Children's home run by Priory Education Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 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 children’s home is registered for six children and young people. It is part of a large independent provider and is contracted to accommodate only children and young people from the local authority in which it is situated. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 9 to 10 September 2019

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2018 Full Good 05/10/2017 Full Good 20/06/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 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 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). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1)(2)) 28/10/2019

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Recommendations

 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. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  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

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Recommendations

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)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 4 including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three young people presently live at the home. Since the last inspection, five young people have moved out of the home. When young people arrive at the home, they receive a welcome basket of essential toiletries and staff support young people to personalise their bedrooms. Staff make a positive difference to young people’s lives during their time at the home. This can include staff helping young people to prepare for moving to foster care or developing essential life skills for independent living. Overall, the three young people are making good progress in their education. One young person recently sat her GCSE examinations. There is good communication between the staff and teachers to ensure that young people receive the support that they need. Young people’s health and emotional well-being are well supported. Staff have supported young people to access specialist support when required. Staff promote healthy eating,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and this has improved the physical health of one young person. Young people enjoy a full range of activities both inside and outside of the home, such as going to the gym, attending clubs, and going on trips to the cinema and laser quest. One young person who has been at the home for two years told the inspector, ‘I am happy here, I have good relationships with all the staff. I want to stay here until I am ready to live independently.’ The home is full of laughter and fun and staff do their best to provide a family atmosphere. Staff make sure that the house is full of photographs of young people so that each young person develops a sense of belonging. The home’s environment is safe. However, some areas require redecoration to brighten up the overall appearance. There are some fixtures that have a more institutional impression such as the fitted ceiling lighting. These detract away from having a homely

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

Young people’s welfare and safety is promoted. Staff understand the risks and potential hazards for each young person and follow risk management strategies to promote their safety and well-being. Staff manage safeguarding concerns effectively and in a timely manner. Staff try hard to work directly with young people to try to help them to understand potential risks. This includes supporting young people who have a history of self-harming and helping them to make positive choices in relation to their personal safety. Managers have simplified risk assessments to make them clearer for staff to follow. However, managers have not viewed this as an opportunity to encourage young people to also contribute to their assessments. Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 5 When young people go missing from the home, the staff take prompt action to safeguard the young people. However, managers do not always ensure that the young

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

person’s local authority offers them a return home interview. This represents a missed opportunity to understand more about situations when a young person’s safety and welfare have been placed at risk. On occasion, staff have been too quick to call the police when young people begin to show challenging behaviours. This action has the potential to increase the risk of young people being criminalised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced. She understands her role and responsibilities in caring for young people. The manager is supported by an equally experienced deputy. Together, they ensure that staff receive the right support and regular supervision. This ongoing support helps staff to have opportunities to develop their practice and to strengthen their learning. The manager makes sure that staff remain up to date with their key training and actively investigates potential new courses that will further help to increase the staff’s knowledge. This helps strengthen the staff’s team skills and practice. Staff enjoy working at the home. They challenge each other and are well supported by their seniors. The staff create a calm and positive atmosphere in the home that helps young people to feel well cared for. Managers have not obtained professional feedback as part of a review of the location of the home. This means that the review does not contain up-to-date information of known risks

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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: 1245982 6

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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 Karol Keenan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1245982 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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