Children's home run by Sherico Care Services Limited in Westminster

Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 1 SC037543 Registered provider: Sherico Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

 A private provider operates this home.  The home provides care for up to three young people.  The provider states in its statement of purpose that the home accommodates young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  The manager was registered on 11 January 2019.

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2019 Full Good 22/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 3

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The experiences and progress of the young people at this home are mixed. Three young people have left the home since the last inspection and one more was due to leave on the day of the inspection. Their placements had all been ended by the provider due to non-engagement, or for disruptive and challenging behaviour. One young person had been living at the home for a two-year period, and for 18 months of that time was relatively stable. In general, young people do not stay living at the home for long.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person was presenting an escalating picture of verbal aggression and disruptive behaviour in the home. However, they secured a place in college, which they attend twice weekly. They also gave positive feedback about their time at the home. Although the provider gave notice on this placement, the young person has moved on successfully to semi-independent living accommodation.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another young person has been moved to a different home, run by the same provider, as a solo placement. This is to break the cycle of disruptive behaviours they displayed while they were living at this home.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Currently there are two young people living at the home. One young person was missing from the home during this inspection. The placing authority was making plans for an alternative placement, as the young person concerned did not want to return to the home. The other young person at the home is making some progress and is attending tuition after an absence from education for over a year.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been 23 significant incidents recorded in the last six-month period at the home. The police have attended the home on 35 occasions in the same time frame. Incidents indicate that the young people are beyond control, with little respect or regard for the staff team or the boundaries they are attempting to implement. Unfortunately, three of the young people have been arrested during incidents at the home when the police have been called. The skills and experience of the staff team do not reflect the needs of the young people admitted to the home.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Recording of significant incidents is inconsistent. Some notified incidents were not recorded in the home’s log and some were not notified to the regulator. Two notifications were late in being reported to the regulator. This makes it difficult to understand what is happening at the home, and to ensure that the regulator has oversight of significant events. In addition, there is no recorded management oversight of records. There are missed opportunities to prioritise areas for development in the staff team and set clearer expectations of young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 4 Such missed opportunities to identify where improvement should have happened have left the young people vulnerable, beyond control and at risk of being criminalised. The response to the young people who go missing from care is good. Clear records are kept, although some did not record whether young people had

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

been offered a return home interview. The records showed a chronology of events and actions taken by staff. All of the young people have an ‘absence and missing person’s protocol’ which identifies individual risks and gives staff clear guidance on the process to follow in the event that a young person goes missing.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring is improving at this home. The registered manager has completed a review of the quality of care and is developing a plan to focus on the areas of development needed at the home. The independent visitor continues to visit monthly and the registered manager finds these reports helpful in making improvements to the home. The independent visitor’s reports are being sent to the regulator on a more regular basis. However, they could be improved with more clarity and analysis on areas for improvement.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff team have established a good network of professionals that they work in partnership with. Staff attend reviews and professional and educational meetings to support the young people’s care plans. More professional challenge is needed in order to advocate for the young people when placing authorities do not offer return home interviews or provide pathway plans or necessary paperwork.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some progress has been made in regard to the two requirements made at the full inspection in July 2019. One is met, and one is repeated to ensure that the independent reports continue to be sent in and provide good analysis and challenge for the provider. One recommendation is met, but the other is now a requirement to ensure that behavioural issues and challenging behaviour are addressed at the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that reports are sent to HMCI in a timely way. 30/04/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 30/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 6 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.6

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

p.6

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour, and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i–xiii)(b)) Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 7 Specifically, in helping the staff team to work effectively together and to maintain boundaries and respect in the home. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 30/04/2020

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.7

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 30/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 8 The requirements are that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

p.8

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(3)(b)) The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.8

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority.

p.8

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(iii)) 30/04/2020

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Specifically, this is in relation to ensuring that there is management oversight of significant incidents and missing records.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that

p.8

Recommendations

distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 9 about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Specifically, this is in relation to ensuring consistency of records and recording actions that have been taken, such as requesting return home interviews. Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 10

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.10

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC037543 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sherico Care Services Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sherico Care Homes Ltd, 2–4 Balmoral Road, London E10 5ND

p.11

Inspector

Christine Kennet, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037543 12 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.11

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 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.12

Inspector

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

p.12

Inspector

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

p.12