Children's home run by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 1 SC443337 Registered provider: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care for up to seven young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for young people who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. The home provides a mix of permanent placements, shared care placements and some short-break placements.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since August 2019.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 September 2019

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2019 Full Inadequate 09/07/2018 Full Good 19/09/2017 Full Good 06/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 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

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; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.3

Requirement Due date

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 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

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)) 20/12/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 20/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 4 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 20/12/2019

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(e))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, when staff are unable to attend team meetings, a record should be kept stating that staff have read the team meeting notes. Shift handovers should consistently take place. 20/12/2019

p.4

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)) 20/12/2019

p.4

Recommendations

 No more than half the staff on duty at any one time, by day or night at the home, should be from an external agency. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.17)

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff know the young people’s individual needs, wishes and feelings very well. As a result, young people have positive experiences in the home and develop trusting relationships with the staff team. Staff understand and respond to young people’s individual communication styles, which helps to ensure that the care is dynamic and Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 5 responds to the young people’s changing needs.

p.4

improvement to be good

Young people make good progress from their individual starting points. Their progress includes successes in developing their independence and personal care skills alongside improved practical and social skills. One young person’s increased confidence enabled him to successfully participate in a one-day play activity away from the home for the first time.

p.5

improvement to be good

Young people enjoy a wide range of activities inside and outside the home. During the summer holidays, young people joined in ‘cycling for the disabled’ schemes and hydrotherapy swimming pool sessions. Trips to theme parks, a river cruise and a new garden paddling pool all added to the young people’s fun during the warmer summer days.

p.5

improvement to be good

Staff work in collaboration with parents and schools to ensure that young people’s care and support needs are consistent. For example, a member of staff visited a school to observe a young person’s school lunchtime routine so that the staff team and the home’s cook could maintain the same clear guidelines. This helps to ensure that the young person’s dietary needs are safely met.

p.5

improvement to be good

Staff advocate for the young people in their care. In discussion with the virtual school head, a member of staff has enabled a young person to acquire a similar communication device to that which he uses at school. This means the young person is able to communicate in his familiar preferred style in the home.

p.5

improvement to be good

Improvements have been made to the home environment. Young people’s photographs and painting displays are now on the walls. Furniture has been replaced and storage rooms have been cleared. Young people now benefit from air conditioners in their bedrooms, and they have chosen their own new bed linen and bath towels.

p.5

improvement to be good

After the previous inspection judgement of inadequate, the head of service and acting manager undertook a review of the safeguarding arrangements in the home.

p.5

improvement to be good

Immediate steps have been taken to improve the welfare and safety of the young people living in the home. For example, additional waking night staff have been employed in the home to help ensure that there are sufficient staffing levels during the night-time to help and support the young people, if required. The physical environment is safer and helps protect the young people from any risk of harm.

p.5

improvement to be good

Young people’s personal emergency evacuation plans are now in place. This means that the young people and staff are familiar with the actions to be taken, should an emergency occur.

p.5

improvement to be good

Procedures for the administration of medication have been enhanced. During every shift, Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 6 a named member of staff wears a tabard which identifies their role of medication administrator. This signals to the rest of the staff team that the medication administrator cannot be distracted or interrupted from their role. This helps to ensure that the young people’s medication is administered safely.

p.5

improvement to be good

Positive behaviour is encouraged in the home. Since the last inspection, staff have undertaken positive behaviour support training. However, some staff have not completed the training. A positive behaviour specialist is scheduled to provide additional staff training and there are plans to recruit a behaviour support specialist to further enhance staff skills and knowledge.

p.6

improvement to be good

Young people’s care files and risk assessments have been updated. However, not all of these documents are dated, signed or audited by leaders and managers. A new young people’s incident form has been created, but it does not meet regulatory requirements.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

After the previous inspection judgement of inadequate, senior managers have developed an improvement action plan. The action plan identifies areas for improvement and development and is regularly reviewed and updated. Leaders and managers have addressed half of the requirements set at the last inspection, with progress being made against the others.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Plans are in place for additional auditing and oversight of the home. This includes the recruitment of a ‘turn around manager’, who specialises in improving inadequate children’s homes. The provider’s adult respite service has conducted two audits of the home and shared best practice. A new independent visitor has been appointed to bring a new focus to the monthly visits. A local special educational needs and disabilities school is due to carry out a multi-sensory assessment of the home, with recommendations to further improve the sensory environment for young people in the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have developed new staff supervision agreements. The frequency of staff supervision has improved, however not all supervisions have been completed. Team meetings are held regularly, however when staff cannot attend there is no consistent record that they are reading the team meeting minutes. This may limit staff’s most up-to-date knowledge of the young people’s needs.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff who do not hold the appropriate qualification are now enrolled on training. The home relies heavily on agency staff. A staff recruitment drive is underway to enhance the experience and knowledge within the staff team. These steps will help to deliver an experienced and knowledgeable permanent staff team.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff said that they feel positive about the improvements in the home. They said that they are more confident. Leaders and managers have amended staff shift patterns so that staff have additional time to complete all of their administrative tasks. Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 7

p.6

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.7

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: SC443337 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, King Street, London W6 9JU

p.8

Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC443337 9 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.8

Inspector

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9