Children's home run by Livability

Inspection report children's home: SC371073 1 SC371073 Registered provider: Livability

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered for up to 16 children. The home provides care for children who may have physical disabilities and associated complex learning and care needs. The home is operated by a private organisation with charitable status. The manager has been in post since March 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report children's home: SC371073 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/12/2017 Full Good 04/10/2016 Full Requires improvement 18/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC371073 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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard (1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (b) ensure that staff— (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; (ix) make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (3) The conditions are— (b) that the care meets the child’s needs; (c) that the care is delivered by a person who— (i) has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver

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Requirement Due date

that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(iv)(ix)(3)(b)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that the electronic recording system is fit for purpose and easily accessible to staff. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard (1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 31/10/2018 Inspection report children's home: SC371073 4 (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the quality of safeguarding records are consistently good. Ensure that internal investigations are thorough and completed to a good standard.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard (1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 31/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports (1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and (b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

(5) The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and 30/11/2018 Inspection report children's home: SC371073 5 timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the independent person provides sufficient consistency to enable them to develop an understanding of the home and provide the registered manager with effective professional challenge.

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improvement to be good

Weaknesses in how well children are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders’ and managers’ work have led to an overall judgement of requires improvement.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans are not consistently providing staff with good-quality guidance about how to care for children. Information in some plans is ambiguous. This weakness has been identified by leaders and managers, and they are in the process of addressing it. However, this work is not yet completed.

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improvement to be good

Information sharing between the care, education and therapy staff has improved. This work is still ongoing, but has already had a positive impact on children and their families.

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improvement to be good

Overall, children’s day-to-day experiences are good, despite shortages in staffing levels and weaknesses in staff retention. Staff plan shifts well to ensure that children can take part in a wide range of activities and experiences. These activities take place on-site and in the community and benefit children.

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improvement to be good

Children are making good progress from their starting points, especially in relation to developing their communication skills and independence skills. Improved communication enables children to express their views and make choices in their day-to-day life.

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improvement to be good

Staff have built strong relationships with the children they care for and their families. Staff interactions with children are kind and caring. They take time to help children make choices and gather their views.

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improvement to be good

Children have complex healthcare needs, and these are met effectively. One parent has praised the staff, saying that their child’s health is the best it has ever been.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from living in a safe, comfortable home. There is ample social space for the children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and comfortable. Inspection report children's home: SC371073 6

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding systems, the quality of internal investigations and safeguarding records require improvement. Staff report safeguarding concerns effectively, but the quality of safeguarding records and internal investigations varies. Some records lack detail and do not demonstrate that a thorough investigation has taken place.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and include clear strategies for staff to follow to reduce levels of risk. Children are supported by staff to take appropriate risks in line with their age and level of understanding. This helps them to develop their understanding of risk.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management is good. It is based on children being praised, and their achievements are celebrated. Children are responding well to this approach.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment is in line with safer recruitment practices, which safeguard children effectively. Leaders have identified that staff retention is an issue and are currently undertaking a review.

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

Leaders’ and managers’ monitoring of the home requires improvement. Leaders and managers had not identified all of the weaknesses found at this inspection. As a result, leaders and managers do not have a robust understanding of the service.

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

The independent visitor has changed three times over the last three months. This does not provide consistent professional challenge to the home and does not aid the registered manager in developing the quality of care provided.

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

Staffing levels require improvement because they are variable and do not consistently meet the commissioned staffing ratios. Staff retention needs to improve. Since the previous inspection, 17 new staff have been recruited, however, eight staff have left. Leaders and managers are reviewing their recruitment systems.

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

The home’s online recording system is difficult to use and does not provide staff with an effective way of recording and managing information.

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

The registered manager is very good at challenging other professionals to ensure that children receive the services they require.

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

Leaders and managers have identified that current care plans need to improve. A new care plan has been devised that includes more detail about children’s needs and how staff are to meet them.

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

Staff receive good-quality training which is closely linked to children’s individual needs, including specialist training. This equips staff well for their roles. Inspection report children's home: SC371073 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 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 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: SC371073 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Mitre Passage, London SE10 0ER

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC371073 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 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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