Children's Home run by Kattz (YH) Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the post on 12 February 2020. A new manager started in post on 25 July 2020, but resigned with immediate effect on 5 August 2020. Another manager has since started in post and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 11 November 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. 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: 2536455 2

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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

At the time of this assurance visit, two young people were living at the home, one of whom moved in the day before the visit. Two young people moved out of the home in September 2020, with one young person returning to his family and another moving as planned to the provider’s sister home.

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The care of children

Managers and staff work hard to support young people to continue to spend time with people who are important to them. This support included enabling visits from families to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This has been very important for the young people. For one young person, the maintenance of important relationships has contributed significantly to a successful return to the family home.

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The care of children

The staff and managers have supported young people to have interesting things to do as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have eased. These include activities such as kayaking and a trip to Splash World.

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The care of children

The staff worked with the young people to help them understand the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The staff supported young people to watch the government’s daily briefings. As a result, the young people developed an understanding of the restrictions and the ways in which they can reduce the risk of infection.

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The care of children

The staff have supported the young people to continue to access education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For one young person, this engagement resulted in significant improvements in his writing skills. Another young person has recently been enrolled in college and has started a part-time job.

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The safety of children

There have been no restraints recorded since the monitoring visit in July 2020. The staff manage behaviour without routine recourse to physical interventions.

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The safety of children

All permanent staff have had face-to-face physical intervention training. The staff reinforce positive behaviour through rewards.

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The safety of children

Since the monitoring visit, there have been very few episodes of young people going missing from the home. On the two occasions when this has occurred, the young people went missing for very short periods of time.

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The safety of children

When concerns about a friend of a young person living at the home were identified, managers responded appropriately to these. Assurance visit report: 2536455 3 Risk assessments are not consistently good enough. For example, the lone working risk assessment fails to consider the experience of staff. The impact risk assessment for a new young person fails to consider clear and predictable risks. Managers accept the need to improve this process and additional risk assessments are being developed to manage and mitigate the risks arising.

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Leaders and managers

A new manager is in place. He has applied to Ofsted for registration. He is supported by a group manager and the responsible individual.

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Leaders and managers

There have been significant staffing changes at the home since the last full inspection, with the whole staff team having changed in less than a year. As a result, the staff team is inexperienced. All permanent staff are on probation, with the majority having been in post for three months or less. Only one member of staff outside of the management team has the necessary level 3 qualification. This has led to inexperienced staff lone working.

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Leaders and managers

The management team has addressed several of the requirements that were raised at the last inspection and the subsequent monitoring visit. Consequently:

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Leaders and managers

 the quality of general records has improved  the statement of purpose has been updated and submitted to Ofsted  recruitment checks have been more thorough  notifications have been submitted to Ofsted  the location risk assessment has been updated.

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Leaders and managers

However, risks identified in the location risk assessment were not reflected in the impact risk assessment or missing-from-home risk assessment for a new young person.

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Leaders and managers

An independent person visits the home. During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the management team enabled the visitor to remotely access records of her choice. The visits have recommenced in person.

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Leaders and managers

The staff have access to training. This has been a combination of online and face-to- face training. Recently, senior managers have provided new staff with face-to-face induction training. This was a positive action, although it is too soon to reliably establish the impact of this.

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Leaders and managers

One new member of staff has not achieved a relevant level 3 qualification within the required timescale. However, a plan is in place to enrol this person now that they are employed at the home. Assurance visit report: 2536455 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) In particular, ensure that impact and associated risk assessments are comprehensive and that risk assessments relating to lone working consider the experience of the staff involved. 31/10/2020

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 31/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. 31/08/2021 Assurance visit report: 2536455 5 The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-

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Requirement Due date

time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) Assurance visit report: 2536455 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Station Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 3BQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kofoworola Ibitoye

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2536455 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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