Children's Home run by Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd in Newham

Assurance visit report: SC060545 1 SC060545

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to eight children. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 23 August 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 6 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: improved 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. Assurance visit report: SC060545 2

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The care of children

The progress that children make is variable. One child made excellent progress and was well supported prior to, and during the , COVID-19 pandemic. This child’s social worker described such progress as remarkable. However, some children who moved in as part of emergency placements did not settle and their placements were subsequently terminated.

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The care of children

Children spoken with said that they are happy living at the home. They stated that they like their bedrooms and the staff, particularly the registered manager. Children said that they know how to complain and confirmed that there are regular children’s meetings at which children can have a say on how the home is run.

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The care of children

Children are encouraged and supported by staff to learn life skills. Healthy eating is promoted and children with specific dietary concerns are supported to have an input into improving the quality of food and frequency of meals

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The care of children

During the period of national lockdown, children were supported by staff to maintain good mental and physical health. When children had to self-isolate, staff ensured that they had games and sat outside their bedrooms to keep them company when they felt unsettled at night.

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The care of children

Children are supported to see their families, for example, by maintaining contact during lockdown through online video chats and by telephone. Once lockdown measures eased, staff supported children to visit their families in person.

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The safety of children

Staff ensured that children were regularly updated on safety measures and changes to guidance relating to COVID-19. This ensured that all those who live and work at the home understood how to reduce the risk of catching the virus.

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The safety of children

Ineffective matching has caused some instability in the home. The admission of children as part of emergency placements negatively affected the quality of children’s relationships with each other. The newly admitted children did not settle and subsequently had their placements ended.

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The safety of children

There was a recent increase in bullying incidents between children. Bullying was quickly identified by staff and led to the ending of placements to ensure the majority of children were protected from any further similar behaviours.

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The safety of children

The number of occasions when children have gone missing in recent months has increased. In all cases, staff followed missing-from-care procedures, kept in touch with the children concerned and, in some instances, and where appropriate, followed at a safe distance to encourage their safe return. Assurance visit report: SC060545 3 There has been an increase in the number of incidents, the use of physical restraint and police call-outs in recent months. Staff managed these situations appropriately, although, the recording of restraint does not always capture the specific behaviours that led to the restraint or the actions taken by staff. There is, however, evidence that managers maintain oversight, and provide debriefs and appropriate support for children and staff following these events.

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The safety of children

The quality of risk assessments and behaviour management plans is variable. Risk assessments do not fully consider the impact of children’s challenging behaviour on each other or the ability of staff to manage it. Behaviour management plans do not outline strategies to help individual children manage their behaviour and emotions.

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The safety of children

There has been one allegation against a staff member relating to restraint. The registered manager was present during the restraint and acted appropriately to de- escalate the situation. The designated officer for the local authority in which the home is situated reported that the registered manager sought advice appropriately and said they had no concerns about the management of allegations.

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The safety of children

Children are supported by staff to appropriately discuss issues concerning equality and diversity and to gain a better understanding about significant events. This includes talking to staff about world events that focus on human rights, such as the Black Lives Matter protests in London.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has been in post since August 2019. She is committed to improving outcomes for children and in the development of her staff. The registered manager and staff stated that they are uncomfortable about having externally monitored CCTV in staff offices and noted that this has impacted on positive staff culture.

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Leaders and managers

Managers and staff care about the children they look after. However, they do not always demonstrate that decisions are made in the best interests of children. An example of this is when the registered individual wanted to ensure that there was more than one new admission in a particular week.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has a strong focus on training for staff and children. Staff and children received appropriate training including on concerns related to gangs and gang culture, and bullying. Staff received training that was relevant and specific to meeting the needs of the children, such as caring for those with diabetes and medication management training.

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Leaders and managers

Feedback regarding the quality of communication between the home and external care professionals is mixed. Feedback indicated that it is often difficult to catch up with staff, however, when communication does take place it is good.

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Leaders and managers

Supervision records confirm that regular and reflective supervision takes place. Children, regardless of their behaviours, are held in positive regard by staff. Assurance visit report: SC060545 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring effective communication with placing authorities, parents and guardians. 23/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 23/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC060545 5 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring accurate records are kept relating to details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure, a description of the measure used and details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the use of the measure. 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 23/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC060545 6 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the need to effectively match children before they move into the home and the timing and impact of emergency placements on the existing children in the home.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 42 Stavordale Road, London N5 1NE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Noorjahan Gokool Hoota

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC060545 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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