out on trips, since the last inspection, assuring their safety. The interim manager made staff aware that they should immediately report any incident of a child going missing to the police before conducting a search. However, the interim manager has not yet incorporated this guidance into the home’s written protocol.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

No new children have used the service since the last inspection. Children make small steps of progress, for example with fewer incidents of challenging behaviour as they settle and become less anxious in the home. Some better tolerate others’ presence. Staff give children lots of encouragement and praise. Staff benefit from ongoing support from the school’s behaviour therapist and occupational therapist, who work with them and the children when required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager has followed up the few complaints made since the last inspection. However, these are not recorded as a distinct record of complaint as required. Records of restraint show improvement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A child said that they like it in the home and like their bedroom. Children help staff lay Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 3 the table before dinner. There is a choice of food and staff cater for likes, dislikes and allergies. Noise from doors banging, and alarms on the front and rear doors, can be excessive and continue to make the home’s atmosphere feel institutional.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained 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 provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— (a) there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and (b) the registered provider— (i) is an organisation or a partnership; (ii) does not satisfy regulation 28; or (iii) is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i-iii)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

13. 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— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in 30/04/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 4 the home’s statement of purpose; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. In particular, strengthen the structure of the management team and continue efforts to recruit staff. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— (a) HMCI (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 31/03/2018

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Recommendations

 Specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28) Specifically, include in the written procedure that staff should report any suspicion of a child being missing immediately to the police, rather than after a search.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, 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

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Recommendations

15, paragraph 3.9) Specifically, review noise levels regarding doors banging and the sound of alarms on the front and rear doors and how these may impact on children and do impact on the home’s atmosphere.  Ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Specifically, make sure that all staff receive an annual appraisal of their performance.  Have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision

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Recommendations

of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Specifically, make sure that all staff receive regular Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 5 supervision.  Ensure that the children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5) Specifically, review if there is sufficient play

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Recommendations

and sensory equipment in the garden.  No more than half the staff on duty at any one time, by day or night at the home should be from an external agency. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.17)

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: National Autistic Society

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: National Autistic Society, 391–393 City Road, London EC1V 1NG

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Graves, social care inspector Patrick Sullivan, regional improvement manager, London Interim inspection report children’s home: SC485659 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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