Children's home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 1 Registered provider: Jamores Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home looks after children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home has not had a registered manager since December 2018.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 11 September 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: good

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

Two children are currently in placement. Both children are due to move from the home to alternative provision. The previous inspection highlighted some shortfalls, most of which have since been resolved successfully. However, the progress and experiences of some children are not as positive as they had been at the previous inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children said that they are no longer happy living at the home. They and the management team attribute this, in part, to recent staff changes at the home. Most noticeably, the recent departure of the home’s previous manager. One child said, ‘I am moving, and I can’t wait to move. (The previous manager) left, and the home is no good anymore. She had a big heart, was like a mum and would give you hugs. There’s no one Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 2 to do that now.’ Other children said that recent changes in the staff team are of less significance to them and that they enjoy spending time with the current staff team.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has appointed an interim manager to manage the home. One child’s independent reviewing officer said of the service, ‘Prior to the manager leaving, the child’s outlook was fairly positive. The change has been unsettling and the situation is not yet stabilised.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children said that they felt comfortable speaking with staff, who listen to their views. Other children stated that they preferred not to speak with staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children know how to make complaints and do so. Managers deal with complaints promptly and sensitively. Some children have more faith in the home’s complaints procedure than others. The previous inspection highlighted the need for the home’s children’s guide to be amended to include clearer information about how complaints can be made. Managers have since revised the guide appropriately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection found that the quality of staff’s assessment of children’s daily living skills required improvement. This remains the case. Some practical skills assessments are clear in outlining activities that children had taken part in that enhanced their independence skills. In these cases, staff were able to make good assessments about children’s skills in accomplishing set tasks.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, for other children, monthly practical skills assessments were mere duplicates of information from preceding months. The assessments do not indicate whether the child had made progress, or not, in any given task. For some children, there was little evidence that they were actively participating with the home’s semi-independence programme. The provider commented that this was not a true reflection of work being completed with children, and that a malfunction in the home’s IT system on the day of the inspection prevented the review of more comprehensive assessments.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous inspection also identified that staff’s management of children being absent from the home or going missing was effective. The frequency of children being absent was on the decline. However, this is not the case currently. In recent months, there has been a significant rise in children being reported absent without permission. Staff have been unable to engage some children in the home’s programmes and activities, which would help to deter them from spending significant amounts of time away from the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff devise risk assessments that identify risks posed to children. These are regularly reviewed and updated. For some children, the indicated level of risk in most areas remains high.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has failed to reduce or eliminate children’s high-risk behaviours despite children living in the home for several months. Managers acknowledged that some children fail to make progress, choose not to engage with staff and that the level of their risk-taking behaviours remains of concern. In such cases, managers work collaboratively Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 3 with the local authority and other professionals to explore placement options, including alternative care provision. Managers make decisions about the continuation of placements that are in the best interests of children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children are fully engaged with the home’s services and take responsibility for their own healthcare and engagement in education. Others are not engaged and fail to consistently attend medical appointments or school regularly. The health and learning outcomes for these children are not good.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the provider has improved the home’s approach in the safe recruitment of staff. Staff files now evidence full information as required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the provider has ensured that the entire staff team receives regular supervision. Managers maintain good records of staff supervisory sessions.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider’s staff recruitment drive has been successful in filling staff vacancies and new posts. These include additional therapists to help improve children’s progress, experiences and outcomes.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/09/2018 Full Good 18/12/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/12/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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 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 01/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 4 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

(h) 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the quality of staff’s recording of the assessment of children’s daily living skills. 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

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(a) 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 01/05/2019

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 5 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: 1234166 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Thames Innovation Centre, Studio 52, Veridion Way, Erith DA18 4AL

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Inspector

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1234166 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 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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