Children's Home run by Shalamar Children Limited in Essex

Inspection report children's home: SC475088 1 SC475088 Registered provider: Shalamar Children Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

A private provider runs this home for up to four children who cannot live at home or in a foster placement. The statement of purpose states that this setting offers an attachment-related focus to children’s care. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2018.

p.1

Inspection date: 14 January 2020

Date of last inspection: 16 to 17 July 2019

p.1

Inspection date: 14 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC475088 2

p.1

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.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home accepts referrals for children who present high levels of risk. Gaps in awareness mean that some staff do not have the skills to enable them to manage these risks and meet some of the children’s needs effectively.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have moved into the home since the last inspection. One child has a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition. The managers gave thought to this referral and the potential impact of this child’s move into the home on the children who were already living at the home.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not adequately risk assessed some hazards at the home. One child brought bladed items into the home and kept them in his bedroom on more than one occasion. The staff removed these items. However, the steps that the staff should take to prevent recurrence are not documented in the children’s risk assessments.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child has a history of involvement in gangs and criminal exploitation. Some of the staff and some managers have not had training in understanding county lines. Gaps in awareness have the potential to weaken the home’s response to children who are risk of criminal exploitation.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have not ensured that a child is staying at a suitable address overnight. Sometimes, the staff do not know where this child is staying. The staff try to meet with the child for a short period each evening to check on his welfare and location. However, this arrangement is not enough to ensure that he is safeguarded. His whereabouts are largely unaccounted for. He does not attend education. The local police expressed concern that he is associating with known offenders and that he is at risk of committing and being a victim of crime.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The police expressed concern about the lack of supervision for a child who is vulnerable from known offenders. The staff have not given enough consideration to contextual risks, including the influences of relationships with peers.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff give children a warm welcome back after they have been missing from the home. They are in frequent contact with social workers. However, they are not doing enough to escalate concerns and agree plans with the local authority when this approach is not effective in reducing children’s vulnerability.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the children have some form of allocated education provision. The staff support one child while he receives tutoring. The home has employed a driver, which Inspection report children's home: SC475088 3 provides consistency with school transport. However, although the staff try to ensure that the children attend education, some children’s attendance is irregular.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met one of the requirements that were raised at the last inspection. This has led to an improvement in staff recruitment processes. The manager has not met the second requirement. One member of staff has not achieved a relevant level 3 qualification within the required timescales.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met three of the four recommendations that were set at the last inspection. The closed-circuit television has been removed from the home. Arrangements for preparing children to move on have improved. One child’s move was celebrated with a party and he was presented with a personalised engraved gift. Another child successfully moved back to his foster placement after a short period of respite at the home. The manager has addressed concerns about consistency in staff practice and new routines are in place.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A therapist regularly engages with some of the children. One child talked positively about this support. This child said that he likes living at the home and that the staff want the best for him. Inspection report children's home: SC475088 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2019 Full Good 19/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/09/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC475088 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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, identify and manage risks of child exploitation. 28/02/2020

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—

p.5

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)) 28/02/2020

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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— 31/03/2020 Inspection report children's home: SC475088 6 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(e)) The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child's needs;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(e)(i)(ii)) 28/02/2020

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ('the Level 3 Diploma'); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 31/03/2020 Inspection report children's home: SC475088 7

p.6

Recommendations

 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 the 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)  Decisions about overnight stays with friends should be delegated to children's homes staff by the placing authority for looked-after children. The level of delegated authority should be recorded in the placement plan. When children wish to stay overnight with friends, staff should carry out the same kind of checks that responsible parents might make in similar circumstances to seek reassurance that the child will be well cared for and safe. ('Guide to the children's homes

p.7

Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards', page 38, paragraph 8.9)

p.7

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.7

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: SC475088 8

p.7

Children's home details

Registered provider: Shalamar Children Limited

p.8

Children's home details

Registered provider address: 31B King Street, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex SS17 0HJ

p.8

Inspector

Angela Weston, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC475088 9 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9