Children's home run by Chartwell Care Services Ltd in Islington

Inspection report children’s home: SC468325 1 SC468325 Registered provider: Chartwell Care Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run and registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have a diagnosed learning disability. The registered manager has been registered since 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 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: SC468325 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2018 Full Good 06/06/2017 Full Good 31/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC468325 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive highly personalised support. They make good progress in all areas of their lives due to this support. They feel happy and well cared for. As one child said: ‘There is nothing the staff could do better. I would score this home 10/10.’ Staff and the manager work proactively with involved agencies. They strive to ensure that each child has the support they need in place. They work extremely closely with parents and carers as well. Feedback from parents about how their children are cared for includes:  ‘I am overwhelmed at the care and support my child gets. He has come on so much and staff are amazing with me.’  ‘They never give up. I knew my son was safe. This is so important to a parent of a child with disabilities. It was like a second home to our family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff ensure that routine and specialist health appointments are met. They follow agreed plans, and actively encourage and request visits by health professionals to the home. This includes speech and language therapists, and this enables staff to better understand the communication needs of each child. Children feel fully involved in their care. Staff and managers make sure that children know and understand what is being done to support them. Children feel able to express their wishes, views and feelings openly with staff and the manager. Staff make sure that children know how to make a complaint and that they feel confident in doing so. A strong value is placed on ensuring that children have education in place and do well. Staff work closely with education providers. They are currently supporting one child to consider further education options, including attending colleges for interviews. Children

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

feel very well supported, and their confidence and sense of being valued improve. Children learn new skills. Staff encourage them to increase their independence, including choosing their meals, helping with shopping and meeting their own personal care needs. This prepares them well for their eventual move to the adult world.

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

The manager understands the complex needs of children well. Due to the children’s vulnerabilities, high staffing ratios are in place. This provides children with the necessary support and protects them from harm. Risk assessments clearly reflect their current and changing needs, and are regularly reviewed and updated by staff. The manager ensures that staff read and sign all updated plans and risk assessments. This ensures that staff can competently care for the children. There have been no reported incidents of children going missing from care. This is attributable to the high staffing levels and supervision. Clear missing procedures and risk assessments are in place. Staff are clear as to what they would need to do if a child were to go missing. The manager has forged positive working relationships with local police officers. This provides additional clarity of agency roles and responses. Inspection report children’s home: SC468325 4

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

Children understand the boundaries in place. Staff and the manager clearly explain to them any concerns they may have. They sensitively support children to reduce risks and to understand what needs to be done to keep them safe. Parents report a positive and noticeable improvement in their children’s behaviour and ability to manage their emotions. Over time, children feel able to manage their own emotions and responses in a safer manner. Recruitment and selection procedures are robust. They prevent unsuitable adults from being able to work with vulnerable children. The manager has good systems in place to oversee the recruitment processes, including for the use of any agency or relief staff. Staff understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children. They also understand the processes to be followed in the event an allegation is made about them. Staff present as confident and competent in this key area of their work. The manager

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

works closely with the local authority designated officer. She understands her responsibilities and acts to resolve any issues. Staff also feel well supported during such processes. Work has been done with children on e-safety and the risks of smoking. Staff address any specific concerns or arising issues with children quickly. They work with them to increase their understanding of the risks the internet and social media pose. They have helped one child to significantly reduce their smoking habit, in a short period of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager came into post earlier this year. She has many years’ experience working in similar settings, and has the necessary skills and qualifications for the role. She demonstrates a keen commitment to improving the quality of care provided to the children in her care. She understands their complex needs and wants them to achieve to their full potential. The manager understands what support and services children need. She, and her staff team, act as strong and positive advocates. They challenge any actual or perceived shortfalls in the support or services provided. This has included taking the lead on securing education provision for one child. Staff feel well supported by the manager. They report her being ‘a breath of fresh air’ and that they are actively encouraged to take on lead roles. Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. They have access to a wide range of training and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

development opportunities. The manager is also very proactive in identifying and securing any additional training needed. There is a commendable focus on ensuring that the matching of placements is fully considered. There have been no emergency admissions to the home since the last inspection. Staff can express clearly the progress made by each child and take pride in their achievements. This is supported by feedback from parents, who report significant improvements in the behaviour and emotional state of their children. Children are central to the care and support they receive. The manager and staff involve them in all aspects of their care, and encourage them to read and sign relevant paperwork. They elicit children’s wishes, views and feelings on a regular basis. Children have positive and meaningful relationships with the staff team. Their parents also report Inspection report children’s home: SC468325 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

being very well informed of all aspects of their child’s care. This promotes a real sense of belonging and being valued for children. An independent visitor comes to the home every month. Their reports are excellent and reflect any identified areas for improvement. The manager welcomes these visits and sees them as a positive opportunity to learn and make improvements. The manager also has good systems in place for ensuring that there is robust management oversight of all aspects of how the home is run. Since the last inspection, staff recruitment and retention have improved. There is now a stable and committed permanent workforce in place. All relevant staff have completed or are undertaking necessary qualifications and training. The requirement and recommendations from the last inspection have been met.

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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: SC468325 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Chartwell Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 12 Helmet Row, London EC1V 3QJ

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC468325 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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