Children's home run by Children Assisted in a Real Environment Ltd in Hammersmith and Fulham

Assurance visit report: SC063219 1 SC063219

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to five children. In the statement of purpose, the provider states that the home provides care for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since February 2013. The registered manager is also the manager of another of the provider’s three homes.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 17 December 2019

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Improved 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. 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.

p.1

Findings from the visit

Assurance visit report: SC063219 2 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

Children have made good progress and generally have trusting relationships with staff. Social workers report good progress by children and very good relationships with staff. One social worker described the home as demonstrating ‘stickability’ to a child that struggled to form relationships. This has allowed the child to make mistakes, learn from them and develop meaningful relationships.

p.2

The care of children

Children are encouraged to keep in touch with family. During lockdown, children were able to stay in touch with families virtually. Once lockdown measures eased, staff supported children to have face-to-face family time, where possible, making use of the garden.

p.2

The care of children

Children’s views are generally well supported, listened to and acted upon. Where children do not agree with their care plans or have concerns about their siblings or care, staff ensure that children have access to advocacy services.

p.2

The care of children

Children made good progress with attending education following the reopening of schools. Where return to a classroom setting has not been possible, staff have advocated tenaciously for educational support.

p.2

The care of children

Children have access to specialist help to support good mental health. Children were often reluctant to engage with appointments. However, staff have effectively supported children to attend and engage in their virtual child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) appointments.

p.2

The safety of children

Children know how to make complaints about the care they receive. There was one complaint and one allegation made since April. The allegation was managed within this complaint. However, allegation against staff procedures were not followed. The home did not seek advice or refer the matter to the designated officer.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of criminal and sexual exploitation and managed missing episodes well. Return-home interviews were consistently requested, and relevant information had been shared with involved professionals. Children who went missing were supported to self-isolate on their return and this, over time, helped with reducing missing episodes.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff followed government guidance on COVID-19 in keeping children safe through the changing phases of the pandemic. Children are provided with their personal protection kits for any journey outside the home and staff have regularly encouraged children to follow guidance and keep safe. Assurance visit report: SC063219 3 Self-harm incidents are generally managed well. However, when staff were made aware of new information relating to risks around self-harm, these were not explored further. Managers and leaders were not aware of these potential risk factors and risk assessments were not updated.

p.2

The safety of children

Incidents resulting in police call outs are proportionate and reasonable. Staff dealt with concerning episodes where children, on separate occasions, spat and coughed in their faces. There were no restraints during this reporting period.

p.3

The safety of children

There has been an increase in the use of sanctions to manage behaviour. The sanctions used do not appear to be effective in managing or changing low-level behaviour. Children feel the use of sanctions are excessive and repetitive. There does not appear to be a review of the effectiveness of the use of sanctions, nor is there evidence that children are involved in the discussions around the sanction.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The home is managed by an experienced manager who also manages one other children’s home. The registered manager is supported in her duties at this home by a deputy manager who is due to leave the service. The manager is currently recruiting for this vacancy.

p.3

Leaders and managers

All staff aspire to achieve positive outcomes for children. Staff, leaders and managers establish and maintain positive partnerships with professionals. Communication is effective and consistent.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The quality and frequency of staff supervision requires improvement and does not take place in line with the home’s statement of purpose of four- to six-weekly for established staff and two-weekly for new staff. Supervision is not evidenced as reflective and does not always review key matters.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Leaders and the manager decided to not schedule team meetings during the lockdown period and after lockdown measures eased. This has meant that group supervision, which the home identifies as a function of team meetings, has not taken place since March 2020. This has also impacted on reviewing patterns of behaviour and providing a mechanism for group support during the pandemic.

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 Assurance visit report: SC063219 4 ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risks are fully explored and effectively managed to reduce risk; and that risk assessments are updated to reflect new information. 20/04/2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and 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 20/04/2021 Assurance visit report: SC063219 5 sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that allegations are reported at the earliest opportunity and clear and concise records are kept.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person is to ensure that supervision and development for all staff takes place in a 20/04/2021 Assurance visit report: SC063219 6 way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

p.5

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Recommendations

 Regulation 35 requires each home to prepare and implement a behaviour management policy. This policy should describe the home’s approach to promoting positive behaviour and the measures of control, discipline, and restraint which may be used in the home. These measures should be set in the context of building positive relationships with children. The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. This relates to the effective use of sanctions to manage behaviour. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraphs 9.33 and 9.34)

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Children Assisted in a Real Environment (care) Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 144 Old Oak Road, London W3 7HF

p.6

Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC063219 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

Inspector

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 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

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

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7