Children's Home run by Evoke Care Group Limited in Croydon

Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 1 Registered provider: Evoke 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 privately owned home provides care for up to three young people who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. This home was registered with Ofsted in June 2018. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted at the same time.

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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 good

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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: 15 October 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was undertaken on 28 November 2018

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 2

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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

Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)) 01/03/2019

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

In particular, that the fire records have the correct time of fire drills.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, that window restrictors allow sufficient ventilation in the front bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the last inspection, this home was judged to be inadequate. A subsequent monitoring inspection found evidence of progress but with a number of shortfalls. Since the monitoring inspection, staff and managers have worked hard to rectify the identified shortfalls. The home is now providing young people with good-quality care. Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 3 Young people are flourishing in this home. They are growing in self-confidence and are aspirational about their future. The strong partnership working and positive interventions by staff enhance young people’s life chances. Young people are making excellent progress from their initial starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are settled in the home and have a sense of belonging. They have positive relationships with most staff. One young person told the inspector that the care here is ‘all good’. A social worker confirmed that their young person felt ‘cared for by staff’ and that he had ‘made a lot of progress here’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people strive to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes regularly going to the gym and riding their bike. They also enjoy making fruit smoothies and eating a more balanced diet. Young people’s cannabis use has decreased, and staff consistently warn them of the dangers of substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy attending school and they have good attendance levels. They are working towards their exams and hope to attend college in September. They have realistic career ambitions and a work placement is currently being arranged for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people respond well to the nurturing care they receive. Since living at the home, young people have also been supported to improve their relationships with their parents. For one young person, this was particularly special, as he was able to spend Christmas with his family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people influence decision-making regarding their own lives. Young people are learning the necessary skills for independent living such as baking, helping to cook the evening meal and managing their personal finances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective key working, alongside external mentoring, enables young people to work towards their personal goals. Young people have a greater sense of purpose and emotional resilience, which contributes to their increased self-esteem. Young people are also taking interest in current affairs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are offered a range of recreational activities. They enjoy spending time with their mentor or occasionally going to the cinema or go-karting with staff. Their preferred option, however, is spending time with their family or friends.

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

The home succeeds in providing a safe base for young people. A psychiatrist and a psychologist praised the ‘level of stability’ a young person was experiencing. An independent reviewing officer commended the placement ‘as the only probable alternative would be secure accommodation’.

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

Leaders and managers are aware of the minor shortfalls which relate to the record- keeping on the computerised system. Although sanctions are monitored, the system does not fully capture all the required information, such as the effectiveness of the Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 4 sanction. Also, on one occasion the time of the fire drill was incorrectly recorded.

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

Young people are learning to develop a sense of mutual respect. They discuss their thoughts and feelings with staff and receive assistance with managing their anger and emotions through exercises such as mindfulness.

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

Staff have never restrained young people in the home. Young people are learning to reflect on their behaviour, and incidents of aggression have decreased. Young people state that sanctions are fair, and that they enjoy earning personalised rewards.

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

Young people do not go missing from the home. They occasionally return late from their curfew. Staff have supported young people with returning home, an example being paying for a taxi. No young people are suspected of being involved in sexual or criminal exploitation, extremism or radicalisation.

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

Young people learn about societal dangers and how to keep themselves safe. Staff actively address issues such as knife crime, gang affiliation, peer pressure and positive relationships. This work has resulted in young people no longer carrying weapons.

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

Staff receive a range of safeguarding training, which keeps them updated on current issues. A good example of this is the gangs training, which highlighted the extensive risks in the local area. The effective links with the host local authority and the designated officers additionally help to protect young people.

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

Health and safety arrangements ensure that young people live in a safe environment. A health and safety officer confirmed the home’s ‘good approach’. There is a good risk management system and young people’s risk assessments consider their vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers now have a better understanding of regulatory expectations. They have embraced the constructive comments from previous inspections, the independent visitor and consultants. Leaders and managers are forward-thinking, and they are focused on continual improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people live in a comfortable, modern, well-maintained home. Positive quotes, art work, a decorative mirror and soft furnishings contribute to the pleasant, homely atmosphere. The only issue is the very limited ventilation in one bedroom, due to the window restrictor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements and recommendations from the monitoring visit have all been addressed. Young people receive better protection from the improved recruitment checklist and staff risk assessments. The updated statement of purpose and the workforce development plan outline all the required information. Young people’s case records are dated, and they provide a meaningful reflection of the young person’s journey in care. Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 5 Senior staff are highly qualified and support staff have now enrolled on the necessary vocational training. The staff team’s skills are further enhanced by a wide range of training, reflective supervision and informative team meetings. There is a good understanding of the emotional impact of the work and external confidential counselling support is also available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Local authorities and involved professionals expressed their satisfaction with the care that young people receive. Leaders and managers are aware of the home’s strengths and they are striving for continual improvement. There are plans to further the use of information technology and introduce more support regarding emotional and mental health.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of care report provides a satisfactory evaluation of the service. The independent monitoring is generally constructive; however, leaders and managers would prefer more challenge. Leaders, managers and staff work openly with other agencies to appropriately meet young people’s needs.

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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: 1273719 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 82 Manor Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 1JB

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1273719 7 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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