Children's Home run by Jasmine Gardens Private Limited in Hertfordshire

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides long-term care for up to two children who have behavioural, emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left on 18 September 2020. A new manager has been in post since September 2020 and is currently registering with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 6 January 2020

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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: 2526987 2

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The care of children

Two children lived at the home during the time of the COVID-19 national lockdown. One child moved on and another child moved in and then moved on. One child was living at the home at the time of this visit.

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The care of children

The staff and children worked together to plan activities at the home. The children have benefited from the clear, structured routines that staff have incorporated into the children’s daily living. This has helped the children to feel safe.

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The care of children

One child remained at their family home throughout the national lockdown period. The staff supported the other child to keep in touch with the people who are important to them. This child spoke with family and friends via telephone and video calling. Once the lockdown restrictions were lifted, the staff put a risk assessment in place to support the child and parent to have face-to-face visits safely.

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The care of children

Staff understand the importance of children’s education. They supported one child to attend virtual lessons and to complete all the work that was set by the school. The child went on to start college in September 2020.

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The care of children

Placement support the staff to work well with the children. However, contact plans and health plans are not informative enough to ensure that the staff are fully up to date with current information.

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The care of children

Staff listen to and act on children’s wishes and feelings. Children have been involved in the redecoration of the house and personalisation of their rooms.

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The safety of children

The staff have helped the children to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. Consequently, the children feel safe and secure.

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The safety of children

The staff continue to safeguard the children. Comprehensive risk assessments and behaviour plans are regularly reviewed and updated after an incident. This helps the staff to understand children’s risks and how to minimise them.

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The safety of children

Episodes of children going missing from home and unwanted behaviours have decreased. However, return home interviews are not completed by an independent person. There is a lack of evidence to show that the staff encourage the relevant professionals to provide these interviews. Consequently, opportunities to understand the triggers for behaviour and potential concerns that may have arisen while children are away from the home are missed.

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The safety of children

The children know how to complain. There has been one complaint from a child and parent. This was investigated appropriately by the manager and both the child and parent were informed of the outcome in writing. Assurance visit report: 2526987 3 The location risk assessment does not include enough detail about the location of the home, the risks and how these can be reduced. Furthermore, there is a lack of information from other agencies to inform the assessment and provide clarity on local factors and influences.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager left the position on 18 September 2020. There was a planned handover period with the new manager, which has helped to ensure a smooth transition. The new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Leaders and managers

The children benefit from being looked after by a stable staff team. Partnership working between the manager and external professionals has been effective and information is shared promptly. This contributes to consistent care for children.

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Leaders and managers

Comprehensive monitoring is in place. The independent visitor’s reports are detailed, and the manager and staff use these to develop the home. Regular, good-quality supervision enables the staff to work effectively with the children and helps staff to develop their practice.

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Leaders and managers

The staff have undertaken safeguarding training. Due to the pandemic, not all staff have been able to undertake or refresh physical restraint training. This lack of training has been risk assessed, so that staff whose training has lapsed do not restrain children.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has met the four requirements and two of the recommendations from the last inspection. One recommendation is restated.

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to— 06/01/2021 Assurance visit report: 2526987 4 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the children’s health plans contain relevant information.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that contact arrangements are accurately recorded in the child’s plan. 06/01/2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should, when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, ensure that the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and the premises of the home should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. In particular, use information from external agencies to inform the location risk assessment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including

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Recommendations

the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Assurance visit report: 2526987 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Jasmine Gardens Private Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Talent Chirandure

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2526987 6 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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