Children's Home run by Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd in Newham

Inspection report children’s home: SC060545 1 SC060545 Registered provider: Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd Interim 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 accommodation for up to eight children and young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since 17 January 2019.

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Inspection date: 6 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 6 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC060545 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers monitor the service closely and are committed to its continued improvement. They ensure that children and young people receive good- quality care and make progress in their lives. The independent visitor’s meticulous monitoring of the home’s records contributes to the development of evidence-based social care practices.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager leads by example. She exemplifies good social care practices in her relationships with children and young people. These trusting relationships enable children and young people to develop feelings of safety, stability and positivity in their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people have a strong voice in the home. Their views, wishes and feelings are respected and valued. They have good opportunities to express themselves in residents’ meetings and in one-to-one meetings with their key workers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The contribution of children and young people to their care is clearly evident from their files. Staff ensure that children and young people’s placement support plans, behaviour management plans and risk management plans are individualised and kept up to date. Staff also ensure that these plans remain effective in supporting positive outcomes for children and young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people say that they like the home and feel safe. Their behaviours have become more constructive and safer since coming to live here. The areas of their progress include better educational engagement, reduced frequency of challenging behaviours, better social presentation and improved levels of confidence. One young person’s singing and acting talents have flourished.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers work in effective partnership with other professionals to ensure that children and young people receive good support in all aspects of their lives. An example is working closely with health professionals on developing a safety plan for a young person who is experiencing mental health difficulties.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide sensitive support to children and young people regarding the contact that they have with their families and friends. Staff promote positive relationships and caring attitudes within the home and in the community. Any sign of bullying, intimidation, undue peer pressure or emotional hurt is addressed robustly. Inspection report children’s home: SC060545 3 Leaders and managers have positively addressed all of the requirements and recommendations from the full inspection. They are working hard to ensure that the effective residential social care practices are embedded, so that all children and young people consistently achieve positive outcomes in all areas of their lives. The current group of children and young people is doing well. Despite the efforts of staff, some young people, who have since moved away from the home, made only limited progress during their time there.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good training opportunities for staff support the development of their skills and the home’s workforce development plan. Since the full inspection, staff have had face- to-face training on child criminal exploitation, behaviour management and safeguarding children at risk of suicide and self-harm. Staff also access online training on a wide range of topics, including on countering radicalisation and helping children and young people who have been trafficked and are victims of modern slavery.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The areas for further development include managing the home without having to resort to the use of surveillance and locking the kitchen at night, and developing more insight into the risks to the trafficked children and young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC060545 4

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Recommendations

 Just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  Any home using CCTV or other monitoring equipment should have a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home in accordance with regulation 24.

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Recommendations

Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. The use of CCTV is regulated by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the ‘Surveillance Camera Code of Conduct’ (Home Office 2013). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)  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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, the risk assessments of trafficked children should be more proactive in recognising their particular needs and the risks associated with the relationships that they have with the people who trafficked them.

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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.

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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: SC060545 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 42 Stavordale Road, London N5 1NE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Noorjahan Gokool Hoota

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Inspector

Seka Graovac, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC060545 6 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 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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