Children's Home run by Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited in Hounslow

Assurance visit report: SC409851 1 SC409851

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. The home provides care for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 21 January 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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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:  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.

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The care of children

Children are thriving within a home that is responsive to their individual needs. Assurance visit report: SC409851 2 Staff undertake their duties with purposeful care and they successfully provide a stable, nurturing home for children. A parent describes the care as ‘excellent’ and stated that they would ‘recommend’ the home to others.

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The care of children

During the pandemic, children have been able to maintain a structured daily routine. This involved attending school, daily exercise, enjoying meaningful activities and developing their life skills. Children have also benefited from spending time with their parents and extended family.

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The care of children

Children have trusting, positive, mutually respectful relationships with staff. Care plans are adapted to consider children’s wishes, feelings and moods, and staff’s daily observations of them. This ensures that care planning is continually adapted to children’s individual needs.

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The care of children

Children’s achievements are celebrated. During the pandemic, children have achieved a range of certificates, attended online careers events and enjoyed new experiences. An example of the latter is off-road motorcycle racing.

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The care of children

Children benefit from good healthcare arrangements. This has enabled them to attend medical appointments during lockdown and enjoy good mental well-being. Children take responsibility for self-regulation. An example of this is building a mindful lava lamp, which helps to calm their mood.

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The care of children

Children receive valuable support through regular key work sessions, which offer them a chance to reflect on real life issues and events, like the ‘Black Lives Matters’ protests. Staff ensure that children are aware of equality and diversity issues, and continually challenge children’s racist, sexist or homophobic attitudes.

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The safety of children

All the children living at the home report that they feel safe and that the rules are ‘fair’. There have been no episodes of children going missing from the home, use of restraint, incidents or police involvement in the home since April 2020.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers respond effectively to child protection concerns. Staff manage risks appropriately. They educate children about their vulnerability to grooming, risks of exploitation and what constitutes healthy relationships.

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The safety of children

Parents and carers and professionals praise the boundaries put in place for children. Occasionally, staff have to use sanctions to help children understand the consequences of their actions. A reward system is preferred, which helps to reinforce positive behaviour.

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The safety of children

A social worker praised the home’s ‘safeguarding approaches’, which included prompt sharing of information and appropriate management of risks. Staff sensitively manage a child’s deprivation of liberty order. There is a strong emphasis Assurance visit report: SC409851 3 on educating children on their rights and enhancing their understanding of risks, to help them make positive changes.

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Leaders and managers

Children and staff benefit from the effective leadership and management arrangements during the pandemic. The home has a good COVID-19 business continuity plan. This has helped to ensure that the home was free from the virus and safe for all living and working there.

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Leaders and managers

Since the lockdown period, no new children have moved into the home. Managers are carefully considering new referrals, to ensure that there is careful matching of children’s respective needs. Leaders and managers are working towards changing the profile of the children they care for.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are strong advocates for children, and professionals praise the partnership working. Examples were seen of joint working to reduce children’s medication and manage behavioural challenges. A social worker stated, ‘I like the openness of the manager and her passion for positive outcomes for the children.’

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have addressed the requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection. They are aware of the service’s strengths and they prioritise areas for development. The only issue is that an independent person has not always undertaken monthly monitoring visits.

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Leaders and managers

Staff receive ongoing training that builds on the skills needed for their role. Staff benefit from daily debriefings, reflective supervision, mentoring and a genuine wish for them to fulfil their potential. Staff appreciate the consideration given to both their professional and personal needs. Staff receive annual appraisals, which contributes to their development. However, this process does not consider the views of children and professionals who have worked with the staff member. This is a missed opportunity to gain the views of others to influence staff performance.

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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

Independent person: visits and reports 01/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC409851 4 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44 (1))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff performance appraisals take into account, when reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member, and the views of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Westgate Lifestyle Project Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 137 Waters Drive, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 4RP

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC409851 5 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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