Children's Home run by Solace Care Partners Limited in Enfield

Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The provider runs another children’s home, which is located next door.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since February 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Visit dates: 30 September to 1 October 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 13 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. Assurance visit report: 2503142 2

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The care of children

Young people experience safety, stability and positivity in their lives. They receive good-quality support from skilled and caring staff. Staff are able to meet young people’s needs and promote their identities.

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The care of children

Young people develop close relationships with staff members. They also continue to develop their relationships with family members and friends. When appropriate, staff help young people to return to the care of their families or to the area they come from.

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The care of children

Staff place great significance on young people’s education. They work closely with schools to support young people’s learning, celebrate young people’s achievements and help them to plan for a positive future.

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The care of children

Young people have opportunities to explore their interests and talents. Examples include young people engaging in photography, dance, music-making and gardening. This helps young people to develop their self-awareness and confidence.

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The care of children

Staff help young people to explore what equality and diversity mean for them. Staff talk with young people about justice and teach them how to express their views in safe and respectful ways. The progress that young people make in their ability to communicate more constructively has a positive impact on their overall development.

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The care of children

The home environment is of a high standard. However, the use of cameras inside the home undermines its homely feel and young people’s right to privacy in their own home.

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The safety of children

Staff have helped young people to turn their lives around, by assisting them to reduce their risky behaviours. Staff are committed to enhancing young people’s safety, even when young people’s engagement is limited and their progress is slow. The safeguarding culture is one of patience and tenacity, and collaboration with other professionals.

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The safety of children

The home’s positive environment helps young people to develop more constructive behaviours. Staff manage young people’s challenging behaviours without the need to use physical interventions or to request support from the police. There have been no assaults on staff, even where young people have had a history of violence.

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The safety of children

Staff understand the impact of neglect on young people and are able to support young people’s emotional welfare. Staff help young people to learn to regulate their difficult feelings and strong emotions. There have been no self-harming incidents at the home. Assurance visit report: 2503142 3 Staff talk to young people about risks to their safety and advise young people on how they can keep themselves safer. Staff encourage young people to have their say and develop ownership of their own risk management plans. Staff help young people who are at risk of sexual exploitation to understand their vulnerability and engage in healthy relationships.

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The safety of children

Staff share relevant information with professionals and are active participants at multi-disciplinary meetings. Staff champion young people’s rights and are prepared to challenge professionals to do their best for young people. For example, staff intervention has supported the increase in return-home interviews provided by the placing authority, when young people return after going missing from the home.

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The safety of children

Staff support young people at court hearings and work closely with the youth offending service to help steer young people away from crime. Although staff have a general awareness of the risks posed to young people by county lines, staff’s understanding of the context in which county lines operate and how criminal exploitation takes place is less evident.

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Leaders and managers

A new manager has been appointed and is applying to register with Ofsted. The home benefits from sharing supportive relationships with the children’s home located next door and that home’s registered manager. The responsible individual provides close oversight of the running of the setting.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers ensure that the focus of care is placed firmly on young people. The independent visitor understands the home’s ethos and communicates openly with the home about any areas for improvement. The monthly monitoring reports contribute to the home’s internal quality assurance processes and the development of more reflective practices.

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Leaders and managers

The home uses an efficient recording system that makes monitoring easy. This system constantly refers to the quality standards and the children’s homes regulations. Staff reported how helpful this is in enhancing their understanding of the legislative framework and what the quality standards mean in practice.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are interested in learning more about how to look after young people and enhancing their own professional development. They have access to comprehensive online training opportunities, which they said had been helpful during the lockdown period. Since the restrictions have been eased, staff have received face-to-face training on a number of relevant topics.

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Leaders and managers

The home has adapted well to the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic and has continued to improve. However, the frequency of staff supervision is inconsistent, and there is a lack of timeliness when making notifications to Ofsted.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders, managers and staff normally capture young people’s views well. Since the last inspection, a significant amount of work has been completed to provide Assurance visit report: 2503142 4 evidence that young people have a voice. However, the report on the six-monthly review of care does not capture the views of children, families, professionals or staff. As a result, the requirement related to this has been repeated.

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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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 01/03/2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 01/03/2021 Assurance visit report: 2503142 5 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12).

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Recommendations

Specifically, staff should have opportunities to gain better understanding of the links between county lines, child criminal exploitation and the National Referral Mechanism.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2).

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Recommendations

Specifically, staff should have formal supervision on a regular basis.  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in Assurance visit report: 2503142 6 response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.12).

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace Care Partners Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Solace Care Partners Ltd, 8th Floor, Wentworth House, 350 Eastern Avenue, Ilford, Essex IG2 6NW

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Inspector

Seka Graovac, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2503142 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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