Children's home run by Ownlife Residential Limited in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 1 SC483779 Registered provider: Ownlife Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children aged between 12 and 17 at the point of admission who experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home’s statement of purpose states that the children who are referred to the home are likely to have experienced trauma and/or a number of previous placement breakdowns.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since 2014.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Sectary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2019 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good 30/11/2017 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have worked in the home for several years and remain enthused and committed to the care and support they provide for children. This continuity provides a level of stability and consistency of care that the children have not previously experienced in other placements. A child said, ‘l have lived in a number of placements, and for the first time in my life l am experiencing what it is like to live somewhere l can call my home.’ This unwavering belief that the manager and the staff have their best interests at heart was mirrored in conversations with all the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from warm and trusting relationships with staff. They feel that they can talk to staff about anything, including any worries or concerns. They are confident that the staff will take these seriously and support them. Children said, ‘The staff respect us, and we give them the same respect. They support us in everything that we do.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children describe feeling included in decision-making about themselves and their home. Staff have supported children to have a voice in all aspects of their lives. An example of this is a child asking an independent reviewing officer to stop the meeting as he did not understand some of the words used when speaking about him. Another child has been confident in asking managers if he can continue to be supported by his key worker when he moves on to semi-independent living. This request has been granted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made significant progress in all aspects of their lives, in line with their relevant plans. However, while children are largely in agreement with such plans, they are not always signed by the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to engage in education and training. They receive support in the home, particularly where challenges are faced or there are barriers to their engagement. There is evidence of good and robust communication with children’s education providers. Children are also demonstrating that they understand the importance of education/training for their futures and are exploring career paths. For example, a child has applied for a number of apprenticeship schemes in construction, and another child has successfully gained a place at sixth-form college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are generally in good health. Clear boundaries and expectations have enabled children to have better routines and they are becoming healthier. This includes ceasing smoking and alcohol use and eating healthier.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals are also extremely positive about the progress that children have made since moving into the home. A social worker said about her child, ‘He has been able to form meaningful relationships in placement with carer givers that he has been able to invest himself in for the first time.’ Placements are stable, with placing Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 4 authorities agreeing that all of the children will continue to live in the home until they are 18 years old.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the children’s talents and interests, such as cooking, cake baking and political discussions. One of the children is becoming a skilled cake baker. Staff are proud of the children and their achievements, no matter how small.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s positive experiences in the home have a profound effect on reducing risk- taking behaviour. Children do not generally go missing from the home. Great effort is made within the home to make it a warm, friendly and inviting environment. This, alongside the positive relationships between staff and children, is proving to be exceptionally successful at helping to reduce any risk-taking behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff are innovative in the work they do with children. Staff create a variety of scenarios about keeping safe. This helps to enhance the children’s understanding of how to keep safe in the community and online.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are working sensitively and effectively with children to gradually increase a degree of age-appropriate, well-managed risk taking. This ensures that children are not prevented from having similar childhood experiences to their peers.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff design thorough risk assessment plans. These highlight the children’s individual needs and risks. Staff seek the children’s views and opinions on how best to help them to manage any frustrations and anxieties. These views are highlighted in each plan. Restraints and sanctions are not used in this home. There have been no incidents or complaints made by children in the home. The use of praise and rewards is proving to be successful and every achievement is celebrated.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are fully trained and aware of their responsibilities and duties to ensure that children are safe. Their in-depth knowledge of each child enables them to be aware of any early signs that the children are upset or distressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is inspirational and leads by example. The manager is supported by three experienced senior practitioners who assist in the running of the home. The management team has established a culture of positivity. The manager has excellent oversight of the home and uses internal and external auditing. However, the independent visitor’s reports are not received by Ofsted within mandatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff provide children with a secure base. They all have a good understanding of the progress that children are making. They are active champions who are invested in each child. This ensures that the children receive all that they are entitled to. A good example of this is a member of staff delaying her retirement to see her key- work child through to independence. Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 5 Staff describe the manager as ‘supportive’ and ‘understanding’. A member of staff said, ‘I believe the success we have with our children is in our consistency as a team in listening and encouraging our children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the home has remained fairly settled. The manager and staff have done well to support the children and manage any disruptions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is achieving its aims and objectives as staff provide the children with the right support and care. They ensure that children will move on from the home with improved chances of success and good outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 6

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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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent visitor’s report must be sent to HMCI in a timely manner. 30 June 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that children are supported to contribute to and have a say in their support plans. Where any child expresses unhappiness with their support plans, a record of the child’s response should be recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Legion House, 75 Lower Road, Kenley CR8 5NH

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Inspector

Juanita Mayers, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC483779 9 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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