Children's home run by Park Lane Residential Home Limited in Brent

Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 1 SC050124 Registered provider: Park Lane Residential Home Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children‟s home which provides care and accommodation for up to five young people. The Statement of Purpose notes that the home provides care to young people with multifaceted needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since 28 June 2017. Ofsted has received no application to register a manager since that date.

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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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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent 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

The leadership and management of this home are weak. The home has not had a registered manager for 19 months. The current management arrangements are unclear and confusing. The home has been managed by a senior residential worker since he was appointed into this role on 8 October 2018. This individual informed Ofsted that he was not appointed as the manager for the home and was not in a position to apply to Ofsted for registration. This is contrary to the information provided in the independent visitor‟s reports, which state that this person is the manager and would be applying to Ofsted for registration. The home‟s Statement of Purpose also states that this person is the registered manager for this home. Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 2 Young people receive help and support from staff members who have not been subjected to appropriate recruitment checks. These weak recruitment practices place

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people at risk. The provider has not taken all the required steps to ensure that the staff are suitable for their roles. In one case, no written references were obtained, and confirmation was not sought as to why previous employments that included working with children, young people and vulnerable adults had ended. Disclosure and Barring Service update checks were not recorded. The provider did not clarify the individual‟s work history and were unable to state how much prior experience of working with children and young people this staff member had.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a home that is not run in line with legislation and good practice. Although the home has taken steps to comply with the 11 requirements arising from the last inspection seven of these requirements are repeated at this inspection. The areas that require further improvement relate to the risk management, monitoring and quality of care review reports, the Statement of Purpose, surveillance, locality risk assessment and staff recruitment and induction.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people‟s risk management plans require further improvement. Staff members are not always given clear guidance on how to help young people to minimise the risks to their safety. This weakness can result in young people not receiving appropriate and consistent support from staff. In one case, a risk management plan stated that the staff needed to be „well informed regarding emotional difficulties and EHCP‟ for the young person in order to safeguard him effectively. However, the young person did not have an EHCP (education, health and care plan) and staff did not even know what an EHCP was.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders, managers and staff do not monitor records carefully to identify any areas for improvement or make sure that the records reflect the actual practice in the home. In one case, a young person‟s missing-from-care record stated that the young person went missing in the evening soon after 10pm. However, he was only reported to the police and the local authority the following morning, after 9am. The responsible individual and the staff team dispute the accuracy of this record. They stated that when young people go missing this information is shared with the police and the local authority without delay. The shortfalls in the home‟s record-keeping undermine the reliability of records and the home‟s ability to evidence the quality of staff practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The last quality of care review report that the home submitted to Ofsted is another example of poor monitoring and is a confusing record. This report was forwarded to Ofsted on 15 January 2019. However, it states that it covers the period from October 2018 to March 2019. The report contains further inconsistent information and lacks analysis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home‟s register of admissions and discharges does not contain all the required information. The information about the young people‟s previous addresses is not always included. Both young people who were admitted to the home since the last inspection have settled well and are making progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Visiting professionals, such as a personal tutor and a gang worker, spoke positively Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 3 about the home. They felt that staff worked well with them to promote positive outcomes for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people say that they like living in this home. They have close relationships with staff members and appreciate the support that they had received. They have a positive view of their own futures. However, the continued weaknesses identified at this and at the previous inspection create unnecessary additional risks to young people‟s safety and undermine the opportunities for them to consistently receive good care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2017 Full Good 23/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 4

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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 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–

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that clear and meaningful risk assessments and risk management plans are in place for each young person to guide staff practices. 15/03/2019

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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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(h)) 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 15/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 5 notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if– the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child‟s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance; so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child‟s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child‟s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children‟s home if– there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership;

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of–

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Requirement Due date

and the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii), (2)(a)(b)) 01/03/2019

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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 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 15/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 6 The requirements are that–

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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 each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33(1)(a)) 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which–

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must keep information relating to the care, protection or safety of the child on their file, including the date and circumstances of all incidents where a child goes missing from the home and any information relating to the child‟s whereabouts during the period of absence. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c), schedule 3.14) 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating–

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 15/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 7 After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3), (4)(a)(b), (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this review must relate to the period that has passed and provide a meaningful, coherent and clear analysis of the events that have happened during the review period. The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1), (2)) 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 8

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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 difference 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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Lane Residential Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Brook Avenue, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8PH

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Inspector

Seka Graovac, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 10 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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Inspector

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