Children's Home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Islington

Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 1 Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a national charity. It provides care and accommodation for four young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home’s approach to working with young people is based on social pedagogy. The current manager started working at the home in February 2020. She is a registered manager for another children’s home within the organisation.

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Inspection date: 17 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Outcomes for young people in this home are variable. The majority of young people are making progress. However, shortfalls have an impact on the overall quality of care. There are issues in regard to safeguarding, record-keeping, the monitoring of sanctions and the lack of informal learning opportunities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some staff do not understand their duty to safeguard young people. Despite having waking night staff, there has been an ongoing issue with young people having sexual activity with each other. There was also an occasion when a staff member bought cigarettes for a young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff have the appropriate level of safeguarding training. Leaders and managers do not always follow the home’s disciplinary procedure. Shortfalls in safeguarding knowledge are not promptly addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff endeavour to help young people take responsibility for their actions. Where necessary consequences are imposed, however, staff do not consistently record the effectiveness of each sanction. This limits the ability to inform future practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of record-keeping does not consistently meet best practice guidance. For example, the administration of controlled drugs is not recorded in a bound book. Furthermore, one young person’s placement planning meeting minutes referred to them being in care due to ‘bad parenting’. This language is judgemental and fails to promote the young person’s dignity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although all young people have individual risk assessments, some did not meet the required standard. One risk assessment contained inaccurate information, while another risk assessment did not detail the concerns associated with a young person’s social media use.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The majority of young people are positively engaged in their education. This is a significant achievement for some young people. It is commendable that some young people are in higher education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have the opportunity to complete vocational qualifications. Staff also strongly advocate for young people’s education needs to be met. Those young people who are not in school or college, however, are not engaged in any meaningful or structured activity during the day. Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 3 Efforts are being made to make the home cosier and more comfortable. New lounge sofas have been ordered, and the games room is now used as an art room. The home has also been redecorated, and staff have assisted with painting murals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy a range of different activities both in and outside the home. Staff try to help young people to nurture their talents and interests. The only outstanding request from young people is regarding the building of a music studio.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home provides a stable base for young people. They enjoy being at the home. Young people have amiable and trusting relationships with staff, which enables them to discuss their feelings and disclose their concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A strength of the home is the high-quality key-work sessions that staff have with young people. These meetings contribute to young people’s personal development. Young people are learning to reflect, make positive choices and recognise their potential and self-worth.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff try to understand each young person and their presenting behaviours. The way staff work with young people is constantly being reviewed. Weekly reflections enable staff to highlight each young person’s progress, their challenges and how staff plan to support them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Older young people are helped with their move into independent living. Young people can move into the organisation’s supported living schemes, which provide a good continuity of care. Semi-independence programmes also help young people with budgeting and developing the skills that they need for adult life.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from a culturally diverse and youthful staff team. Young people enjoy spending time with staff and they enjoy cooking and baking together. Staff also act as positive role models, sharing their life experiences with young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality assurance system focuses on continual improvement. The service benefits from constructive monthly monitoring visits, which are completed by an independent person. The home’s quality of care review also contains an achievable action plan.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The one requirement and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. The home benefits from the recent appointment of a highly experienced registered manager. During the inspection, the registered manager made efforts to address the shortfalls as they were identified and displayed a determination to make the necessary improvements. Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 5

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff monitor individual children effectively and receive appropriate training, and that there is a written record of any disciplinary action taken by leaders and managers. 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling and recording of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that controlled drugs are recorded in a bound book. 01/04/2020

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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

the effectiveness of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The education standard 01/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 6 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(v))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, ensure that the language used in records is non-judgemental.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that risk assessments are accurate and include online safety.  Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with

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Recommendations

children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4) In particular, further consideration should be given to the young people’s request for a music studio.

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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: 1159682 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Putney High Street, Wandsworth, London SW15 1SZ

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1159682 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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