Children's home run by Priory Education Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 1 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home currently has no registered manager. The previous registered manager had resigned and left the company on the day of the inspection. An interim manager commenced in post on the day of inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. Following this inspection, the home’s registration was suspended on 4 February 2020 until the 27 April 2020 inclusive.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were four young people living at the home. All four young people were moved out of the home subsequently and placed in alternative placements.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a number of serious incidents within the home where young people have been placed at risk; this is due to the poor management of young people and an inadequate response by staff to address concerning behaviours. Staff consistently fail to follow the home’s policies and protocols that are in place to keep young people safe.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has failed to respond or report safeguarding incidents to the right professionals and agencies. On 8 December 2019, a young person made an allegation of physical assault against a member of staff. The manager did not follow safeguarding protocols and instead dealt with the allegation as a complaint. The manager shared some, but not all, information with the young person’s social worker and Ofsted as the regulator. The allegation was not reported to Ofsted or the designated safeguarding officer until 27 January 2020.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On 28 January 2020, the ambulance service attended the home following concerns that a young person, who is insulin dependent, had misused substances and may fall into a diabetic coma. This young person had also smoked cannabis. The police were called to deal with aggressive behaviours after the young person assaulted a paramedic. Drug paraphernalia and prescription medication were found in the young person’s room by the paramedics. Staff failed to manage this risk by not undertaking room searches and removing the substances. The manager did not complete an incident report or refer these concerns to senior managers within the company.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the day of inspection, staff undertook their first room search of this young person’s room since 2018. In total, 40 empty cannabis bags, four empty bottles of vodka and smoking paraphernalia were found in one young person’s room. In addition, three mobile phones were found.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not always follow risk assessments. When young people are believed to be under the influence of substances or alcohol, staff have not followed the observation protocol. When young people go missing from the home, staff do not take prompt action to report young people missing to the police. In addition, in August 2019 a young person who had been missing overnight was made to wait almost two hours Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 3 for staff to collect her due to staff shortages. The lack of action taken by staff places young people at additional risk.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management of medication is poor. On 28 January 2020, paramedics found prescription medication in a young person’s bedroom. On 3 February 2020, further medication was found in the young person’s bedroom. Staff do not follow medication dispensing protocols to ensure that young people take their prescribed medication.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff complacency and poor decision-making result in young people being placed in situations where they may be at risk of harm. For example, the supervision and monitoring of young people are inadequate. Young people are able to leave the home to smoke cannabis. Young people have unsupervised access to cigarettes and lighters. Staff take no action to manage these risks.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management of the home is poor. Not all significant incidents are recorded or reported as such. The manager’s oversight of documentation, such as physical interventions and missing from care paperwork, is insufficient. Managers have not identified errors and inconsistencies in the paperwork.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not addressed shortfalls identified at the last inspection in August 2019. Seven requirements are repeated; in addition, four more requirements have been raised as a result of this inspection. The monitoring and management of oversight of incidents is ineffective and fails to drive improvements in practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 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 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— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 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)) 27/03/2020

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 6 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)) 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)) The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them; medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Paragraph (2) does not apply to medicine which— is stored by the child for whom it is provided in such a way that other persons are prevented from using it; and may be safely self-administered by that child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(a)(b)) 27/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. The registered person must ensure that— at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (1)(2)(a)) 27/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

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 the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 27/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 7 undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept— securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(2)(c)(d)) 27/03/2020

p.7

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1)(2)(3)) 27/03/2020

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 27/03/2020

p.7

Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 8  Staff should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are

p.8

Recommendations

notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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.8

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: 1245980 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

p.9

Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1245980 10 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.9

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 http://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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10