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 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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. The home has been without a registered manager since 3 July 2017.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

A statutory compliance notice dated 19 June 2019 was issued by Ofsted to the registered provider under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notice related to the provider’s failure to appoint a manager for the home. The provider was asked to appoint a manager by 7 July 2019. At the monitoring visit that took place on 9 July 2019, it was concluded that the provider had not met the statutory compliance notice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2019 Full Inadequate 29/01/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 28/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must ensure that—

p.3

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (c)(d)) 01/12/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— develop positive relationships with them; engage with them; and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited; and ensure that each child is given appropriate advocacy support. 01/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 4 (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(iii)) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are

p.3

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; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)) 01/12/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.4

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand how children‟s previous experiences and present 01/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 5 emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i) (iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(ix)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 01/12/2019

p.5

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.

p.5

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; and ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)) 01/12/2019

p.5

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.

p.5

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)) 01/12/2019

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 01/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(iii)) 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 the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership; does not satisfy Regulation 28; or is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of— the name of the person so appointed; and the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(2)(a)(b)) 01/12/2019

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)) 01/12/2019

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or 01/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 7 ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(f)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must—

p.7

Requirement Due date

consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 01/12/2019

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; or an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)) 01/12/2019

p.7

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).

p.7

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))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the locality risk assessment must make reference to the risks presented by local gang activity. 01/12/2019

p.7

Recommendations

Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 8  Staff should take account of information provided by return home interviews following episodes when a child has been missing. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which fulfils the workforce related requirements of Regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is failing to protect and safeguard young people. Young people’s outcomes are poor. The inadequate leadership and management of the home have had a negative impact on the young people’s experiences, progress and safety.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people do not have close relationships with staff members. Staff changes have had a negative impact on young people’s experiences and relationships. The only young person who currently lives in the home has disengaged from the staff members.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people‟s care plans, positive behaviour support plans and risk management plans do not reflect their needs and views. The young person said that she did not read those documents and did not know what is in them. Staff have been unsuccessful in engaging the young person in key-working sessions.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff fail to promote young people’s learning and educational attainments. As a consequence, young people do not achieve well in their school exams and are not engaged in employment or training.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not work in effective partnership with other professionals to promote young people’s positive outcomes. One young person’s social worker said that the communication with the home was poor. The social worker gave an example of how this has had a negative impact on the young person’s contact with her family.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The poor quality of care provided by managers and staff has led to one placing authority giving notice to end a placement. The young person’s social worker said that the current staff team does not have the skills to meet the needs of the young person or other young people.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people’s moves are not planned or managed well. One young person was returned to her mother’s care by the police, following an incident at the home.

p.8

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The current young person living at the home is not receiving any advocacy support regarding her pending move to semi-independent care or any other matter. Leaders, managers or staff have failed to provide support or guidance to the young person to Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 9 challenge the placing authority’s decision.

p.8

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

The management of risks is poor. Staff do not recognise risks fully and fail to involve young people in creating solutions to increase their safety.

p.9

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

Staff do not understand or recognise contextual safeguarding. They fail to assess adequately the risk to young people of being sexually exploited. For example, in one risk assessment, they failed to recognise multiple signs of the increased risk of sexual exploitation to the young person.

p.9

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

The home’s strategies for helping young people to be safer when a risk has been identified are not specific. An example of this is that the only strategy to help a young person at risk of self-harming is recorded in their risk assessment as merely ‘to monitor’. This risk had been highlighted by hospital staff who identified unexplained bruising on the young person’s body after the young person had attended the accident and emergency department with a cut to her arm.

p.9

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

The assessment of the risk to young people of engaging in offending behaviours does not consider the relevant historical factors. The strategies for minimising this risk do not include any strategies about working in partnership with youth offending services. It is not clear how staff are to support the young person to comply with their court order.

p.9

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

Poor relationships between the young person and staff, coupled with a lack of effective planning, impair the staff‟s ability to safeguard the young person. Staff fail to engage the young person and have not devised effective strategies to prevent her from going missing.

p.9

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

Staff are not clear about the role of placing authorities in offering return home interviews when a young person returns home after a period of going missing. The lack of understanding undermines the ability of staff to advocate for young people and to safeguard them effectively.

p.9

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

The home’s child protection procedure incorrectly advises staff to contact the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board of an area which is in a different part of the country if they had safeguarding concerns about the young person. The incorrect written information may create confusion and increases the risk of delay in sharing significant safeguarding information.

p.9

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

There is an absence of effective written guidance to staff on how to safeguard young people. Staff receive limited safeguarding training that further increases the risks to young people.

p.9

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

Staff receive limited safeguarding training that focuses solely on young people who go missing and the risk of child sexual exploitation. However, none of the staff have received training in other aspects of safeguarding, the use of physical interventions or Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 10 first aid.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The failure to recruit a suitable person to manage the home continues to have a detrimental impact on the quality and effectiveness of care provided to young people.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has been without a registered manager for over two years. Since the previous inspection, the management capacity of the home has been further weakened by the departures of the deputy manager and the only senior member of staff.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current management arrangements are unsatisfactory. The responsible individual is managing the home with the limited help of support staff. One staff member, who has been informally asked to act as a senior support worker, has a limited experience of working in a children’s home. The whole staff team consists of only four support workers. This is inadequate for the efficient and effective running of the home.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s capacity for improvement is limited. Out of the 13 requirements that were made at the last full inspection, eight have not been met. The continuing shortfalls relate to ineffective partnerships with other services, a failure to support young people’s positive relationships, ensure their safety and address their negative behaviours or to promote young people to have a voice.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The progress with the home’s development plan is slow. The staff workforce plan lacks analysis of staff competencies and training needs. One staff member, who has been working in the home for almost a year, has not received a probationary appraisal.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted does not receive notifications of significant events from the home as required by regulation. This undermines Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home and therefore removes a layer of safeguarding.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have improved the physical environment of the home since the last full inspection and have made it safer. However, the home’s locality risk assessment remains limited due to the absence of an evaluation of the risk of gang activity in the area.

p.10

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose now presents a clearer picture of the home and the services that it offers. However, leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff fulfil the home’s statement of purpose in practice. One young person’s social worker said that in her view the home is not fit for purpose. Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 11

p.10

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.

p.11

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 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Lane Residential Home Limited

p.12

Children’s home details

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

p.12

Inspector(s)

Seka Graovac: social care inspector Barnaby Dowell: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC050124 13 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.

p.12

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.13

Inspector(s)

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.13