Children's home run by Ivory Cottage Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 1 Registered provider: Ivory Cottage Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between eight- and 17-years-old. The home offers care to children with complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered managers post is currently vacant. The responsible individual currently has day-to-day responsibility for the home.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 14 January 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 2 The provider confirmed its intention to close the home for a period in September 2020 to improve its physical environment and to address concerns about staff culture and turnover. Ofsted completed a monitoring visit on 14 January 2021 to review the notice of the decision to vary the conditions of registration to carry on a children’s home. The inspector found that the home was ready for children to live in. Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 4

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inadequate

One young person was living in the home at the time of the inspection. This is the only young person to have been admitted to the home since it reopened in January 2021.

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inadequate

The young person does not have trusted and secure relationships with the majority of the staff. This means that she is unable to develop a sense of belonging to her home. The young person told the inspector, ‘I only get on with two members of staff. Most of the staff don’t know me or make an effort to know me. Some staff just sit in the office or sit around and don’t talk to me.’ These experiences are likely to have had a detrimental effect on this young person’s welfare.

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inadequate

The majority of the staff has been unsuccessful in engaging the young person. This affects her progress. For example, the young person is supposed to complete one and a half hours of education each day. However, she has not engaged in education for a significant period. Staff seem resigned to this. In addition, staff do not consistently provide the young person with alternative educational activities when she refuses to complete the planned education.

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inadequate

Managers and staff have not taken the necessary steps to meet the young person’s emotional health needs. For example, a psychological assessment recommended that the young person needed specialist support. This support has not been put in place.

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inadequate

The young person has expressed an interest in religion. However, staff have not supported her to explore this. In addition, the young person told the inspector that some staff had made disparaging comments about her religion of choice. This practice is likely to have had a negative effect on the young person’s sense of identity and self-esteem.

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

Staff do not take effective steps to manage the risks that young people are exposed to. The inspector was shown content on the young person’s laptop which was concerning. This included contact between the young person and unknown individuals. In addition, a message posted by the young person raised serious concerns about her mental well-being due to her expressed suicidal thoughts. Staff had not taken the necessary steps to manage these risks or provide support to the young person. Furthermore, staff did not escalate this matter to the manager or inform the young person’s social worker. This demonstrates that staff do not have the skills to act decisively and to take effective action to protect young people. Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 5 The young person is considered to be at risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff do not consistently follow protocols to keep the young person safe. For example, staff are

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

directed to check the young person’s laptop and mobile phone three times a day. However, records show that staff fail to complete these checks as set out in the protocol. The responsible individual, the staff and the young person told the inspector that some staff do not follow the protocol. This means that this young person is not being safeguarded effectively and, consequently, is exposed to the risk of harm.

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

During one incident, the young person alleged that a member of staff touched her inappropriately. Staff did not follow safeguarding procedures, or record or escalate this matter to the appropriate people. As a result, it was not investigated by safeguarding agencies at the time of the allegation. The responsible individual took steps to address this shortfall when she became aware of the allegation several weeks later. This is a clear demonstration that young people are not being safeguarded effectively by staff within the home.

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

The responsible individual and the staff told the inspector that some staff have driven the young person to local areas at her request so that she can look at Asian males. Staff have not considered the motive or appropriateness of this. Staff’s poorly thought-through practice demonstrates that staff lack professional curiosity when considering the risks children may be exposed to.

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

Staff do not always give the young person guidance and advice about her behaviours and actions. This means that young people are not supported to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

The responsible individual, the staff and the young person’s social worker told the inspector that staff provide inconsistent and poorly thought-through care. For example, while some staff provide the young person with boundaries and structure, this is not consistent. The young person told the inspector, ‘Some staff don’t put in rules, I need rules.’

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

Bedroom door alarms are used in the home as a means to monitor the young person’s movements in the home at night. However, these arrangements are not subject to a risk assessment. As a result, the use of bedroom door alarms has not been reviewed to establish if they are necessary. During the inspection, the responsible individual told the inspector that the use of bedroom door alarms was not justified as the young person does not present a risk. This lack of oversight and review means that children experience unnecessary and restrictive practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management structures are ineffective. Two interim managers have recently resigned. The responsible individual currently has day-to-day responsibility for the home. This places significant additional demands on their role. As a result, Ofsted has concerns about her ability to provide the necessary standards of oversight and monitoring of the home. The responsible individual was not aware of some Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 6 significant shortfalls identified by the inspection, including the lack of action by staff to address concerns and to share information with relevant professionals. In addition, there has been a significant level of staff turnover. Some staff told the inspector that morale is poor. The young person told the inspector that some staff appear unhappy and disinterested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff lack the necessary knowledge and skills to provide safe and well-informed care. For example, the majority of the staff is not trained in the home’s behaviour management model. Staff were completing this training during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home does not currently have a manager. The responsible individual is currently in day-to-day charge of the home. She was not aware of the concerns in relation to the messages on the young person’s electronic devices. This means that there have been missed opportunities to take effective and timely action to respond to concerns about the young person’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider previously commissioned an independent investigation in response to a number of complaints that they received about staff culture and practice. However, the provider failed to action the recommendations arising from this investigation. This was a missed opportunity to strengthen the management structure and, in turn, provide the necessary oversight of staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following this inspection, Ofsted suspended the home’s registration. Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 7

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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

This relates to the need for staff to develop positive relationships with young people and to seek their views and involve them in decisions about their care. 21 June 2021

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 21 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 8 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;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for staff to provide a proactive and creative approach to ensure that young people consistently engage in education.

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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

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to seeking appropriate advice and treatment when young people require specialist mental health support. 21 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 9 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for staff to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to understand and manage the risks that they may be exposed to. 21 June 2021

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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

that staff— 21 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 10 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff understanding and implementing young people’s risk assessments, and the staff’s role in keeping young people safe, particularly with regards to risks of exploitation.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 21 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 11 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for leaders and managers to provide robust oversight of staff practice to ensure that it is consistent and in line with young people’s needs. In addition, this relates to the need for leaders and managers to take timely and effective action by embedding the recommendations arising from independent investigations.

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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: 2525831 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ivory Cottage Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sky Tax Accounting, 37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Caroline Wigmore

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Inspector

Gareth Leckey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2525831 13 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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