Children's home run by Lavender Group Homes

Assurance visit report: SC450701 1 SC450701

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for children with learning difficulties. The home may only provide care and accommodation for up to six children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager in post.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 28 January 2020

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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. Assurance visit report: SC450701 2

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Findings from the visit

We identified the following serious and/or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit:

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Findings from the visit

 An allegation of harm to a child in the home was not managed in line with policies and procedures. The designated officer was not consulted with prior to action taken. This may impact on any external investigation.  The home’s safeguarding policy, being referred to by the manager, was out of date and did not reflect local safeguarding policies and procedures.  Children do not always have trusted relationships with adults in the home. The impact of this relates to children’s capacity to raise concerns with the adults who care for them.  Children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans are generic and do not specify their individual needs.  Not all staff have received enough training to manage known risk factors to children and their complex needs.

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The care of children

Children generally make progress in the home. They respond well to the structure and routines. Communication aids are used to good effect with the children. This supports them to have a voice and to understand their routines. However, children do not always have trusted relationships with the adults in the home. This has impacted on children raising concerns and allegations of harm to the adults who care for them.

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The care of children

All children have education provision in place and have good attendance. Children are making progress in school. Communication between the home and schools is good.

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The care of children

The home has managed the COVID-19 lockdown well. Children had access to a wide range of activities in the home and garden. Staff maintained consistent routines which supported the children. Staff talked about getting to know the children better and improving relationships during this time. One teacher commented on how a child’s communication had improved. This has led to less frustration for the child.

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The care of children

Family time has been maintained and staff have been creative in supporting children to maintain contact with family. This has included sending cards, flowers and photographs. Parents were also sent a hug through the post with a cut-out outline of their child. Children had access to technology and this enabled parents to observe and communicate with them.

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The care of children

Children’s daily care plans are detailed and child-friendly. Plans provide a range of pictures and symbols to illustrate children’s preferred communication methods. The Assurance visit report: SC450701 3 plans contain details of daily routines, likes and dislikes, health needs and education. This supports staff to work with the children in a consistent and predictable way.

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The safety of children

An allegation of harm to a child was not managed in line with policies and procedures. The manager did not consult with the designated officer prior to undertaking an internal investigation. The action taken by the manager could impact on any external investigation. This has the potential to place children at risk of harm from unsafe adults.

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The safety of children

The safeguarding policy in the home is out of date. It does not reflect local policies and procedures in relation to the process of reporting allegations against staff. Different versions of the home’s safeguarding policy can be found in the home. This has the potential to cause confusion and provide conflicting advice to those referring to this policy.

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The safety of children

Children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans are generic. They do not detail the individual needs, risks and vulnerabilities for each child. Plans do not consider the age of the child, level of ability or their specific needs.

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The safety of children

There have been minimal incidents in the home. The use of physical intervention is low. One child is deemed to be at high risk for self-injurious behaviour, including the use of ligatures. Not all staff have received training in this area. This means that staff working with the child may not have the skills or knowledge they need to manage this behaviour effectively.

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The safety of children

There has been one complaint about the home. This related to a member of the public who complained to the home about the treatment of a child while out on an activity. This complaint was managed appropriately.

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The safety of children

Staff were positive about the home and could talk with confidence about safeguarding and what they would do if there was a concern. All staff are aware of the whistle-blowing policy. Staff discussed looking at non-verbal responses and changes in behaviour that could indicate a concern.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is new in post and has not yet registered with Ofsted. There are some gaps in knowledge, particularly around safeguarding and the management of allegations. The safeguarding policies in place at the home are confusing and do not support effective responses to concerns.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has a good oversight of the children and understands their needs and progress. The manager is child-focused in their approach. They are working alongside staff to support them in developing their skills and knowledge. Assurance visit report: SC450701 4 The independent visitor’s reports for the home do not support in identifying areas for development. They are lengthy and repetitive and do not always scrutinise documents and practice in the home effectively. The report does not always accurately reflect events in the home. These reports are not effective in supporting the manager to make improvements in the home.

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Leaders and managers

The home’s internal monitoring forms do not contain evaluation and analysis. They do not evidence how the manager intends to develop the home. The manager has not had clear oversight of key documents such as behaviour support plans.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are up to date with mandatory training but the manager has identified some training needs. These include self-harm training and specific training for staff working with children with disabilities.

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Leaders and managers

It is not clear whether staff have regular and meaningful supervision and appraisal. Staff were not sure when they had their appraisals and what their targets were. The manager had not had a recorded supervision since April 2020.

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Leaders and managers

The staff team is nearly complete. Agency staff continue to supplement the team, but this is reducing. Wherever possible, the same workers are used to provide consistency to the children.

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Leaders and managers

All but one of the previous requirements have been met. This requirement has been further set.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. 01/11/20 Assurance visit report: SC450701 5 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 01/11/20

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Assurance visit report: SC450701 6

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC450701 7 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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