Children's home run by Exitus Children‟s Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 1 Registered provider: Exitus Children’s Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have complex needs. The home’s statement of purpose states that staff provide a warm and caring environment with a focus on building positive nurturing relationships with the all young people they care for. The home offers planned placements and will consider emergency placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2017 and is appropriately experienced. She aims to complete her diploma 5 in leadership and management by December 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 6 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 3

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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 ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) In particular, a full employment history together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, and that DBS checks are updated. 31/05/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home is reviewed at least every year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64 paragraph 15.1). In particular, this is in relation to when new young people arrive at the home.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20). In particular, this is in relation to the storage of controlled drugs in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, managers and staff have continued to make improvements to the service. This includes the re-decoration of the home. These improvements provide young people with a comfortable environment in which to live. There are many positive touches, including pictures and photographs, which reinforce the homely atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with young people, which are based on warmth and trust. Staff treat young people with dignity and respect. Young people said that the manager and staff take note of what they want and act upon their wishes. For example, one young person did not like seeing staff with identification badges in the home. After talking to the manager, this practice changed. Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 4 Young people participate in regular one-to-one key-worker sessions with staff. These take place frequently and cover a variety of topics relevant to young people’s needs. Consequently, young people are helped to improve their behaviour and have the chance to discuss personal matters that may be on their minds. One young person told the inspector, ‘Staff are nice, and they listen to me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress in many areas of their lives. For example, staff help young people to organise their time, eat healthily and manage their emotions. Staff also assist young people to develop independence skills, in line with their developmental abilities. For instance, young people learn to cook, look after their bedrooms and complete their own laundry. One social worker told the inspector, ‘Key staff have made great efforts to get to know my young person. I am really pleased with the placement.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are all engaged education, either at school or at home. Communication between schools and staff is good. One member of staff at a young person’s school told the inspector, ‘Staff are very professional, caring and proactive. They share both positive and challenging aspects of the young person’s behaviour.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff focus on young people’s emotional well-being. They are skilled in behaviour management, and redirect young people’s attention if they become anxious or distressed. For example, since the last inspection, there has only been one incident of physical intervention. Staff have a successful reward system which helps young people manage their behaviour and avoid escalations.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers have good links with the local police. The registered manager attends local forums with police and other providers offering the opportunity to discuss issues such as exploitation hotspots and local crime. Police occasionally call in to meet young people. They become a familiar face and someone young people can talk to who is independent of the staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents when young people have gone missing from the home or been absent without agreement. All staff are knowledgeable about procedures to follow if this should happen.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people are safe at the home. Risk assessments are clear and generally updated. However, the location risk assessment has not been updated since a new young person arrived. As a result, staff have not had the opportunity to consider any additional matters relating to the individual young person and the community.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Managers and staff think about the risks posed, and how to manage these. Some restrictions have been lifted after careful consultation.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Medication arrangements are secure, and staff are confident in the administration procedures. This inspection noted that controlled drugs are not stored in line with the Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 5 home’s medication policy that refers to controlled drugs being stored separately. Managers have bought a separate safe for controlled drugs. However, staff are not yet using this additional safety measure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager remains committed to improving the service for the young people’s benefit. Staff are positive about the support they receive from managers. All staff receive regular supervision in which their practice and development needs are discussed. All staff have a broad range of training opportunities, many of which reflect the needs of the young people they care for. The responsible individual is a regular visitor to the home, and participates in training sessions with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff are committed to helping young people to make progress in all areas of their lives. Staff discuss young people’s progress in team meetings, and reflect upon new strategies to employ to help young people progress further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are shortfalls in the careful selection and vetting of staff. For example, not all application forms are completed in full. Some staff have omitted details relating to their employment history, which has not been followed up by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a realistic development plan. The home is approaching one year since registration. The registered manager hopes to consolidate staff practice and ensure that all staff complete their level 3 diploma in caring for children within the required timescale. She also hopes to introduce another young person to the home when it is the right time for the other young people already living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the last inspection in November 2017, eight requirements and four recommendations were made. Most have been met. The registered manager is now working well with professionals and is making sure that the home stays clean and tidy. Young people’s views are now taken into account wherever possible and young people have a personal fire evacuation plan in place. Staff are benefiting from a wide range of training and staff are ensuring that physical intervention records are completed in full. However, one requirement has been repeated. This relates to staff recruitment.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: 1255095 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exitus Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, 2 Woodberry Grove, Finchley, London N12 0DR

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Inspector

Julia Wright, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1255095 8 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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