Children's Home run by Satash Community Care Project Limited in Thurrock

Inspection report children's home: SC462450 1 SC462450 Registered provider: Satash Community Care Project Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home, which is run by a private organisation, provides care for up to six children and young people with learning disabilities. The organisation promotes independence and aims to provide care that respects children’s and young people’s choices, rights, privacy and dignity.

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Information about this children's home

The qualified and experienced manager registered with Ofsted for this home in July 2013.

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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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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: SC462450 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2019 Full Good 17/05/2018 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC462450 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are thriving at this home. The very small group of children who have regular short breaks really look forward to their stays. Parents described their children as getting very excited when the time for their short break visit arrives. This is because they have fun when they come to stay. One child was very animated when describing the theatre trips that they had enjoyed and the further trips that they are planning for the summer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully plans the process of any new children moving in or having a short break. He ensures that suitable information is available and that staff assess the child’s needs prior to moving in. The manager ensures that children are suitably matched so that the needs of children who move into the home or receive short breaks are compatible with the needs of the children already living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The caring staff provide individualised care which meets the children’s complex needs. The staff are committed to the children and want them to try new things and do well. One parent described how their child is now able to go out in the community because of the unwavering commitment and support of staff. The staff had not given up when things were difficult. They provided additional staff and kept trying, gently challenging the child’s boundaries until the child felt safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are consulted about their life and the care that they receive. Staff are responsive to children’s wishes. For example, staff supported a child through a planned move into a foster family. Staff were also there to support the child when they decided to stay at the children’s home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to the children’s education and do not hesitate to drive long journeys daily to ensure that children are in the right education environment. Staff supported children to do their schoolwork virtually through the COVID-19 pandemic and helped them through their fears about returning to school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained and provides a spacious and good-quality living environment for children. Suitable aids and adaptions which meet the children’s needs are in place. However, the kitchen is not fully accessible for children who use a wheelchair.

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

Children feel safe and secure. Parents and partner professionals have absolute confidence in the staff. The staff receive suitable training in safeguarding children with disabilities and are clear about their core roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. There have been no significant or safeguarding incidents. Inspection report children's home: SC462450 4 Staff understand that children use behaviour as an essential way to communicate their anxiety and to manage their surroundings and experiences. The staff anticipate situations and help children to communicate in an appropriate way. As a result, children’s unwanted behaviours significantly reduce and there have been no physical restraints. The positive work of the staff to support a child and their family has enabled one child to return to their family home.

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

Staff have recently begun to use sanctions with a child who has a good understanding of consequences. This is helping the child understand expectations and boundaries. There are no concerns about how these have been used. However, on occasion, the records of these sanctions require further information and clarity to enable the manager to monitor the implementation and effectiveness.

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

Children have complex and greatly varying needs. However, there is not a clear personalised emergency evacuation plan for each child. Therefore, some staff may not be aware of how best to evacuate children safely and quickly in the event of an emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The suitably qualified and experienced manager has been in post since the home registered. The staff work well as a team and feel well supported by the manager. As a result, most staff have worked for the organisation for several years. This provides the children and their families with consistency and stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have high aspirations for children. The caring staff provide high-quality individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work collaboratively with partner professionals and parents, who consequently hold the staff team in high regard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that all staff receive appropriate training to support them to meet the children’s complex needs. The manager reviews staff training to ensure that they can meet needs of children moving into the home. However, one member of staff has not achieved the required level 3 residential childcare qualification within the specified time frame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On occasion, recruitment processes have not been in accordance with regulatory requirements. The provider has not ensured that references and relevant qualifications are verified on each occasion. Not all staff have had a formal review of their performance in the past year.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Record-keeping, on occasion, does not provide the required clarity. For example, some aspects of children’s care plans are not accurate and up to date. Staff rotas, records of staff supervision and records of sanctions do not consistently contain sufficient and clear information. Inspection report children's home: SC462450 5 The independent visitor has not consistently sought feedback from parents or professionals involved in the home. This undermines the effectiveness of the visits, particularly as, until May 2021, they were conducted virtually. The visitor has not stated in their reports whether they believe that children have been safeguarded effectively and their well-being promoted. The manager has not sent a copy of the most recent statement of purpose to Ofsted. Both matters have the potential to undermine Ofsted’s ability to have a full understanding of the home. Inspection report children's home: SC462450 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 compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b)) 19 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff who have worked in a children’s home for more than two years achieve a suitable level 3 qualification. 25 October 2021

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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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 25 October 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC462450 7 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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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 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child has a suitably clear and detailed personal emergency evacuation plan. The registered person should ensure that disabled children can use all areas of the home. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are clearly recorded in accordance with regulatory requirements. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice as set out in regulations 31-33. They should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. Specifically, verifying staff references and qualifications. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that records held are accurate, clear and demonstrate the care provided to children and/or the support provided to staff. This is with particular reference to staff rotas and staff supervision records. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children's home: SC462450 8

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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: SC462450 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Satash Community Care Project Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 25 Balham High Road, London SW12 9AL

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Thanaletchmi Loganathan

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Children's home details

Registered manager: Vyramuthu Loganathan

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Inspector

Joanna Heller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC462450 10 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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