Children's Home, Residential special school run by St Elizabeth’s Centre in Hertfordshire

Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a large charitable organisation, provides care for up to 52 children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The home caters for children aged five to 19 who have complex medical needs, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy and associated learning disabilities. The home consists of seven individual houses. The children attend St Elizabeth’s School, which is on the same site.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 28 January 2020

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

p.1

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).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

p.1

Information about this visit

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

p.1

Information about this visit

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

p.1

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: 2495377 2

p.1

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.

p.2

The care of children

The staff have positive and trusting relationships with the children. During lockdown, the children enjoyed spending time at the home. They have enjoyed the extensive garden and grounds safely. The staff provided many imaginative activities, like open- air cinema nights, a summer parade and den making. These activities have enabled the children to spend constructive time together and build supportive relationships.

p.2

The care of children

The staff adapted the children’s routines to maintain their education at the home. Staff used different communication aids to help the children to understand these changes and keep them updated about COVID-19. This has helped the children to keep themselves safe and feel confident about returning to school.

p.2

The care of children

Feedback from parents is very positive. Parents said that the staff have built relationships with them and gained their trust. The staff regularly provide weekly updates and make time to speak with parents.

p.2

The care of children

The staff encourage the children to spend time with their families. They have used technology and created a marquee for visitors in the grounds of the home. This has meant safer opportunities for children and their families to spend time together.

p.2

The care of children

The staff continue to ensure that the children’s health needs are met. The on-site multidisciplinary health team has continued, through the COVID-19 pandemic, to meet children’s needs well. This means that the children’s mental health and well- being are promoted.

p.2

The care of children

Children’s participation is not strongly prioritised by the staff. The staff do not use house meetings or key-work sessions to fully explore the children’s wishes or feelings. This means that children are not always given the opportunity to express themselves.

p.2

The safety of children

The staff provide high levels of supervision due to the children’s complex needs and specific vulnerabilities. For some children, the use of physical intervention is necessary to keep them safe.

p.2

The safety of children

The staff use praise and mediation to encourage the children to be kind to one another and make positive choices. The children are, therefore, able to learn from behavioural incidents. Assurance visit report: 2495377 3 The staff know the children well. Behaviour management plans are clear and risk assessments inform the staff of the action to take to reduce the risks. The children’s support plans guide the staff in meeting the individual needs of the children. However, not all children’s records are clear. On occasions, some records such as measures of control are illegible. This makes effective monitoring difficult.

p.2

The safety of children

The staff communicate effectively with each other. They share information and have built a strong team-work ethic. This practice helps them to provide consistent and stable care for the children.

p.3

The safety of children

Safeguarding matters have not always been managed appropriately. Following an allegation about a member of staff, the internal investigation records did not provide enough detail on the decision-making outcome. The member of staff’s supervisor did not follow up on all avenues of enquiry, nor did she undertake reflective staff supervision to explore the learning from this incident.

p.3

The safety of children

On occasion, the staff did not undertake weekly fire checks in one of the houses in line with the home’s policy. This meant that faults with bedroom doors closing were not identified. The manager addressed this at the time of the visit.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager and the senior management team are working together to make improvements to the home. The manager is committed to raising the quality of care that the children receive. She is developing new ways of developing staff performance. This has motivated the staff to continue to work together to make these improvements.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager has taken steps to address the shortfalls found at the last inspection. However, further requirements have been raised.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Staff supervision is not consistently effective. The manager has failed to ensure that supervision reflects staff practice and the needs of the children. One member of staff’s concerns were not actioned, with clear outcomes not recorded by the supervisor. Consequently, an opportunity was missed to support this member of staff and ensure that they felt listened to.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The external monitoring system requires improvement. The independent person’s visits have taken place virtually during the lockdown period. The visitor, however, has not sought the children’s views during this time or considered their experiences. There is no clear opinion from the independent person on the children’s well-being and safety at the home. Therefore, this monitoring is an ineffective safeguarding measure.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The location risk assessment is not responsive to recent safeguarding incidents and local data about the area. This fails to ensure that all staff are aware of risks associated with the home’s location. Assurance visit report: 2495377 4 The internal monitoring reports lack analysis of the strengths and areas of improvement for the home. The manager has not incorporated feedback from children and staff into future actions. This limits the use of the report as a tool to measure progress made.

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.4

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.4

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(iii)) 30/11/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 30/12/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must implement a policy which—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. 02/11/2020 Assurance visit report: 2495377 5 The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the records demonstrate the rationale of the decision-making.

p.5

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.5

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(4)(a)(b)) 30/12/2020

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20). In particular, ensure that the staff undertake weekly fire checks in line with the home’s policy.  The registered person is responsible for ensuring Staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location

p.5

Recommendations

and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the Assurance visit report: 2495377 6 home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Elizabeth’s Centre

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Provincialate, 29 Tite Street, Middlesex SW3 4JX

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sister Veronica Hagen

p.6

Inspectors

Natalie Burton, Social Care Inspector Leemya McKeown, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2495377 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.

p.6

Inspectors

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.

p.7

Inspectors

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 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.7

Inspectors

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

p.7

Inspectors

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

p.7