Children's Home run by Jasper Education and Support Services Limited in Essex

Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to six children. The home offers care and support through therapeutic services to children who have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since October 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 8 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.

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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: 2546196 2

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The care of children

There are four children living at the home. One child has left the home since April 2020.

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The care of children

The children are generally happy and settled at the home. They enjoy spending time with the staff and have a warm and humorous rapport with them. Feedback from the children’s social workers confirms that the children benefit from the positive relationships with the staff.

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The care of children

The staff have provided fun activities and company and taken the children out during the COVID-19 period of restrictions. The children enjoy drives in the car, karaoke, games, walking and baking with the staff.

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The care of children

The staff encourage the children to express their views and support them in raising any concerns. The staff advocate strongly for children in maintaining their family relationships and representing their views in care planning. The staff support the children to continue relationships with their family members. This can involve significant travel. Family visits have been limited by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and replaced with telephone calls.

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The care of children

Children live in a well-appointed house with large pleasant bedrooms and quality furnishings. The house is comfortable and provides communal areas in which the children have ample space to distance from one another if they wish.

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The care of children

The children benefit from therapeutic support and regular therapy sessions. These therapeutic sessions help the children to learn how to manage their feelings and deal with their past experiences.

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The care of children

The staff have identified the children’s educational needs and worked with social workers and education providers to secure the right provision. The staff have met with numerous barriers. This has caused unacceptable delays for one child, who has not had any education provision for one year. The staff have recently applied to a vocational provision that captures the child’s specific interests. Two of the children attend school sporadically. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their attendance, the staff have been unable to get the children to see the benefits of attending school. One child engages with a tutor at the home intermittently. His placement was short term, and therefore a long-term solution to education has not been found. Overall, most of the children are not learning and have considerable amounts of unstructured time.

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The safety of children

The children continue to take some risks; however, these are reducing. Risk- management plans include the latest incidents and guide the staff on the levels of supervision required and how best to reduce the identified risks. Generally, risk- taking behaviours are managed well with good follow up from the staff and support agencies. Children with substance-misuse concerns are guided by staff, drug support Assurance visit report: 2546196 3 workers and the local police community support officer. The staff search children’s bedrooms and follow children when they leave the home if there are drug concerns. The staff’s interventions reduce the likelihood of substances at the home posing a risk to the other children. The staff work well with therapists, social workers and substance-misuse agencies to ensure a consistent approach is provided to the children.

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The safety of children

The responsible individual has investigated complaints without delay and discussed the outcomes with children. There have been several safeguarding incidents. During one serious incident, the staff failed to follow the safeguarding procedure. This incident was not reported until the following morning. Although the children were supported and supervised, the manager was not made aware of the incident until the next day. This delayed the necessary safeguarding referrals and could have compromised the following investigation.

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The safety of children

The staff team is working on a more consistent approach to children’s monetary allowances and behavioural incentives. This has improved since the manager and responsible individual have reviewed the incentive scheme. These allowances have been aligned to support children to develop a better understanding in preparation for adulthood. This shows good managerial oversight of the behaviour management and incentive strategy.

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Leaders and managers

The manager was appointed in October 2020. In the short time since taking up the post, she has been unable to address all the shortfalls that were identified at the last inspection. Therefore, several of these shortfalls have been raised again. The responsible individual has maintained a consistent presence at the home while the manager prioritises these areas.

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Leaders and managers

The responsible individual has supported the manager and staff to make some positive changes. These changes have resulted in some difficulties as the staff and the children adjust to new ways of working. The COVID-19 pandemic has added to these challenges. However, the manager, the deputy manager and responsible individual make a strong and united senior management team. Collectively, these leaders are committed to improving the children’s experiences and quality of the care provided.

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Leaders and managers

The manager advocates actively for the children and reviews care planning and staff practice. This oversight ensures that the combination of therapeutic input and care work meets the children’s individual needs.

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Leaders and managers

The manager’s capacity to monitor and review systems has been limited while more immediate shortfalls are being addressed. Consequently, the manager’s review of care has not been sent to Ofsted.

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Leaders and managers

The responsible individual takes decisive action when required. Any concerns about staff practice have been addressed promptly. Despite this action, Ofsted has not Assurance visit report: 2546196 4 always been notified of allegations about some of the staff. However, the investigations are thorough and have led to changes to staffing, specific support for staff and training. This helps the staff to learn from their mistakes and build on their experiences. The staff receive regular supervision that is meaningful and encourages reflective practice.

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(x)) 31 January 2020

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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.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)) 31 December Assurance visit report: 2546196 5 This specifically relates to the staff reporting safeguarding concerns without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 31 December

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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 six months.

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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. (Regulation 45 (1) (4)(b)) 31 December

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Jasper Education and Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 The Green, Wanstead, London E11 2NT

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Inspector

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2546196 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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Inspector

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