Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited in Redbridge

Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 1 SC053529 Registered provider: The Beeches UK 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 privately owned children’s home provides care and respite for children who have a learning disability and other complex needs. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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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

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: SC053529 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2019 Full Good 24/05/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(x)) 30/11/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)) 30/11/2019

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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. 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)) 31/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment 30/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 4 procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the

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Requirement Due date

individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a

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Requirement Due date

prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) 01/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person 30/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 5 working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. The independent person must produce a report about a visit

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Requirement Due date

(‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 30/11/2019

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Recommendations

 The children’s home must produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21) In particular, ensure that when using symbols to communicate, the symbols are chosen carefully.  Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, ensure that the staff receive training in safeguarding

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Recommendations

disabled children.  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (Guide to the Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 6 children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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improvement to be good

The overall quality of care has declined. There are several shortfalls in the safeguarding procedures and the managerial monitoring. However, despite this, some children are making progress. The staff use alternative forms of communication to adapt information for the children, including a guide to the home. There are instances where they use symbols to good effect, such as in supporting the children’s daily routines. However, the staff do not always consider the children’s individual communication abilities, limiting the potential benefit. The staff ensure that all the children attend school regularly and achieve well. They work closely with schools towards the children’s educational targets. The children are making progress in developing their independence skills. This improves their self-esteem and confidence. The children enjoy a wide variety of activities, including planned holidays, horse riding,

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improvement to be good

swimming, nature walks and visiting local leisure facilities. These opportunities provide the children with new experiences that develop their interests. The staff have natural and warm interactions with the children that help to build positive relationships. One parent said, ‘I feel totally confident in the staff there. They love her [the child]. They are passionate about doing everything they can to help her. I could not wish for a better place.’ The children’s health needs are supported well. Individual health-passports are used to good effect. This helps the children to access health appointments that have previously caused them anxiety. The children benefit from a pleasantly decorated and furnished house. Bedrooms are personalised in line with their individual preferences.

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improvement to be good

The recruitment systems fail to sufficiently reduce the potential for inappropriate people to gain employment. Safe recruitment processes are not consistently followed. This was identified at the last inspection and has not been addressed. The senior managers have failed to ensure that investigations into allegations against the staff are thorough. There is a lack of understanding and scrutiny. As a result, a further independent investigation is under way. The delay in concluding this investigation has the potential to compromise the children’s safety. This undermines wider professional confidence in the service. The training matrix includes a range of courses, such as in using Makaton, to ensure that Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 7 the staff have the skills to meet the individual needs of the children. However, the staff do not routinely receive training in safeguarding disabled children. Given the relative

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improvement to be good

inexperience of some of the staff, this raises the risk that staff will not understand the children’s increased vulnerabilities. Risk assessments and behavioural management strategies for the children are regularly updated. These identify proactive diversion and distraction techniques to help keep the children safe and manage their feelings. However, one child’s plan lacked clarity and detail regarding the use of time-out strategies. This reduces the staff’s ability to consistently respond to the child’s behavioural needs. Physical interventions are proportionate and used as a last resort. The manager reviews all of these incidents. Children’s views are consistently identified and effective debriefs take place. This supports the staff to reflect on their practice and identify future strategies constructively.

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

A new manager has recently been appointed and is in the process of registration. She knows the children well and can outline their progress, plans and experiences. She is realistic about the service and recognises the improvements that are necessary. Only one member of staff, with the exception of the management team, has a level 3 qualification. Two of the staff who should have achieved this qualification have yet to do so. This does not ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills for their roles. There has been a high turnover of staff since the last inspection, and the current staff team is relatively inexperienced. Despite this, their supervisory support is limited. When staff raise practice concerns, their supervision records do not reflect any support. This does not help the staff to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the children’s behaviour. The managerial monitoring is ineffective. Issues raised in staff supervisions that should

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

have resulted in further scrutiny have not been identified. There is a lack of follow-up in the staff’s development plans. Two requirements from the previous inspection have not been met. The external monitoring visits are all announced, which means that the service is always aware of when these visits will be taking place. This significantly impairs the quality assurance process. The management team has failed to notify Ofsted about a significant incident in the home. Although the information was shared with the designated officer, this affects Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home and ensure that the children are safeguarded effectively. One child has moved from short breaks to full-time care following a crisis in the family home. The family and social worker were positive about the efforts of the service to enable this move promptly and safely. Other professional feedback about the service is positive. For example, one independent reviewing officer said, ‘The service has done

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

excellently, her [the child’s] well-being has improved and she seems really happy.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 8 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: SC053529 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Beeches UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14 Poland Street, London W1F 8QD

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Inspectors

Mark Anderton, social care inspector Ashley Hinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC053529 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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