Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited in Redbridge

Assurance visit report: SC053529 1 SC053529

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and respite for children who have a learning disability and/or other complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in June 2020. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 9 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC053529 2

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The care of children

The registered manager resigned in June 2020. The previous deputy manager and the subsequent replacement deputy manager have both resigned. The number of managerial changes is a contributor to the relative lack of progress since the last inspection.

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The care of children

A new manager has taken up post and has begun to establish systems that are starting to result in some improvements. The staff said that managers are available, supportive and responsive. External professionals described recent improvements in the quality of relationships and in the information and reports received.

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The care of children

Some of the plans for children lack clarity and contain inaccuracies and inconsistencies. One child’s plans have not been updated despite significant changes in their circumstances. Plans to support the children in respect of their culture and ethnicity lack depth. This does not ensure that the staff have good enough understanding and guidance to support the children.

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The care of children

Some children have access to an advocate or a guardian. However, in one instance, a child who does not have contact with their family has not been offered an independent visitor. The manager has failed to pursue this and therefore the child is potentially missing out on this additional safeguard.

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The care of children

Managers have failed to ensure that an unpleasant odour in one en suite room had been dealt with. However, this was addressed during the inspection.

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The care of children

The children appeared relaxed in the company of staff. A social worker spoke of being impressed with how two children had settled and the positive relationships that they are beginning to develop with the staff.

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The care of children

There are good relationships between the staff and the headteacher of the school. This has resulted in children receiving educational support throughout the pandemic.

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The safety of children

Behaviour management plans are generally clear, with an emphasis on de- escalation. This emphasis of the plans is understood and articulated by the staff interviewed. A social worker spoke of the improvement in the behaviour of two children.

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The safety of children

When physical interventions take place, these are usually very short in duration and use minimal intervention. One child spoke of the supportive approach that the staff take when children are angry or upset. The child said that the staff listen and help them to calm down.

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The safety of children

The designated officer spoke of significant improvements in responses to safeguarding concerns. The new responsible individual has ensured that concerns Assurance visit report: SC053529 3 are investigated, information is evaluated and appropriate conclusions are reached. However, the directors did not ensure that an allegation (later found to be unfounded) against senior staff was shared with Ofsted. This compromises Ofsted’s ability to regulate the home.

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The safety of children

The staff understand how to raise safeguarding concerns. However, they have not received training in safeguarding disabled children. This has contributed to a limited understanding of the increased vulnerability of disabled children among the staff.

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Leaders and managers

The managerial monitoring has improved, but there are still issues with some records that should have been picked up. The monitoring has not been consistently strong enough to enable the necessary improvement. The management team has not ensured that the review of care is informed by the feedback from children, families or a wide enough range of professionals.

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Leaders and managers

The reports from the independent visitor have improved. The visitor spends considerable time at the home on each visit and identifies area for improvements. These visits have the potential to contribute to the necessary improvements. However, the issues identified by the visitor have not been consistently acted on quickly enough.

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Leaders and managers

Physical intervention records are not always good enough. Some records relating to debriefs were not located. Key-work sessions that are identified as necessary following incidents are not always undertaken. This means that the children and staff may not receive the support that they need following an incident.

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Leaders and managers

Recruitment checks are undertaken for permanent and agency staff. However, the format in which confirmation of agency checks is provided gives insufficient information about the outcome of the checks. This system does not give the managers a thorough level of assurance.

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Leaders and managers

The new management team has improved the frequency of supervision. The staff described the supervisions as supportive and beneficial.

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Leaders and managers

Managers commissioned an external professional to undertake a fire risk assessment. This provides assurance that fire risks are understood and responded to. Assurance visit report: SC053529 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 30/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that plans are updated and give due consideration to needs relating to children’s ethnicity and cultural background. 30/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 04/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 30/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC053529 5 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all children have access to appropriate advocacy support, and when possible, this should be provided by a person who the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure that they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  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. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)  As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment,

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Recommendations

supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Assurance visit report: SC053529 6 In particular, ensure that agency recruitment records provide additional information about the outcomes of the checks completed. Assurance visit report: SC053529 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Beeches UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 212 Ballards Lane, SBCH House, London N3 2LX

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC053529 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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Inspector

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