Children's Home run by Shalamar Children Limited in Essex

Assurance visit report: SC475088 1 SC475088

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider runs this home for up to four children who cannot live at their family home or in a foster placement. The statement of purpose says that the home offers an attachment-related focus to children’s care. The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2020 and is currently working towards an appropriate qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 14 January 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in 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:

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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.

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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: SC475088 2

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The care of children

At the time of this assurance visit, four children were living at the home. No children have moved in or out of the home since 1 April 2020.

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The care of children

The staff and managers have supported children to cope during the restrictions due to COVID-19. The children benefited from a good range of activities during the national lockdown period.

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The care of children

Children said that they get on well with the staff. They feel that the staff care about them. The children were positive about their experiences of living at the home and said that they have made progress since moving in.

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The care of children

Feedback from professionals was consistently very positive. Two independent reviewing officers commended the home’s approach to including children in reviews. Professionals spoke of children making good progress. A health professional said, ‘They have offered extensive support to address his health issues and [child] is making progress, which has not been achieved in previous placements.’

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The care of children

The manager has strong relationships with the children’s schools. Positive, problem- solving discussions have led to improvement in children’s attendance and engagement at school. One child spoke of how the staff have helped him to resolve issues with his school and how things are now better.

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The care of children

One child’s risk assessment incorporates advice from health professionals. However, the risk assessment itself has not been shared with health professionals. This is a missed opportunity to provide additional assurance that health risks are shared and appropriately managed.

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The safety of children

There have been very few incidents of restraint at the home. The staff support children’s behaviour through positive reinforcement and reward. One child said that the staff have made a real difference in helping him to manage his anger.

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The safety of children

There have been only a few incidents of children going missing from the home. When this does happen, there is good communication between the staff and the placing local authority. One child said that the staff were kind and supportive when he returned from being missing.

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The safety of children

The manager oversees the completion of risk assessments. These are lengthy documents. They include generic risks that are not directly linked to the individual child, while, in one instance, omitting risks that are relevant. This does not ensure that risk assessments provide clear guidance for staff.

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The safety of children

The staff understand how to raise concerns about the conduct of colleagues. However, the whistle-blowing policy is not clear about who the staff should contact if there are concerns about a senior manager. The senior managers are all related and Assurance visit report: SC475088 3 the absence of clear, explicit guidance on who staff should contact does not mitigate the associated risk.

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Leaders and managers

The staff were positive about working at the home. They said they feel well supported and managed.

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Leaders and managers

The requirements made at the interim inspection have been addressed, for example the staff have received training in managing child exploitation. This has included online training and external providers delivering a session to some staff. A more proactive relationship has developed with placing local authorities. Managers actively chase for return home interviews for children who have been missing. This ensures opportunities to explore the triggers for children going missing.

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Leaders and managers

Following some medication errors, the management team undertook a review of medication administration. This was a positive exercise that took a systems approach to the issue. However, one action resulted in a decision to use a variation of secondary dispensing. This has not been formally risk assessed and conflicts with the home’s own policy.

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Leaders and managers

Case records are not consistently good enough. Records are mostly handwritten and, on occasions, can be hard to decipher. Incident reports are made up of several different documents, some of which are unsigned and undated, with no clear overview of incidents being recorded.

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Leaders and managers

The staff have access to a range of training opportunities. There is good take-up of this training for permanent and bank staff. All permanent staff have had supervisions in October and November 2020. This ensures that they have appropriate support.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. In particular, review and risk assess any decision to use secondary dispensing. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that risk assessments are clear, up to date, accurately reflect the risks for the individual child and are shared with appropriate professionals. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should include information about whistle blowing as part of the policies for protection of children. In particular, take into account familial relationships and who the staff should contact if there are concerns about a senior manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15) Assurance visit report: SC475088 4  The registered person should ensure that records are clear, accurate, signed and dated. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Shalamar Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31B King Street, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex SS17 0HJ

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC475088 5 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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