Children's Home run by Norwood Ravenswood in Barnet

Inspection report children's home: SC010415 1 SC010415 Registered provider: Norwood Ravenswood Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A charity provides this home, for up to nine children. The home provides short breaks for disabled children, although two children are currently staying longer term in the home. The registered manager resigned on 15 May 2018 after 20 years in the home. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC010415 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/06/2017 Full Good 07/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/07/2016 Full Good 22/12/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC010415 3

p.2

Recommendations

 Make sure case records are kept up-to-date and these are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Ensure that the registered person has systems in place so that all staff receive supervision 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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  Ensure all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Inspection report children's home: SC010415 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children look forward to their stays in this child-centred home. They soon settle into their routines, enjoy seeing their friends and take part in a wide range of activities, which a parent described as ‘varied, fun and interesting’. Their experience is very positive.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy warm, affectionate and humorous relationships with the staff. A parent appreciated ‘the very friendly, welcoming atmosphere where staff are very accommodating’. Because the staff know the children so well, they can interpret any changes in their well-being or behaviour, and manage these accordingly.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect children’s individual needs. This is a Jewish, kosher home, but children participate in a variety of religious and cultural festivals. Parents appreciate that staff respect and promote their child’s religion, for example through art and baking activities.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Generally, children make good progress towards the targets set by their teachers and families. In a few cases, children’s progress is limited because of their deteriorating health conditions. In these cases, staff focus on the children’s positive experiences in the home. Parents are glad that their children have developed confidence in staying away from their families, and try to do things to help staff.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good use of the sensory toys and equipment in the building and garden. Since the last inspection, redecoration in some areas, new pictures in bedrooms and new equipment have improved children’s experience of the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and guardians value the service and the difference that it has made to their own and their child’s life. One parent said, ‘As a family, we totally rely on it.’ Most would like their child to have more days in the home.

p.4

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

There is a strong focus on children’s safety and security. Parents trust the staff to keep their children safe in the home and when out on trips. The staff have a good track record of protecting children from risks such as abuse and going missing.

p.4

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

Through regular training, staff know of the particular risks to disabled children and apply this knowledge to their work. A parent said, ‘Staff have a keen insight into my daughter’s behaviours and needs.’

p.4

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

Health arrangements are good. Staff seek advice regarding children’s health, working effectively with families and medical professionals. One parent praised how staff had managed a medical emergency, saying that their child ‘didn’t deteriorate as a result of their good care’. Inspection report children's home: SC010415 5 Staff manage medication safely. They take care to log the many medicines that families send in with their children. A parent praised staff’s diligence in checking expiry dates to ensure that the medication was suitable for administration to their child.

p.4

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

Managers safely maintain the building and grounds through assessment of risk, with regular checks and tests of systems and equipment. Children participate in fire drills as far as possible, with personal emergency evacuation plans for staff to promote their safety in event of a fire.

p.5

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

The recruitment process promotes children’s safety. Managers oversee the recruitment of new staff, which the staff at the head office manage. The recruitment process includes checks which assess whether that the applicant is suitable to work with vulnerable children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been an effective handover from the registered manager to the deputy, which has ensured sufficient support and continuity for the staff team. Many staff have worked at the home for many years and there has been little staff turnover. This helps children to experience consistent care from staff who have known them well over many years.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are open and honest in their dealings with those using the service. They welcome complaints and learn from these to make improvements. They respond well to recommendations made in the reports of an independent visitor on their monitoring of the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff know children’s needs very well. High staffing levels enable staff to spend quality time with each child. Staff support children’s communication, for example by working with school staff on using technology and communication aids.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication between staff and families is good. Staff work effectively with children’s families and their social workers to plan for children’s stays or for their moves onto other services. Records are maintained, but not all records are signed to evidence that the staff have read or completed these.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff described their training as ‘good’. Training is extensive to ensure that children with a wide range of complex health needs may use the service, for example training in the use of oxygen and colostomy care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff work effectively as a team. They feel supported by team members and managers. Most receive regular supervision and annual appraisal, but this has slipped for a few staff due to organisational changes. Inspection report children's home: SC010415 6

p.5

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 difference 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.

p.6

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: SC010415 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Broadway House, 80–82 The Broadway, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4HB

p.7

Inspector

Jacqueline Graves, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: SC010415 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8