Children's home run by Gordon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 1

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Gordon Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with learning disabilities or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home’s statement of purpose clearly states that the home will only admit children with a similar level of need as the children currently living at the home. This home was registered with Ofsted in September 2020. The manager was registered at the same time.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken both on and off site. The inspector examined documents and spoke with a child and staff members. There was also a tour of the premises. This visit was prompted by a safeguarding notification and the need to check the actions from the registration visit, and to follow up on concerns about the quality of the independent visitor’s reports.

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This monitoring visit

The child currently living at the home expressed their complete satisfaction with the home and could not identify anything which could be further improved. Their parent described the home as ‘very good’ and praised staff for going ‘above and beyond’. Social workers spoken to were also supportive of the care given at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been successful in helping the child develop a trusting relationship with them. It is commendable that this level of trust has been extended to the professional network, as the child is now actively seeking their support. Staff highlighted the positive changes made by this child, which include a respectful attitude and an understanding that staff want the best for them.

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This monitoring visit

Staff help the child to develop their independent living skills, including in cooking, cleaning, shopping and doing their personal laundry. The child benefits from a befriender, a tutor and the provision of personal training. An ongoing concern is the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 2 child’s wish to sleep-in late and their reluctance to engage in education and other structured, purposeful activities.

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This monitoring visit

Staff encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle and provide activities such as boxing and access to an on-site gym. Healthy eating is not promoted sufficiently, with little challenge to a child who prefers to eat takeaways. There was also no evidence of staff helping the child to address their dependence on nicotine and to understand the negative effects of cannabis and alcohol use.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not undertake work to educate children about healthy sexual activity and personal relationships. This is a deficit that staff and managers should address. Most of the staff’s time has been spent building up a trusting relationship with the child living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers demonstrate a very caring attitude and are prioritising the child’s emotional needs. They have some understanding of contextual safeguarding and the protective factors needed to safeguard this child. Risk assessments, however, do not include actions required against all identified risks, for example setting fires and self-harm.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are strong advocates for children, and they have a strong desire to provide a child-centred service. They have access to experts in their field to assist with compliance and independent monitoring. Monthly independent monitoring reports are generally constructive; however, they do not provide a clear statement to confirm whether children are safeguarded, and their well-being is promoted.

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This monitoring visit

The home is clean and comfortable, with concerns highlighted during the initial registration visit addressed. A few items, however, were not in keeping with a modern and well-maintained home. The carpets in two bedrooms had stains and iron burn marks. A burnt chair was found in a vacant bedroom and the child had also broken their wardrobe door. These issues are being addressed by the provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement n/a n/a n/a Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 3

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 1 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies; 1 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 4 participate in activities that the child enjoys, and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 1 March 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should help children to understand, and where necessary work to change, negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being, such as nutrition and diet, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child. In particular, risk assessments must include all identified risks, such as self-harming and setting fires. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that they provide a homely, domestic environment. In particular, this relates to addressing the stains and iron burns in

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Recommendations

the carpets, the broken wardrobe door and the burnt chair in bedrooms. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since registration with Ofsted.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gordon Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 St Albans Grove, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 1ND

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Moya Marshall-Skouras

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594218 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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