Children's home run by Champion Children Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 1 Registered provider: Champion Children 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 for up to four children. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that it provides care for children who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since June 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), 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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 2

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Inspection date

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 3

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improvement to be good

Some children make steady progress from their starting points, and their overall experiences are positive. However, this is not the case for all children. Weaknesses in the home’s matching process mean that some children’s needs are not well met, and they do not have good experiences. For three children, this has resulted in unplanned endings.

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improvement to be good

Some children are developing skills and strategies to manage their own conflicts and behaviour. However, this has not been the case for all children.

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improvement to be good

Children generally live healthy lifestyles. Children are supported to take their medication and attend health appointments. However, staff and managers do not always seek medical advice when children are reported to be significantly under the influence of alcohol. This means that children are not always receiving the support they need.

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improvement to be good

Children who have tested positive for COVID-19 have received good care that is in line with public health guidance. Staff consistently implement protocols and procedures that address the prevention and spread of COVID-19. This helps to keep children and others safe from infection.

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improvement to be good

Children’s learning outcomes are positive. Staff have a strong focus on education. Staff support children to develop routines and to attend school. Staff regularly liaise with educational professionals to promote children’s learning.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend time with their family members when it is safe to do so. Staff work proactively and positively with family members to develop and maintain meaningful relationships. Children say they value this time and the support they receive from staff.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is safe, comfortable and well maintained.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice at the home is not sufficiently robust. For example, in a recent incident, managers and a member of staff did not sufficiently probe and explore all potential safeguarding issues when a child was under the influence of a significant amount of alcohol. The managers and member of staff accepted the child’s own assessment of their health and did not seek medical advice or attention for the child. Consequently, the child was not safeguarded effectively. Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 4 Risk assessments and behaviour management plans do not comprehensively explore children’s risks or vulnerabilities, even when these vulnerabilities are known prior to admission. Furthermore, risk assessments and behaviour management plans do not include strategies to help staff to manage and reduce risk. This means that staff are not always consistent in their approach.

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improvement to be good

The records of physical interventions do not always demonstrate that staff intervene at the right time and for the right reason. The level of detail in physical intervention records is not always sufficient, which means that some records are not clear and do not include a meaningful analysis of what has happened. One incident of restraint was not recorded. This does not support the safe care of children or demonstrate good management oversight.

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improvement to be good

The quality of recording by staff and managers is a cause for concern. Records do not provide a clear and accurate account of children’s day-to-day experiences of living at the home. Furthermore, if a child is subject to a room search or person search, this is not recorded adequately.

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improvement to be good

Investigations into allegations or suspicion of harm are shared with the appropriate agencies and other safeguarding professionals. The designated officers confirm that managers and staff follow the advice given by them. However, leaders and managers are unable to demonstrate that appropriate support is provided for persons who are the subject of allegations.

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improvement to be good

The home does not operate a safe signing-in system for staff or visitors. The current system is reliant on staff electronically signing themselves, and visitors, in and out. As all staff have access to the home’s electronic recording systems, this can be done remotely. Staff do not consistently sign in or out of the home. As a result, there is no accurate record of the individuals who are working at or visiting the home.

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improvement to be good

Children who were spoken to said that they know how to make a complaint. Children build trusting relationships with managers and staff, and feel comfortable, safe and supported.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment is safe and prevents unsuitable people from working at the home. This helps to ensure the safety of children.

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good

The leadership and management of the home are not strong. The registered manager has recently resigned. The staff and management teams have been affected by ill health related to COVID-19. This has had an impact on the leadership and management of the home.

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good

Leaders and managers continue to develop monitoring systems. They are ambitious for change and have identified areas where there are weaknesses in practice. There are plans in place to address these. They have appointed an experienced manager Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 5 and deputy manager, and continue to develop monitoring systems. The manager is yet to apply to register with Ofsted. The quality of care review does not evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the home or set out the plans to address concerns. This does not demonstrate good management oversight of the service.

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good

While staff receive regular supervision of their practice, the quality of supervision is variable. Records of supervision lack focus on children’s experiences, needs, plans and feedback. Staff benefit from regular team meetings. However, records of team meetings are poor. This does not help leaders and managers to reflect on staff development and the culture within the home.

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good

The registered person does not ensure that notifications of all significant events relating to the welfare and protection of children are made to the relevant authorities. One allegation and one disclosure were not reported to Ofsted. This is a breach of regulations.

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good

Staff say that they feel supported. All staff receive core safeguarding training. Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 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 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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) 22 October 2021

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 22 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 7 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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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 name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 22 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 8 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death;

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 22 October 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

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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 22 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 9 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff understanding and implementing children’s risk assessments, their role in keeping children safe, from the risks associated with alcohol misuse and exploitation.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked;

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Requirement Due date

a record of any persons who reside or work at any time at the home, who are not mentioned in the records kept in accordance with paragraphs 1 or 2;

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Requirement Due date

a record of all visitors to the home, and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for the visits. 22 October 2021

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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 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 22 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 10 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 22 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 11

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.20)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.40)

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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: 2595340 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Champion Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Champion Children Limited, Moran House, Units 7– 8, 449–451 High Road, London, Middlesex NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2595340 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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