Children's home run by Priory Education Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 1 Registered provider: The Priory Group Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home cares for up to five young people. The statement of purpose states that the home is ‘a non-institutional homely living environment where employees work with young people to enable them to develop inner controls, respect for self and others and take responsibility for their actions. Staff not only aim to meet the developmental needs of young people but, through the use of individual assessment, support, guidance and opportunities, they can begin to explore and address their individual needs with a comprehensive placement plan in conjunction with the care plan.’

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has worked in children’s residential care for over 20 years. He has both a level 4 and 5 qualification in leadership and management of children’s residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

The home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Young people are more settled and are making better progress. One young person had made so much progress that she was able to return home after three months.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Two other young people are doing well. One young person is still involved in a local Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 2 authority’s ‘children in care council’ and is continuing to develop his passion of acting. The other young person has re-engaged in education and is now learning to drive. However, one other young person is struggling to attend school. Staff repeatedly call him to get out of bed and ready for the day. Staff plan some general areas of educational work to give him. However, staff do not spend time planning, discussing and recording how they could all help him overcome the barriers preventing him from learning.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Young people spend more time together enjoying music, singing together and helping to make things. For example, staff have recently taught the young people how to knit.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Staff are better organised and are more enthusiastic about spending quality time with the young people. Young people and staff cook and eat together more regularly. Staff and young people enjoyed decorating pumpkins for Halloween.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Young people are safer. They go missing from the home less often and are choosing to avoid unsafe situations and unhelpful friendships. If young people do go missing from the home, the staff now follow plans that are up to date. However, staff seldom review and record what behaviour management strategies work well, and less well, for each young person. Their care practice and teamwork are therefore slow to evolve, adapt and improve. This limits the impact that staff make on improving young people’s behaviour.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

Young people are good communicators and are keen to talk to staff and managers about their experience of living at the home. However, staff and managers do not adapt their practice and amend young people’s plans in the light of regular discussions with young people. For example, staff will give one young person ‘as and when required’ medication every day without discussing whether the young person feels they need it at that time. Young people said that staff and managers have not resolved difficulties with downloading electronic games and providing internet access for homework and research. Young people also need more help with sustaining positive relationships and resolving conflicts between one another.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

During the summer of 2018, the home’s independent visitor found that young people were not adequately safeguarded, and their welfare was not promoted.. The manager and the responsible individual have worked hard to improve staff practice and morale. Consequently, the independent visitor has noted improvements over the recent months.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

The manager has improved the quality of care and, as a result, addressed the shortfalls that were found at the last inspection. He is now confident that staff know each young person’s plans, protocols and risk assessments. However, staff still do not routinely update records in the light of what young people say. Similarly, young people do not read the children’s guide that they are given to tell them about what happens in the home.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children

The manager’s formal review of the quality of care does not identify areas of weakness in staff practice or what is needed to upskill staff. Consequently, the review is not a helpful guide to help to drive forward improvement. Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/07/2017 Full Inadequate

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iii)) 01/01/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 4 and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6

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Recommendations

months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  Children should be supported to express themselves as individuals and should be given an appropriate degree of freedom and choice in relation to day-to-day arrangements for their care, depending on their individual needs and the setting in which they are cared for. This is in relation to both activities and personal items such as clothing, technology and leisure items. Children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day-to-day arrangements should be met with consideration given to safeguarding, particularly in relation to the use of technology. Where a child’s preferences are unreasonable or cannot be met for

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Recommendations

safeguarding reasons, staff should discuss this with the child to help them understand why. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21)  In some instances, a child may express wishes that are not always in their best interests or which may conflict with the views of other children in the home. In such circumstances, the responsible adults will have to balance the wishes of the child against what they judge to be in the best interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.9)  The children’s guide should to help children to understand: – what the day to day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the

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Recommendations

home’) – the Statement of Purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there); – how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure; – how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible; and – how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)  Staff should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a

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Recommendations

socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 5 relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13)

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Priory Education Services Limited, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Rachel Britten, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1245984 6 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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