Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable and who have difficulties managing their emotions and behaviour.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in September 2021. At present, no manager is in post.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This inspection was brought forward to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 2

p.1

improvement to be good

This is the first full inspection since the home registered with Ofsted in April 2021. There is one child living at the home. The child has positive experiences. However, the judgement of requires improvement overall reflects several shortfalls found in help and protection and several gaps in managerial monitoring and oversight, which, left unchecked, could compromise the child’s progress.

p.2

improvement to be good

The home is spacious and well resourced. The child benefits from a personalised bedroom in line with his preferences and interests. Memorabilia, including records of recent activities, is displayed, which supports the child’s sense of belonging. However, some damage caused during recent incidents has not been repaired to a good standard and the sensory room in the annex building is showing signs of wear. This detracts from what is otherwise a nurturing and welcoming home.

p.2

improvement to be good

The child’s recent move to the home was well planned. Staff spent time with the child prior to his move. Detailed information was obtained from the local authority to support staff to understand his needs and a personalised children’s guide was shared. This ensured a warm welcome for the child.

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff support the child to engage with his education. The child, who was not in education prior to living at the home, is now attending school part time and making good progress with a home tutor. Effective communication with school staff and the staff’s support to maintain an established home routine has enabled the child to start to make progress towards his education targets.

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff support a range of activities that reflect the child’s interests and hobbies. These have included an outing to the zoo, fishing trips and swimming sessions at a local leisure centre. The child has a season ticket to an aquarium. These opportunities have enabled him to expand his social network and enhance the breadth of his experiences.

p.2

improvement to be good

The staff are aware of the child’s primary health needs. They are helping the child to quit smoking and are working well with other agencies to ensure that the child receives the support that he needs.

p.2

improvement to be good

There are clear and appropriate safeguarding procedures. However, in one case, these were not followed fully when an allegation was made against a staff member. A referral to the designated officer was not made and records relating to the safeguarding concern were poor. While this does not appear to have had an impact Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 3 on the child this time, when safeguarding procedures are not followed and records are not clear, safeguards for children are reduced.

p.2

improvement to be good

A risk assessment for the child is in place. However, this contains several gaps and does not consistently provide clear guidance for staff to follow. There are no written actions on how staff will respond to known risks of ligaturing and managing online safety, or in relation to the child helping with maintenance tasks in the house or his engagement with peers in the community. This could lead to inconsistencies in how staff respond to the child and place him at risk.

p.3

improvement to be good

Safe recruitment processes are not consistently effective. Full employment history, gaps in employment and reasons for staff leaving previous roles are not always fully explored. This could lead to unsuitable adults working at the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The location risk assessment identifies clearly the risks associated with the location of the home. However, important crime statistics that could help to reduce risks and provide an up-to-date overview of concerns in line with children’s vulnerabilities are not regularly obtained. This does not ensure that staff are continually informed about the area and potential concerns are reduced.

p.3

improvement to be good

Well-formed behaviour management policies are in place. These include recognising achievements and using individual incentive programmes to positively reinforce alternative behaviours. Staff use good relationships as a basis for managing behaviours and implement consequences, when necessary, that are restorative in nature. However, the child does not currently have an individualised behaviour management plan. This lack of clarity reduces the staff’s capacity to consistently respond to the child’s individual behavioural needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

The staff have established good working relationships with the police. This enables effective information sharing about the risks to the child in the community. The staff have good awareness of the child’s missing-from-home profile and procedures. There are effective supervision levels and security arrangements. As a result, the risk of the child going missing from the home has reduced since he has lived at the home.

p.3

good

The registered manager left the home in September 2021. A recruitment programme to appoint a new manager has been initiated. In the interim, the experienced responsible individual and the existing deputy manager are overseeing the day-to-day management of the home. This has mitigated some of the impact of the vacancy. The leadership and staff team are child focused and committed to the well-being of the child. They recognise that there are areas that could be improved and understand the necessary improvements needed.

p.3

good

A training programme with a range of courses to enhance staff’s skills is in place. Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 4 However, training shortfalls have been identified in responding to suicide ideation, safe ligature removal and autism awareness. Given the child’s individual needs and some staff’s inexperience in residential childcare, this shortfall means that not all staff have the necessary skills to understand and respond to the child’s needs.

p.3

good

Managerial monitoring and oversight need improvement. Miscommunication with the manager, who has recently left, has meant that completed staff training records are not in place. There are gaps in the child’s risk assessment and shortfalls in the monitoring of staff’s recruitment records. This lack of managerial oversight reduces the opportunity for the leadership team to make continuous improvements efficiently.

p.4

good

The leadership team has failed to notify Ofsted about an allegation against a staff member at the home. This means that Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguarding arrangements has been reduced.

p.4

good

Staff meetings are well attended and maintain a focus on the child. The leadership team is well regarded by the staff team. Staff benefit from regular, detailed and reflective supervisions. The staff are positive about the support that they receive.

p.4

good

Staff have started to build good relationships with external professionals and the child’s family, who provided positive feedback about the strength of communication and the quality of care planning arrangements.

p.4

good

Despite the number of shortfalls identified, the leadership team has taken some immediate steps to address these. Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments contain clear guidance for staff to follow in respect of:

p.5

Requirement Due date

supporting the child’s relationships with peers in the community; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

the child’s participation in maintenance tasks around the home. 29 October 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(e))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that allegations against staff are managed in line with safeguarding policies and referred to 30 September Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 6 the designated officer and that records relating to safeguarding are clear and accurate.

p.5

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that training in managing suicide ideation, safe ligature removal and autism awareness is sourced for the staff team and attended. 29 October 2021

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)) 29 October 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 16 November

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; 30 September Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 7 or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.6

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff checks include a full employment history, a written explanation for any gaps in employment and verification as far as possible of the reason that employment in positions with children or vulnerable adults ended.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay—

p.7

Requirement Due date

if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 30 September

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should provide a nurturing, homely environment. In particular, ensure that the sensory room annex is decorated to a good standard and that damage to the home is repaired promptly. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied at all times by staff, kept under review and revised when appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home. Specifically, ensure that the assessment is informed by up-to-date crime intelligence related to children’s identified vulnerabilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 64, paragraph 15.1)

p.7

Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 8

p.8

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: 2621215 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited

p.9

Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2621215 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10