Children's home run by Virgin Care Limited in Camden

Inspection report children’s home: SC458429 1 SC458429 Registered provider: Virgin Care Limited

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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 seven 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 March 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2018

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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 outstanding

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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: 11 December 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: SC458429 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/08/2016 Full Good 17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC458429 3

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Recommendations

 Review the effectiveness of the current safeguarding training in relation to children with disabilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff supervision records are clear and detailed, and demonstrate reflective practice has taken place. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy when they stay at this short-break service. They receive good-quality care and support from well-trained, committed and dedicated staff. Staff develop warm and nurturing relationships with children. Many staff have worked at the home for several years and know the children and their families well. Social workers and parents speak highly of the care that children receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to become more independent. A social worker said, ‘A child’s independence skills have improved. He now buys his own toiletries and uses his own money to pay for these items.’ In addition, staff assist children to become more independent at mealtimes by encouraging them to develop their skills in using adapted cutlery and cups. Children are making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy the meals that are provided. Since the last inspection, staff have reviewed how mealtimes are arranged. Children are encouraged to choose the menus and shop for food. In addition, placemats are now used, and condiments, serving dishes and a choice of drinks are placed on the tables. Mealtimes are a family-style occasion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are well-trained to meet the healthcare needs of the children. Leaders and managers ensure that children’s health concerns are addressed without delay. Staff work closely together with parents and healthcare professionals to ensure good continuity of care.

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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. This includes visits to the beach, local parks, leisure centres and restaurants, and taking part in several arts and crafts activities in the home. In addition, children enjoy using the sensory room. Inspection report children’s home: SC458429 4

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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 respond effectively to any safeguarding concerns. Staff have a thorough understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. They receive regular safeguarding training and safeguarding is an agenda item in supervision sessions. However, it is not evident that the content of this training provides staff with sufficient awareness and guidance, particularly in relation to disabled children.

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

Restraint is appropriately used as a last resort to keep children and others safe. The registered manager reviews these incidents, looking for triggers and trends and to determine the appropriateness of the restraint. All staff receive training in the home’s preferred method of de-escalation and restraint. Parents and social workers consider that children are safe when they stay at the home.

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

Staff are provided with detailed behaviour support plans that guide them well about how to support children in managing their emotions and feelings. A parent said, ‘My daughter’s behaviour has significantly improved, and she is now less anxious.’ The registered manager scrutinises and evaluates all incidents in the home and identifies any lessons to be learned. Appropriate action is taken because of this scrutiny.

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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 regularly review this practice with parents, social workers and a multi-disciplinary team. 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

Leaders and managers ensure that a thorough recruitment and selection process is followed.

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

Children stay in an environment that is safe and well-maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

An experienced, well-trained and qualified manager manages this home. She places the needs of the children at the centre of her practice. She is a highly effective manager who is forward-thinking and continually explores ways to improve the services provided to children and their families. She has developed effective monitoring and evaluation systems that inform practice and drive improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has an excellent understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the service, and together with staff has worked effectively to ensure that the quality of care provided in this home is consistently good. Quality assurance processes are effective and recommendations by the independent visitor and responsible individual are responded to professionally and effectively. Improvements have been made year on year.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Following a review of the management of unexplained injuries and the use of body Inspection report children’s home: SC458429 5 maps, the registered manager has worked in partnership with the local authority to discuss the findings. Because of this work, the social care team is in the process of developing individual children’s guidelines and protocols in relation to unknown bruises and marks. The action that the registered manager has taken is worthy of dissemination within the wider organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak exceptionally well of the registered manager and say that they feel well supported. Staff consistently say that the registered manager encourages them to reflect on their practice and asks for their ideas to improve the provision for children. Staff receive regular and reflective supervision. However, some supervision records are more detailed than others. All but one member of staff working in this home are qualified to at least a level 3 diploma. The remaining member of staff is working towards this qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from a wide range of training, including both mandatory training and specific training, to equip them to support the children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Placement plans and risk assessments clearly identify how children’s individual needs are to be met. These documents are reviewed regularly and updated. These documents are completed together with parents and placing authorities and demonstrate good partnership working. A parent said, ‘I cannot speak highly enough of the registered manager and the staff team. They put my daughter’s needs first.’ This was echoed by a social worker who said, ‘I am impressed with the registered manager and the staff team. They communicate really well and are clear and honest.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children stay in a homely environment. Since the last inspection, the registered manager and staff team have made changes to the environment to make it more welcoming. This includes removing the television from a boxed-in cupboard, de-cluttering the home and introducing further soft furnishings and fittings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The two requirements and four recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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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: SC458429 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: SC458429 7

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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: SC458429 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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