Children's Home run by London Borough of Brent in Brent

Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 1 SC457780 Registered provider: London Borough of Brent

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is a short-breaks service for disabled children. The service is registered to provide short breaks for up to eight children living with physical and/or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. This includes children on the autistic spectrum.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2007.

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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 requires improvement to be 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2017 Full Outstanding 19/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/09/2016 Full Outstanding 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 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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Requirements 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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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(e))

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Requirements Due date

In particular, this relates to the high use of agency staff during the night. 31/10/2018

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (a)(i)) 31/10/2018

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirements Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirements Due date

In particular, this relates to children‟s progress targets and plans 31/10/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 4 for their transition to adult care.

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Requirements Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)

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Requirements Due date

In particular, ensure that children‟s dietary requirements, including any food preferences and allergies, are up to date and accurately recorded. 31/10/2018

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Recommendations

 Some records may be kept electronically (regulation 38) provided that this information can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 14.2) In particular, this relates to all supervision and annual appraisal records.  Each home must have clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 54, paragraph 10.20) In particular, ensure that the person left in charge has access to all necessary documentation.  The principle of listening to the child and taking their views, wishes and feelings into account when undertaking their care applies to all children, including children with disabilities or special educational needs. („Guide to the children‟s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards‟, page 21, paragraph 4.5) In particular, staff should take care to ensure that children‟s daily routines are not unduly disrupted.  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. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that the reception area carpet, which poses a trip hazard, is repaired.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care from committed and enthusiastic staff and develop warm and friendly relationships and trust in the adults who care for them. Children safely participate in a wealth of exciting activities both inside and outside the home. Cooking, arts and crafts and garden parties, as well as visits to football stadiums, athletics championships, boat cruises and trips to the circus and theatre, help broaden and enrich Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 5 their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular team meetings, as well as good shift handover discussions and comprehensive shift planning, enable staff to provide care that, in a majority of cases, is bespoke to the individual children during their short breaks. Activities, mealtimes, medication routines and bedtimes are planned in advance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The large, purpose-built, eight-bedded home provides a pleasant, clean and bright environment, enhanced with brightly coloured rooms, recently redecorated bedrooms, and photographic displays of children‟s activities and achievements. Adaptations around the home ensure that all children have access to the communal areas, the sensory room, extensive gardens and play equipment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress during their short-break stays. As a result of partnership working with schools and parents, staff set age- and ability-based skills targets for children. Targets can range from improving children‟s walking skills and ability to eat independently to increasing their attention spans. However, one written progress record that was reviewed by the inspector had not been updated to evidence how the child was reaching their development potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children‟s short breaks are arranged in advance, with allocations based on their differing needs, staffing ratios, and where possible, children‟s friendship groups. This helps to ensure that children have a safe and enjoyable stay. Children‟s care plans are detailed and very clear and include information concerning their health, social and emotional needs. Such needs are identified alongside their routines, activity preferences and communication styles.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite a majority of short breaks being planned, managers‟ decisions to accept emergency longer-term placements have resulted in some children‟s short breaks being cancelled at short notice. A member of staff said that this was due to there not being enough staff to meet the needs of all the children. As a result of these cancellations, families‟ plans are disrupted, and a member of staff stated that one parent was very unhappy about the impact this had.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children approaching transition to adult services did not have up-to-date transition plans. This limits staff‟s knowledge of children‟s future arrangements and any support that children and young adults may need during the period when they move on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, the inspector observed that when a member of staff needed additional support with a child, another child, who was settled at the dining table, was interrupted and had to leave the dining table to go with the member of staff who was asked to assist. The deputy manager recognises that this was not good practice.

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improvement to be good

All placement referrals are considered in detail. This helps to ensure that staff are able to Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 6 meet the individual needs of children. In addition, staffing ratios are suitable and a majority of risks, both inside the home and in the community, are appropriately assessed and managed.

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improvement to be good

However, since the last inspection, an incident occurred whereby one child ingested two objects which could have resulted in significant harm. The risk assessment at the time of the incident was not up to date, and the one-to-one staff supervision level for the child did not prevent the incident occurring. The child‟s parent said after the incident, „I felt very stressed and very scared.‟ Following the incident, leaders and managers took appropriate actions, and the risk assessment was subsequently updated to provide clear guidance for staff to follow. The child‟s parent said that she was happy with the manager‟s response to the incident and the safety measures now put in place. There have been no further incidents of a similar nature.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy healthy, nutritious meals during their short breaks. However, during the first day of the inspection, the meal planner was not up to date and did not list the children staying that night. In addition, the staff had not updated the chef‟s daily whiteboard to identify two children‟s specific dietary requirements and allergies. Although no harm was caused, this shortfall raises the risk that children will eat or drink food that will cause them to become unwell.

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improvement to be good

The home provides a generally well maintained physical environment for children during their short breaks, although the reception area carpet was loose and therefore posed a trip hazard.

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improvement to be good

With parental consent and expert advice, staff use restrictive measures, such as cot sides, for children who require additional support to keep them safe, and an electronic key fob system to enter and exit the building. These procedures are outlined in the home‟s statement of purpose and are appropriate, given the needs and vulnerabilities of the children staying at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are skilled in managing children‟s behaviours. Staff know the children very well, understand their needs and are able to identify at an early stage when their behaviour may be escalating and use effectively the children‟s individualised behaviour support plans. As a result, physical restraint is rarely used as a behaviour management tool in the home.

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improvement to be good

All staff receive training in child protection and safeguarding vulnerable children. All certificates for fire and health and safety checks are current and reviewed in line with relevant guidance. Regular fire drills and children‟s individual personal emergency evacuation plans help ensure that staff are familiar with the procedures should an emergency occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The highly skilled and knowledgeable registered manager always seeks to enhance children‟s experiences at the home. She continues to collaborate with community Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 7 resources, such as the local Scouts and the National Citizenship Service volunteers who provide additional opportunities which enhance children‟s experiences. Regular parent coffee mornings strengthen community collaboration and participation. A volunteer said, „It is an inspiring place which allows people with disabilities to have the same opportunity as me and you.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training that is comprehensive and bespoke to the needs of the children who stay at the home. Specialists provide additional in-house training and all staff either have the appropriate level 3 qualification, are currently undertaking the course or will enrol once their probation is completed. This means that children receive help and support from suitably qualified and knowledgeable staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager understands the home‟s strengths and weaknesses. In addition to receiving monthly independent visitor‟s reports, the manager carries out the home‟s quality of care review as well as regular stakeholder and parent surveys. She takes account of feedback and actions recommendations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work very effectively with schools and parents. Home link books and detailed shift handover discussions ensure that staff have all of the children‟s social, emotional and physical welfare updates, which enables care to be dynamic and responsive. However, staff do not always complete the home‟s regular programme of visiting homes and schools, which can restrict their knowledge of children‟s developing and changing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A recent staff recruitment drive has reduced the number of vacant posts in the home. However, at times, a reliance on agency staff results in more than 50% of staff comprising of temporary staff , particularly during the night. The most recent monitoring report compiled by the independent visitor notes, „At times there are less familiar staff and this can add some pressure to the regular night staff.‟ During the inspection a member of staff told the inspector, „We could do with more staff.‟ Managers confirmed that a continuing recruitment drive aims to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the inspection the registered manager was absent, with the deputy manager having overall responsibility for the running of the home. The deputy manager was not able to access some of the home‟s records that are required to be kept for inspection purposes. As a result, the robustness of staff recruitment, and the quality of staff supervision and annual appraisals could not be verified. The records that were seen showed inconsistent levels of staff supervision. Records of agency staff receiving supervision were not available.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 8 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

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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : London Borough of Brent

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Brent Town Hall, Forty Lane, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 9HD

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC457780 10 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

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