Children's home run by The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 1 SC430320 Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) 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

A private company operates this home for up to five children. The statement of purpose states that the home provides care for children who have a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in August 2011. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2016.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 15 November 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2018 Full Good 18/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/07/2017 Full Good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff support and monitor individual children effectively. 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that an accurate record is kept of the balance of controlled drugs. 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records

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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 and;

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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)(c)) 01/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of 01/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 4 care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(5)) Statement of purpose

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the ‘Working Together’ guidance quoted must be the most up to date. 01/12/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1). In particular, the reasons for appointing staff must be clear.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). In particular, ensure that the duration of restraints and a child’s admission date and heritage are included in records, and ensure that the language used in records promotes children’s dignity.

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 5

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improvement to be good

Children respond well to the nurturing, family-style environment, which focuses on their individual strengths and abilities. However, staff need to ensure that all children are monitored and supported effectively.

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improvement to be good

Records are not always accurately maintained. There are adequate health arrangements, and staff have benefited from receiving recent medication administration training. Although medication is securely stored, the controlled drug book did not have an accurate record of the balance of the medicines. This raises the risk of medication errors.

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improvement to be good

Most of the children attend school, and their school attendance has improved. During the interim period when children are not in full-time education, they participate in meaningful and structured activity. Staff endeavour to enrol children in suitable schools or colleges.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are respected, and the management of complaints demonstrates that they are listened to. Children make their own choices throughout their day, and advocates are identified where necessary, to help children express their needs.

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improvement to be good

Children are helped to develop a positive identity. Staff celebrate children’s achievements and birthdays. Children enjoy culturally reflective meals both inside the home and at restaurants in their local community.

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improvement to be good

Staff focus on children’s abilities, and their independence is strongly encouraged. Children take pride in being able to attend to their daily living skills and assist with household chores. Staff also help children with their personal development, which enables children to learn positive qualities such as patience and kindness.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a range of activities linked to their hobbies and interests. They can also spend quality time with their families at the organisation’s activity centre. There is a strong emphasis on physical activity, which includes going for walks, swimming and trampolining.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a clean and comfortable home. They can relax in a ‘den’ where they can do arts and crafts or play with sensory equipment. The landscaped garden is an additional outdoor space, where children enjoyed a paddling pool and barbecues in the summer.

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improvement to be good

During the inspection a significant incident occurred, where a child left the home despite being required to be looked after by two staff. The child was brought back to the home by emergency services and medical checks confirmed that they were safe and well. This incident promoted an immediate internal investigation.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers quickly responded to this serious failure. The recently appointed, Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 6 and highly experienced, safeguarding lead for the company is currently investigating this matter.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently record, within 24 hours, their use of a physical restraint. Furthermore, an authorised person does not always record that they have spoken to the child about this physical intervention. The duration of a restraint was also inaccurately recorded.

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improvement to be good

The organisation takes adequate precautions to ensure that the environment is safe and appropriately maintained. Safer recruitment practices are generally complied with. However, leaders and managers acknowledged the need to record further information to support their decision-making.

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improvement to be good

Children are settled. They are more communicative and are able to interact with others in a more positive manner. There has been a reduction in missing episodes and children’s socially unacceptable behaviour. Children respond well to the home’s personalised reward system, which recognises their progress.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management focuses on de-escalation, and incidents are managed well. Children learn how to self-regulate and manage their emotions. A social worker praised the way staff are ‘able to think outside of the box in dealing with children’s difficulties’.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide a valuable service working alongside teaching staff to support children in school. Staff provide effective support assisting with behaviour management. A pastoral lead for a school praised staff for their ‘continued support’.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have a strong link with local safeguarding personnel, which enables the swift management of concerns. Staff are provided with a wide range of safeguarding training. Staff are also aware of the whistle-blowing procedures.

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

Leaders and managers are aware of the shortfalls and displayed a strong desire to improve. Children benefit from an experienced and solution-focused leadership and management team. Leaders and managers are endeavouring to implement changes regarding raising care standards, improving safeguarding and providing more management monitoring.

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

More attention is needed in relation to record-keeping. A child’s admission date and their heritage were inaccurately recorded. Also, some of the language used in records did not promote children’s dignity.

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

The home benefits from constructive monthly reports from an independent visitor. The registered manager completes a quality of care review; however, this report does not contain the views of placing authorities or parents. A compliments book has been introduced to help to capture positive feedback.

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

The home has a clear statement of purpose, which provides a detailed overview of the services provided. Efforts are made to keep this document updated; however, it did not Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 7 contain the correct ‘Working Together’ guidance.

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

The quality of services provided to children is being strengthened by additional management roles. There has been further investment in staff training and support, while leaders and managers promptly address poor staff performance.

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

There is a determination to create an effective staff team. Improvements in the management structure result in staff now receiving regular supervision and performance appraisals. The majority of staff have the required vocational training, and new staff are currently completing this training.

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

Children benefit from a culturally diverse and gender-balanced staff team. Children fondly refer to some staff members as ‘Aunty’, which helps them to feel better when out with staff in the community. The staff team meets children’s cultural needs. An example of this is staff being able to plait children’s hair in traditional hairstyles.

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

Leaders and managers have ensured that the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed.

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

Local authorities praised the progress children are making and the strong working relationship that they have with staff. They particularly highlight the ‘good communication’ and the ‘high level of care’.

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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: SC430320 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Granary, Studio 4, 1st Floor, 80 Abbey Road, Barking, Essex IG11 7BT

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC430320 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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