Children's home run by Priory Education Services Limited

Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 1 Registered provider: Priory Education Services 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 home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been in post since March 2019 and has made an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children‟s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/07/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 3

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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— help each child to achieve the child‟s education and training targets, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child‟s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child‟s education or training provider and the child‟s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)) 30/08/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 4 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)) 30/08/2019

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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— 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 30/08/2019

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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— 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 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; 30/08/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 5 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— 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— 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)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 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)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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children can access all appropriate areas of the children‟s home‟s premises;

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and any limitation placed on a child‟s privacy or access to any area of the home‟s premises—

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is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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is kept under review and, if necessary, revised;

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and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; 30/08/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 6 and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) The registered person must ensure that— 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— the name of the child;

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details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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has signed the record to confirm it is accurate;

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and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the 30/08/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 7 registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1)(2)(3)(4)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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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a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 30/08/2019

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand factors that affect children‟s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child‟s relevant plans. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 8

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, there were four young people living at the home. Two of the young people had only recently arrived.

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improvement to be good

Young people‟s overall experience and progress require improvement. Young people‟s school attendance is variable. One young person does not have a school placement and two other young people are on reduced timetables. Staff have not done enough to escalate concerns over delays in young people accessing the right help and support to promote their learning.

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improvement to be good

Staff impose unnecessary restrictions by locking doors that young people must ask to be opened. This practice detracts from having a homely environment in which young people can live.

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improvement to be good

In January 2019, a young person made a complaint to the independent visitor, who shared the young person‟s concerns with the manager. Despite the manager being made aware of the concerns, no action was taken to address the young person‟s complaint. This failure to act on a young person‟s concerns compromises their rights to having their wishes and feelings taken seriously.

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improvement to be good

More positively, staff have supported one young person to access bereavement counselling and have successfully helped young people move on to independent living. This support has helped young people to prepare for adulthood and to have the essential skills to live alone.

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improvement to be good

Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and have access to varied activities to enable them to pursue their interests and hobbies.

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to help young people to stay in touch with their families in line with their care plan. This enables important family links to be safely maintained.

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improvement to be good

There have been a high number of young people going missing from care. When young people return home after being missing from care, staff do not routinely ensure that young people are offered a return home interview. This creates a missed opportunity to help young people to talk through the reasons why they have put themselves at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Managers have failed to respond to and report safeguarding incidents promptly to the Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 9 right professionals and agencies. In January 2019, young people obtained access to the home‟s keys, and this allowed them access to all areas of the home. There was a delay in staff reporting the missing keys to the manager and further delay in letting the right professionals and agencies know.

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improvement to be good

Staff management of young people‟s behaviour is not always effective. Staff allow some incidents to escalate and do not intervene quickly enough to de-escalate conflict, reduce risk and minimise potential harm to young people. Staff do not always follow young people‟s risk assessments, which potentially places young people at risk.

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improvement to be good

Managers have failed to inform Ofsted of all notifiable events. This leaves the regulator without essential information required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the interim inspection in November 2018, the monitoring and oversight of the home by managers has been inadequate and this has compromised the quality of care provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive monthly supervision or have access to regular team meetings. This leaves staff without group support and the opportunity to share practice. Managers have not ensured that staff receive the training they need to meet young people‟s needs. For example, 10 members of staff have not received first aid training. This means that there is not always a first aider on shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not always responded to young people‟s complaints. This means that young people‟s concerns are not always addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Between December 2018 and February 2019 staff did not record three physical interventions and no managers‟ review of the interventions took place. This shortfall means that no review of the measure of control, its effectiveness, or a debrief with the young person took place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not always carry out investigations when instructed. As a result, when concerns over staff conduct are raised this concerning practice goes unchallenged. This has resulted in some members of staff repeating the same poor practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not ensured that the home‟s statement of purpose is up to date and that new revisions are shared with Ofsted. This means that Ofsted, as the regulator, does not have up-to-date information of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is currently no registered manager at the home. The new manager has been in post since March 2019 and has made an application to register with Ofsted. The new manager is motivated and keen for the service to improve. She is supported by the responsible individual. Both are aware of the shortfalls in the provision of care and are keen to make improvements to the home. Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 10

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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: 1245984 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspectors

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Karen Gillingwater, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1245984 12 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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