Children's home run by Potton Homes Limited in Greenwich

Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 1 SC393940 Registered provider: Potton Homes Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides residential care for up to five children, aged eight to 17, who have a diagnosed learning disability. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection was undertaken following whistle-blowing concerns that were received by Ofsted about children’s care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is not managed efficiently or effectively. It fails to provide a culture that promotes children’s welfare or fulfils their potential. The monitoring of the home by the registered manager and senior managers has failed to identify the substantial shortfalls in the day-to-day management of the home. Despite identifying performance concerns about the manager’s abilities, senior managers did not implement the home’s disciplinary policy. They were aware that the manager was not effective in her role. However, timely action was not taken to provide the necessary support or monitor the manager’s practice. This has seriously compromised children’s safety and well-being.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are not enough permanent staff to consistently meet the children’s individual care Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 2 needs. A high turnover of staff has resulted in a large reliance on agency staff, who often outnumber the permanent staff on shift. This fails to ensure that children receive continuity of care from a stable and consistent staff team.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most of the agency staff’s profiles were unavailable at the time of the inspection. It could not be established whether these staff had been appropriately checked or possess the qualifications, skills and experience that are required to meet the children’s needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite two children having a history of self-injurious behaviour, the staff are not trained in managing self-harm. Staff who have not received relevant training and staff whose training is out of date have been involved in physical interventions. Some staff have not undertaken refresher training in safeguarding children and fire safety. The children do not receive consistent care from experienced and competent staff. These shortfalls limit the staff’s ability to support the children to build stable relationships.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s medication is not effectively recorded, administered or disposed of. On one occasion, staff covertly administered prescribed medication without prior advice from the doctor. The child’s standard medication had been agreed for covert administration. However, this new medication has no such agreement. As a result, the child has refused to take the medication since October 2018. The manager and staff failed to seek medical advice urgently. There has been a significant delay in addressing this concern, which poses potential health risks to this child. There are a number of other medication administration concerns. These include:

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

 an incorrect record of homely medication  the absence of a stock check record for some of the medication that is held in the medication cabinet  gaps in recording in the medication administration record  lack of recording to show that some medication has been administered  the storage of medication for children who no longer reside at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

These numerous shortfalls fail to ensure that children’s health needs are sufficiently met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The fire risk assessment requires updating to include the change to the locking mechanism of the rear garden gate. Additionally, one child’s bedroom door does not self- close. These matters could cause a potential risk to children and staff in the event of a fire.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s location risk assessment fails to identify significant risks in the home’s locality, such as a caravan park and the seafront. This does not ensure that all known risks are identified, and that action is taken to reduce them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s policies are not up to date. The safeguarding policy makes reference to old guidance and terminology. Failure to have an up-to-date safeguarding policy does not equip the home’s management and staff with essential information and clearly guide safeguarding practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 3 Some of the children’s risk assessments are not consistently implemented. Staff have not taken action to reduce known risks. For example, a child’s risk assessment identifies keys as a potential risk. It informs staff of the need for safe storage of keys, yet this is not implemented by the staff. This does not safeguard children effectively.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager does not have written records of her supervision sessions. This has not been checked by senior managers. Most of the agency staff have not had any supervision, despite some agency staff working at the home since October 2018. There are agency staff consistently working waking nights with no permanent staff present. This fails to ensure that all staff working at the home are provided with the dedicated time to raise any concerns and to consider their personal development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has failed to ensure that all notifications of significant events are sent to Ofsted without delay. This means that Ofsted is not provided with up-to-date information on the incidents at the home. Therefore, it is unclear which safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of recurrence.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s living environment is not of a good enough standard despite some recent improvement. One of the children’s showers has a strong, unpleasant odour and some sinks have no plugs. The carpet is lifting from the floor in areas. Two kitchen drawer covers are missing. The games room is not warm enough, although one of the games room’s radiators is too hot to touch. This fails to ensure that the children are provided with a consistently welcoming, well-maintained and homely environment. Some of these environmental concerns present a potential hazard to children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose. However, she has failed to send this to Ofsted. In addition, the home has failed to consistently implement the statement of purpose.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are attending education in line with their placement plans. When required, staff support the children in their education provision. Therefore, children make reasonable progress educationally. Staff support children to access activities, such as gymnastics and a local performing arts club. This helps the children to develop their social skills in the local community.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some staff have developed meaningful relationships with the children. Positive interactions were observed during the inspection. One child confirmed that she is happy at the home and can identify staff she would speak to if she was worried about anything.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met three of the five requirements made at the last inspection. The manager notifies the local authority of new children moving into the home. This ensures that the local authority is aware of children living in the area.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has implemented a new induction programme for permanent staff. This provides new staff with information about the home. The manager has updated the Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 4 health and safety risk assessment, which identifies potential hazards at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted will continue to monitor the service.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Good 04/10/2017 Full Good 30/01/2017 Full Outstanding 18/05/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii)) 01/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 5 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c))* 15/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 01/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 6 each child.

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))* The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)) 15/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 01/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 01/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 01/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the 01/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 7 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 01/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 34 (6)) 29/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 01/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 8 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: Potton Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Potton Homes, 1 Cresswell Park, Blackheath, London SE3 9RD

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Inspectors

Natalie Burton, social care inspector Mark Jackson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC393940 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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