Children's home run by Priory Education Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 1

p.1

Priory Education Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a group of five homes run by a private organisation for young people from the local authority. The home is registered for up to eight young people.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. A new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The last full inspection of this home was in June 2019, when the home was judged as inadequate. Ofsted made the decision to suspend the home’s registration from 14 June 2019 to 15 September 2019. Monitoring inspections took place in July, August and September 2019. The suspension notice was lifted on 5 September 2019, and a condition was put in place that the home must inform Ofsted of its intention to accommodate children. This condition was lifted on 27 September 2019.

p.1

This monitoring visit

An interim inspection took place on 26 February 2020. No judgement was made as there were no children living in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection took place to review progress since the home became operational on 1 April 2020. At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home. The inspector found a number of significant concerns.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Risk assessments do not provide accurate information for staff. This means that staff are not given clear guidance on how to manage risks that the child is known to present. Furthermore, the usefulness of the current risk assessment is further diminished as seven members of staff have not read it. In addition, the impact risk assessment does not provide sufficient information about the child’s risks to safely match a second child as compatible to the existing child’s needs and behaviours and to staff’s skills. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 2 The manager’s systems, which are designed to monitor the performance and practice in the home, are weak and ineffective. As a result, the manager has not identified errors in the child’s medication administration records. This means that there have been missed opportunities to learn from poor practice by staff and implement improvements or to understand whether any medication was missing.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Due to poor staff supervision, the child has been able to gain access to areas of the home where he is not permitted to be. This includes the boiler room, the manager’s office and staff sleeping-in room. In addition, staff lock the kitchen door to prevent the child from having access to it. There is no clear rationale for using such a punitive approach to restricting the child’s movements in the home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager has not ensured that staff receive regular supervision. This means that staff have not had the opportunities to reflect on their practice and obtain support.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There are shortfalls in staff training. Not all staff have completed training in relation to suicide and self-harm, managing ligatures, developmental disorder, foetal alcohol syndrome, challenging behaviour and crisis management. As a result, staff do not have the skills and training to meet the child’s needs.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There is a detailed placement plan in place. However, the usefulness of this is diminished as 11 members of staff have not read it. This means that staff are not aware of the child’s needs or how to effectively meet them.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring and oversight of incidents are not robust. When physical interventions take place, the manager has failed to review these incidents within the required timescales. As a result, the manager is not able to identify the appropriateness of such interventions or address any issues of poor practice in a timely manner.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The inspector observed behaviour of the manager on inspection which questions her understanding of professional boundaries and safeguarding children. This has been referred to the child’s social worker and the designated safeguarding officer.

p.2

This monitoring visit

As a direct result of concerns found on inspection, two compliance notices have been issued and four new requirements raised. In addition, a restriction notice was served on 29 May 2020, to prevent further admissions to the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/02/2020 Interim Not judged 12/06/2019 Full Inadequate 02/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/11/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.3

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.3

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)) * 06/07/2020

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 06/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 4 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)) * 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each

p.3

Requirement Due date

child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h)) * 06/07/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 06/07/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 06/07/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) 06/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 5 The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 06/07/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 06/07/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we inspect. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Priory Group, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

p.5

Inspector

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245981 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.5

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.6

Inspector

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

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6