Children's Home run by Blandford House (UK) Limited in Hillingdon

Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 1 SC484912 Registered provider:

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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 owned and provides care and accommodation for up to 10 young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for boys aged between 11 years and 17 years who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since October 2018.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 December 2018

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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: SC484912 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/12/2018 Full Good 21/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/11/2017 Full Good 30/03/2017 Interim Not judged Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 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

Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 31/03/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 4 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)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the duration of any restraint used must be accurately recorded. Review of premises

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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).

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must record and analyse any specific local area risks and actions to minimise those risks. 31/03/2020

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, staff recruitment interview records must record discussions and reflections that take place regarding any candidates’ personal history which the registered person has addressed.  Progress can be measured and evidenced in various ways. The child’s personal circumstances, individual needs and educational history are relevant in considering what might constitute progress. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.2) In particular, staff must ensure that young people’s targets and progress are regularly reviewed.

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Inspection judgements

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people develop trusting relationships with the staff. This helps the young people to build a strong sense of permanence and belonging in the home. This enables them to make good progress from their challenging starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people learn how to regulate their emotions. They have become more settled and have reduced their challenging behaviour. Young people improve their socialisation skills and the relationships with their families. However, the young people’s progress is not regularly reviewed, which may limit their overall development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the young people are engaged in their education provision. Staff attend parents’ evenings and celebrate the young people’s successes with them. The young people in the home have achieved Kids in Care Awards nominations for their educational attainment and personal development. Staff successfully encourage young people to contribute to their care planning reviews.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people undertake age-appropriate formal independence training programmes. The programme includes activities such as domestic skills, basic first aid and managing their finances. One young person living in the home has completed the course and has successfully moved into the home’s semi-independent annexe. This will help to prepare him for his move to independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people respond well to their individualised behaviour support plans. Young people are rewarded with financial incentives. This promotes their positive behaviour, co- operation and participation in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people participate in sports and enjoy a variety of activities such as the local football club or boxing club. Regular trips to theme parks, go-karting, the cinema or relaxation in the home’s well-equipped games room enhance the young people’s overall experiences. At the time of this inspection, Christmas pantomime visits were booked and a visit to a restaurant for Christmas lunch was also planned.

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

Staff plan thoughtful and effective transitions for young people moving into the home. Staff visit the young people before they move into the home. The young people also benefit from initial visits to the home and planned overnight stays prior to moving into the home. The familiarity of staff and the home environment helps the young people settle more quickly when they arrive.

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

Young people’s risk assessments are up to date. Staff help the young people to understand their vulnerabilities. Young people’s key-work sessions cover important issues such as how to remain safe in the community.

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

After any missing-from-care episodes, the young people always have return home Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 6 interviews from either their placing authority or the home’s independent consultant. This helps staff understand the young people’s risks in the community and how to reduce those risks.

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

The home’s location risk assessment is up to date. However, some risks identified are generic and not specific to the home’s location. The provider should include specific location data to help identify any new or emerging risks in the local area. This will increase staff’s knowledge of any particular risks to young people in the local area.

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

Staff rarely use restraint to manage the young people’s challenging behaviour. There has been one incident of restraint since the last inspection. However, the restraint record inspected contained contradictory information regarding the duration of the restraint.

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

The registered manager always assesses the impact that a new placement may have on the existing group of young people living in the home. However, since the last inspection the home has experienced two periods of manipulative behaviour being exhibited by some young people towards each other. Where staff’s use of de-escalation techniques or reflective key-work sessions are not effective, the registered manager has taken effective action such as increasing staffing levels. This helps to minimise the impact on the other young people living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals described the staff team as ‘child focused’ and praised the positive ethos, culture and vision of the home. Staff said that they enjoy working in the home and described the registered manager as ‘warm and caring’ towards the young people and themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are strong advocates for young people in the home. Staff have successfully supported a young person’s proposal to his placing authority to remain in the home and move into the semi-independent annexe. The young person thanked staff and wrote, ‘I want to thank you for standing up for me and speaking for me, so that I could stay.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management team prioritises the staff team’s continuing professional development. Confidence building courses, knowledge and skills enhancement courses, alongside weekend courses for personal development and reflection, are offered to all staff. Leaders and manager encourage internal promotion, where possible. Staff value this investment in their personal and professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All of the staff working in the home have a suitable residential children’s home qualification or are enrolled to study for the qualification. Staff recruitment is safe, however one recruitment file inspected did not contain a sufficiently detailed account of the prospective employee’s relevant personal history. Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 7

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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: SC484912 8

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC484912 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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