Children's home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 1

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Jamores Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is also registered to provide care and accommodation for children who have learning difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, on 22 September 2017, Ofsted was satisfied that the home had complied with the notices restricting accommodation. At that time, progress in meeting the previous requirements could not be fully tested because the home was not operational. From that inspection, Ofsted imposed a condition that the registered provider must give four weeks’ notice prior to admitting any child to the home. The provider has complied with this condition.

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, two children were settling in with the support of a core staff team. There are plans to expand the staff team through an ongoing recruitment campaign.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not have a registered manager, and day-to-day management arrangements remain unclear. The operational arrangements do not, in practice, correspond with the information that has been provided to Ofsted. The titles of key post-holders are different when comparing documents, such as the statement of purpose and individual staff contracts.

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This monitoring visit

On a day-to-day basis, the assistant manager runs the home, with variable levels of support and guidance from the operations director. This arrangement is not sufficient and is in breach of the regulations. During this monitoring visit, the operations director gave a clear undertaking to address this serious deficit by appointing a permanent manager and submitting a fully completed statement of purpose. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 2 Current staffing levels meet the needs of the children. Prior to children moving in, members of the staff team completed an initial induction process that included core training relevant to their roles and responsibilities. Sampling of staff recruitment records demonstrated that the required checks and processes have been undertaken. Interview records evidence pertinent questioning which enables the interview panel to consider an applicant’s suitability for the role applied for, as well

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This monitoring visit

Managers demonstrated competence in assessing the staff team’s ability to meet the presenting needs of each child before they moved in. For both children, initial placement plans focus on risk management and high levels of positive engagement between the staff team and the children.

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This monitoring visit

A recent refurbishment has ensured a welcoming environment. This includes a separate garage conversion that is dedicated for use as a study area. Neither child was attending school prior to moving in. The garage conversion facility is being used well to re-engage the children in educational activities. Staff are keen to reignite the children’s appetite for learning. They support each child in conjunction with placing virtual school teams. Good partnership working ensures that both of the children enjoy structured daily routines that are a combination of formal tuition and education-based leisure activities.

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This monitoring visit

Staff understand the impact of the children’s previous risk-taking behaviours. Children’s placing authorities express high levels of concern about the children’s inability to keep themselves safe from the risks of child sexual exploitation and gangs. Consequently, children are provided with appropriately high levels of supervision. Staff explain this practice well to the children. One child told the inspector, ‘I had loads more freedom before, but I feel safer here.’ While such measures are justified, there is a risk of creating an overwhelmingly restrictive environment for the children. This reinforces the need for managers to ensure that any measure of potentially restrictive practice is subject to regular review.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, further detail has been added to the home’s safeguarding and child protection policy. While it is comprehensive, further clarity is needed to translate aspects of this policy into clear and explicit individual guidance about each child. For example, further guidance is needed for staff on the precise steps they should take in the event of a child going missing. Current guidance is generic and is not specifically tailored to each child.

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This monitoring visit

Neither of the children have engaged in serious risk-taking behaviour since moving in. The combination of high staffing levels and the ability of staff to maintain the children’s engagement in a wide range of recreational opportunities is proving successful. Staff build positive relationships with the children. One staff member said, ‘It’s still early days for them to learn how to trust us and accept that we want the best for them, but we are getting there.’ One child said, ‘I like the staff but sometimes it feels like you can’t do anything without someone watching you.’ Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 3 Staff are strong advocates for the children and want the best for them. Where it is deemed by managers to be necessary, this results in appropriate challenges being made to placing authorities. Staff are keenly interested in the children’s views and opinions about their own circumstances. The assistant manager championed one

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This monitoring visit

child’s wish to renew contact with a relative. Such practice demonstrates to children that they are valued. Staff show empathy, realism and a strong commitment to helping the children to make safe choices and decisions about their relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Previous inspections raised concerns and made requirements in respect of the home’s monitoring processes; in particular, the level of staff team’s experience, qualifications and skills, and the leaders’ understanding of the quality of care being provided for the children. Since the last inspection, the vast majority of the staff team has moved on. New team members have been recruited and a recruitment campaign is ongoing. The team’s collective childcare qualifications and relevant experience are variable, and are not made clear through a workforce development plan. The new monitoring systems and checklists, introduced at the last inspection, remain in their infancy. Managers do take into account the findings and recommendations of the independent visitor, but these monthly reports lack sufficient questioning and rigour, in order to provide managers with the sufficient level of critique.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made from this monitoring visit will be reviewed at the next inspection, following which a judgement will be made.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/09/2017 Interim Not judged 09/06/2017 Full Inadequate 06/03/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 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

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 25/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is specific to individual missing-from-home guidance. 08/06/2018

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 08/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— 27/04/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 5 there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider— is an organisation or a partnership; does not satisfy regulation 28; or is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of— the name of the person so appointed; and the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(2)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

Specifically, keep all measures of potentially restrictive practice under constant review.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should: - detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose; - detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); - detail the process for managing and improving poor performance; - detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

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Recommendations

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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:

Sophie Wood, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 7 to 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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