Children's home run by Virgin Care Limited in Camden

Inspection report children's home: SC458430 1 SC458430 Registered provider: Virgin Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide a short-break service for up to three children. Some children may have a physical disability, learning disability and/or sensory impairment. The provision is privately operated by a nationwide organisation which has other homes in the area.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2012. She has the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the home.

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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: 18 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC458430 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/10/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/10/2016 Full Good 15/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC458430 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff promote a homely and family-type environment at mealtimes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure records demonstrate a detailed account of the discussions held with children following the use of restraint. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)

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Recommendations

 Ensure social workers and other interested stakeholders receive regular updates in relation to children’s placement plans, targets and outcomes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.2)

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Recommendations

 Ensure record keeping is clear and concise, and audit trails clearly demonstrate actions taken. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children's home: SC458430 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to receive good-quality care and support from well-trained, committed and dedicated staff. Staff develop positive and trusted relationships with children. They have a good understanding of children’s individual needs and their likes and preferences. These needs, likes and preferences are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy to stay at this home. A child told the inspector, ‘I like playing, dancing and cooking. I am happy.’ Parents speak highly of the care that children receive. A parent told the inspector, ‘I have nothing but praise about the home, staff know my child very well and I have no concerns’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to become more independent. For example, at the time of the inspection staff supported a child to make homemade beef burgers for his dinner. In addition, staff assist children with their reading, writing and number skills. Children love the praise that they receive while doing these activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both in the home and in the local community. Staff seek children’s views about how much they like the activities. Children give verbal and written feedback. This feedback is used by staff in the planning of future activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff seek children’s views on a day-to-day basis and at regular children’s meetings. The outcomes from children’s meetings are presented to them in a format that they can understand.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work together with parents, schools and healthcare professionals to ensure good continuity of care. A healthcare professional agreed and said, ‘The staff work effectively as part of the multidisciplinary team’.

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

The arrangements to safeguard children are good. Leaders and managers ensure that they communicate safeguarding matters to safeguarding agencies and other professionals effectively. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities, because they receive regular safeguarding training, also safeguarding is an agenda item at staff meetings and in supervision sessions. Since the last inspection, there have not been any referrals made to the designated officer or to children’s services.

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

Detailed behaviour support plans guide staff on how to support children to manage their emotions and feelings. Staff are effective in relation to this. Staff demonstrate good partnership working and consult parents and other professionals when there are concerns about a child’s behaviour.

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

The registered manager closely monitors and evaluates all incidents in the home. Restraint is used appropriately as a last resort. Since the last inspection, there have been Inspection report children's home: SC458430 5 five recorded incidents of restraint. These are all recorded as ‘low-level’ interventions. The registered manager closely scrutinises incidents of restraint to look for triggers and trends and to determine the appropriateness of the restraint. Discussions take place with children and staff following the use of an intervention. However, these discussions are not recorded in detail.

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

Due to the children’s complex support needs, some children need to be monitored during the night. Leaders and managers have ensured that agreements in relation to this practice have been obtained, and that the use of the monitoring device is based on the child’s assessed need and is detailed in their placement plan. In addition, the use of the monitoring device is regularly reviewed to ensure that its use is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. Since the last inspection, the use of monitoring devices has been reduced.

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

Children stay in an environment that is safe. Staff and children regularly practise fire evacuations, and recommendations to improve fire safety in the home have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced, well-trained and qualified manager manages this home. She places the needs of the children at the centre of her practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has completed a detailed review of the quality of care provided. She has accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses of the service and developed an action plan to further improve it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular visits by the independent visitor continue to take place. The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made. In addition, the responsible individual reviews and evaluates these reports and contributes to the improvement agenda.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has developed processes and systems to manage a range of record keeping. However, this inspection has identified that some processes and systems require further review to ensure that all records are clear and concise and that a well- defined audit trail demonstrates the actions taken. For example, discussions with staff following the use of a physical intervention are not recorded, and there are gaps in some records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placement plans and risk assessments clearly identify how children’s individual needs are to be met. In consultation with children, staff identify targets for children to achieve. A social worker said, ‘I am regularly updated about the child’s care and if there are any concerns’. However, they said that they would appreciate more regular updates in relation to a child’s placement plan and the outcomes of target setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision and appraisal. They speak highly of the support that they receive from the registered manager. All staff working in this home are qualified to at least a level 3 diploma. They benefit from a wide range of training, including both mandatory training and specific training to equip them to support the Inspection report children's home: SC458430 6 children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children stay in a welcoming environment. The registered manager has identified improvements that will be made to make the environment more homely. Children enjoy mealtimes, and they choose what they would like to eat and drink. However, the dining tables that are used throughout the day are not prepared in accordance with a typical family-style meal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The one requirement and the three recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report children's home: SC458430 7

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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 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.

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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: SC458430 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Virgin Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lynton House, 7–12 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9LT

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Inspector

David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC458430 9 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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