Children's Home, Residential special school run by Wandsworth Borough Council in Wandsworth

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 1 SC470513

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Wandsworth Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority-run service, which provides care and accommodation for up to 56 children with autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities and associated conditions. The registered children’s home is on the same site as the organisation’s school and is comprised of separate individual houses so that children live in smaller groups. It accommodates children for short breaks and for placements of 38 and 52 weeks of the year.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 10 June 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Following Ofsted’s receipt of safeguarding notifications since the last monitoring visit in December 2020, including notification of a medication error, this monitoring visit was used to review and evaluate whether children are being safeguarded effectively.

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This monitoring visit

In accordance with COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, this visit was undertaken remotely. Off-site activities included telephone and video interviews with staff and children and the reading of relevant documents.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders failed to take decisive action following an allegation that a staff member had physically harmed a child. The decision for the staff member to move to work in another home was made without this being sufficiently risk assessed by leaders. The potential risks for children were exacerbated by the significant time delays by leaders to complete an internal investigation. This increased the potential risks posed to children and did not protect the staff member from further allegations. On this occasion, senior leaders did not follow their own policy and procedures to safeguard children; nor did they inform the child’s parents and social worker in a timely way. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 2 The inspector identified examples of restrictive measures that include the practice of staff holding doors to prevent children from leaving the room. Such practice is

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This monitoring visit

unnecessary and potentially harmful for children’s emotional welfare. The records of such use are not always clear. For example, the duration is not always explicitly recorded, and the rationale for such practice is not clearly captured in the children’s plans. These omissions hinder the registered manager’s ability to monitor and analyse these incidents. Staff do record their observations of the child’s response after an incident, but the attempts by the registered manager, or an authorised person, to gain the child’s views verbally or by observation are not consistently recorded. Consequently, there is a failure by leaders to identify and challenge this practice and to consider what this means about the culture of the home.

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This monitoring visit

More broadly, the children’s views are sought at community council meetings. A formal method of seeking and recording each child’s individual views is being devised but is not currently in place. This shortfall was identified at the previous inspection, with a recommendation made. Its significance is heightened by the findings of this current inspection, with further examples of the failure of leaders to capture the children’s views about their experiences of their care. Consequently, the previous recommendation to improve this critical aspect is escalated to a requirement.

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This monitoring visit

A medication error was identified and reported appropriately to external professionals. The outcome of the internal investigation was shared with the wider professional network and arising actions were responded to swiftly. A qualified nurse has been appointed to oversee the children’s health needs, train staff and monitor and develop the administration of medication, with the intention to minimise the risk of reoccurrence.

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This monitoring visit

The managers of the individual houses have completed development plans to identify any areas for improvement. During this process, a manager raised concerns about the consistency of staffing and the redeployment of staff to other houses were identified. Senior leaders have not formally responded to the concerns raised, to ensure that any actions taken have been evidenced. This example, combined with the findings about restrictive practices, raises concerns about the focus, reliability and impact of senior leaders’ monitoring.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/12/2019 Full Good 11/03/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Inadequate 29/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 4 the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5(d))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(vi)(vii)) 3 May 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 5 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 5 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)(c))

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to explore potential safeguarding concerns, following information received by Ofsted since the home’s last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wandsworth Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: London Borough of Wandsworth, Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC470513 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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