Children's home in Hammersmith and Fulham

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people are cared for by a dedicated, experienced and stable staff team, who are knowledgeable of individual young people’s needs and can identify the progress they have made.  Staff implement clear strategies that are effective to keep young people safe.  The young people are very positive about the home, describing it as ‘cosy’, comfortable’ and ‘home’.  The young people describe their relationships with the staff as a real strength to the home. They feel staff treat them with respect and help them to keep safe.  The young people respect the décor and maintenance to the home, which is exceptional.  The young people have made good progress in reducing their missing episodes, engaging in education and keeping themselves safe.  The manager and staff have a clear understanding of the home’s ethos, work together consistently and provide clear and consistent boundaries to meet the needs of young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people do not consistently have external return interviews from missing.  The manager’s review of the location of the home does not actively seek other agencies views.  Concerns raised with Ofsted regarding possible drug dealing and child sexual exploitation were not identified as a concern during this inspection.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16(3)(a)) 04/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

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(2)(a)) 04/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(2)) 04/09/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure where a child runs away persistently or engages in other risky behaviours, a risk assessment meeting is convened to develop a strategy to manage the risks. In particular the strategy should be agreed with the local authority where the home is located. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46, paragraph 9.32)  Ensure 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. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for four young people of both genders aged between 12 and 18 years, who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Good

The young people live in a home that is inviting, comfortable and maintained to a high standard. Admissions to the home are mainly planned, and where possible involve young people visiting the home and staff visiting them before they are admitted. The management, including the organisations lead psychologist, agree admissions to the home. This enables a robust assessment to gain a view of potential impact on other young people. As a result, young people’s needs are clearly identified and are met by the staff.

p.6

Good

The young people view their relationships with staff as a real strength. All young people speak positively and with enthusiasm about the staff that care for them. The young people feel that staff are dedicated, motivated, really care about them and support them. The staff’s knowledge of young people’s vulnerabilities and needs is comprehensive. They can identify and are very proud of the progress young people make since they came to live at the home. For example, some young people have made a significant reduction in missing episodes; they work with staff to keep themselves safe, engage in education and develop independence skills. Young people increase their self-esteem, confidence and make positive plans for their futures, because they receive encouragement and praise for all their progress. Young people are proud of their achievement over recent months.

p.6

Good

The young people feel listened to by staff. Staff actively seek young people’s view through weekly meetings, key work sessions and daily conversations. Staff capture any moments possible to broaden young people’s horizons on areas such as current affairs, and teaching them about different countries and cultures. The young people feel valued, grow in self-confidence and develop a sense of identity and emotional resilience because staff listen to them and treat them with respect. They are relaxed in the company of staff and are quick to approach them with any issues they may have.

p.6

Good

Comprehensive care planning, risk management procedures and behaviour management plans are in place. They provide clarity for staff to support young people and reflect the positive staff practice.

p.6

Good

The young people make progress with regards to their health. Some young people demonstrate risk taking behaviours, such as self-harm. Staff work closely with the children and adolescent mental health services to ensure young people have specialist professionals they can talk to; help them manage their anxiety in a different way; and provide staff with strategies to support young people. Some young people access the organisations lead psychologist, who attends the home once a week, to provide support through informal and formal sessions with staff and young people. In addition, all young people have an individual therapeutic plan to help staff meet the needs of the young people. These inter and multi-agency working systems helps to meet young people’s emotional and psychological needs; and incidents reduce. Young people receive sensitive support around issues such as sexual health and substance misuse. They gain knowledge as appropriate to

p.6

Good

their age and understanding, around keeping safe and making informed lifestyle choices.

p.7

Good

The young people’s educational attendance and achievement improves. Staff provide consistent boundaries and routines, and are efficient in encouraging them to attend. Some young people have full attendance at their educational provision, since living at the home, and have completed their exams, and are engaged in employment. Other young people have significantly increased their attendance and engagement, and all young people have positive plans for their future education and employment.

p.7

Good

Young people benefit from appropriate contact with family members and other significant people in their lives. Staff support and facilitate individual contact arrangements. This supports young people to maintain relationships.

p.7

Good

The young people make progress in learning skills such as budgeting, cooking, and completing application forms for college. They enjoy and are keen to increase their independence, through daily responsibility for keeping rooms tidy, self-care skills and shopping which all increase young people’s confidence and skills. Some young people have been successful in obtaining employment and attending interviews. Other young people have fully embraced their independence learning, and are able to cook healthy meals within their allocated budgets. These are skills they can carry into adulthood and which provide them with an increased level of independence.

p.7

Good

The young people say they feel safe in the home. Staff take their responsibility seriously for keeping young people safe, and there are effective arrangements to safeguard young people. The staff promote a culture that ensures young people are listened to and respected as individuals.

p.7

Good

Safeguarding arrangements are good. Staff are trained and clear about their responsibilities for reporting concerns. When, on occasion serious concerns regarding staff practice were raised, the organisation took appropriate action to safeguard young people. This is because the manager immediately informed the local authority designated officer, and took immediate action to reduce to risk of recurrence. For example, a risk management plan is implemented informing staff that only core staff can lone work young people at the home. As a result, there have been no further concerns raised.

p.7

Good

Some young people do go missing. This has significantly reduced as young people are more settled at the home; and following multi-agency risk management meetings, strategies implemented have help reduce these incidents. However, while the missing persons police co-ordinator, social worker and staff agreed these strategies, the local authority have not been asked their view. Therefore this does not fully ensure that all agencies are involved. A social worker reported that through the way the home is working with the young person and them, they have managed to keep the young person from missing. On occasions when young people do go missing, staff are proactive in following them and keeping young people in sight where possible. As a result, young people return home with staff. At other times, when this has not been possible, staff report young people as missing in line with their missing policy. However, while staff speak with young

p.8

Good

people on their return, despite requests for a person external from the home to speak with young people this has not occurred. Therefore, this does not enable young people to voice the reasons why they went missing to someone outside of the home.

p.8

Good

Some young people admitted to the home were assessed as at risk of child sexual exploitation. In addition, concerns regarding young people at risk of child sexual exploitation were recently raised with Ofsted. However, no records or professionals contacted during the inspection, identified this as a current concern. This is because, where this is a known potential risk, there are subsequent restrictions on some young people having free time, therefore reducing the possible risk to young people.

p.8

Good

The young people are effectively protected when accessing the internet within the home. This is because when young people use the internet provided by the organisation and staff supervise young people’s access. This allows young people to access social media sites, in a safe environment.

p.8

Good

The young people’s behaviour is encouraged through a diversion programme and incentive and token system. Staff efficiently implement this system, through monitoring young people’s behaviour, providing opportunities to engage in constructive activities to help develop self-esteem, life skills and fitness. They provide young people with clear and consistent messages and approaches; have an in depth understanding of young people’s backgrounds and individual circumstances to provide the support young people require. Staff appropriately intervene when young people display challenging behaviour, such as verbal abuse, self-harm and anger. They respond positively and remain calm through these challenges. Young people receive clear and consistent messages from staff, and have good quality key work sessions, providing them with quality time to discuss any concerns. The staff listen to young people to gain their views of how they can

p.8

Good

support them through these times, and these are clearly recorded and implemented by staff. For example, some young people request to go for a walk on their own and for staff to follow to provide them with space, but also be kept safe. There have been no physical interventions, and incidents rarely escalate. As a result, young people are proud of their achievements regarding their decrease in challenging behaviour and their self-esteem increases.

p.9

Good

Safe recruitment procedures are in place to safeguard young people. The organisation ensures employees are appropriately vetted and therefore show commitment to the safety of young people. In addition the organisations lead psychologist and young people are involved in the recruitment of staff. As a result, young people’s views of potential staff that may work with them are considered.

p.9

Good

The manager has completed a location risk assessment; however, while the record provides some information, the manager has not consulted with external agencies to gather all available information regarding potential risks to young people, or all possible services available to them.

p.9

Good

Since the last inspection, the Registered Manager has moved to another home within the organisation. The organisation has appointed a new manager who is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

p.9

Good

The manager is committed and motivated, and with support from an enthusiastic staff team, manages this home effectively. The manager works positively with other agencies and professionals internally and external to the organisation, to enable young people to have a holistic care package in line with their individual plans. The local authority designated officer reported that ‘the manager is brilliant’, in terms of their working relationship and sharing information. This is supported by a social worker who stated ‘the staff come to me with suggestions and that is really useful’.

p.9

Good

Since the last inspection there have been some external complaints. The manager, staff and young people have responded to these appropriately; records clearly evidence the action taken in response; and staff and young people take them seriously to try to prevent recurrence. Staffing levels are sufficient and provide young people with competent and experienced adults to care for them. They are provided with training in areas such as child protection, child sexual exploitation, therapeutic working with young people and self-harm. However, not enough staff are trained in first aid, to ensure that there is at least one first aid member of staff on each shift with the young people. The organisation is aware of this, and training has already been booked.

p.9

Good

The staff team is diverse; they have a range of life experiences and qualifications and good levels of support and supervision. The staff are clearly motivated by their enjoyment of working with the young people and watching them progress. They receive regular supervisions that challenges their practice, and is productive and supportive. In addition regular staff meetings provide a forum for staff to share best practice and develop strategies to meet the needs of the young people. All members of staff spoken with gave positive comments about the manager’s supportive leadership of the service. In the manager’s absence, the organisation ensures another experienced manager is at the home to support the staff, and maintain a good level of care provided to young people.

p.10

Good

There were no recommendations or requirements made at the last inspection. The provider meets the aims and objectives in the Statement of Purpose. Staff fully embrace the ethos of the home and view this as central to their work to provide young people with a child centred approach. However, the Statement of Purpose has not been updated to reflect the changes in management, and on occasion can be broad in description in respect to a lack of individualisation of the home.

p.10

Good

The manager conducts regular monitoring within the home, and has a strong awareness of the strengths and areas of improvement regarding the quality of care provided. Independent visits contribute to reflective practice and driving improvement. The organisation has taken action to begin improvements in areas such as, more effective recording of the positive outcomes for young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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