Children's home run by Children Assisted in a Real Environment Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 1 Registered provider: Children Assisted in a Real Environment (CARE) Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

Operated by a private limited company, this home provides care for up to six children who may have learning disabilities. The registered manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since the home opened in July 2017.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not judged

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2018 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 2

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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 responsible person is required to report specified workplace incidents under RIDDOR. (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) Specifically, keep accurate rotas which show the day and times all staff have worked in the home, including the registered manager. 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the missing child policy’) setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent.

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Requirement Due date

Before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and

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Requirement Due date

have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 31/08/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the behaviour management policy describes the home’s approach to promoting positive behaviour and the measures of control, discipline, and restraint which may be used in the home. These measures should be set in the context of building positive relationships with children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.33) Specifically, make sure the policy includes: the general principles of behaviour management; sanctions and restorative justice; and how staff are trained in behaviour management.

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home’s Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)

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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) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Specifically, ensure that all staff achieve mandatory training and basic training in a timely manner and receive more extensive training in autism spectrum disorder and challenging behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since this home opened a year ago, three children have occasionally stayed for short breaks and one child is living longer-term in the home. Children have enjoyed the experience, participating in a range of activities, some for the first time. Personal photo journals help the children to remember what they have done with staff, such as visiting a farm, swimming and eating out. A parent said their child ‘looks forward to attending’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from stability in their placements. Despite some very challenging behaviour, staff do not give up on children and try to find ways to reduce incidents. Staff establish routines, which help children to settle and feel safe. A social worker was pleased with a child’s progress, finding they ‘are completely different’ as a result of the staff’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

After being out of education for three years, one child is now engaging with a tutor. Punctuality and attendance are variable but this is still considerable progress following such a long period out of education. Staff also support his learning through activities in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 4 Children are encouraged to eat a healthy diet. They enjoy the sight and smells of home- cooked meals being prepared. Mealtimes are social occasions where staff and children sit together at the table to eat and enjoy the experience. Staff promote different foods on special cultural or religious days to widen children’s experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For some children, communication skills improve. Staff encourage children to use pictures, gestures and basic signs to augment any verbal communication. This helps children express their needs and supports them to understand why some behaviours are unacceptable. A social worker has noticed improvement in a child’s ‘interaction and engagement with staff’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience improved health outcomes. For example, some now take vital medication regularly, which benefits their specific health needs. Children attend health appointments regularly, so they receive optimum care and medication management. Taking regular exercise and being more active have helped some children lose weight and improved their general health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in the local community. They like using the library and learning to use public transport, and some enjoy participating in church services. For a few children, this is significant progress as they have limited opportunities to socialise when at school or at home. Those with a history of absconding have not done so, either from the home or when on trips out. This has ensured that they can participate in a wider range of activities while keeping safe.

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

High supervision levels help to keep children safe, both in the home and when out in the community. Staff show understanding of each child’s needs and are positive about wanting to make a difference to their lives.

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

Staff work to children’s behaviour management plans. The frequency of incidents of challenging behaviour can be high, and for one child they have increased. However, staff work hard to identify triggers, find ways to help children improve their behaviour and to reduce assaults on staff. Staff praise children when they show good manners or have achieved something.

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

The building appears comfortable and homely, with prompt repairs to any damage. Children are able to choose their rooms. The registered manager ensures that the premises are safe through regular safety checks. Staff encourage the children to take part in fire drills so they know what to do in an emergency.

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

Staff manage medication safely. Staff carefully log medication into and out of the home. Staffing is organised so that one staff member administers drugs and a second witnesses this, helping to ensure that no errors have taken place .

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

Checks on new members of staff are thorough and help to ensure that only suitable adults work with children. This includes taking up references and checking why people Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 5 have left their previous employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The suitably qualified manager leads a small, diverse team which focuses on children’s needs. The team, supported by agency staff who work regularly in the home, provides children with consistency of care. A member of staff described the manager as ‘really inclusive’. However, rotas do not record exactly when he works in the home and so are not an accurate record.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff bring varied skills from previous employment and work well with the children. Further training would benefit the team. Some staff did not complete mandatory training at the start of their employment. Some have no training in autism spectrum disorder, although children who have autism spectrum disorder use this service. Those who have completed online autism spectrum disorder training found this quite basic. Some staff said they would like more training on managing challenging behaviour so they have more techniques at their disposal. No staff have yet achieved level 3 qualifications, although most are enrolled on this training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has made insufficient progress in meeting two recommendations from the last inspection report. Therefore, some policies do not give staff enough clear guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Use of physical intervention is low. However, during some very challenging incidents, staff have suffered significant injuries. The manager has not investigated to ascertain whether it is necessary to report any of these injuries under health and safety law. One member of staff has assisted in physical intervention without receiving training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Social workers and families find there is good communication from the staff team members, who keep them informed. The staff team describes having sufficient support in terms of supervision and meetings and its members feel that they can approach the manager.

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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.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 6 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: 1257022 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Children Assisted in a Real Environment (CARE) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 144 Old Oak Road, London W3 7HF

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Inspector

Jacqueline Graves, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1257022 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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